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Numbers Chapter
Twenty-seven
New King James Version (NKJV)
INTRODUCTION TO NUMBERS 27
This
chapter relates
that
upon a petition of the daughters of Zelophehad
the
affair of inheritances was settled; and it is directed that
in case of want of
male issue
inheritances should pass to females
and in failure of them to the
next of kin
whether father's brethren or any near kinsman
Numbers 27:1
also
an order to Moses to go up to the Mount Abarim
and take a view of the good
land
and die; with the reason of it
Numbers 27:12
upon
which Moses desires a successor of him might be appointed
Numbers 27:15
in
answer to which Joshua is nominated
and being presented before the high priest
and the people
was invested with his office
by imposition of hands
and had
his charge given him
Numbers 27:18.
Numbers 27:1 Then came the daughters of Zelophehad the son of Hepher
the son of
Gilead
the son of Machir
the son of Manasseh
from the families of Manasseh
the son of Joseph; and these were the names of his daughters: Mahlah
Noah
Hoglah
Milcah
and Tirzah.
YLT
1And daughters of Zelophehad
son of Hepher
son of Gilead
son of Machir
son of Manasseh
of the families
of Manasseh son of Joseph
draw near -- and these [are] the names of his
daughters
Mahlah
Noah
and Hoglah
and Milcah
and Tirzah –
Verse 1
Then came the daughters of Zelophehad
.... Who are
mentioned among the families of Manasseh
under that of the Hepherites
Numbers 26:33
their father being dead
and they having no brethren
when they heard the land
was to be divided among those that were numbered
and who were only males of
twenty years old and upwards
were concerned
lest they should have no share in
the division of the land; and therefore came
according to the Targum of
Jonathan
to the house of judgment
or court of judicature
where Moses
the
princes
&c. were now sitting: the genealogy of Zelophehad is given:
he was the son of Hepher
the son of Gilead
the son of Machir
the son of Manasseh
the son of Joseph; by which it appears he
was of the tribe of Manasseh
and of the fourth generation from him:
and these are the names of his daughters
Mahlah
Noah
ann
Hoglah
and Milcah
and Tirzah; in the same order their names are given in Numbers 26:33
but
in Numbers 36:11
it
is a little altered
Noah and Tirzah change places
which Jarchi says shows
they were upon an equality one with another.
Numbers 27:2 2 And they stood before Moses
before Eleazar the priest
and before the leaders and all the congregation
by the doorway of the
tabernacle of meeting
saying:
YLT
2and stand before Moses
and
before Eleazar the priest
and before the princes
and all the company
at the
opening of the tent of meeting
saying:
And they stood before Moses
and before Eleazar the priest
and
before the princes
and all the congregation
.... Who were now sitting
in court
to hear and try causes brought before them; here were Moses the chief
magistrate
Eleazar the high priest
the princes of the several tribes
and the
representatives of the whole congregation
or it may be the seventy elders; a
very grand and august assembly
before whom these ladies appeared
and from
whom they might expect to have justice done them:
by the door of the tabernacle of the congregation; near to which
this court was held
both for the convenience of the people
to apply to in
case of need
when they came thither to worship
and of Moses
to seek the Lord
in case of any difficulty that might arise
as now did:
saying; as follows.
Numbers 27:3 3 “Our father died in the wilderness; but he was not in
the company of those who gathered together against the Lord
in company with Korah
but he died in his own sin; and he had no
sons.
