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
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
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
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
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Numbers 36
Commentary on Numbers 36 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 36
Nu 36:1-13. The Inconvenience of the Inheritance.
1. the chief fathers of the families of the children of Gilead—Being the tribal governors in Manasseh, they consulted Moses on a case that affected the public honor and interests of their tribe. It related once more to the daughters of Zelophehad. Formerly they had applied, at their own instance, to be recognized, for want of male heirs in their family, as entitled to inherit their father's property [Nu 27:1-11]; now the application was made on behalf of the tribe to which they belonged—that steps might be taken to prevent the alienation of their patrimony by their alliance with husbands of another tribe. The unrestricted marriages of daughters in such circumstances threatened seriously to affect the tenure of land in Israel, as their inheritance would go to their children, who, by the father's side, would belong to another tribe, and thus lead, through a complication of interests and the confusion of families, to an evil for which even the Jubilee could not afford a remedy. [See on Le 25:13].
5-12. Moses commanded the children of Israel according to the word of the Lord—The plea appeared just and reasonable; and, accordingly an enactment was made by which the daughters of Zelophehad, while left to the free choice of their husbands, were restricted to marry not only within their own tribe, but within the family of their father's tribe—that is, one of their cousins. This restriction, however, was imposed only on those who were heiresses. The law was not applicable to daughters in different circumstances (1Ch 23:22)—for they might marry into another tribe; but if they did so, they were liable to forfeit their patrimonial inheritance, which, on the death of their father or brothers, went to the nearest of the family kinsmen. Here was an instance of progressive legislation (see also Ex 18:27) in Israel, the enactments made being suggested by circumstances. But it is deserving of special notice that those additions to, or modifications of, the law were confined to civil affairs; while the slightest change was inadmissible in the laws relating to worship or the maintenance of religion.
13. These are the commandments and the judgments, which the Lord commanded by the hand of Moses unto the children of Israel in the plains of Moab—The Israelitish encampment was on an extensive plateau north of the Arnon, which, though wrested from the Moabites by Sihon and Og, still retained the name of its original possessors. The particular site, as indicated by the words "Jordan near Jericho," is now called El-Koura—a large plain lying not far from Nebo, between the Arnon and a small tributary stream, the Wael [Burckhardt]. It was a desert plain on the eastern bank, and marked only by groves of the wild, thorny acacia tree.