Numbers 27:4 kjv
Why should the name of our father be done away from among his family, because he hath no son? Give unto us therefore a possession among the brethren of our father.
Numbers 27:4 nkjv
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."
Numbers 27:4 niv
Why should our father's name disappear from his clan because he had no son? Give us property among our father's relatives."
Numbers 27:4 esv
Why should the name of our father be taken away from his clan because he had no son? Give to us a possession among our father's brothers."
Numbers 27:4 nlt
Why should the name of our father disappear from his clan just because he had no sons? Give us property along with the rest of our relatives."
Numbers 27 4 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Gen 12:7 | Then the Lord appeared to Abram and said, "To your offspring I will give this land."... | God's initial promise of land inheritance. |
| Gen 13:15 | for all the land that you see I will give to you and to your offspring forever. | Reiterates the divine grant of land as perpetual. |
| Num 26:55 | But the land shall be divided by lot... | Land division by lot, showing the importance of allocated portions. |
| Num 32:18-19 | Our little ones, our wives... inheritance with them across the Jordan. | Illustrates a desire for rightful tribal land portion. |
| Num 36:2 | Our lord the king commanded to give the land...by lot to the sons of Israel. | Setting the male-centric default for inheritance law. |
| Num 36:7-8 | The inheritance of the people of Israel shall not be transferred from one tribe to another... | Law developed from this case to keep inheritance within tribes. |
| Deut 1:35 | Not one of these men of this evil generation shall see the good land... | Emphasizes the importance of possessing the promised land. |
| Deut 19:14 | You shall not move your neighbor's landmark... | Importance of fixed boundaries and respecting land rights. |
| Deut 25:5-6 | If brothers dwell together, and one of them dies and has no son, the wife of the dead man shall not be given to a stranger... | Levirate marriage as a mechanism to preserve the male line and inheritance. |
| Josh 14:1 | And these are the inheritances that the people of Israel received in the land of Canaan, which Eleazar the priest and Joshua... | Implementation of land division based on tribal inheritance. |
| Josh 17:3-4 | Now Zelophehad the son of Hepher, son of Gilead, son of Machir, son of Manasseh, had no sons but only daughters, and these are the names... And they came before Eleazar... | Direct recounting and confirmation of their request in Joshua. |
| Job 18:17 | His remembrance will perish from the earth, and he will have no name in the street. | Illustrates the ancient concept of losing one's "name" or legacy. |
| Ps 78:55 | He drove out nations before them... allotted their inheritance. | God's role in distributing the land to Israel. |
| Prov 22:28 | Do not move an ancient landmark... | Underscores the sanctity of established property boundaries. |
| Isa 61:7 | Instead of your shame there shall be a double portion... | The concept of receiving a "portion" or inheritance from God. |
| Acts 7:5 | Yet he gave him no inheritance in it, not even a foot's length... | Abraham's temporary lack of land, contrasted with eventual inheritance. |
| Rom 8:17 | and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ... | Believers as spiritual heirs of God, a divine inheritance. |
| Gal 3:28 | There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. | Principles of equality in Christ transcend traditional societal roles or gender biases, though not erasing natural differences. |
| Gal 4:7 | So you are no longer a slave, but a son, and if a son, then an heir through God. | Spiritual inheritance as sons/heirs in the New Covenant. |
| Eph 1:11 | In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things... | The Christian spiritual inheritance, established by God's purpose. |
| Col 1:12 | giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light. | Spiritual inheritance as saints, an assured future. |
| Heb 9:15 | Therefore he is the mediator of a new covenant, so that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance... | Eternal inheritance through Christ's new covenant. |
| 1 Pet 1:4 | to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, | Describes the secure and superior spiritual inheritance awaiting believers. |
Numbers 27 verses
Numbers 27 4 Meaning
Numbers 27:4 expresses the earnest plea of the daughters of Zelophehad to Moses, advocating for their father's lineage to retain its rightful portion in the promised land. Their concern stemmed from the patriarchal inheritance system where only sons inherited land. Without a son, their father's name and portion would effectively be lost within his clan, which they deemed unjust. They appeal directly to divine justice and the principle of preserving a family's name and inheritance within the tribe of Manasseh.