YLT
3`Our father died in the
wilderness
and he -- he was not in the midst of the company who were met
together against Jehovah in the company of Korah
but for his own sin he died
and had no sons;
Our father died in the wilderness
.... As all the
generation of the children of Israel did
that came out of Egypt
who were
twenty years old and upwards
excepting Joshua and Caleb:
and he was not in the company of them that gathered themselves
together against the Lord in the company of Korah; which is
observed
not so much to obtain the favour and good will of Moses as to clear
the memory of their father from any reproach upon it
he dying in the
wilderness; and chiefly to show that the claim of his posterity to a share in
the land was not forfeited
he not being in that rebellion
nor in any other;
so that he and his were never under any attainder:
but died in his own sin; which though common to
all men
every man has his own peculiar way of sinning
and is himself only
answerable for it
Isaiah 53:6 he
sinned alone
had no partner or confederate
whom he had drawn into any
notorious and public sin
as mutiny
&c. to the prejudice of the state
and
the rulers in it; so the Targum of Jonathan adds
"and he did not cause
others to sin
'so Jarchi; some take him to be the sabbath breaker
Numbers 15:32
others
that he was one of those that went up the hill
Numbers 14:44
most
likely his sin was that of unbelief
disbelieving the spies that brought the
good report of the land
and giving credit to those that brought an ill report
of it; and so with the rest of the people murmured
for which his carcass
with
others
fell in the wilderness
and entered not into the good land
through
unbelief: a sin not punished in their children:
and had no sons. which was the reason of this application.
Numbers 27:4 4 Why should the name of our father be removed from among
his family because he had no son? Give us a possession among our father’s
brothers.”
YLT
4why is the name of our
father withdrawn from the midst of his family because he hath no son? give to
us a possession in the midst of the brethren of our father;'
Why should the name of our father be done away from among his
family
because he hath no son.... Or be withdrawn
and his family lose
their part and share on that account; this they thought was unreasonable:
according to the Targum of Jonathan
to prevent the name of their father being
lost
and his part in the land
their motion was
that their mother might marry
their father's brother
according to the law in Deuteronomy 25:5
with which Jarchi agrees; but it does not appear that that law was as yet in
being; though how otherwise the name of their father would be preserved
than
by raising up seed in that way
is not easy to say; except
as some think
it
was done by a son of one of those heiresses
or by the first son of everyone of
them
being called after the name of their grandfather Zelophehad
or their
mother's grandfather Hepher; though the JewsF20Pesikta
T. Bab.
Jebamot
fol. 49. 1. Moses Cotzensis Praecept. Affirm. 51. Apud Selden. de
Succession. ad leg. Ebra. c. 14. p. 97
98. commonly by the "name"
understand no other than the "inheritance"
which seems to be
confirmed by what follows:
give us therefore a possession among the brethren of our fathers; a part with
their uncles
or their children; by which they express their faith that the
children of Israel would inherit the land
though as yet it was not conquered
nor even entered into; and might signify
as some think
their concern to have
a part and portion in the heavenly inheritance the land of Canaan was typical
of; and if so
as Ainsworth observes
they may be considered as five wise
virgins indeed.
Numbers 27:5 5 So Moses brought their case before the Lord.
YLT
5and Moses bringeth near
their cause before Jehovah.
And Moses brought their cause before the Lord. For it seems
it was too difficult for this court to decide; and it devolving upon Moses
as
the president of it
and who only could have recourse to God at all times
he
carried it to him and consulted with him about it: this
as the Targums of
Jonathan and Jerusalem say
was one of the four causes that came before Moses
the prophet
that he solved according to the mind of the Lord
which he
consulted; one was concerning the blasphemer
Leviticus 24:11
the other concerning those defiled by the dead
Numbers 9:8
the
third concerning the sabbath breaker
Numbers 15:34 and
the fourth was this; See Gill on Leviticus 24:12.
Numbers 27:6 6 And the Lord spoke to Moses
saying:
YLT
6And Jehovah speaketh unto
Moses
saying
And the Lord spake unto Moses
.... From off the mercy
seat
where he consulted him
and from whence he promised to commune with him
about any difficult matter that came before him
Exodus 25:22
saying; as follows.
Numbers 27:7 7 “The daughters of Zelophehad speak what is
right; you shall surely give them a possession of inheritance among their father’s
brothers
and cause the inheritance of their father to pass to them.
YLT
7`Rightly are the daughters
of Zelophehad speaking; thou dost certainly give to them a possession of an
inheritance in the midst of their father's brethren
and hast caused to pass
over the inheritance of their father to them.
