Verse (Click for Chapter) New International Version Now suppose they marry men from other Israelite tribes; then their inheritance will be taken from our ancestral inheritance and added to that of the tribe they marry into. And so part of the inheritance allotted to us will be taken away. New Living Translation But if they marry men from another tribe, their grants of land will go with them to the tribe into which they marry. In this way, the total area of our tribal land will be reduced. English Standard Version 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. Berean Standard Bible But if they marry any of the men from the other tribes of Israel, their inheritance will be withdrawn from the portion of our fathers and added to the tribe into which they marry. So our allotted inheritance would be taken away. Berean Literal Bible And if they are to one of the sons of the tribes of the sons of Israel for wives, their inheritance will be taken from the inheritance of our fathers, and it will be added to the inheritance of the tribe that they marry into. And from the lot of our inheritance it is withdrawn. King James Bible And if they be married to any of the sons of the other 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. New King James Version Now if they are married to any of the sons of the other tribes of the children of Israel, then their inheritance will be taken from the inheritance of our fathers, and it will be added to the inheritance of the tribe into which they marry; so it will be taken from the lot of our inheritance. New American Standard Bible But if they marry one of the sons of the other tribes of the sons of Israel, their inheritance will be withdrawn from the inheritance of our fathers and will be added to the inheritance of the tribe to which they belong; so it will be withdrawn from our allotted inheritance. NASB 1995 “But if they marry one of the sons of the other tribes of the sons of Israel, their inheritance will be withdrawn from the inheritance of our fathers and will be added to the inheritance of the tribe to which they belong; thus it will be withdrawn from our allotted inheritance. NASB 1977 “But if they marry one of the sons of the other tribes of the sons of Israel, their inheritance will be withdrawn from the inheritance of our fathers and will be added to the inheritance of the tribe to which they belong; thus it will be withdrawn from our allotted inheritance. Legacy Standard Bible But if they marry one of the sons of the other tribes of the sons of Israel, their inheritance will be withdrawn from the inheritance of our fathers and will be added to the inheritance of the tribe to which they belong; thus it will be withdrawn from our allotted inheritance. Amplified Bible But if the daughters marry any of the men from any of the other tribes of Israel, then their inheritance will be taken away from that of our fathers (tribal ancestors) and will be added to the inheritance of the tribe to which they belong; so it will be taken away from our allotted inheritance. Berean Annotated Bible But if they marry any of the men from the other tribes of Israel (he wrestles with God), their inheritance will be withdrawn from the portion of our fathers and added to the tribe into which they marry. So our allotted inheritance would be taken away. Christian Standard Bible If they marry any of the men from the other Israelite tribes, their inheritance will be taken away from our fathers’ inheritance and added to that of the tribe into which they marry. Therefore, part of our allotted inheritance would be taken away. Holman Christian Standard Bible If they marry any of the men from the other Israelite tribes, their inheritance will be taken away from our fathers’ inheritance and added to that of the tribe into which they marry. Therefore, part of our allotted inheritance would be taken away. American Standard Version And if they be married to any of the sons of the other tribes of the children of Israel, then will their inheritance be taken away from the inheritance of our fathers, and will be added to the inheritance of the tribe whereunto they shall belong: so will it be taken away from the lot of our inheritance. Contemporary English Version But if they marry men from other tribes of Israel, the land they receive will become part of that tribe's inheritance and will no longer belong to us. English Revised Version And if they be married to any of the sons of the other tribes of the children of Israel, then shall their inheritance be taken away from the inheritance of our fathers, and