Numbers 27:9
If he has no daughter, give his inheritance to his brothers.
If he has no daughter,

If he has no daughter, his inheritance passes to his brothers, continuing through the nearest relatives to preserve his name and property within the clan.

Num 36:8-9 Every daughter who possesses an inheritance…
Job 42:15 No women as beautiful as Job’s daughters could be found…
Jos 17:3-6 But Zelophehad son of Hepher had no sons but only daughters.…

give his inheritance to his brothers.

If the deceased left no children, his brothers became the nearest heirs. This protected the tribal allotment from passing outside the family and maintained the inheritance assigned to each tribe in the land.

Deu 25:5-6 When brothers dwell together and one of them dies…
Rut 4:5-6 Then Boaz said, “On the day you buy the land……
Gen 38:8-10 Then Judah said to Onan, “Sleep with your brother’s wife.…

Persons / Places / Events
1. Moses
The leader of the Israelites who is receiving God's instructions regarding inheritance laws.

2. Israelites
The people of God, to whom these laws are being given as they prepare to enter the Promised Land.

3. Zelophehad's Daughters
The context of this verse is part of a larger account where the daughters of Zelophehad petition Moses for their father's inheritance, as he had no sons.

4. Inheritance Laws
The specific legal instructions given by God to Moses concerning the distribution of property among the Israelites.

5. Promised Land
The land of Canaan, which the Israelites are preparing to enter and settle, necessitating clear inheritance laws.
Teaching Points
God's Justice and Fairness
The inheritance laws reflect God's concern for justice and fairness, ensuring that property remains within the family even when there are no male heirs.

Value of Family and Community
The instructions emphasize the importance of family and community in God's plan, as inheritance is meant to sustain and support the family unit.

Adaptability of God's Law
The case of Zelophehad's daughters shows that God's laws are adaptable to ensure justice, highlighting the importance of seeking God's guidance in unique situations.

Spiritual Inheritance
As believers, our ultimate inheritance is spiritual, found in Christ, and is available to all, regardless of gender or lineage.
Bible Study Questions
1. How does the inheritance law in Numbers 27:9 reflect God's character of justice and fairness?

2. In what ways can we apply the principles of family and community support found in this passage to our modern lives?

3. How does the account of Zelophehad's daughters challenge or affirm our understanding of gender roles within the biblical context?

4. What parallels can we draw between the physical inheritance laws in Numbers and our spiritual inheritance in Christ as described in the New Testament?

5. How can we ensure that our own practices and policies reflect the adaptability and justice seen in God's instructions to Moses?
Connections to Other Scriptures
Genesis 48
The blessing of Ephraim and Manasseh by Jacob, which sets a precedent for inheritance and the importance of family lineage.

Joshua 17
The fulfillment of the inheritance for the daughters of Zelophehad, showing the application of the law given in Numbers.

Galatians 3
The discussion of inheritance in Christ, which transcends gender and lineage, reflecting the spiritual equality of all believers.
A Rightful ClaimC. H. Mackintosh.Numbers 27:1-11
The Daughters of ZelophehadJ. Parker, D. D.Numbers 27:1-11
The Disabilities of SexD. Young Numbers 27:1-11
The Request of the Daughters of ZelophehadW. Jones.Numbers 27:1-11
Woman is the Conscience of the WorldR. S. Storrs, D. D.Numbers 27:1-11
Women's Rights -- a ParableSpurgeon, Charles HaddonNumbers 27:1-11
People
Aaron, Eleazar, Hepher, Hoglah, Israelites, Joseph, Joshua, Korah, Machir, Mahlah, Manasseh, Milcah, Moses, Noah, Nun, Tirzah, Zelophehad
Places
Abarim, Jericho, Kadesh-barnea, Meribah, Zin
Topics
Brethren, Brothers, Daughter, Heritage, Inheritance
Dictionary of Bible Themes
Numbers 27:1-11

     5657   birthright
     7266   tribes of Israel

Numbers 27:3-11

     5476   property

Numbers 27:8-11

     5661   brothers

Library
The First Blast of the Trumpet
The English Scholar's Library etc. No. 2. The First Blast of the Trumpet &c. 1558. The English Scholar's Library of Old and Modern Works. No. 2. The First Blast of the Trumpet &c. 1558. Edited by EDWARD ARBER, F.S.A., etc., LECTURER IN ENGLISH LITERATURE, ETC., UNIVERSITY COLLEGE, LONDON. SOUTHGATE, LONDON, N. 15 August 1878. No. 2. (All rights reserved.) CONTENTS. Bibliography vii-viii Introduction
John Knox—The First Blast of the Trumpet

Epistle xxviii. To Augustine, Bishop of the Angli .
To Augustine, Bishop of the Angli [136] . Gregory to Augustine, &c. Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men of good will (Luke ii. 14); because a grain of wheat, falling into the earth, has died, that it might not reign in heaven alone; even He by whose death we live, by whose weakness we are made strong, by whose suffering we are rescued from suffering, through whose love we seek in Britain for brethren whom we knew not, by whose gift we find those whom without knowing them we sought.
Saint Gregory the Great—the Epistles of Saint Gregory the Great

Paul's Departure and Crown;
OR, AN EXPOSITION UPON 2 TIM. IV. 6-8 ADVERTISEMENT BY THE EDITOR How great and glorious is the Christian's ultimate destiny--a kingdom and a crown! Surely it hath not entered into the heart of man to conceive what ear never heard, nor mortal eye ever saw? the mansions of the blest--the realms of glory--'a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory.' For whom can so precious an inheritance be intended? How are those treated in this world who are entitled to so glorious, so exalted, so eternal,
John Bunyan—The Works of John Bunyan Volumes 1-3

The Fifth Commandment
Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee.' Exod 20: 12. Having done with the first table, I am next to speak of the duties of the second table. The commandments may be likened to Jacob's ladder: the first table respects God, and is the top of the ladder that reaches to heaven; the second respects superiors and inferiors, and is the foot of the ladder that rests on the earth. By the first table, we walk religiously towards God; by
Thomas Watson—The Ten Commandments

Numbers
Like the last part of Exodus, and the whole of Leviticus, the first part of Numbers, i.-x. 28--so called,[1] rather inappropriately, from the census in i., iii., (iv.), xxvi.--is unmistakably priestly in its interests and language. Beginning with a census of the men of war (i.) and the order of the camp (ii.), it devotes specific attention to the Levites, their numbers and duties (iii., iv.). Then follow laws for the exclusion of the unclean, v. 1-4, for determining the manner and amount of restitution
John Edgar McFadyen—Introduction to the Old Testament

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