The daughters of Zelophehad speak right
.... What is
just and reasonable:
thou shalt surely give them a possession of an inheritance among
their father's brethren; their uncles
or rather the children of them; for it is
reasonable to suppose their father's brethren
or their uncles
were dead also:
or "in giving thou shall give"F21נתן
תתן "dando dabis"
Pagninus
Montanus. ;
which
according to Jarchi
denotes two parts or portions they should receive;
the part of their father
who was of them that came out of Egypt
and his part
with his brethren in the goods of Hepher: in the MisnahF23Bava
Bathra
c. 8. sect. 3.
from whence he seems to have taken it
it is;"the
daughters of Zelophehad took three parts for inheritance; the part of their
father
who was with them that came out of Egypt
and his part with his
brethren in the goods of Hepher
and because he was the firstborn he was to
take two parts:'and though this strict command was given to Moses
yet it does
not respect him personally
who lived not to enter into the land to see it
divided; but him who should be his successor
and chief magistrate at the time
of the division of it
which was Joshua
and of whom these ladies claimed their
part
and had it
Joshua 17:3
and thou shalt cause the inheritance of their father to pass unto
them; that is
that part which would have fallen to him by lot
had he
been living
these were to take
they standing in his place; and so the portion
of the land he would have had was to be divided between these live daughters of
his.
Numbers 27:8 8 And you shall speak to the children of Israel
saying:
‘If a man dies and has no son
then you shall cause his inheritance to pass to
his daughter.
YLT
8`And unto the sons of
Israel thou dost speak
saying
When a man dieth
and hath no son
then ye have
caused his inheritance to pass over to his daughter;
And thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel
.... The above
affair occasioned a law to be made
in which all the people would have a
concern
among whom such cases should happen
as after related:
saying
if a man die
and have no son
then ye shall cause his
inheritance to pass unto his daughter; as in the above case of
the daughters of Zelophehad; what was determined as to their particular case
was made into a general law.
Numbers 27:9 9 If he has no daughter
then you shall give his
inheritance to his brothers.
YLT
9and if he have no daughter
then ye have given his inheritance to his brethren;
And if he have no daughter
.... Dies without any issue:
then ye shall give his inheritance unto his brethren; and the
children descending from them; that is
if his father was dead; otherwise
if
he was living
he was to be preferred to them
according to the Jewish writers;
though
according to our law
no estate in fee simple ascends lineally
or goes
from a son
who has made a purchase of it
to a father: in the Misnah it is
saidF24Ut supra
(Bava Bathra
c. 8.) sect. 2.
the order of
inheritances is thus
"if a man dies and has no son
then they cause his
inheritance to pass to his daughter; a son is before a daughter
and all that
descend from the son are before the daughter; the daughter is before the
brethren (of her father)
and those that descend from the daughter are before
the brethren; the brethren (of a man) are before his father's brethren (or his
uncles); and they that descend from his brethren are before his father's
brethren: this is the general rule
everyone that is before in the inheritance
those that descend from him are before others
and a father is before all that
descend from him.'
Numbers 27:10 10 If he has no brothers
then you shall give his
inheritance to his father’s brothers.
YLT
10and if he have no brethren
then ye have given his inheritance to his father's brethren;
And if he have no brethren
.... Nor any descendants
from them:
then ye shall give his inheritance unto his father's brethren; that is
to
his uncles
and to their children.
Numbers 27:11 11 And if his father has no brothers
then you shall give
his inheritance to the relative closest to him in his family
and he shall
possess it.’” And it shall be to the children of Israel a statute of judgment
just as the Lord commanded Moses.
YLT
11and if his father have no
brethren
then ye have given his inheritance to his relation who is near unto
him of his family
and he hath possessed it;' and it hath been to the sons of
Israel for a statute of judgment
as Jehovah hath commanded Moses.
