Numbers 36

Zelophehad’s Family Brings Up a Concern

1 The leaders of the clan of Gilead (descendants of Machir, son of Manasseh, son of Joseph) came to Moses, Eleazar the priest, and the Israelite leaders with a concern.

2 They said, “The Lord commanded Moses to give land to the daughters of Zelophehad as their inheritance.”

3 “But if they marry men from another tribe, their land will be taken from our tribe and added to their husband’s tribe!”

4 “And when the Jubilee year comes, their land will permanently belong to that tribe, shrinking our inheritance!”

God Gives a Marriage Rule for Women with Land

5 So Moses brought the issue before the Lord, and the Lord gave an answer.

6 “Here is what the daughters of Zelophehad must do: They can marry whoever they want, but only within their father’s tribe.”

7 “That way, no land inheritance will transfer from one tribe to another. Each tribe must keep its own land.”

8 “If a woman inherits land, she must marry within her father’s tribe so that every tribe keeps their inheritance.”

9 “No land can be transferred from tribe to tribe, each Israelite must hold on to their own ancestral land.”

The Daughters of Zelophehad Obey

10 The daughters of Zelophehad, Mahlah, Tirzah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Noah, did exactly what the Lord commanded.

11 They married men from their own tribe, from the descendants of Manasseh (Joseph’s son).

12 This ensured that their land remained in their father’s tribe.

Final Words

13 These were the commands and laws the Lord gave Moses on the plains of Moab, near the Jordan River, across from Jericho.