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<TITLE>Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary on the Whole Bible [Numbers, Chapter XXXVI].</TITLE>
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"This site is for those friends and family members who may or may not know Our Lord Jesus Christ, and if not, they may come to know Our Lord through His Prophets."> <meta name="author" content="Brian Duncalfe">
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<body background="../sueback.jpg" bgproperties="fixed" >
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<center><h1>Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary
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on the Whole Bible</h1>
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<h3><a href="http://www.biblesnet.com" target="_blank">Back to Biblesnet.com Home Page</a>
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<TABLE WIDTH="100%">
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<TR>
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<TD ALIGN="LEFT" VALIGN="TOP">
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[<A HREF="MHC00000.HTM">Table of Contents</A>]<BR>
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[<A HREF="MHC04035.HTM">Previous</A>]
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<TD ALIGN="RIGHT" VALIGN="TOP">
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Matthew Henry<BR><I>Commentary on the Whole Bible</I> (1706)
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</TD></TR></TABLE>
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<!-- (Begin Body) -->
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<CENTER>
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<BR><FONT SIZE=+3><B>N U M B E R S</B></FONT>
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<BR>
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<BR><FONT SIZE=+2>CHAP. XXXVI.</FONT>
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<HR SIZE=1 WIDTH=50>
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</CENTER>
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<FONT SIZE=-1>
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<P>
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We have in this chapter the determination of another question that
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arose upon the case of the daughters of Zelophehad. God had appointed
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that they should inherit,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Nu+27:7"><I>ch.</I> xxvii. 7</A>.
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Now here,
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I. An inconvenience is suggested, in case they should marry into any
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other tribe,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Nu+36:1-4">ver. 1-4</A>.
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II. It is prevented by a divine appointment that they should marry in
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their own tribe and family
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Nu+36:5-7">ver. 5-7</A>),
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and this is settled for a rule in like cases
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Nu+36:8,9">ver. 8, 9</A>);
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and they did marry accordingly to some of their own relations
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Nu+36:10-12">ver. 10-12</A>),
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and with this the book concludes,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Nu+36:13">ver. 13</A>.</P>
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</FONT>
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<A NAME="Nu36_1"> </A>
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<A NAME="Nu36_2"> </A>
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<A NAME="Nu36_3"> </A>
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<A NAME="Nu36_4"> </A>
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<A NAME="Sec1"> </A>
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<TABLE WIDTH="100%" BORDER=0>
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<TR><TD><FONT SIZE=+1><I>The Law of Inheritance.</I></FONT></TD>
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<TD ALIGN=RIGHT><FONT SIZE=-1>B. C.</FONT> 1452.</TD></TR>
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<TR><TD COLSPAN=2><HR SIZE=1></TD></TR>
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</TABLE>
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<P>
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<FONT SIZE=+1>1 And the chief fathers of the families of the children of
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Gilead, the son of Machir, the son of Manasseh, of the families
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of the sons of Joseph, came near, and spake before Moses, and
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before the princes, the chief fathers of the children of Israel:
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2 And they said, The L<FONT SIZE=-1><B>ORD</B></FONT> commanded my lord to give the land
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for an inheritance by lot to the children of Israel: and my lord
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was commanded by the L<FONT SIZE=-1><B>ORD</B></FONT> to give the inheritance of Zelophehad
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our brother unto his daughters.
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3 And if they be married to any of the sons of the <I>other</I>
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tribes of the children of Israel, then shall their inheritance be
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taken from the inheritance of our fathers, and shall be put to
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the inheritance of the tribe whereunto they are received: so
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shall it be taken from the lot of our inheritance.
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4 And when the jubilee of the children of Israel shall be, then
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shall their inheritance be put unto the inheritance of the tribe
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whereunto they are received: so shall their inheritance be taken
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away from the inheritance of the tribe of our fathers.
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</FONT></P>
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<P>
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We have here the humble address which the heads of the tribe of
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Manasseh made to Moses and the princes, on occasion of the order lately
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made concerning the daughters of Zelophehad. The family they belonged
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to was part of that half of the tribe of Manasseh which we yet to have
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their lot within Jordan, not that half that was already settled; and
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yet they speak of the land of their possession, and the inheritance of
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their fathers, with as great assurance as if they had it already in
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their hands, knowing whom they had trusted. In their appeal observe,
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1. They fairly recite the former order made in this case, and do not
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move to have that set aside, but are very willing to acquiesce in it
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Nu+36:2"><I>v.</I> 2</A>):
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<I>The Lord commanded to give the inheritance of Zelophehad to his
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daughters;</I> and they are very well pleased that it should be so,
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none of them knowing but that hereafter it might be the case of their
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own families, and then their daughters would have the benefit of this
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law.
