Zelophehad’s Daughters Marry (Numbers 27:1-5)
“Now the family heads of the clan of Gilead son of Machir son of Manasseh, one of the clans of Joseph, approached and addressed Moses and the leaders who were the heads of the Israelite families, saying, “When the LORD commanded my lord to give the land as an inheritance to the Israelites by lot, He also commanded him to give the inheritance of our brother Zelophehad to his daughters. But if they marry any of the men from the other tribes of Israel, their inheritance will be withdrawn from the portion of our fathers and added to the tribe into which they marry. So our allotted inheritance would be taken away. And when the Jubilee for the Israelites comes, their inheritance will be added to the tribe into which they marry and taken away from the tribe of our fathers.”
So at the word of the LORD, Moses commanded the Israelites: “The tribe of the sons of Joseph speaks correctly. This is what the LORD has commanded concerning the daughters of Zelophehad: They may marry anyone they please, provided they marry within a clan of the tribe of their father. No inheritance in Israel may be transferred from tribe to tribe, because each of the Israelites is to retain the inheritance of the tribe of his fathers. Every daughter who possesses an inheritance from any Israelite tribe must marry within a clan of the tribe of her father, so that every Israelite will possess the inheritance of his fathers. No inheritance may be transferred from one tribe to another, for each tribe of Israel must retain its inheritance.”
So the daughters of Zelophehad did as the LORD had commanded Moses. Mahlah, Tirzah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Noah, the daughters of Zelophehad, were married to cousins on their father’s side. They married within the clans of the descendants of Manasseh son of Joseph, and their inheritance remained within the tribe of their father’s clan.
These are the commandments and ordinances that the LORD gave to the Israelites through Moses on the plains of Moab by the Jordan across from Jericho.”
Although the Israelites have yet to enter the Promised Land, God is already laying down the regulations for dividing the land and inheriting it. Clans are to retain the land allotted to them, no matter what happens. Although generally men are to inherit land from their fathers, what happens if there are no male heirs? Here God is addressing that question. Zelophehad is a man from the tribe of Manasseh. Zelophehad dies, leaving only daughters. Naturally, clan members are concerned that if these girls marry, the land will pass to a different clan or even to a different tribe. God’s answer is to have the girls marry cousins within a clan of the tribe of their father.
This discussion also concludes the Book of Numbers. Next, Moses goes on to summarize all God’s commandments for the Israelites in the Book of Deuteronomy, a book we have already discussed. But in the midst of the bookkeeping and censuses, remember that the Book of Numbers has fascinating stories that give us insight into God’s ways with His people.
APPLICATION: God cares about the finest details of our lives, including inheritances and our choice of spouses. God is also a problem-solving God, who can help sort out the thorniest problems we may present Him. These women naturally want to marry; yet, they must not marry a very close relative. At the same time, if the women do not inherit from their father, it is as if their family is being blotted out of their clan. Such an event could set nasty precedents. God wants to ensure that land remains in tribes and clans and that His commands are followed precisely. The answer is for the women to marry distant cousins but to retain the land for their father’s clan.
Many times we find that our ways are dark. We have difficult decisions to make with no idea which direction to take. But we can trust the God Who has created us and Who loves us better than anybody else to steer us in the right direction.
Perhaps you find yourself struggling with a decision today. You have weighed pros and cons and are no nearer to a solution than you were before. Pray and ask God to help You. God is a good Father who will not play guessing games with His children. If you will take one step forward, God will be able to guide you. But also remember this: it’s impossible to guide a stationary object. If you make a start, God can do a course correction; however, if you sit demanding that God will show you everything before you even begin, nothing will happen. Let’s pray.
PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, many of us are confused and wonder which way to turn. Pierce the darkness and give Your beloved ones light so that they can see the next step. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.
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