And if his father have no brethren
.... Nor any descending
from them:
then ye shall give his inheritance unto his kinsman that is next
to him of his family: that is nearest of kin to him
though ever so remote; that is
of his father's family
not his mother's
which was no family:
and he shall possess it: here the Jews have a
saying
that an Israelite is never without heirsF25Maimon. Hilchot
Nechalot
c. 1. sect. 3. :
and it shall be unto the children of Israel a statute of judgment; a judicial
law
that should ever remain firm
and sure
and unalterable:
as the Lord commanded Moses; and therefore no man
could dispose of his estate or inheritance by will
otherwise than is set forth
by this command.
Numbers 27:12 12 Now the Lord said to
Moses: “Go up into this Mount Abarim
and see the land which I have given to
the children of Israel.
YLT
12And Jehovah saith unto
Moses
`Go up unto this mount Abarim
and see the land which I have given to
the sons of Israel;
And the Lord said unto Moses
.... After the covenant
made with Israel in the plains of Moab
and the song delivered to them
Deuteronomy 29:1.
get thee up to this Mount Abarim; which was a range of
mountains
so called from the passages by them over Jordan into the land of
Canaan; one part of which was Nebo
and the top of that Pisgah
from whence
Moses had the view of the good land here directed to; see Numbers 33:47.
and see the land which I have given unto the children of Israel; for though he
was now one hundred and twenty years old
his eyes were not dim
he could see
at a great distance; and the height of this hill gave him an advantage of
taking a prospect of the land
a great way into it; and very probably his sight
might be greatly strengthened and increased at this time by the Lord
for the
purpose; this may be an emblem of that sight by faith
which believers have at
times of the heavenly Canaan
and sometimes are favoured with an enlarged one
of it before their death.
Numbers 27:13 13 And when you have seen it
you also shall be gathered
to your people
as Aaron your brother was gathered.
YLT
13and thou hast seen it
and
thou hast been gathered unto thy people
also thou
as Aaron thy brother hath
been gathered
And when thou hast seen it
.... Which was all he was
admitted to; for to go into it and see it was not allowed him
though he
importuned it
Deuteronomy 3:25
thou shalt be gathered unto thy people
as Aaron thy
brother was gathered; die as he did
in the same sudden
easy
quiet
and
cheerful manner; see Numbers 20:26.
Numbers 27:14 14 For in the Wilderness of Zin
during the strife of the
congregation
you rebelled against My command to hallow Me at the waters before
their eyes.” (These are the waters of Meribah
at Kadesh in the
Wilderness of Zin.)
YLT
14because ye provoked My
mouth in the wilderness of Zin
in the strife of the company -- to sanctify Me
at the waters before their eyes;' they [are] waters of Meribah
in Kadesh
in
the wilderness of Zin.
For ye rebelled against my commandment the desert of Zin
.... Both
Moses and Aaron
which was the reason why they were not suffered to go into the
land of Canaan
but died a little before the children of Israel came into it:
what their sin was
called here a rebelling against the commandment of the
Lord; See Gill on Numbers 20:12
and
is next suggested:
in the strife of the congregation
to sanctify me before their
eyes; when the congregation of Israel strove against the Lord for want
of water
they did not sanctify the Lord by believing in him; but expressed
some degree of diffidence before the congregation about fetching water out of
the rock
or questioning whether the Lord would give it to such a rebellious
people
though they had his order for it:
that is the water of Meribah in Kadesh
in the wilderness of Zin; so called to
distinguish it from another Meribah
or water of strife
at Rephidim
Exodus 17:7.
Numbers 27:15 15 Then Moses spoke to the Lord
saying:
YLT
15And Moses speaketh unto
Jehovah
saying
And Moses spake unto the Lord
.... Having requested to
go into the land and see it
which was denied him; and perceiving he must
quickly die
and being a man of a public spirit
and concerned for the welfare
of the people of Israel
prays that a successor might be nominated and
appointed:
saying; as follows.
Numbers 27:16 16 “Let the Lord
the God
of the spirits of all flesh
set a man over the congregation
YLT
16`Jehovah -- God of the
spirits of all flesh -- appoint a man over the company
Let the Lord
the God of the spirits of all flesh
.... The Maker
of the souls of men
called the spirits of all flesh
or of corporeal beings
to distinguish them from the angels
who
though spirits
are incorporeal; and
who knows the different qualities of the souls of men
their powers
and
capacities
and fitness for service
what gifts and talents they have for
business; and who can bestow such upon them
which will quality them for it:
set a man over the congregation: meaning in his room and
stead.
