mh_parser/vol_split/4 - Numbers/Chapter 36.xml

<div2 id="Num.xxxvii" n="xxxvii" next="Deu" prev="Num.xxxvi" progress="81.55%" title="Chapter XXXVI">
<h2 id="Num.xxxvii-p0.1">N U M B E R S</h2>
<h3 id="Num.xxxvii-p0.2">CHAP. XXXVI.</h3>
<p class="intro" id="Num.xxxvii-p1">We have in this chapter the determination of
another question that arose upon the case of the daughters of
Zelophehad. God had appointed that they should inherit, <scripRef id="Num.xxxvii-p1.1" osisRef="Bible:Num.27.7" parsed="|Num|27|7|0|0" passage="Nu 27:7"><i>ch.</i> xxvii. 7</scripRef>. Now here, I. An
inconvenience is suggested, in case they should marry into any
other tribe, <scripRef id="Num.xxxvii-p1.2" osisRef="Bible:Num.36.1-Num.36.4" parsed="|Num|36|1|36|4" passage="Nu 36:1-4">ver. 1-4</scripRef>. II.
It is prevented by a divine appointment that they should marry in
their own tribe and family (<scripRef id="Num.xxxvii-p1.3" osisRef="Bible:Num.36.5-Num.36.7" parsed="|Num|36|5|36|7" passage="Nu 36:5-7">ver.
5-7</scripRef>), and this is settled for a rule in like cases
(<scripRef id="Num.xxxvii-p1.4" osisRef="Bible:Num.36.8-Num.36.9" parsed="|Num|36|8|36|9" passage="Nu 36:8,9">ver. 8, 9</scripRef>); and they did
marry accordingly to some of their own relations (<scripRef id="Num.xxxvii-p1.5" osisRef="Bible:Num.36.10-Num.36.12" parsed="|Num|36|10|36|12" passage="Nu 36:10-12">ver. 10-12</scripRef>), and with this the
book concludes, <scripRef id="Num.xxxvii-p1.6" osisRef="Bible:Num.36.13" parsed="|Num|36|13|0|0" passage="Nu 36:13">ver.
13</scripRef>.</p>
<scripCom id="Num.xxxvii-p1.7" osisRef="Bible:Num.36" parsed="|Num|36|0|0|0" passage="Nu 36" type="Commentary"/>
<scripCom id="Num.xxxvii-p1.8" osisRef="Bible:Num.36.1-Num.36.4" parsed="|Num|36|1|36|4" passage="Nu 36:1-4" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Num.36.1-Num.36.4">
<h4 id="Num.xxxvii-p1.9">The Law of Inheritance. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xxxvii-p1.10">b. c.</span> 1452.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Num.xxxvii-p2">1 And the chief fathers of the families of the
children of Gilead, the son of Machir, the son of Manasseh, of the
families of the sons of Joseph, came near, and spake before Moses,
and before the princes, the chief fathers of the children of
Israel:   2 And they said, The <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xxxvii-p2.1">Lord</span> commanded my lord to give the land for an
inheritance by lot to the children of Israel: and my lord was
commanded by the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xxxvii-p2.2">Lord</span> to give the
inheritance of Zelophehad our brother unto his daughters.   3
And if they be married to any of the sons of the <i>other</i>
tribes of the children of Israel, then shall their inheritance be
taken from the inheritance of our fathers, and shall be put to the
inheritance of the tribe whereunto they are received: so shall it
be taken from the lot of our inheritance.   4 And when the
jubilee of the children of Israel shall be, then shall their
inheritance be put unto the inheritance of the tribe whereunto they
are received: so shall their inheritance be taken away from the
inheritance of the tribe of our fathers.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xxxvii-p3">We have here the humble address which the
heads of the tribe of Manasseh made to Moses and the princes, on
occasion of the order lately made concerning the daughters of
Zelophehad. The family they belonged to was part of that half of
the tribe of Manasseh which we yet to have their lot within Jordan,
not that half that was already settled; and yet they speak of the
land of their possession, and the inheritance of their fathers,
with as great assurance as if they had it already in their hands,
knowing whom they had trusted. In their appeal observe, 1. They
fairly recite the former order made in this case, and do not move
to have that set aside, but are very willing to acquiesce in it
(<scripRef id="Num.xxxvii-p3.1" osisRef="Bible:Num.36.2" parsed="|Num|36|2|0|0" passage="Nu 36:2"><i>v.</i> 2</scripRef>): <i>The Lord
commanded to give the inheritance of Zelophehad to his
daughters;</i> and they are very well pleased that it should be so,
none of them knowing but that hereafter it might be the case of
their own families, and then their daughters would have the benefit
of this law. 2. They represent the inconvenience which might,
possibly, follow hereupon, if the daughters of Zelophehad should
see cause to marry into any other tribes, <scripRef id="Num.xxxvii-p3.2" osisRef="Bible:Num.36.3" parsed="|Num|36|3|0|0" passage="Nu 36:3"><i>v.</i> 3</scripRef>. And it is probable that this was
not a bare surmise, or supposition, but that they knew, at this
time, great court was made to them by some young gentlemen of other
