Numbers 36:11 kjv
For Mahlah, Tirzah, and Hoglah, and Milcah, and Noah, the daughters of Zelophehad, were married unto their father's brothers' sons:
Numbers 36:11 nkjv
for Mahlah, Tirzah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Noah, the daughters of Zelophehad, were married to the sons of their father's brothers.
Numbers 36:11 niv
Zelophehad's daughters?Mahlah, Tirzah, Hoglah, Milkah and Noah?married their cousins on their father's side.
Numbers 36:11 esv
for Mahlah, Tirzah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Noah, the daughters of Zelophehad, were married to sons of their father's brothers.
Numbers 36:11 nlt
Mahlah, Tirzah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Noah all married cousins on their father's side.
Numbers 36 11 Cross References
| Verse | Text (Shortened) | Reference Note |
|---|---|---|
| Num 27:1-11 | Then came the daughters of Zelophehad...before Moses...pleading for an inheritance. | Original request for inheritance, basis for the law. |
| Num 36:1-9 | The heads of the fathers' houses of the children of Gilead...came and spoke before Moses...lest their inheritance be taken away. | The law requiring their specific marriage. |
| Jos 17:3-6 | But Zelophehad...had no sons, only daughters...and Joshua gave them an inheritance. | Confirmation of their land inheritance in the Promised Land. |
| Gen 12:7 | And the Lord appeared unto Abram, and said, Unto thy seed will I give this land. | God's promise of the land as an inheritance. |
| Dt 4:1 | Hear, O Israel, the statutes and the judgments...that ye may live, and go in and possess the land. | Obedience to laws is essential for possessing the land. |
| Dt 6:25 | And it shall be our righteousness, if we observe to do all these commandments... | Righteousness achieved through obedience to divine commands. |
| Jos 23:6 | Be ye therefore very courageous to keep and to do all that is written in the book... | Exhortation to obey all God's commands. |
| 1 Sam 15:22 | Hath the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord? | Obedience is highly valued by God. |
| Jn 14:15 | If ye love me, keep my commandments. | Love for God is demonstrated by obedience. |
| Jas 1:22 | But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. | Encouragement to act upon God's word. |
| Lk 11:28 | But he said, Yea rather, blessed are they that hear the word of God, and keep it. | Blessings promised for those who obey God's word. |
| Gen 24:3-4 | And I will make thee swear by the Lord...thou shalt not take a wife unto my son...but thou shalt go unto my country...and take a wife unto my son Isaac. | Example of seeking a spouse from one's kin to maintain heritage. |
| Gen 29:19 | And Laban said, It is better that I give her to thee, than that I should give her to another man. | Example of marriage within the extended family/clan (Jacob and Laban's daughters). |
| Ps 105:11 | Saying, Unto thee will I give the land of Canaan, the lot of your inheritance. | God reiterates the land promise as a permanent inheritance. |
| Ezek 47:13-14 | This shall be the border, whereby ye shall inherit the land according to the twelve tribes of Israel... | Principles of tribal land division maintained in future vision. |
| Pr 22:28 | Remove not the ancient landmark, which thy fathers have set. | Principle of respecting established boundaries, akin to tribal land. |
| Num 1:47-49 | But the Levites...were not numbered...For the Lord had spoken unto Moses, saying, Only thou shalt not number the tribe of Levi... | Tribal distinctiveness and roles maintained by divine decree. |
| Ps 37:18 | The Lord knoweth the days of the upright: and their inheritance shall be for ever. | The faithfulness of God in securing an enduring inheritance. |
| Ruth 4:1-10 | Boaz redeemed Naomi's land and married Ruth, ensuring family name and inheritance. | Example of land redemption and maintaining lineage/property within family. |
| Isa 61:7 | For your shame ye shall have double portion; and for confusion they shall rejoice in their portion. | Prophecy of inheritance and blessing for God's people. |
Numbers 36 verses
Numbers 36 11 Meaning
Numbers 36:11 records the specific fulfillment of the divine decree given concerning the daughters of Zelophehad. It states that Mahlah, Tirzah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Noah, the daughters of Zelophehad, adhered to the prescribed regulation by marrying their paternal cousins (the sons of their father’s brothers). This action ensured that the inherited land, which they received in the absence of a male heir, remained within their ancestral tribal and clan boundaries, as stipulated by God through Moses.