Numbers 27:17 17 who may go out before them and go in before them
who
may lead them out and bring them in
that the congregation of the Lord may not be like sheep which have no shepherd.”
YLT
17who goeth out before them
and who cometh in before them
and who taketh them out
and who bringeth them
in
and the company of Jehovah is not as sheep which have no shepherd.'
Which may go out before them
and which may go in before them
and
which may lead them out
and which may bring them in
.... Which may
lead them out
and go before them in war
and command them in battle and bring
them in peace
having conquered their enemies; or these phrases only mean the
administration of civil government among them
and diligence and assiduity in
it
see 2 Chronicles 1:10
unless it has any peculiar respect to the leading the people of Israel out of
the wilderness
and introducing them into the land of Canaan:
that the congregation of the Lord be not as sheep which have no
shepherd; and so wander about
having none to guide them into proper
pastures
or to protect them from beasts of prey; which is to be in a most
forlorn and distressed condition; see Matthew 9:36.
Numbers 27:18 18 And the Lord said to
Moses: “Take Joshua the son of Nun with you
a man in whom is the
Spirit
and lay your hand on him;
YLT
18And Jehovah saith unto
Moses
`Take to thee Joshua son of Nun
a man in whom [is] the Spirit
and thou
hast laid thine hand upon him
And the Lord said unto Moses
.... In answer to his
request:
take thou Joshua the son of Nun
who had been a servant
of his near forty years
and of whose humility
diligence
faithfulness and integrity
he had sufficient proof
as well as of his skill and courage in military
affairs
particularly at the battle with Amalek
Exodus 17:9
a man in whom is the Spirit: not only in whom is a
spirit or soul
which is in every man; but the Spirit of God
and that not only
as a spirit of grace and sanctification
which is in every good man; but as a
spirit of prophecy
as the Targums of Onkelos and Jonathan; or rather it
respects the more than ordinary gifts of the Spirit qualifying him for
government
as courage and conduct
wisdom
prudence
and greatness of mind:
and lay thine hand upon him; thereby transferring the
government to him
pointing him out to the people as his successor; to show to
the children of Israel that he was in his place
as Aben Ezra notes; upon which
followed a larger measure of the gifts of the Spirit of God; see Deuteronomy 34:9.
Numbers 27:19 19 set him before Eleazar the priest and before all the
congregation
and inaugurate him in their sight.
YLT
19and hast caused him to
stand before Eleazar the priest
and before all the company
and hast charged
him before their eyes
And set him before Eleazar the priest
and before all the
congregation
.... Declaring before them all that he was his successor
and
that they might be witnesses of what was said and done unto him
and receive
and acknowledge him as such
and as having power and authority over them
which
it became them to submit unto:
and give him a charge in their sight: to take care
of the people committed to him; to rule them in the fear of God
and according
to his laws; and to be of good courage
and go before the people and introduce
them into the land of Canaan; assuring him of the divine Presence and help
so
that he need not fear any enemy whatever; of this charge
and as confirmed by
the Lord himself
see Deuteronomy 31:7.
Numbers 27:20 20 And you shall give some of your authority to
him
that all the congregation of the children of Israel may be obedient.
YLT
20and hast put of thine
honour upon him
so that all the company of the sons of Israel do hearken.
And thou shalt put some of thine honour upon him
.... Meaning
not the Spirit that was on Moses
and the gifts of the Spirit; for to do this
was the work of the Lord
and not Moses
see Numbers 11:17
but
of the honour of civil government; suggesting that he should give him a share
in it
and use him not as a minister and servant
as he had been
but as his
colleague and partner; and let him have some of the ensigns of power and
authority
and some exercise of it; not only to inure him to government
but to
make him respectable among the people:
that all the congregation of Israel may be obedient; to him as
their ruler and governor
hearken to his words
and obey his commands.