shall be added to the inheritance of the tribe whereunto they shall belong: so shall it be taken away from the lot of our inheritance. GOD'S WORD® Translation Suppose they marry men from the other tribes of Israel. Their land will be taken away from that of our ancestors and added to the land of the tribe they marry into. Then we will have lost part of our land. Good News Translation But remember, if they marry men of another tribe, their property will then belong to that tribe, and the total allotted to us will be reduced. International Standard Version But when they get married to one of the descendants of the tribes of Israel, their inheritances are to be withdrawn from our father's inheritance and added to the inheritance of the tribe to which they are to belong. Consequently, it is to be withdrawn from the portion of our inheritance. NET Bible Now if they should be married to one of the men from another Israelite tribe, their inheritance would be taken from the inheritance of our fathers and added to the inheritance of the tribe into which they marry. As a result, it will be taken from the lot of our inheritance. New Heart English Bible If they are married to any of the sons of the other tribes of the children of Israel, then will their inheritance be taken away from the inheritance of our fathers, and will be added to the inheritance of the tribe whereunto they shall belong: so will it be taken away from the lot of our inheritance. Webster's Bible Translation And if they shall be married to any of the sons of the other tribes of the children of Israel, then will their inheritance be taken from the inheritance of our fathers, and will be put to the inheritance of the tribe into which they are received: so it will be taken from the lot of our inheritance. Majority Text Translations Majority Standard BibleBut if they marry any of the men from the other tribes of Israel, their inheritance will be withdrawn from the portion of our fathers and added to the tribe into which they marry. So our allotted inheritance would be taken away. World English Bible If they are married to any of the sons of the other tribes of the children of Israel, then their inheritance will be taken away from the inheritance of our fathers, and will be added to the inheritance of the tribe to which they shall belong. So it will be taken away from the lot of our inheritance. Literal Translations Literal Standard VersionNow [if] they have been [given] to one from the sons of the [other] tribes of the sons of Israel for wives, and their inheritance has been withdrawn from the inheritance of our fathers, and has been added to the inheritance of the tribe which is theirs, and it is withdrawn from the lot of our inheritance, Berean Literal Bible And if they are to one of the sons of the tribes of the sons of Israel for wives, their inheritance will be taken from the inheritance of our fathers, and it will be added to the inheritance of the tribe that they marry into. And from the lot of our inheritance it is withdrawn. Young's Literal Translation And -- they have been to one of the sons of the other tribes of the sons of Israel for wives, and their inheritance hath been withdrawn from the inheritance of our fathers, and hath been added to the inheritance of the tribe which is theirs, and from the lot of our inheritance it is withdrawn, Smith's Literal Translation And they were for wives to one of the sons of the tribes of the sons of Israel, and their inheritance being taken away from the inheritance of our fathers, and was added upon the tribe which they shall be to them: and it shall be taken away from the lot of our inheritance. Catholic Translations Douay-Rheims BibleNow if men of another tribe take them to wives, their possession will follow them, and being transferred to another tribe, will be a diminishing of our inheritance. Catholic Public Domain Version But if men of another tribe receive them as wives, their possession will follow them, and having been transferred to another tribe, there will be a reduction in our inheritance. New American Bible But if they marry into one of the other Israelite tribes, their heritage will be withdrawn from our ancestral heritage and will be added to that of the tribe into which they marry; thus the heritage that fell to us by lot will be diminished. New Revised Standard Version But if they are married into another Israelite tribe, then their inheritance will be taken from the inheritance of our ancestors and added to the inheritance of the tribe into which they marry; so it will be taken