Numbers 36:9 kjv
Neither shall the inheritance remove from one tribe to another tribe; but every one of the tribes of the children of Israel shall keep himself to his own inheritance.
Numbers 36:9 nkjv
Thus no inheritance shall change hands from one tribe to another, but every tribe of the children of Israel shall keep its own inheritance."
Numbers 36:9 niv
No inheritance may pass from one tribe to another, for each Israelite tribe is to keep the land it inherits."
Numbers 36:9 esv
So no inheritance shall be transferred from one tribe to another, for each of the tribes of the people of Israel shall hold on to its own inheritance.'"
Numbers 36:9 nlt
No grant of land may pass from one tribe to another; each tribe of Israel must keep its allotted portion of land."
Numbers 36 9 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference Note |
|---|---|---|
| Num 27:7-8 | "The daughters of Zelophehad are right... you shall give them possession of an inheritance among their father's brothers..." | Initial ruling allowing female inheritance |
| Num 36:7 | "So no inheritance... from one tribe to another, for each of the tribes of the people of Israel shall remain in its own inheritance." | Nearly identical preceding verse reinforcing the principle |
| Josh 14:1-2 | "...Joshua and Eleazar the priest and the heads of the fathers' houses of the tribes of the people of Israel distributed them for inheritance by lot." | Describes the divinely ordained land distribution process |
| Josh 17:3-6 | "Zelophehad... had no sons, but only daughters... a portion was given to them among the brothers of their father." | Reaffirms the daughters of Zelophehad receiving land within Manasseh |
| Lev 25:10, 13, 23 | "...you shall return every man to his property and every man to his family... for the land is mine..." | Jubilee laws ensure land returns to original family/tribe |
| Deut 19:14 | "You shall not move your neighbor’s landmark..." | Protecting physical boundary markers, echoing land permanency |
| 1 Kgs 21:3 | "But he said to Ahab, 'The LORD forbid that I should give you the inheritance of my fathers.'" | Naboth's refusal highlights the sacred permanence of tribal land inheritance |
| Ps 78:55 | "He drove out nations... apportioned them an inheritance by measurement; and settled the tribes of Israel in their tents." | God as the dispenser of land inheritance |
| Ezek 47:13-14, 22-23 | "Thus says the Lord GOD: These are the boundaries by which you shall divide the land for inheritance... The sojourners shall inherit with you among the tribes of Israel." | Future division of land in Ezekiel's vision, respecting tribal identity |
| Gen 13:14-15 | "...Lift up your eyes and look... for all the land that you see I will give to you and to your offspring forever." | God's promise of land to Abraham and his descendants |
| Exod 32:13 | "Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, your servants, to whom you swore... I will give to your offspring all this land... and they shall inherit it forever.” | Recalls the covenantal land promise as a permanent inheritance |
| Num 34:1-12 | Defines the specific borders of the promised land of Canaan, ordained by God. | Divine specification of land for inheritance. |
| Prov 22:28 | "Do not move the ancient landmark that your fathers have set." | Upholding established boundaries and inheritances. |
| Isa 5:8 | "Woe to those who join house to house, who add field to field..." | Prophetic critique against consolidating land, breaking original divisions |
| Mic 2:2 | "They covet fields and seize them, and houses and take them away..." | Denounces actions that violate established inheritances |
| Acts 17:26 | "And he made from one man every nation of mankind... and he determined allotted periods and the boundaries of their dwelling place." | God's sovereignty over national boundaries, including Israel's. |
| Eph 1:11, 14, 18 | "...we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined... the guarantee of our inheritance..." | Spiritual inheritance in Christ for believers |
| Col 1:12 | "...giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light." | Emphasizes believers' spiritual inheritance |
| Heb 9:15 | "...so that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance." | Christ as mediator of a new covenant leading to eternal inheritance |
| 1 Pet 1:4 | "...an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you." | Heavenly inheritance contrasted with earthly, reinforcing permanency of divine grants |
| Ps 16:5-6 | "The lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; indeed, I have a beautiful inheritance." | Individual satisfaction in God-given portion |
| Rom 8:17 | "...heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ..." | Spiritual inheritance, part of the new covenant promises |
Numbers 36 verses
Numbers 36 9 Meaning
This verse definitively establishes the permanence of tribal land boundaries in Israel. It mandates that property, once allotted to a tribe, must forever remain within that tribe's possession, thereby preventing the transfer of inherited land from one tribe to another through marriage or any other means. It underscores God's meticulous design for the nation's spatial and social order.
Numbers 36 9 Context
Numbers 36 concludes the specific case of the daughters of Zelophehad. In Numbers 27, these five sisters raised a unique problem: their father died without male heirs, leaving them potentially without an inheritance in the Promised Land. Moses consulted the Lord, and God decreed that daughters could inherit if there were no sons. This established an important precedent. However, the tribal heads of Manasseh, Zelophehad's tribe, subsequently raised a concern in Numbers 36: if these inheriting daughters married outside their own tribe, their inherited land would effectively transfer to another tribe upon their death, thereby disrupting the divinely ordained tribal land boundaries. Numbers 36:9 is the climax of the Lord's response, confirming the primary purpose of His land allocation: the permanent preservation of tribal territories to maintain the stability, identity, and specific distribution planned for the Israelite nation in the Promised Land. The chapter thus mandates that daughters who inherit must marry within their ancestral tribe to uphold this principle.
