Today's passage closes out Numbers. This has been quite the journey for the Isrealites--and us. God has shown His provision for the Isrealites time and again, in spite of their numerous foibles and failures. He has provided justice, structure, and direction; righted wrongs, and addressed all their concerns while giving us insight into His nature. Today is no different. God will again provide for a portion of the Israelites through justice and His law. May the word of God comfort you in the knowledge that He will continue to provide for you, even when the means are not always readily apparent.
Numbers 36:1-13
1 The heads of the fathers' houses of the clan of the people of Gilead the son of Machir, son of Manasseh, from the clans of the people of Joseph, came near and spoke before Moses and before the chiefs, the heads of the fathers' houses of the people of Israel. 2 They said, “The Lord commanded my lord to give the land for inheritance by lot to the people of Israel, and my lord was commanded by the Lord to give the inheritance of Zelophehad our brother to his daughters. 3 But if they are married to any of the sons of the other tribes of the people of Israel, then their inheritance will be taken from the inheritance of our fathers and added to the inheritance of the tribe into which they marry. So it will be taken away from the lot of our inheritance. 4 And when the jubilee of the people of Israel comes, then their inheritance will be added to the inheritance of the tribe into which they marry, and their inheritance will be taken from the inheritance of the tribe of our fathers.”
5 And Moses commanded the people of Israel according to the word of the Lord, saying, “The tribe of the people of Joseph is right. 6 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. 7 The inheritance of the people of Israel shall not be transferred from one tribe to another, for every one of the people of Israel shall hold on to the inheritance of the tribe of his fathers. 8 And every daughter who possesses an inheritance in any tribe of the people of Israel shall be wife to one of the clan of the tribe of her father, so that every one of the people of Israel may possess the inheritance of his fathers. 9 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.’”
10 The daughters of Zelophehad did as the Lord commanded Moses, 11 for Mahlah, Tirzah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Noah, the daughters of Zelophehad, were married to sons of their father's brothers. 12 They were married into the clans of the people of Manasseh the son of Joseph, and their inheritance remained in the tribe of their father's clan.
13 These are the commandments and the rules that the Lord commanded through Moses to the people of Israel in the plains of Moab by the Jordan at Jericho.
[ WHAT ] is this passage saying and what is a key truth or thought that we learn?
+ What was the concern of the people of Gilead? [v1-4]
+ Jubilee was referenced in v4; what would happen to the inheritance by default under the law? [see also Leviticus 25:23-34]
+ Did God confirm that by the law as is, this would have been a valid issue? [v5]
+ What was God's solution? [v6]
+ What was the result of this solution? [v7-9]
+ Did the daughters of Zelophehad obey? [v10-12]
[ HOW ] is the Lord calling me to action/obedience?
+ Is there a sin to confess or a next step to take? How has it gone since last time?
[ WHO ] am I walking with and praying for to discover Jesus?
+ What is my next step?