GIVE THEIR FATHER’S INHERITANCE TO THEM

Numbers 27:1-11 / Keywords 27:7

"What Zelophehad's daughters are saying is right. You must certainly give them property as an inheritance among their father's relatives and turn their father's inheritance over to them.

 

27:1 The daughters of Zelophehad son of Hepher, the son of Gilead, the son of Makir, the son of Manasseh, belonged to the clans of Manasseh son of Joseph. The names of the daughters were Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milkah and Tirzah. They came forward 2 and stood before Moses, Eleazar the priest, the leaders and the whole assembly at the entrance to the tent of meeting and said, 3 “Our father died in the wilderness. He was not among Korah’s followers, who banded together against the Lord, but he died for his own sin and left no sons. 4 Why should our father’s name disappear from his clan because he had no son? Give us property among our father’s relatives.”

5 So Moses brought their case before the Lord, 6 and the Lord said to him, 7 “What Zelophehad’s daughters are saying is right. You must certainly give them property as an inheritance among their father’s relatives and give their father’s inheritance to them.

8 “Say to the Israelites, ‘If a man dies and leaves no son, give his inheritance to his daughter. 9 If he has no daughter, give his inheritance to his brothers. 10 If he has no brothers, give his inheritance to his father’s brothers. 11 If his father had no brothers, give his inheritance to the nearest relative in his clan, that he may possess it. This is to have the force of law for the Israelites, as the Lord commanded Moses.’”

1. The census provided a means to divide the land based on the numbers of fighting men in each clan (26:4,53). But after all those counted at Sinai had died in the wilderness (26:64), one clan was left with no sons and only five daughters. These daughters were God’s hope for the next generation but were in danger of receiving nothing simply because they were female. When they courageously brought their case to Moses and the leaders, they were not overlooked. The LORD sided with the daughters: “You must certainly give them property…” Although the culture and society had no means to provide justice, God himself changed the law and provided for this family. In our day, systems of the world still limit justice for the vulnerable. Jesus teaches us to cry out to God, who will hear and bring justice quickly (Lk 18:7-8). Like these daughters, our inheritance is kept secure by the faithfulness of our God.

 

2. On the basis of this unique case, God expanded the laws in Israel in order to maintain each clan’s promised inheritance. The nearest relative had to take possession of the dead man’s inheritance. This may be the rule behind the kinsman-redeemer, Boaz (Ruth 2:20), whose story points to Christ.

 

Prayer Father, thank you for caring for the vulnerable and weak and for providing an inheritance that does not perish, spoil or fade away. Grant us courage to cry out to you for justice.

One Word Our inheritance comes from the LORD