UNROLL
Sunset on the plains of Moab: five young women seen from far behind walk together along a path between the tents toward the glowing west and the Jordan valley.

The Book of

Numbers 36

The book ends where it has been heading all along: families, land, and a promise kept within the lines God drew.

13 verses≈ 3 min2 peopleBSB

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In this chapter

Where we are

  1. 1–10Ready at SinaiCounted and ordered
  2. 11–14GrumblingTo Kadesh and refusal
  3. 15–21Forty yearsRebellion and mercy
  4. 22–25BalaamA curse turned to blessing
  5. 26–36A new generationReady for the landChapter 36

Zelophehad’s Daughters Marry

Now the family heads of the clan of Gilead son of Machir son of Manasseh, one of the clans of Joseph, approached Moses and the leaders who were the heads of the Israelite families and addressed them,

Gilead’s family heads

saying, “When the LORD commanded my lord to give the land as an inheritance to the Israelites by lot, He also commanded him to give the inheritance of our brother Zelophehad to his daughters. But if they marry any of the men from the other tribes of Israel, their inheritance will be withdrawn from the portion of our fathers and added to the tribe into which they marry. So our allotted inheritance would be taken away. And when the Jubilee for the Israelites comes, their inheritance will be added to the tribe into which they marry and taken away from the tribe of our fathers.”

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Gray-bearded heads of Gilead's families in plain wool cloaks stand before the tabernacle court in morning light, one speaking with his hand open.

The law

Within the tribe

  1. The sons of Joseph speak correctly

    So at the word of the LORD, Moses commanded the Israelites: “The tribe of the sons of Joseph speaks correctly.

  2. Marriage

    Marry within their father’s tribe

    This is what the LORD has commanded concerning the daughters of Zelophehad: They may marry anyone they please, provided they marry within a clan of the tribe of their father.

  3. The land

    No land passes between tribes

    No inheritance in Israel may be transferred from tribe to tribe, because each of the Israelites is to retain the inheritance of the tribe of his fathers.

  4. Marriage

    Every heiress marries in her tribe

    Every daughter who possesses an inheritance from any Israelite tribe must marry within a clan of the tribe of her father, so that every Israelite will possess the inheritance of his fathers.

  5. The land

    Each tribe keeps its own

    No inheritance may be transferred from one tribe to another, for each tribe of Israel must retain its inheritance.”

Reflect

Within the lines

The daughters were told they “may marry anyone they please,” within their father’s tribe. God gave them real freedom inside a good boundary, and the boundary kept their family’s gift safe. Where has God drawn a line in your life that you have treated as a fence against you? Write down how it might be a gift that keeps something good. Then pray: Lord, help me trust that Your lines fall in pleasant places.

Dusk on the plains of Moab: the great camp of tents and the small white linen court with a thin line of smoke, the Jordan's dark thickets beyond, and the hills of Canaan fading into the last light.

These are the commandments and ordinances that the LORD gave the Israelites through Moses on the plains of Moab by the Jordan across from Jericho.

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Narrated by Bob Souer · BSB audio, public domain

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Numbers 36

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A verse to carry with you

These are the commandments and ordinances that the LORD gave the Israelites through Moses on the plains of Moab by the Jordan across from Jericho.

Numbers 36:13

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