tribes, because they were heiresses, that they might get footing in
this tribe, and so enlarge their own inheritance. This truly is
often aimed at more than it should be in making marriages, not the
meetness of the person, but the convenience of the estate, to
<i>lay house to house, and field to field. Wisdom indeed is good
with an inheritance;</i> but what is an inheritance good for in
that relation without wisdom? But here, we may presume, the
personal merit of these daughters recommended them as well as their
fortunes; however, the heads of their tribe foresaw the mischief
that would follow, and brought the case to Moses, that he might
consult the oracle of God concerning it. The difficulty they start
God could have obviated and provided against in the former order
given in this case; but to teach us that we must, in our affairs,
not only attend God's providence, but make use of our own prudence,
God did not direct in it till the themselves that were concerned
wisely foresaw the inconvenience, and piously applied to Moses for
a rule in it. For though they were chief fathers in their families,
and might have assumed a power to overrule these daughters of
Zelophehad in disposing of themselves, especially their father
being dead and the common interest of their tribe being concerned
in it, yet they chose rather to refer the matter to Moses, and it
issued well. We should not covet to be judges in our own case, for
it is difficult to be so without being partial. It is easier in
many cases to take good advice than to give it, and it is a
satisfaction to be under direction. Two things they aimed at in
their representation:—(1.) To preserve the divine appointment of
inheritances. They urged the command (<scripRef id="Num.xxxvii-p3.3" osisRef="Bible:Num.36.2" parsed="|Num|36|2|0|0" passage="Nu 36:2"><i>v.</i> 2</scripRef>), that the land should be given by
lot to the respective tribes, and urged that it would break in upon
the divine appointment if such a considerable part of the lot of
Manasseh should, by their marriage, be transferred to any other
tribe; for the issue would be denominated from the father's tribe,
not the mother's. This indeed would not lessen the lot of the
particular persons of that tribe (they would have their own still),
but it would lessen the lot of the tribe in general, and render it
less strong and considerable; they therefore thought themselves
concerned for the reputation of their tribe, and perhaps were the
more jealous for it because it was already very much weakened by
the sitting down of the one half of it on this side Jordan. (2.) To
prevent contests and quarrels among posterity. If those of other
tribes should come among them perhaps it might occasion some
contests. They would be apt to give and receive disturbance, and
their title might, in process of time, come to be questioned; and
how great a matter would this fire kindle! It is the wisdom and
duty of those that have estates in the world to settle them, and
dispose of them, so as that no strife and contention may arise
about them among posterity.</p>
</div><scripCom id="Num.xxxvii-p3.4" osisRef="Bible:Num.36.5-Num.36.13" parsed="|Num|36|5|36|13" passage="Nu 36:5-13" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Num.36.5-Num.36.13">
<p class="passage" id="Num.xxxvii-p4">5 And Moses commanded the children of Israel
according to the word of the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xxxvii-p4.1">Lord</span>,
saying, The tribe of the sons of Joseph hath said well.   6
This <i>is</i> the thing which the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xxxvii-p4.2">Lord</span> 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.   7
So shall not the inheritance of the children of Israel remove from
tribe to tribe: for every one of the children of Israel shall keep
himself to the inheritance of the tribe of his fathers.   8
And every daughter, that possesseth an inheritance in any tribe of
the children of Israel, shall be wife unto one of the family of the
tribe of her father, that the children of Israel may enjoy every
man the inheritance of his fathers.   9 Neither shall the
inheritance remove from <i>one</i> tribe to another tribe; but
every one of the tribes of the children of Israel shall keep
himself to his own inheritance.   10 Even as the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xxxvii-p4.3">Lord</span> commanded Moses, so did the daughters of
Zelophehad:   11 For Mahlah, Tirzah, and Hoglah, and Milcah,
and Noah, the daughters of Zelophehad, were married unto their
father's brothers' sons:   12 <i>And</i> they were married
into the families of the sons of Manasseh the son of Joseph, and
their inheritance remained in the tribe of the family of their
father.   13 These <i>are</i> the commandments and the