away from the allotted portion of our inheritance. Translations from Aramaic Lamsa BibleAnd if they be married to any of the sons of the other tribes of the children of Israel, then shall their inheritance be taken from the inheritance of their fathers, and shall be added to the inheritance of the tribe into which they married; so shall it be taken from the lot of our inheritance. Peshitta Holy Bible Translated And if they will be wives to another of the tribes of the children of Israel, their inheritance will be subtracted from the inheritance of their fathers and will be added on to the inheritance of the tribes that will marry them and it will be subtracted from the portion of our inheritance. OT Translations JPS Tanakh 1917And if they be married to any of the sons of the other tribes of the children of Israel, then will their inheritance be taken away from the inheritance of our fathers, and will be added to the inheritance of the tribe whereunto they shall belong; so will it be taken away from the lot of our inheritance. Brenton Septuagint Translation And they will become wives in one of the tribes of the children of Israel; so their inheritance shall be taken away from the possession of our fathers, and shall be added to the inheritance of the tribe into which the women shall marry, and shall be taken away from the portion of our inheritance. Additional Translations ... Audio Bible Context Zelophehad's Daughters Marry…2saying, “When the LORD commanded my lord to give the land as an inheritance to the Israelites by lot, He also commanded him to give the inheritance of our brother Zelophehad to his daughters. 3But if they marry any of the men from the other tribes of Israel, their inheritance will be withdrawn from the portion of our fathers and added to the tribe into which they marry. So our allotted inheritance would be taken away. 4And when the Jubilee for the Israelites comes, their inheritance will be added to the tribe into which they marry and taken away from the tribe of our fathers.”… Cross References But if they marry any of the men from the other tribes of Israel, Judges 21:19-23 “But look,” they said, “there is a yearly feast to the LORD in Shiloh, which is north of Bethel east of the road that goes up from Bethel to Shechem, and south of Lebonah.” / So they commanded the Benjamites: “Go, hide in the vineyards / and watch. When you see the daughters of Shiloh come out to perform their dances, each of you is to come out of the vineyards, catch for himself a wife from the daughters of Shiloh, and go to the land of Benjamin. … Ruth 4:5 Then Boaz said, “On the day you buy the land from Naomi and also from Ruth the Moabitess, you must also acquire the widow of the deceased in order to raise up the name of the deceased on his inheritance.” Deuteronomy 25:5-6 When brothers dwell together and one of them dies without a son, the widow must not marry outside the family. Her husband’s brother is to take her as his wife and fulfill the duty of a brother-in-law for her. / The first son she bears will carry on the name of the dead brother, so that his name will not be blotted out from Israel. their inheritance will be withdrawn from the portion of our fathers Numbers 27:1-11 Now the daughters of Zelophehad son of Hepher, the son of Gilead, the son of Machir, the son of Manasseh, belonged to the clans of Manasseh son of Joseph. These were the names of his daughters: Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah. They approached / the entrance to the Tent of Meeting, stood before Moses, Eleazar the priest, the leaders, and the whole congregation, and said, / “Our father died in the wilderness, but he was not among the followers of Korah who gathered together against the LORD. Instead, he died because of his own sin, and he had no sons. … Joshua 17:3-6 But Zelophehad son of Hepher (the son of Gilead, the son of Machir, the son of Manasseh) had no sons but only daughters. These are the names of his daughters: Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah. / They approached Eleazar the priest, Joshua son of Nun, and the leaders, and said, “The LORD commanded Moses to give us an inheritance among our brothers.” So Joshua gave them an inheritance among their father’s brothers, in keeping with the command of the LORD. / Thus ten shares fell to Manasseh, in addition to the land of Gilead and Bashan beyond the Jordan, … 1 Kings 21:3-4 But Naboth replied, “The LORD forbid that I should give you the inheritance of my fathers.” / So Ahab went to his palace, sullen and angry because Naboth the Jezreelite had told him, “I will not give you the inheritance of my fathers.” He lay down on his bed, turned his face away, and refused to eat. and added to the tribe into which they marry. 