Numbers 27 4 Context
Numbers Chapter 27 details a significant legal precedent in Israel's history concerning land inheritance. This specific verse (v. 4) marks the turning point where the daughters of Zelophehad boldly approach Moses, Eleazar the priest, the leaders, and the entire congregation at the tent of meeting. The wider context is the imminent division of the land of Canaan among the tribes and families of Israel, preparing for their entry into the promised land. Up to this point, Israelite inheritance laws largely focused on the male line, threatening the perpetuation of Zelophehad's name and family legacy. This historical setting emphasizes the critical importance of a family's land possession for their identity, livelihood, and fulfillment of God's covenant promises to Israel. The narrative showcases divine justice through Moses as mediator, leading to a new ruling that expands the scope of inheritance rights in exceptional circumstances.
Numbers 27 4 Word analysis
- Why: The Hebrew interrogative אָ֣נָה ('anah), conveying a tone of complaint or challenge to an apparent injustice. It signifies a profound questioning of the established norm and an appeal for fairness.
- should the name: The Hebrew word שֵׁם (shem), meaning "name," "reputation," or "memorial." In ancient Israel, one's name was intricately linked to identity, lineage, and legacy. To "remove a name" implied the extinction of a family line's identity and its claim to existence within the community, especially regarding inheritance. It meant being forgotten or ceasing to exist as a recognized unit in Israel.
- of our father: This highlights the immediate personal stake the daughters have in their petition. Their father, Zelophehad (צְלָפְחָד Tzelophchad), of the tribe of Manasseh, had died in the wilderness without sons (v. 3), posing a legal dilemma for the system of inheritance based on male heirs.
- be removed: The verb גָרַע (gara'), literally meaning "to subtract," "to diminish," "to take away," or "to withhold." Here, it implies an erasure or disenfranchisement, specifically concerning the portion of land that would be due to Zelophehad's family in the tribal apportionment. It denotes a perceived injustice that would permanently lessen their clan's entitlement.
- from among his clan: Refers to his larger family group, specifically within the tribe of Manasseh. Inheritance was allocated by clan (tribe), ensuring territorial continuity and tribal identity within the land. If his name was removed, his share would revert to the clan without benefiting his direct descendants, potentially benefiting a collateral male relative.
- because he had no son: This specifies the legal loophole or problem. The absence of male heirs was the default condition under existing laws that would prevent the direct transmission of property. It wasn't about him being an evil person but merely a biological fact that put his lineage at a disadvantage.
- Give us a possession: The direct request, literally "give us a holding" or "give us an inheritance." The Hebrew יַבְרִיכֵנִי (yabrîḵenî) implies an actionable claim to a portion of the promised land (נַחֲלָה naḥălāh, "inheritance" or "possession"), essential for livelihood and establishing family continuity in the land.
- among our father's brothers: This phrase emphasizes their claim within the proper familial and tribal framework. They were not seeking a new portion unrelated to their lineage but rather a legitimate share within the allocated inheritance of their specific patriarchal family branch, asserting their right to participate in the inheritance system. They desired to be included as direct beneficiaries where their male relatives would typically be.
Numbers 27 4 Bonus section
The daughters of Zelophehad are often viewed as pioneers of legal reform in ancient Israel, directly influencing God's law regarding inheritance. Their case establishes a clear instance where an existing societal norm or legal understanding was modified directly by divine command in response to a petition. This demonstrates that God's law, while foundational, was not rigid to the point of causing injustice, and that righteous appeal could lead to divine intervention. Their story also highlights the vital role of women in preserving family continuity and land legacy in Israel. Later in Numbers 36, a further ruling is made, again specifically for them and then generally applicable, requiring daughters who inherit to marry within their own tribe and clan, reinforcing the principle of keeping tribal land intact. This subsequent law ensures that while individual justice is served, the overarching structure of tribal land allocation is maintained, illustrating a careful balance between individual rights and communal stability.
Numbers 27 4 Commentary
Numbers 27:4 is a testament to the principles of justice and equity within the divine law. The daughters of Zelophehad did not challenge the authority of God or Moses, but rather appealed to a perceived gap in the law, leveraging their understanding of the value of lineage and land inheritance. Their courage in bringing this matter forward to the highest authority highlights the accessibility of God's law to even the seemingly powerless (women in a patriarchal society). God's immediate and favorable response (v. 6-7) not only addressed their specific need but established a broader legal precedent for similar future cases, allowing daughters to inherit in the absence of sons. This passage showcases the adaptability and mercy inherent in God's legal system, demonstrating that justice is dynamic and seeks to uphold the integrity of families and their connection to the land of promise, which was foundational to Israel's identity and covenant with God. It also provides a significant early example of female agency within the Old Testament narrative.