Numbers 27:21 21 He shall stand before Eleazar the priest
who shall
inquire before the Lord for him by the judgment of the
Urim. At his word they shall go out
and at his word they shall come in
he and
all the children of Israel with him—all the congregation.”
YLT
21`And before Eleazar the
priest he standeth
and he hath asked for him by the judgment of the Lights
before Jehovah; at His word they go out
and at His word they come in; he
and
all the sons of Israel with him
even all the company.'
And he shall stand before Eleazar the priest
.... This was
for the honour of God
whose priest Eleazar was
and whose oracle was consulted
by him; for it is saidF26Maimon. Hilchot Melachim
c. 2. sect. 5.
the high priest did not come into the presence of the king but when he pleased;
and he did not stand before him
but the king stood before the high priest
as
it is said
"and before Eleazar the priest shall he stand"; though it
is commanded the high priest to honour the king
and to rise up and stand when
he comes unto him; and the king does not stand before him
but when he consults
for him by the judgment of Urim; and his posture seems to be different from
other persons that consulted; for the same writerF1Maimon. Hilchot
Cele Hamikdash
c. 10. sect. 11. observes
in answer to a question
"how do
they consult? the priest stands
and his face is before the ark
and he that
consults is behind him
and his face to the back of the priest;'whereas here
Joshua stood before the priest
and so any king or supreme governor:
who shall ask counsel for him after the judgment of Urim before
the Lord: of the Urim and Thummim which were in the breastplate of
judgment
and of consultation by them; see Gill on Exodus 28:30 and
from this place the JewsF2Misn. Yoma
c. 7. sect. 5. Maimon. Cele
Hamikdash
c. 10. sect. 12. infer that consultation was not made by them for a
private person
but for a king
or for one the congregation stood in need of:
at his word shall they go out
and at his word shall they come in; go out to
war
and return from it
or do any service enjoined them; that is
either at
the word of the Lord
or rather at the word of Eleazar the priest
declaring
the will of God
which comes to much the same sense; or at the word of Joshua
directed by the high priest
according to the oracle of God; and he being under
such direction
the people could never do amiss in obeying him
or be in any
fear or danger of being led wrong by him; but he is mentioned in the next
clause
as included in those that went out
and came in:
both he
and all
the children of Israel with him
even all the congregation; which
MaimonidesF3lbid. interprets thus
"he"
this is the king;
"and all the children of Israel"
this is the anointed for war
or he
whom the congregation hath need of; "and all the congregation"
these
are the great sanhedrim
or seventy elders.
Numbers 27:22 22 So Moses did as the Lord commanded
him. He took Joshua and set him before Eleazar the priest and before all the
congregation.
YLT
22And Moses doth as Jehovah
hath commanded him
and taketh Joshua
and causeth him to stand before Eleazar
the priest
and before all the company
And Moses did as the Lord commanded him
.... Being
faithful and obedient to him in all things
though ever so contrary to his own
private interest and to that of his family:
and he took Joshua and set him before Eleazar the priest
and
before all the congregation; as his successor
whom God had named and
appointed as such.
Numbers 27:23 23 And he laid his hands on him and inaugurated him
just
as the Lord commanded by the hand of Moses.
YLT
23and layeth his hands upon
him
and chargeth him
as Jehovah hath spoken by the hand of Moses.
And he laid his hands upon him
.... Jarchi observes
that he did this cheerfully
and did more than he was commanded; for the Lord
said to him
"lay thine hand"
but he laid both his hands:
and gave him a charge
as the Lord commanded Moses; Numbers 27:19
this
is a clear proof that Moses was no imposter
since he sought not to aggrandize
his family
or serve the interest of that; nor did he in the least repine or
murmur that the priesthood was given to his brother Aaron and sons
and now the
civil government to his servant of the tribe of Ephraim; and as for his own
posterity
they were only common Levites that waited upon the priests.
──《John Gill’s
Exposition of the Bible》