Numbers 36 11 Context
Numbers 36:11 is the concluding verse of the Book of Numbers, summarizing a critical legal narrative. The context begins in Numbers 27 where the daughters of Zelophehad, in the absence of a male heir, approach Moses, Eleazar the priest, and the leaders of the congregation to petition for their father's land inheritance. God hears their plea and issues a precedent-setting law allowing daughters to inherit property when there are no sons, provided they marry within their father's tribe.
Later, in Numbers 36, the heads of the Gilead clan (Manassites, of which Zelophehad was a descendant) expressed concern that if these daughters married outside their tribe, their inherited land would pass to another tribe, thus diminishing their own tribal allotment in the Promised Land. Moses, by divine command, reinforces the previous law, specifying that daughters who inherit land must marry within a family from their father’s tribal clan to ensure the preservation of the land boundaries and tribal heritage. Verse 11 confirms that Zelophehad's daughters complied with this specific requirement, upholding both their inheritance rights and the integrity of the tribal land division. Historically, the structured distribution of land upon entering Canaan was vital for maintaining the identity, order, and economy of each Israelite tribe.
Numbers 36 11 Word analysis
- And (וַתִּהְיֶינָה - wa-tih-ye-ye-na): This serves as a waw-consecutive linking verb. It implies sequence and fulfillment, meaning "and it came to pass that they became" or "and they were." It highlights the direct result and completion of the preceding command given by God.
- the daughters (בְּנוֹת - bə-nōṯ): This noun specifically refers to the five named daughters of Zelophehad—Mahlah, Tirzah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Noah—who were central to this unique legal development concerning inheritance rights.
- of Zelophehad (צְלָפְחָד - tsə-lā-p̄ə-ḥāḏ): This proper noun refers to the deceased Manassite who died without male heirs. His lack of sons spurred the innovative legal provisions for female inheritance. The name represents the particular circumstance that led to this specific law.
- were married (לְנָשִׁים - lə-nā-šîm): The direct translation is "as wives" or "for wives." The verbal action of "were married" is implicitly part of wa-tih-ye-yə-na (they became). It denotes a change in status resulting from a marital union, here specifically confirming their lawful union according to the divine decree. This signifies a fully executed, binding marriage.
- unto their father's brothers' sons (לִבְנֵי דֹדֵיהֶן - liḇ-nê ḏō·ḏê·hen): This phrase meticulously specifies the mandated familial relationship for the marriage.
- liḇ-nê (לִבְנֵי): "to the sons of" or "for the sons of." Emphasizes the recipients of the daughters in marriage.
- ḏō·ḏê·hen (דֹּדֵיהֶן): "their uncles" or "their father's brothers." The term dod (דֹּד) commonly refers to a paternal uncle, emphasizing a close, internal family tie. The inclusion of the plural suffix "-hen" clarifies "their uncles."
Numbers 36 11 Bonus section
This narrative showcases a remarkable flexibility within the developing Mosaic Law, allowing for adaptation to unique situations while maintaining core theological and societal principles. It demonstrates that the law was not static or rigid to the point of being unjust, but could be expanded upon by divine revelation. The episode also emphasizes the profound spiritual significance of the land of Canaan for the Israelites; it was not merely real estate, but a physical manifestation of God's covenantal promise. The careful measures taken to ensure its retention within families and tribes underscored its sacred and eternal significance as their God-given heritage, intended to be possessed by specific lineage.
Numbers 36 11 Commentary
Numbers 36:11 marks the successful culmination of a significant legal and social adjustment in ancient Israelite law. This verse, simple in its statement, confirms the complete obedience of Zelophehad's daughters to God's decree given through Moses. By marrying their paternal cousins, they secured their inherited land within their father's clan and tribe. This resolution demonstrates several important principles: God's responsiveness to pleas for justice, His meticulous care for maintaining order and boundaries within the community (specifically regarding land tenure), and the importance of human obedience to divine directives. It exemplifies how divine law could be adapted to unforeseen circumstances (daughters inheriting land) while simultaneously safeguarding fundamental societal structures (tribal identity and land distribution). The narrative highlights the delicate balance between individual rights and communal stability, showcasing a divinely inspired solution that addressed both concerns by requiring specific endogamy.