The Meaning of Numbers 36:2 Explained

Numbers 36:2

KJV: And they said, The LORD commanded my lord to give the land for an inheritance by lot to the children of Israel: and my lord was commanded by the LORD to give the inheritance of Zelophehad our brother unto his daughters.

YLT: and say, Jehovah commanded my lord to give the land for inheritance by lot to the sons of Israel, and my lord hath been commanded by Jehovah to give the inheritance of Zelophehad our brother to his daughters.

Darby: and they said, Jehovah commanded my lord to give the land for an inheritance by lot to the children of Israel; and my lord was commanded by Jehovah to give the inheritance of Zelophehad our brother to his daughters.

ASV: and they said, Jehovah commanded my lord to give the land for inheritance by lot to the children of Israel: and my lord was commanded by Jehovah to give the inheritance of Zelophehad our brother unto his daughters.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And they said,  The LORD  commanded  my lord  to give  the land  for an inheritance  by lot  to the children  of Israel:  and my lord  was commanded  by the LORD  to give  the inheritance  of Zelophehad  our brother  unto his daughters. 

What does Numbers 36:2 Mean?

Chapter Summary: Numbers 36

1  The inheritance of daughters is remedied by marrying in their own tribes
7  Lest the inheritance should be removed from the tribe
10  The daughters of Zelophehad marry their father's brothers' sons

What do the individual words in Numbers 36:2 mean?

and they said - my lord [Moses] commanded Yahweh to give the land as an inheritance by lot to the sons of Israel and my lord was commanded by Yahweh to give - the inheritance of Zelophehad our brother to his daughters
וַיֹּאמְר֗וּ אֶת־ אֲדֹנִי֙ צִוָּ֣ה יְהוָ֔ה לָתֵ֨ת הָאָ֧רֶץ בְּנַחֲלָ֛ה בְּגוֹרָ֖ל לִבְנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וַֽאדֹנִי֙ צֻוָּ֣ה בַֽיהוָ֔ה לָתֵ֗ת אֶֽת־ נַחֲלַ֛ת צְלָפְחָ֥ד אָחִ֖ינוּ לִבְנֹתָֽיו

וַיֹּאמְר֗וּ  and  they  said 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
אֲדֹנִי֙  my  lord  [Moses] 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, first person common singular
Root: אָדֹון  
Sense: firm, strong, lord, master.
צִוָּ֣ה  commanded 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: צָוָה  
Sense: to command, charge, give orders, lay charge, give charge to, order.
יְהוָ֔ה  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
לָתֵ֨ת  to  give 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: יָתַן 
Sense: to give, put, set.
הָאָ֧רֶץ  the  land 
Parse: Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: אֶרֶץ  
Sense: land, earth.
בְּנַחֲלָ֛ה  as  an  inheritance 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, feminine singular
Root: נַחֲלָה  
Sense: possession, property, inheritance, heritage.
בְּגוֹרָ֖ל  by  lot 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine singular
Root: גֹּורָל  
Sense: lot.
לִבְנֵ֣י  to  the  sons 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: בֵּן 
Sense: son, grandson, child, member of a group.
יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל  of  Israel 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יִשְׂרָאֵל  
Sense: the second name for Jacob given to him by God after his wrestling with the angel at Peniel.
וַֽאדֹנִי֙  and  my  lord 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine singular construct, first person common singular
Root: אָדֹון  
Sense: firm, strong, lord, master.
צֻוָּ֣ה  was  commanded 
Parse: Verb, Pual, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: צָוָה  
Sense: to command, charge, give orders, lay charge, give charge to, order.
בַֽיהוָ֔ה  by  Yahweh 
Parse: Preposition-b, Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
לָתֵ֗ת  to  give 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: יָתַן 
Sense: to give, put, set.
אֶֽת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
נַחֲלַ֛ת  the  inheritance 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: נַחֲלָה  
Sense: possession, property, inheritance, heritage.
צְלָפְחָ֥ד  of  Zelophehad 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: צְלָפְחָד  
Sense: a Manassite, son of Hepher and grandson of Gilead; came out of Egypt with Moses and died in the wilderness leaving only five daughters as heirs; their right to the inheritance was confirmed by divine direction.
אָחִ֖ינוּ  our  brother 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, first person common plural
Root: אָח  
Sense: brother.
לִבְנֹתָֽיו  to  his  daughters 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, feminine plural construct, third person masculine singular
Root: בַּת  
Sense: daughter.