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2. They represent the inconvenience which might, possibly, follow
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hereupon, if the daughters of Zelophehad should see cause to marry into
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any other tribes,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Nu+36:3"><I>v.</I> 3</A>.
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And it is probable that this was not a bare surmise, or supposition,
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but that they knew, at this time, great court was made to them by some
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young gentlemen of other tribes, because they were heiresses, that they
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might get footing in this tribe, and so enlarge their own inheritance.
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This truly is often aimed at more than it should be in making
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marriages, not the meetness of the person, but the convenience of the
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estate, to <I>lay house to house, and field to field. Wisdom indeed is
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good with an inheritance;</I> but what is an inheritance good for in
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that relation without wisdom? But here, we may presume, the personal
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merit of these daughters recommended them as well as their fortunes;
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however, the heads of their tribe foresaw the mischief that would
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follow, and brought the case to Moses, that he might consult the oracle
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of God concerning it. The difficulty they start God could have obviated
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and provided against in the former order given in this case; but to
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teach us that we must, in our affairs, not only attend God's
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providence, but make use of our own prudence, God did not direct in it
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till the themselves that were concerned wisely foresaw the
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inconvenience, and piously applied to Moses for a rule in it. For
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though they were chief fathers in their families, and might have
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assumed a power to overrule these daughters of Zelophehad in disposing
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of themselves, especially their father being dead and the common
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interest of their tribe being concerned in it, yet they chose rather to
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refer the matter to Moses, and it issued well. We should not covet to
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be judges in our own case, for it is difficult to be so without being
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partial. It is easier in many cases to take good advice than to give
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it, and it is a satisfaction to be under direction. Two things they
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aimed at in their representation:--
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(1.) To preserve the divine appointment of inheritances. They urged the
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command
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Nu+36:2"><I>v.</I> 2</A>),
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that the land should be given by lot to the respective tribes, and
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urged that it would break in upon the divine appointment if such a
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considerable part of the lot of Manasseh should, by their marriage, be
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transferred to any other tribe; for the issue would be denominated from
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the father's tribe, not the mother's. This indeed would not lessen the
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lot of the particular persons of that tribe (they would have their own
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still), but it would lessen the lot of the tribe in general, and render
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it less strong and considerable; they therefore thought themselves
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concerned for the reputation of their tribe, and perhaps were the more
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jealous for it because it was already very much weakened by the sitting
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down of the one half of it on this side Jordan.
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(2.) To prevent contests and quarrels among posterity. If those of
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other tribes should come among them perhaps it might occasion some
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contests. They would be apt to give and receive disturbance, and their
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title might, in process of time, come to be questioned; and how great a
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matter would this fire kindle! It is the wisdom and duty of those that
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have estates in the world to settle them, and dispose of them, so as
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that no strife and contention may arise about them among posterity.</P>
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<A NAME="Nu36_5"> </A>
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<A NAME="Nu36_6"> </A>
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<A NAME="Nu36_7"> </A>
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<A NAME="Nu36_8"> </A>
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<A NAME="Nu36_9"> </A>
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<A NAME="Nu36_10"> </A>
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<A NAME="Nu36_11"> </A>
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<A NAME="Nu36_12"> </A>
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<A NAME="Nu36_13"> </A>
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<P>
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<FONT SIZE=+1>5 And Moses commanded the children of Israel according to the
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word of the L<FONT SIZE=-1><B>ORD</B></FONT>, saying, The tribe of the sons of Joseph hath
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said well.
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6 This <I>is</I> the thing which the L<FONT SIZE=-1><B>ORD</B></FONT> doth command concerning
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the daughters of Zelophehad, saying, Let them marry to whom they
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think best; only to the family of the tribe of their father shall
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they marry.
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7 So shall not the inheritance of the children of Israel remove
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from tribe to tribe: for every one of the children of Israel
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shall keep himself to the inheritance of the tribe of his
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fathers.
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8 And every daughter, that possesseth an inheritance in any
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tribe of the children of Israel, shall be wife unto one of the
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family of the tribe of her father, that the children of Israel
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may enjoy every man the inheritance of his fathers.
