Numbers 36:6 kjv
This is the thing which the LORD doth command concerning the daughters of Zelophehad, saying, Let them marry to whom they think best; only to the family of the tribe of their father shall they marry.
Numbers 36:6 nkjv
This is what the LORD commands concerning the daughters of Zelophehad, saying, 'Let them marry whom they think best, but they may marry only within the family of their father's tribe.'
Numbers 36:6 niv
This is what the LORD commands for Zelophehad's daughters: They may marry anyone they please as long as they marry within their father's tribal clan.
Numbers 36:6 esv
This is what the LORD commands concerning the daughters of Zelophehad: 'Let them marry whom they think best, only they shall marry within the clan of the tribe of their father.
Numbers 36:6 nlt
This is what the LORD commands concerning the daughters of Zelophehad: Let them marry anyone they like, as long as it is within their own ancestral tribe.
Numbers 36 6 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Num 27:1-8 | Then came the daughters of Zelophehad... saying, "Our father died... and he had no sons... Give us a possession..." | Daughters' initial plea for inheritance, laying groundwork for Num 36. |
| Num 36:1 | The heads of the fathers' houses of the family of the children of Gilead... came near and spoke before Moses... | Elders' concern about land transfer if daughters marry outside their tribe. |
| Num 36:7 | So no inheritance of the children of Israel shall pass from tribe to tribe... | Clarifies the explicit purpose of the law – to prevent inter-tribal land transfer. |
| Num 36:8 | And every daughter who possesses an inheritance... shall be the wife of one of the family of the tribe of her father | Universal application of the law to all inheriting daughters. |
| Jos 17:3-6 | But Zelophehad... had no sons... And the daughters of Zelophehad drew near... | Fulfillment of the decree, daughters receive their land in Canaan. |
| Lev 25:23 | The land shall not be sold permanently, for the land is Mine... | Foundation principle of land ownership belonging to God and tied to specific tribes/families. |
| Lev 25:10 | You shall consecrate the fiftieth year, and proclaim liberty... It shall be a Jubilee for you... | Jubilee law designed to restore land to original families/tribes. |
| Jos 13:6 | ...I will drive them out before the children of Israel. Only divide it by lot as an inheritance to Israel... | Emphasizes land as divine inheritance by tribal allotment. |
| Ps 78:55 | He also drove out nations before them, Allotted them an inheritance by measure, And made the tribes... dwell... | God's divine allocation of land to each tribe. |
| Ez 47:22 | You shall divide it by lot as an inheritance among yourselves and among the strangers who dwell among you... | Prophetic continuation of inheritance distribution, emphasizing divine order. |
| Neh 11:3 | Now these are the heads of the province who dwelt in Jerusalem... in their cities of their possession: | Reinforces the importance of dwelling in allotted tribal areas even post-exile. |
| Gen 24:3-4 | ...that you will not take a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites... but you shall go to my country. | Abraham's instruction for Isaac to marry within family, for preserving lineage and faith. |
| Ex 34:16 | And you take some of their daughters for your sons, and their daughters play the harlot with their gods... | Warning against marrying outside the covenant community due to spiritual compromise. |
| 1 Cor 7:39 | A wife is bound by law as long as her husband lives; but if her husband dies, she is at liberty... only in the Lord. | New Testament principle of marrying "in the Lord" reflects divine guidance in marriage. |
| Deut 7:3-4 | Nor shall you make marriages with them... for they will turn your sons away from following Me... | Prohibits intermarriage with foreign nations, emphasizing purity of the covenant people. |
| Ezr 9:1-2 | The people of Israel... have not separated themselves from the peoples of the lands... | Reproach for intermarrying with pagans and mixing the holy race. |
| Ruth 4:5-10 | Then Boaz said, "On the day you buy the field from the hand of Naomi... I must also acquire Ruth the Moabitess..." | Example of land redemption being tied to marriage within family/clan (though unique case). |
| Acts 17:26 | And He has made from one blood every nation of men to dwell on all the face of the earth, and has determined their.. | While earthly tribes are gone, God still determines boundaries and order. |
| Gen 12:7 | Then the Lord appeared to Abram and said, "To your descendants I will give this land." | Basis of the land promise that tribal inheritance laws safeguard. |
| Eph 5:22-33 | Wives, submit to your own husbands... Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church... | Though not directly about land, it highlights God's order and roles within marriage. |
Numbers 36 verses
Numbers 36 6 Meaning
Numbers 36:6 outlines the divine decree regarding the marriage of Zelophehad's daughters and, by extension, all daughters who inherit land in Israel. It grants them freedom to choose their husbands, yet with a crucial caveat: they must marry within a family from their father's own tribe. This command was designed to prevent inherited tribal land from passing out of its designated tribal inheritance.
