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Numbers 36:13 King James Version with Strong's Concordance (STRONG)

13 These are the commandments H4687 and the judgments, H4941 which the LORD H3068 commanded H6680 by the hand H3027 of Moses H4872 unto the children H1121 of Israel H3478 in the plains H6160 of Moab H4124 by Jordan H3383 near Jericho. H3405

Cross Reference

Leviticus 27:34 STRONG

These are the commandments, H4687 which the LORD H3068 commanded H6680 Moses H4872 for the children H1121 of Israel H3478 in mount H2022 Sinai. H5514

Numbers 22:1 STRONG

And the children H1121 of Israel H3478 set forward, H5265 and pitched H2583 in the plains H6160 of Moab H4124 on this side H5676 Jordan H3383 by Jericho. H3405

Leviticus 7:37-38 STRONG

This is the law H8451 of the burnt offering, H5930 of the meat offering, H4503 and of the sin offering, H2403 and of the trespass offering, H817 and of the consecrations, H4394 and of the sacrifice H2077 of the peace offerings; H8002 Which the LORD H3068 commanded H6680 Moses H4872 in mount H2022 Sinai, H5514 in the day H3117 that he commanded H6680 the children H1121 of Israel H3478 to offer H7126 their oblations H7133 unto the LORD, H3068 in the wilderness H4057 of Sinai. H5514

Leviticus 11:46 STRONG

This is the law H8451 of the beasts, H929 and of the fowl, H5775 and of every living H2416 creature H5315 that moveth H7430 in the waters, H4325 and of every creature H5315 that creepeth H8317 upon the earth: H776

Leviticus 13:59 STRONG

This is the law H8451 of the plague H5061 of leprosy H6883 in a garment H899 of woollen H6785 or linen, H6593 either in the warp, H8359 or woof, H6154 or any thing H3627 of skins, H5785 to pronounce it clean, H2891 or to pronounce it unclean. H2930

Leviticus 14:54-57 STRONG

This is the law H8451 for all manner of plague H5061 of leprosy, H6883 and scall, H5424 And for the leprosy H6883 of a garment, H899 and of a house, H1004 And for a rising, H7613 and for a scab, H5597 and for a bright spot: H934 To teach H3384 when H3117 it is unclean, H2931 and when H3117 it is clean: H2889 this is the law H8451 of leprosy. H6883

Leviticus 15:32-33 STRONG

This is the law H8451 of him that hath an issue, H2100 and of him whose seed H2233 H7902 goeth H3318 from him, and is defiled H2930 therewith; And of her that is sick H1739 of her flowers, H5079 and of him that hath H2100 an issue, H2101 of the man, H2145 and of the woman, H5347 and of him H376 that lieth H7901 with her that is unclean. H2931

Leviticus 26:46 STRONG

These are the statutes H2706 and judgments H4941 and laws, H8451 which the LORD H3068 made H5414 between him and the children H1121 of Israel H3478 in mount H2022 Sinai H5514 by the hand H3027 of Moses. H4872

Numbers 26:3 STRONG

And Moses H4872 and Eleazar H499 the priest H3548 spake H1696 with them in the plains H6160 of Moab H4124 by Jordan H3383 near Jericho, H3405 saying, H559

Numbers 33:50 STRONG

And the LORD H3068 spake H1696 unto Moses H4872 in the plains H6160 of Moab H4124 by Jordan H3383 near Jericho, H3405 saying, H559

Numbers 35:1 STRONG

And the LORD H3068 spake H1696 unto Moses H4872 in the plains H6160 of Moab H4124 by Jordan H3383 near Jericho, H3405 saying, H559

Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on Numbers 36

Commentary on Numbers 36 Matthew Henry Commentary


Chapter 36

We have in this chapter the determination of another question that arose upon the case of the daughters of Zelophehad. God had appointed that they should inherit, ch. 27:7. Now here,

  • I. An inconvenience is suggested, in case they should marry into any other tribe (v. 1-4).
  • II. It is prevented by a divine appointment that they should marry in their own tribe and family (v. 5-7), and this is settled for a rule in like cases (v. 8, 9); and they did marry accordingly to some of their own relations (v. 10-12), and with this the book concludes (v. 13).

Num 36:1-4

We have here the humble address which the heads of the tribe of Manasseh made to Moses and the princes, on occasion of the order lately made concerning the daughters of Zelophehad. The family they belonged to was part of that half of the tribe of Manasseh which we yet to have their lot within Jordan, not that half that was already settled; and yet they speak of the land of their possession, and the inheritance of their fathers, with as great assurance as if they had it already in their hands, knowing whom they had trusted. In their appeal observe,