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9 Neither shall the inheritance remove from <I>one</I> tribe to
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another tribe; but every one of the tribes of the children of
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Israel shall keep himself to his own inheritance.
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10 Even as the L<FONT SIZE=-1><B>ORD</B></FONT> commanded Moses, so did the daughters of
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Zelophehad:
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11 For Mahlah, Tirzah, and Hoglah, and Milcah, and Noah, the
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daughters of Zelophehad, were married unto their father's
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brothers' sons:
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12 <I>And</I> they were married into the families of the sons of
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Manasseh the son of Joseph, and their inheritance remained in the
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tribe of the family of their father.
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13 These <I>are</I> the commandments and the judgments, which the
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L<FONT SIZE=-1><B>ORD</B></FONT> commanded by the hand of Moses unto the children of Israel
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in the plains of Moab by Jordan <I>near</I> Jericho.
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</FONT></P>
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<P>
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Here is,
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I. The matter settled by express order from God between the daughters
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of Zelophehad and the rest of the tribe of Manasseh. The petition is
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assented to, and care taken to prevent the inconvenience feared: <I>The
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tribe of the sons of Joseph hath said well,</I>
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Nu+36:5"><I>v.</I> 5</A>.
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Thus those that consult the oracles of God concerning the making of
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their heavenly inheritance sure shall not only be directed what to do,
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but their enquiries shall be graciously accepted, and they shall have
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not only their <I>well done,</I> but their <I>well said,</I> good and
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faithful servant. Now the matter is thus accommodated: these heiresses
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must be obliged to marry, not only within their own tribe of Manasseh,
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but within the particular family of the Hepherites, to which they did
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belong.
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1. They are not determined to any particular persons; there was choice
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enough in the family of their father: <I>Let them marry to whom they
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think best.</I> As children must preserve the authority of their
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parents, and not marry against their minds, so parents must consult the
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affections of their children in disposing of them, and not compel them
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to marry such as they cannot love. Forced marriages are not likely to
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prove blessings.
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2. Yet they are confined to their own relations, that their inheritance
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may not go to another family. God would have them know that the land
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being to be divided by lot, the disposal whereof was of the Lord, they
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could not mend, and therefore should not alter, his appointment. The
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inheritances must not <I>remove from tribe to tribe</I>
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Nu+36:7"><I>v.</I> 7</A>),
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lest there should be confusion among them, their estates entangled, and
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their genealogies perplexed. God would not have one tribe to be
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enriched by the straitening and impoverishing of another, since they
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were all alike the seed of Abraham his friend.</P>
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<P>
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II. The law, in this particular case, was made perpetual, and to be
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observed whenever hereafter the like case should happen,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Nu+36:8"><I>v.</I> 8</A>.
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Those that were not heiresses might marry into what tribe they pleased
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(though we may suppose that, ordinarily, they kept within their own
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tribe), but those that were must either quit their claim to the
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inheritance or marry one of their own family, that each of the tribes
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might keep to its own inheritance, and one tribe might not encroach
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upon another, but throughout their generations there might remain
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immovable the ancient landmarks, set, not by their fathers, but by the
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<I>God of their fathers.</I></P>
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<P>
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III. The submission of the daughters of Zelophehad to this appointment.
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How could they but marry well, and to their satisfaction, when God
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himself directed them? They married their father's brothers' sons,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Nu+36:10-12"><I>v.</I> 10-12</A>.
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By this it appears,
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1. That the marriage of cousin-germans is not in itself unlawful, nor
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within the degrees prohibited, for then God would not have countenanced
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these marriages. But,
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2. That ordinarily it is not advisable; for, if there had not been a
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particular reason for it (which cannot hold in any case now,
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inheritances being not disposed of as then by the special designation
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of Heaven), they would not have married such near relations. The world
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is wide, and he that walks uprightly will endeavour to walk surely.</P>
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<P>
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IV. The conclusion of this whole book, referring to the latter part of
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it: <I>These are the judgments which the Lord commanded in the plains
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of Moab</I>
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Nu+36:13"><I>v.</I> 13</A>),
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these foregoing, ever since
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Nu+26:1-3"><I>ch.</I> xxvi.</A>,
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most of which related to their settlement in Canaan, into which they
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were now entering. Whatever new condition God is by his providence
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bringing us into, we must beg of him to teach us the duty of it, and to
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enable us to do it, that we may do the work of the day in its day, of
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the place in its place.</P>
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Matthew Henry<BR><I>Commentary on the Whole Bible</I> (1706)
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