judgments, which the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xxxvii-p4.4">Lord</span> commanded
by the hand of Moses unto the children of Israel in the plains of
Moab by Jordan <i>near</i> Jericho.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xxxvii-p5">Here is, I. The matter settled by express
order from God between the daughters of Zelophehad and the rest of
the tribe of Manasseh. The petition is assented to, and care taken
to prevent the inconvenience feared: <i>The tribe of the sons of
Joseph hath said well,</i> <scripRef id="Num.xxxvii-p5.1" osisRef="Bible:Num.36.5" parsed="|Num|36|5|0|0" passage="Nu 36:5"><i>v.</i>
5</scripRef>. Thus those that consult the oracles of God concerning
the making of their heavenly inheritance sure shall not only be
directed what to do, but their enquiries shall be graciously
accepted, and they shall have not only their <i>well done,</i> but
their <i>well said,</i> good and faithful servant. Now the matter
is thus accommodated: these heiresses must be obliged to marry, not
only within their own tribe of Manasseh, but within the particular
family of the Hepherites, to which they did belong. 1. They are not
determined to any particular persons; there was choice enough in
the family of their father: <i>Let them marry to whom they think
best.</i> As children must preserve the authority of their parents,
and not marry against their minds, so parents must consult the
affections of their children in disposing of them, and not compel
them to marry such as they cannot love. Forced marriages are not
likely to prove blessings. 2. Yet they are confined to their own
relations, that their inheritance may not go to another family. God
would have them know that the land being to be divided by lot, the
disposal whereof was of the Lord, they could not mend, and
therefore should not alter, his appointment. The inheritances must
not <i>remove from tribe to tribe</i> (<scripRef id="Num.xxxvii-p5.2" osisRef="Bible:Num.36.7" parsed="|Num|36|7|0|0" passage="Nu 36:7"><i>v.</i> 7</scripRef>), lest there should be confusion
among them, their estates entangled, and their genealogies
perplexed. God would not have one tribe to be enriched by the
straitening and impoverishing of another, since they were all alike
the seed of Abraham his friend.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xxxvii-p6">II. The law, in this particular case, was
made perpetual, and to be observed whenever hereafter the like case
should happen, <scripRef id="Num.xxxvii-p6.1" osisRef="Bible:Num.36.8" parsed="|Num|36|8|0|0" passage="Nu 36:8"><i>v.</i> 8</scripRef>.
Those that were not heiresses might marry into what tribe they
pleased (though we may suppose that, ordinarily, they kept within
their own tribe), but those that were must either quit their claim
to the inheritance or marry one of their own family, that each of
the tribes might keep to its own inheritance, and one tribe might
not encroach upon another, but throughout their generations there
might remain immovable the ancient landmarks, set, not by their
fathers, but by the <i>God of their fathers.</i></p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xxxvii-p7">III. The submission of the daughters of
Zelophehad to this appointment. How could they but marry well, and
to their satisfaction, when God himself directed them? They married
their father's brothers' sons, <scripRef id="Num.xxxvii-p7.1" osisRef="Bible:Num.36.10-Num.36.12" parsed="|Num|36|10|36|12" passage="Nu 36:10-12"><i>v.</i> 10-12</scripRef>. By this it appears, 1.
That the marriage of cousin-germans is not in itself unlawful, nor
within the degrees prohibited, for then God would not have
countenanced these marriages. But, 2. That ordinarily it is not
advisable; for, if there had not been a particular reason for it
(which cannot hold in any case now, inheritances being not disposed
of as then by the special designation of Heaven), they would not
have married such near relations. The world is wide, and he that
walks uprightly will endeavour to walk surely.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xxxvii-p8">IV. The conclusion of this whole book,
referring to the latter part of it: <i>These are the judgments
which the Lord commanded in the plains of Moab</i> (<scripRef id="Num.xxxvii-p8.1" osisRef="Bible:Num.36.13" parsed="|Num|36|13|0|0" passage="Nu 36:13"><i>v.</i> 13</scripRef>), these foregoing, ever
since <scripRef id="Num.xxxvii-p8.2" osisRef="Bible:Num.26.1-Num.26.3" parsed="|Num|26|1|26|3" passage="Nu 26:1-3"><i>ch.</i> xxvi.</scripRef>,
most of which related to their settlement in Canaan, into which
they were now entering. Whatever new condition God is by his
providence bringing us into, we must beg of him to teach us the
duty of it, and to enable us to do it, that we may do the work of
the day in its day, of the place in its place.</p>
</div></div2>