1 Kings 21:15-16 When Jezebel heard that Naboth had been stoned to death, she said to Ahab, “Get up and take possession of the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite, who refused to give it to you for silver. For Naboth is no longer alive, but dead.” / And when Ahab heard that Naboth was dead, he got up and went down to take possession of the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite. Leviticus 25:23-28 The land must not be sold permanently, because it is Mine, and you are but foreigners and residents with Me. / Thus for every piece of property you possess, you must provide for the redemption of the land. / If your brother becomes impoverished and sells some of his property, his nearest of kin may come and redeem what his brother has sold. … Ezekiel 46:18 The prince must not take any of the inheritance of the people by evicting them from their property. He is to provide an inheritance for his sons from his own property, so that none of My people will be displaced from his property.’” So our allotted inheritance would be taken away. Deuteronomy 27:17 ‘Cursed is he who moves his neighbor’s boundary stone.’ And let all the people say, ‘Amen!’ Deuteronomy 19:14 You must not move your neighbor’s boundary marker, which was set up by your ancestors to mark the inheritance you shall receive in the land that the LORD your God is giving you to possess. Proverbs 22:28 Do not move an ancient boundary stone which your fathers have placed. Ezekiel 46:16-18 This is what the Lord GOD says: ‘If the prince gives a gift to any of his sons as an inheritance, it will belong to his descendants. It will become their property by inheritance. / But if he gives a gift from his inheritance to one of his servants, it will belong to that servant until the year of freedom; then it will revert to the prince. His inheritance belongs only to his sons; it shall be theirs. / The prince must not take any of the inheritance of the people by evicting them from their property. He is to provide an inheritance for his sons from his own property, so that none of My people will be displaced from his property.’” Nehemiah 5:1-5 About that time there was a great outcry from the people and their wives against their fellow Jews. / Some were saying, “We and our sons and daughters are numerous. We must get grain in order to eat and stay alive.” / Others were saying, “We are mortgaging our fields, our vineyards, and our homes to get grain during the famine.” … Jeremiah 32:7-9 Behold! Hanamel, the son of your uncle Shallum, is coming to you to say, ‘Buy for yourself my field in Anathoth, for you have the right of redemption to buy it.’ / Then, as the LORD had said, my cousin Hanamel came to me in the courtyard of the guard and urged me, ‘Please buy my field in Anathoth in the land of Benjamin, for you own the right of inheritance and redemption. Buy it for yourself.’” Then I knew that this was the word of the LORD. / So I bought the field in Anathoth from my cousin Hanamel, and I weighed out seventeen shekels of silver. Genesis 31:14-16 And Rachel and Leah replied, “Do we have any portion or inheritance left in our father’s house? / Are we not regarded by him as outsiders? Not only has he sold us, but he has certainly squandered what was paid for us. / Surely all the wealth that God has taken away from our father belongs to us and to our children. So do whatever God has told you.” Treasury of Scripture And if they be married to any of the sons of the other 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. whereunto they are received. Jump to Previous Added Belong Children Inheritance Israel Lot Married Marry Received Tribe Tribes Whereunto WithdrawnJump to Next Added Belong Children Inheritance Israel Lot Married Marry Received Tribe Tribes Whereunto WithdrawnNumbers 36 1. The inheritance of daughters is remedied by marrying in their own tribes7. Lest the inheritance should be removed from the tribe 10. The daughters of Zelophehad marry their father's brothers' sons But if they marry any of the men from the other tribes of Israel This phrase addresses the concern of inter-tribal marriage within the nation of Israel. The context is the inheritance laws for the daughters of Zelophehad, as discussed in Numbers 27 and 36. The issue arises from the potential loss of tribal land inheritance if daughters marry outside their tribe. This reflects the