  • 1. They fairly recite the former order made in this case, and do not move to have that set aside, but are very willing to acquiesce in it (v. 2): The Lord commanded to give the inheritance of Zelophehad to his daughters; and they are very well pleased that it should be so, none of them knowing but that hereafter it might be the case of their own families, and then their daughters would have the benefit of this law.
  • 2. They represent the inconvenience which might, possibly, follow hereupon, if the daughters of Zelophehad should see cause to marry into any other tribes, v. 3. And it is probable that this was not a bare surmise, or supposition, but that they knew, at this time, great court was made to them by some young gentlemen of other tribes, because they were heiresses, that they might get footing in this tribe, and so enlarge their own inheritance. This truly is often aimed at more than it should be in making marriages, not the meetness of the person, but the convenience of the estate, to lay house to house, and field to field. Wisdom indeed is good with an inheritance; but what is an inheritance good for in that relation without wisdom? But here, we may presume, the personal merit of these daughters recommended them as well as their fortunes; however, the heads of their tribe foresaw the mischief that would follow, and brought the case to Moses, that he might consult the oracle of God concerning it. The difficulty they start God could have obviated and provided against in the former order given in this case; but to teach us that we must, in our affairs, not only attend God's providence, but make use of our own prudence, God did not direct in it till the themselves that were concerned wisely foresaw the inconvenience, and piously applied to Moses for a rule in it. For though they were chief fathers in their families, and might have assumed a power to overrule these daughters of Zelophehad in disposing of themselves, especially their father being dead and the common interest of their tribe being concerned in it, yet they chose rather to refer the matter to Moses, and it issued well. We should not covet to be judges in our own case, for it is difficult to be so without being partial. It is easier in many cases to take good advice than to give it, and it is a satisfaction to be under direction. Two things they aimed at in their representation:-
    • (1.) To preserve the divine appointment of inheritances. They urged the command (v. 2), that the land should be given by lot to the respective tribes, and urged that it would break in upon the divine appointment if such a considerable part of the lot of Manasseh should, by their marriage, be transferred to any other tribe; for the issue would be denominated from the father's tribe, not the mother's. This indeed would not lessen the lot of the particular persons of that tribe (they would have their own still), but it would lessen the lot of the tribe in general, and render it less strong and considerable; they therefore thought themselves concerned for the reputation of their tribe, and perhaps were the more jealous for it because it was already very much weakened by the sitting down of the one half of it on this side Jordan.
    • (2.) To prevent contests and quarrels among posterity. If those of other tribes should come among them perhaps it might occasion some contests. They would be apt to give and receive disturbance, and their title might, in process of time, come to be questioned; and how great a matter would this fire kindle! It is the wisdom and duty of those that have estates in the world to settle them, and dispose of them, so as that no strife and contention may arise about them among posterity.

Num 36:5-13

Here is,

  • I. The matter settled by express order from God between the daughters of Zelophehad and the rest of the tribe of Manasseh. The petition is assented to, and care taken to prevent the inconvenience feared: The tribe of the sons of Joseph hath said well, v. 5. Thus those that consult the oracles of God concerning the making of their heavenly inheritance sure shall not only be directed what to do, but their enquiries shall be graciously accepted, and they shall have not only their well done, but their well said, good and faithful servant. Now the matter is thus accommodated: these heiresses must be obliged to marry, not only within their own tribe of Manasseh, but within the particular family of the Hepherites, to which they did belong.
    • 1. They are not determined to any particular persons; there was choice enough in the family of their father: Let them marry to whom they think best. As children must preserve the authority of their parents, and not marry against their minds, so parents must consult the affections of their children in disposing of them, and not compel them to marry such as they cannot love. Forced marriages are not likely to prove blessings.
    • 2. Yet they are confined to their own relations, that their inheritance may not go to another family. God would have them know that the land being to be divided by lot, the disposal whereof was of the Lord, they could not mend, and therefore should not alter, his appointment. The inheritances must not remove from tribe to tribe (v. 7), lest there should be confusion among them, their estates entangled, and their genealogies perplexed. God would not have one tribe to be enriched by the straitening and impoverishing of another, since they were all alike the seed of Abraham his friend.
  • II. The law, in this particular case, was made perpetual, and to be observed whenever hereafter the like case should happen, v. 8. Those that were not heiresses might marry into what tribe they pleased (though we may suppose that, ordinarily, they kept within their own tribe), but those that were must either quit their claim to the inheritance or marry one of their own family, that each of the tribes might keep to its own inheritance, and one tribe might not encroach upon another, but throughout their generations there might remain immovable the ancient landmarks, set, not by their fathers, but by the God of their fathers.
  • III. The submission of the daughters of Zelophehad to this appointment. How could they but marry well, and to their satisfaction, when God himself directed them? They married their father's brothers' sons, v. 10-12. By this it appears,
    • 1. That the marriage of cousin-germans is not in itself unlawful, nor within the degrees prohibited, for then God would not have countenanced these marriages. But,
    • 2. That ordinarily it is not advisable; for, if there had not been a particular reason for it (which cannot hold in any case now, inheritances being not disposed of as then by the special designation of Heaven), they would not have married such near relations. The world is wide, and he that walks uprightly will endeavour to walk surely.
  • IV. The conclusion of this whole book, referring to the latter part of it: These are the judgments which the Lord commanded in the plains of Moab (v. 13), these foregoing, ever since ch. 26, most of which related to their settlement in Canaan, into which they were now entering. Whatever new condition God is by his providence bringing us into, we must beg of him to teach us the duty of it, and to enable us to do it, that we may do the work of the day in its day, of the place in its place.