“And they were married into the families of the sons of Manasseh the son of Joseph, and their inheritance remained in the tribe of the family of their father.”
Numbers 36:12 concludes the narrative in the book of Numbers regarding the inheritance rights of the daughters of Zelophehad. To understand the significance of this verse, we need to examine the context and the events leading up to it.
In Numbers 27:1-11, the daughters of Zelophehad-Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah-approached Moses, Eleazar the priest, the leaders, and the entire congregation of Israel with a concern. Their father had passed away in the wilderness, and as he had no sons, there was uncertainty regarding the inheritance of his land in the Promised Land.
The daughters of Zelophehad argued that it would be unjust for their father’s inheritance to be lost simply because he had no sons. They believed they should receive a portion of the land as their inheritance. Moses, after consulting with God, received a divine command to grant them their request. It was established that if a man died without sons, his daughters would inherit his possessions.
The ruling, found in Numbers 27:7-11, became a statute and a law for the people of Israel. However, this new law raised a concern among the leaders of the tribe of Manasseh. They feared that if the daughters of Zelophehad married men from other tribes, their inheritance would eventually transfer to another tribe, which would disrupt the tribal divisions and allocations of land established by God.
To address this issue, the leaders of Manasseh approached Moses and Eleazar, the priest, in Numbers 36:1-4. They expressed their concerns, stating that if the daughters of Zelophehad married outside their tribe, it would lead to a loss of their inherited land and the tribe’s territorial integrity.
In response to their concern, Moses received another divine command from God, which is recorded in Numbers 36:5-9. The command stated that the daughters of Zelophehad must marry within their own tribe. This would ensure that the land they inherited would remain within the tribe of Manasseh and not pass to another tribe.
Numbers 36:12 concludes the narrative by affirming that the daughters of Zelophehad did indeed marry men from their own tribe, Manasseh. By doing so, their inheritance remained in the tribe of their father, preserving the tribal boundaries and ensuring the proper allocation of land.
This passage highlights several important principles. First, it demonstrates that God is just and concerned about fairness. He provided a way for the daughters of Zelophehad to inherit their father’s land, even though the existing laws did not address their situation. Second, it reveals the importance of maintaining tribal distinctions and the integrity of the land allocations, as God had apportioned the Promised Land to each tribe. Lastly, it emphasizes the significance of obedience to God’s commands, as the daughters of Zelophehad willingly married within their tribe to fulfill the divine requirement.
In summary, Numbers 36:12 concludes the account of the daughters of Zelophehad, emphasizing their obedience to God’s command by marrying within their tribe and preserving their inherited land within the tribe of Manasseh.
