Numbers 27:1-11

Numbers 27:1-11

[1] Then came  the daughters  of Zelophehad,  the son  of Hepher,  the son  of Gilead,  the son  of Machir,  the son  of Manasseh,  of the families  of Manasseh  the son  of Joseph:  and these are the names  of his daughters;  Mahlah,  Noah,  and Hoglah,  and Milcah,  and Tirzah.  [2] And they stood  before  Moses,  and before  Eleazar  the priest,  and before  the princes  and all the congregation,  by the door  of the tabernacle  of the congregation,  saying,  [3] Our father  died  in the wilderness,  and he was not in  the company  of them that gathered themselves together  against the LORD  in the company  of Korah;  but died  in his own sin,  and had no sons.  [4] Why should the name  of our father  be done away  from among  his family,  because he hath no son?  Give  unto us therefore a possession  among  the brethren  of our father.  [5] And Moses  brought  their cause  before  the LORD.  [6] And the LORD  spake  unto Moses,  saying,  [7] The daughters  of Zelophehad  speak  right:  thou shalt surely  them a possession  of an inheritance  among  their father's  brethren;  and thou shalt cause the inheritance  of their father  to pass  unto them. [8] And thou shalt speak  unto the children  of Israel,  saying,  If a man  die,  and have no son,  then ye shall cause his inheritance  to pass  unto his daughter.  [9] And if he have no daughter,  then ye shall give  his inheritance  unto his brethren.  [10] And if he have no brethren,  then ye shall give  his inheritance  unto his father's  brethren.  [11] And if his father  have no brethren,  then ye shall give  his inheritance  unto his kinsman  that is next  to him of his family,  and he shall possess  it: and it shall be unto the children  of Israel  a statute  of judgment,  commanded  Moses. 

What does Numbers 27:1-11 Mean?

Contextual Meaning

The writer probably included this incident in the text because it resulted in a further definition of the laws governing inheritance in the land in a common situation. It also shows the faith of these women. They believed God would bring them into the land. Furthermore it reveals the fairness and compassion of God in His provision for these women whose father had died in the wilderness.
Normally when a father died, his sons divided his property with the eldest receiving a double portion. Daughters did not receive an inheritance other than their dowry. The dowry was a substantial present their father gave them when they married. The term dowry also refers to a gift the groom gave to his father-in-law when he married his daughter.
Notice that after Moses heard the women"s complaint he took their case to the Lord ( Numbers 27:5). This is another mark of Moses" spiritual leadership.
God decreed that in Israel when a man had no sons his daughters would divide his property ( Numbers 27:8). If he had neither sons nor daughters, the father"s nearest relative would receive his inheritance ( Numbers 27:9-11). Later (ch36) the Lord placed a restriction on daughters who inherited their father"s estate. They had to marry within their own tribe to keep the inheritance within that tribe as it would have remained if the father had had sons.
This passage is interesting because it shows how case law developed in Israel. When a situation not covered by existing laws arose, like this one, the people involved would go to Moses and the high priest who would inquire of God. God would reveal what the people should do. This revelation then became precedent for similar cases that might arise later.