Numbers 36 9 Word analysis
- so that (וְלֹֽא - ve-lo): This conjunction phrase serves to introduce the purpose or negative consequence of the preceding regulations. It signifies a prohibition and sets the stage for the crucial decree regarding inheritance transfer.
- no inheritance (נַחֲלָה - naḥălāh): This noun, prominent throughout the Books of Moses and Joshua, denotes an ancestral possession or inherited land. In ancient Israel, land was not mere property; it was a permanent, inalienable portion given by God to each family within their tribe. It represented God's faithfulness to His covenant promises and was fundamental to the socio-economic, tribal, and spiritual identity of the Israelites. Losing one's naḥălāh was a profound loss, impacting not just livelihood but covenant standing and family continuity.
- shall be transferred (תִסֹּב - tissōḇ): This verb comes from the root סבב (sāḇaḇ), meaning "to turn," "to go around," "to revolve," or "to shift permanently." In this context, it specifically means to divert or transfer ownership from its established rightful lineage. The passive voice and negative indicate an action that must not occur.
- from one tribe to another (מִמַּטֶּה לְמַטֶּה - mim·maṭṭeh lə·maṭṭeh):
- tribe (מַטֶּה - maṭṭeh): Refers to one of the twelve divisions of Israel. The term literally means "staff" or "rod," metaphorically signifying a distinct family or lineage grouping under a patriarch or leader. These tribal divisions were foundational to Israel's identity and census, divinely ordered and established by specific boundaries in the Promised Land.
- This phrase emphatically prohibits the shifting of land between these distinct, divinely designated entities, safeguarding the original division of the land by lot, which was seen as God's own allocation.
- for each of the tribes (כִּי־אִ֣ישׁ מִמַּטּוֹת בְּנֵי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל - kî-’îš mim·maṭṭōwt bə·nê-yiśrā’êl): This translates more precisely to "for every man/individual from the tribes of the sons of Israel." It underlines the universality of the law among all Israelites and their tribal affiliations. "Sons of Israel" identifies the specific people of God, highlighting that this is a covenant community and their divine land assignment.
- shall remain in its own inheritance (נַחֲלָתוֹ יִדְבָּֽק - naḥălāṯōw yiḏ·bāq):
- its own inheritance (נַחֲלָתוֹ - naḥălāṯōw): Reinforces the specific, God-given land portion designated for each tribe.
- shall remain (יִדְבָּק - yiḏ·bāq): Derived from the root דבק (dāḇaq), which means "to cling," "to cleave," "to stick to," or "to adhere permanently." This is a very strong term. It implies a binding, faithful attachment. The land is not just temporarily occupied; it must "cling" to its rightful tribe as if inseparable. This phrase states the desired positive outcome: the land and the tribe must be irrevocably bound.
- "so that no inheritance shall be transferred from one tribe to another": This phrase precisely identifies the prohibited action: the destabilization of the meticulously organized land distribution God established. It speaks to a deep theological principle—God’s order must be upheld, and His gifts are not to be lightly relinquished or arbitrarily reallocated.
- "for each of the tribes of the people of Israel shall remain in its own inheritance": This affirms the divine intention. The permanence of tribal landholdings was crucial for maintaining the social structure, family identity, and economic stability of Israel. It reinforces the covenant relationship between God, His people, and the land He promised. This highlights God’s intention for His people to find their secure dwelling and identity within the specific portion He has designated for them.
Numbers 36 9 Bonus section
The strong Hebrew verb dāḇaq ("shall remain," literally "shall cling/stick") is significant here. It's the same word used for a husband clinging to his wife (Gen 2:24) or the Israelites clinging to the Lord (Deut 10:20). Its usage concerning land highlights the sacred, covenantal nature of the tribal inheritance. The land was not merely property; it was a divine bond, an expression of God's faithful provision, and a tangible sign of Israel's election and unique relationship with God. This verse underscores that to separate a tribe from its inheritance was akin to breaking a fundamental bond, destabilizing the divine order. This divine principle about inherited boundaries resonates spiritually for believers, emphasizing remaining faithful to our calling and spiritual heritage in Christ, which is imperishable and secure.
Numbers 36 9 Commentary
Numbers 36:9 serves as the linchpin for the entire chapter, providing the ultimate reason for the ruling regarding Zelophehad's daughters: the inviolability of tribal land inheritance. God's precise apportionment of the Promised Land to each tribe by lot (as detailed in Joshua) was not merely a practical division, but a divine decree signifying His faithfulness and providing stability for the nation. This verse highlights that safeguarding tribal land boundaries was paramount to maintaining Israel's God-given identity, cohesion, and long-term economic and social stability. It demonstrates a tension between individual rights (the daughters' inheritance) and communal responsibility (preserving tribal integrity), with the latter ultimately prioritized for the greater good of God's covenant people. The solution—marrying within one's own tribe—showed the divine wisdom in adapting laws to new circumstances while upholding core principles. It prevented any single tribe from diminishing over time or another tribe from growing disproportionately, thus maintaining the delicate balance and divine order that was crucial for the Mosaic covenant's fulfillment in the land.