importance of maintaining tribal boundaries and inheritance within the Promised Land, as originally allocated by God through Moses and Joshua (Joshua 13-21). The preservation of tribal identity and land was crucial for maintaining the distinctiveness and order of the Israelite community. their inheritance will be withdrawn from the portion of our fathers and added to the tribe into which they marry So our allotted inheritance would be taken away Persons / Places / Events 1. The Daughters of ZelophehadThese women were the daughters of Zelophehad, from the tribe of Manasseh. They were significant for their appeal to Moses regarding their right to inherit their father's property, as he had no sons. 2. Tribe of Manasseh One of the twelve tribes of Israel, descended from Joseph's son Manasseh. The issue of inheritance was particularly relevant to this tribe due to the daughters' situation. 3. Moses The leader of the Israelites who mediated between God and the people. He was responsible for conveying God's laws and judgments, including those concerning inheritance. 4. Israelite Tribes The twelve tribes of Israel, each with its own inheritance in the Promised Land. The concern was about maintaining the integrity of each tribe's inheritance. 5. Inheritance Laws The laws given by God to ensure the fair distribution of land among the tribes of Israel, which were crucial for maintaining tribal identity and stability. Teaching Points Preservation of InheritanceThe passage underscores the importance of preserving family and tribal inheritance, reflecting God's order and provision for His people. Obedience to God's Commands The Israelites were called to obey God's laws regarding inheritance, demonstrating trust in His wisdom and provision. Community and Identity Maintaining tribal boundaries was crucial for preserving the identity and unity of the Israelite community, a principle that can be applied to maintaining spiritual and communal integrity today. God's Provision for Women The case of the daughters of Zelophehad shows God's care and provision for women, ensuring their rights and place within the community. Bible Study Questions and Answers 1. What is the meaning of Numbers 36:3?2. How does Numbers 36:3 address inheritance within the tribes of Israel? 3. What implications does "their inheritance will be added" have for tribal unity? 4. How can we apply the principle of preserving inheritance today? 5. Connect Numbers 36:3 with other scriptures on inheritance and family lineage. 6. How does this verse reflect God's concern for order and justice in society? 7. How does Numbers 36:3 address the inheritance rights of women in ancient Israel? 8. What theological implications arise from the tribal inheritance laws in Numbers 36:3? 9. How does Numbers 36:3 reflect the cultural context of ancient Israelite society? 10. What are the top 10 Lessons from Numbers 36? 11. Who inherits if a man dies without sons? 12. Numbers 27:1-11 compared to Deuteronomy 21:15-17: Why do inheritance rules seem to evolve, potentially contradicting the idea of unchanging divine law? 13. In Ruth 4:3-6, does the land redemption process conflict with other Old Testament inheritance laws or reflect an anachronistic practice? 14. Joshua 17:3-6: Is the story of Zelophehad's daughters inheriting land plausible in a strict patriarchal society, or does it conflict with known ancient customs? What Does Numbers 36:3 Mean But if they marry any of the men from the other tribes of IsraelNumbers 36 opens with leaders from the tribe of Manasseh raising a real-world concern: what happens to tribal land when daughters who inherit it marry outside their tribe? • God had just affirmed the daughters of Zelophehad could inherit (Numbers 27:1-7), but here the focus shifts to preserving tribal boundaries established in Numbers 26:52-56 and later confirmed in Joshua 13–19. • Marriage outside the tribe would create a legal transfer of property through the husband, echoing Genesis 2:24 (“a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife”)—the wife joins her husband’s family structure. • Protecting land distribution safeguarded covenant promises first given to Abraham (Genesis 12:7; 15:18-21). Keeping inheritance within each tribe honored God’s meticulous allotment of territory. their inheritance will be withdrawn from the portion of our fathers The elders fear a loss of ancestral property—heritage painstakingly passed down (Leviticus 25:23-25). • Land was not merely real estate; it was a tangible sign of God’s faithfulness, ensuring every family could work, live, and