Numbers 36 6 Context
Numbers 36:6 is situated at the conclusion of the book of Numbers, shortly before the Israelites are to enter the Promised Land. The preceding chapter, Numbers 35, dealt with cities for the Levites and cities of refuge. Numbers 36 specifically addresses a legal concern raised by the tribal heads of Gilead (from the tribe of Manasseh), the family to which Zelophehad belonged. They were concerned that if Zelophehad's daughters, who had inherited land (as per Numbers 27), married men from other tribes, the inherited land would effectively transfer out of Manasseh's tribal inheritance at the next Jubilee, diminishing their tribal portion. This verse is God's direct command through Moses, providing a resolution that both upholds the daughters' right to inheritance and safeguards the tribal land allocations established by divine decree. It represents the meticulous nature of God's law in establishing the order of the land.
Numbers 36 6 Word analysis
"This is" (זֶה, zeh): Emphatic demonstrative pronoun, highlighting the specificity and divine origin of the following statement. It underscores that this is a precise legal instruction.
"what the Lord" (יהוה, YHWH): Refers to God's covenant name, signifying His authoritative and unchanging nature as the source of this law. It's a divine imperative, not a human suggestion.
"has commanded" (צִוָּה, tzivvah): A strong verb indicating a direct and binding order or decree from God. It carries the weight of divine law, not merely advice or an option. This command is absolute.
"concerning the daughters of Zelophehad" (בְּנוֹת צְלָפְחָד, b'not Tzelophechad): Specific reference to the individuals whose unique case in Numbers 27 prompted this general law. Their petition, being just, led to a legal precedent for inheriting daughters.
"saying" (לֵאמֹר, le'mor): A common biblical formula that introduces direct speech or a specific pronouncement, emphasizing that the following words are the exact terms of the command.
"Let them marry whom they think best" (לַאֲשֶׁר יִיטַב בְּעֵינֵיהֶם תִּהְיֶינָה לְנָשִׁים, la'asher yiytav b'eiyneyhem tihyeynah l'nashim):
- Lit. "to whom it is good in their eyes, they shall be for wives." This phrase highlights an unusual degree of personal choice in a culture where marriages were often arranged. It indicates God's benevolence and respect for the individual's will, provided it adheres to His broader laws.
- The "eyes" refer to their judgment and preference. This wasn't merely a forced decision but a guided choice.
- This stands in contrast to common patriarchal customs, showing a surprising liberty granted to women in specific legal contexts, yet balanced by tribal land laws.
"only" (אַךְ, akh): A crucial restrictive particle. It introduces a sharp limitation to the preceding permission, indicating the essential condition that must be met. It is an exclusive boundary.
"they must marry" (תִּהְיֶינָה לְנָשִׁים, tihyeynah l'nashim): Lit. "they shall be for wives." Reiteration of the act of marriage as the means to fulfill the directive.
"within the family of the tribe of their father" (לְמִשְׁפַּחַת מַטֵּה אֲבִיהֶם, l'mishpachat matteh avihehem):
- "family" (מִשְׁפַּחַת, mishpachat): Refers to the extended family unit or clan within a tribe. This maintains the inheritance within a closer familial grouping.
- "tribe" (מַטֵּה, matteh): The major social and political division within Israel. This is the ultimate boundary—land could not pass from one tribe to another.
- "their father": Connects back to the original source of the inherited land. The core purpose is to preserve the land allocations given by God to each tribe through specific patriarchal lines.
Numbers 36 6 Bonus section
This divine ruling, sparked by the specific case of Zelophehad's daughters, evolved into a permanent statutory ordinance (Num 36:8) for all daughters in Israel who might inherit land due to the lack of a male heir. It underscores the unique nature of Israel's relationship with the land as a divine gift and an eternal possession, rather than a mere commodity to be bought and sold freely. This foresight ensured the long-term integrity of the tribal boundaries as they prepared to enter Canaan. The concept of keeping inheritance "within the tribe" has broader theological implications, symbolizing the preservation of identity and blessings within the divine covenant community, echoing the importance of maintaining spiritual and doctrinal purity within the Body of Christ today, though in a different form.
Numbers 36 6 Commentary
Numbers 36:6 stands as a remarkable illustration of God's wisdom in balancing individual rights with the collective welfare and the fulfillment of His covenantal promises. It demonstrates His concern for justice for the individual (the daughters' right to inherit) while meticulously safeguarding the tribal integrity of the Promised Land. The law ensured that the divine allocation of land to each Israelite tribe remained intact through generations, preventing the fragmentation or amalgamation of inheritances that would undermine tribal identity and the national structure established by God. This provision highlighted that while the daughters had the liberty to choose their husbands "whom they think best," this liberty was not absolute, but subject to a higher principle: the preservation of the unique tribal inheritance of the land. It taught Israel that even personal decisions like marriage must sometimes align with the greater good and God’s established order for the community and its future. This pragmatic and precise legal instruction speaks to God’s sovereign plan for Israel's settlement and stability in Canaan, rooted in His divine allocation.