worship on ground promised by Him (Deuteronomy 32:8-9). • Removing land from Manasseh would diminish their God-given share, undermining tribal identity and stewardship. Compare Elijah’s protest over Naboth’s vineyard (1 Kings 21:3) where ancestral inheritance was considered sacred. and added to the tribe into which they marry Property would shift permanently to the husband’s tribe, altering boundaries God Himself had drawn (Joshua 18:8-10). • The concern anticipates future conflicts like those between Judah and Israel (2 Samuel 19:43) when territorial allegiance influenced national unity. • By highlighting this potential shift, the leaders underscore collective responsibility: one family’s private decision could affect an entire tribe’s covenant standing. So our allotted inheritance would be taken away The phrase captures the crux: loss. Manasseh’s leaders plead for protection, trusting Moses to seek God’s ruling (Numbers 36:5-9). • God’s eventual solution—requiring daughters with an inheritance to marry within their tribe—balances personal freedom with communal faithfulness. • The principle carries forward: believers steward what God entrusts, mindful of how personal choices impact the broader body (1 Corinthians 12:12-26). summary Numbers 36:3 voices a legitimate worry that marriages across tribal lines could erode God-assigned inheritances. The verse highlights covenant land as sacred, underscores how personal decisions ripple into communal life, and sets the stage for God’s just provision that preserves both individual rights and collective blessings. Verse 3. - Whereunto they are received. Literally, as in the margin, "unto whom (לָהֶם referring to the men of the tribe) they shall be."Parallel Commentaries ... Hebrew But if they marryוְ֠הָיוּ (wə·hā·yū) Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person common plural Strong's 1961: To fall out, come to pass, become, be any of the men לְאֶחָ֞ד (lə·’e·ḥāḏ) Preposition-l | Number - masculine singular Strong's 259: United, one, first from the [other] tribes שִׁבְטֵ֥י (šiḇ·ṭê) Noun - masculine plural construct Strong's 7626: Rod, staff, club, scepter, tribe of Israel, יִשְׂרָאֵל֮ (yiś·rā·’êl) Noun - proper - masculine singular Strong's 3478: Israel -- 'God strives', another name of Jacob and his desc their inheritance נַחֲלָתָן֙ (na·ḥă·lā·ṯān) Noun - feminine singular construct | third person feminine plural Strong's 5159: Something inherited, occupancy, an heirloom, an estate, patrimony, portion will be withdrawn וְנִגְרְעָ֤ה (wə·niḡ·rə·‘āh) Conjunctive waw | Verb - Nifal - Conjunctive perfect - third person feminine singular Strong's 1639: To scrape off, to shave, remove, lessen, withhold from the portion מִנַּחֲלַ֣ת (min·na·ḥă·laṯ) Preposition-m | Noun - feminine singular construct Strong's 5159: Something inherited, occupancy, an heirloom, an estate, patrimony, portion of our fathers אֲבֹתֵ֔ינוּ (’ă·ḇō·ṯê·nū) Noun - masculine plural construct | first person common plural Strong's 1: Father and added וְנוֹסַ֕ף (wə·nō·w·sap̄) Conjunctive waw | Verb - Nifal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular Strong's 3254: To add, augment to עַ֚ל (‘al) Preposition Strong's 5921: Above, over, upon, against the tribe הַמַּטֶּ֔ה (ham·maṭ·ṭeh) Article | Noun - masculine singular Strong's 4294: A staff, rod, shaft, branch, a tribe into which אֲשֶׁ֥ר (’ă·šer) Pronoun - relative Strong's 834: Who, which, what, that, when, where, how, because, in order that they marry. תִּהְיֶ֖ינָה (tih·ye·nāh) Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person feminine plural Strong's 1961: To fall out, come to pass, become, be So our לָהֶ֑ם (lā·hem) Preposition | third person masculine plural Strong's Hebrew allotted וּמִגֹּרַ֥ל (ū·mig·gō·ral) Conjunctive waw, Preposition-m | Noun - masculine singular construct Strong's 1486: Lot -- a lot (for casting) inheritance נַחֲלָתֵ֖נוּ (na·ḥă·lā·ṯê·nū) Noun - feminine singular construct | first person common plural Strong's 5159: Something inherited, occupancy, an heirloom, an estate, patrimony, portion would be taken away. יִגָּרֵֽעַ׃ (yig·gā·rê·a‘) Verb - Nifal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular Strong's 1639: To scrape off, to shave, remove, lessen, withhold Links Numbers 36:3 NIVNumbers 36:3 NLT Numbers 36:3 ESV Numbers 36:3 NASB Numbers 36:3 KJV Numbers 36:3 BibleApps.com Numbers 36:3 Biblia Paralela Numbers 36:3 Chinese Bible Numbers 36:3 French Bible Numbers 36:3 Catholic Bible OT Law: Numbers 36:3 If they be married to any (Nu Num.) |
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