Chapter 27 Regulation In Respect Of Land To Be Inherited By Women and Relatives Where There Is No Full Blood Male Heir And The Provision Of a Shepherd For The People of Israel (Numbers 27:12-23).
This chapter divides into three sections, the provision concerning land to be granted to a man's family posthumously where he died before entering the land and had no male heir to receive his portion; the command to Moses to ascend a mountain in Abarim (Mount Nebo - Deuteronomy 32:48-52) to behold the land and possess it by sight before he died, and the appointment of a new Shepherd for the people, at Moses' request, in the person of Joshua, a man in whom is the Spirit, in liaison with Eleazar the Priest. Joshua was one of the two men of the old generation who was not to die.
So these three incidents deal with three different types of men in their dealings with life and death. The first deals with one who was of the new generation, but who died in the wilderness (for he died for his own sins not because of the sin of the people). And yet in his daughters he would inherit the land. The second deals with the one who would die without entering the land, but not as those who died in the wilderness as a punishment had died. He (Moses) would be ‘gathered to his fathers' as Aaron had been. But he would inherit the land by seeing it with his eyes. And the third deals with a member of the old generation who would enter the new land alive and would indeed inherit the land.
One question that was raised by the closing verses of the last chapter was, what about those who died in the wilderness who were not of the older generation, who did not die because of that sin? Were they to be equally punished by not receiving a portion of the new land if they had no male heirs? Of course if they had male heirs those would receive their portion. A portion of the new land would be allocated to their families. But what if they died without a male heir? Their family would receive no portion of the land that had been promised to the man prior to his dying. Their name would not be remembered in Israel, for they would possess no land, even though they had daughters. Could that be right in the eyes of Yahweh? The answer was to be ‘no, it is not right'.
It is not accidental that this comes immediately after the description of those who through their unbelief died in the wilderness. They had been faced with a challenge, had been unable to trust God, and had drawn back from obedience, and had been sentenced to die miserably in the wilderness. How great a contrast there was between them and these five brave young women of the tribe of Manasseh. They too were faced up with a challenge as the Manassites began to discuss the distribution of their new possessions. They saw themselves as being frozen out, as being thrust to one side, and their father's name as dying out from Israel. But they believed in Yahweh. They believed that He would not allow them to be treated unfairly and allow their father's name to perish unjustly. And with great boldness and trepidation they approached Moses and the congregation of Israel to seek to have this great wrong righted. We cannot imagine what huge courage it would have taken, for rarely did young women such as they come to the door of the tent of meeting. But they believed in Yahweh and refused to be daunted, and He saw and gave them what they asked.
They also stand in stark contrast to the women of Moab. It was not theirs to seek to lead men astray after other gods, and to drag men to destruction. Rather they would fight to ensure the preservation of their father's name, and were deeply concerned for the inheritance that Yahweh had for them. This was the quality of the new generation, and Moses knew that the story would serve as an inspiration to Israel to take their courage in both hands and move forward to establish their names in the land which Yahweh had in store for them.
The Provisions For Inheritance When They Have Entered The Land Where There Was No Male Heir (Numbers 27:1-11).
Analysis.
a The young unmarried daughters of Zelophehad draw near for a judgment by Moses (Numbers 27:1-2).
b The case is put of their father who died having no sons before entry into the land had established his family's portion in the land (Numbers 27:3).
c The daughters request that he be granted a portion posthumously so that they may receive it as his inheritance among their father's brothers and this preserve his name in Israel (Numbers 27:4).
d The case is brought before Yahweh (Numbers 27:5).
d Yahweh answers the case to Moses (Numbers 27:6).
c The daughters were to receive their inheritance among their brothers (Numbers 27:7).
b Provisions concerning what is to happen when a man dies having no son to ensure the carrying on of his name (Numbers 27:8-11 a).
a The judgment is established as Yahweh commanded Moses (Numbers 27:11 b).
The Daughters of Zelophehad Draw Near For a Judgment by Moses (Numbers 27:1-2).
What follows deals with an important question. Here was a man who had obeyed Yahweh and fought for Him, and yet whose name would die because he died without a male heir before land could be granted his family. Thus no land would be allocated to his name, and his name would die out in Israel. And his family would seemingly receive no lasting inheritance. Would this be right?
A further reason behind this passage was to enthuse Israel as they sought to enter the land by making them see that Yahweh would ensure that all were blessed. Even if they were slain in battle and had no male heir, their family would not be allowed to suffer. When the portions were allocated, none of the new generation would be omitted except those who had openly rebelled, even if they had died prior to the distribution without a male heir. Land would be allocated to them for their families.
‘Then drew near the daughters of Zelophehad, the son of Hepher, the son of Gilead, the son of Machir, the son of Manasseh, of the families of Manasseh the son of Joseph; and these are the names of his daughters; Mahlah, Noah, and Hoglah, and Milcah, and Tirzah.'
In this passage five women of one family approached Moses concerning their rights of inheritance, and the continuing of the name of their father. As he had had no son the continuation of his name would depend on their receiving land in his name. So taking their courage in both hands they appealed to the tribunal of Israel. They were alone in the world. There was no male ready to come and stand with them. But they had each other, and they trusted in Yahweh.
The details are given of their tribal and clan connections in view of the matter in hand, that is, their share in the inheritance of the land. Manasseh was the tribe, Gilead the sub-tribe, Hepher the clan and Zelophehad the family head. All would be important in determining what they inherited. This information would thus be laid before the judges.
It should be noted that this was at this time a red hot issue. The lands of Gilead and Bashan from the Arnon northwards were being allocated to the Reubenites, the Gadites, and the descendants of Machir, one of whom had been the father of these five young, unmarried women. And they thought that they had reason to fear that they would be excluded from receiving a portion of that land. Discussion would undoubtedly already be taking place, and they may already have been informed that in view of their position they did not come into the reckoning. Their quality was shown in that they were not willing to accept this situation which would mean their father's name being forgotten in Israel because no land was connected with it.
For it was in order to obtain land that Israel had journeyed all this way. It was the hope of land that had partially sustained them. Surely then just because he had died without a male heir, that did not mean that his family was excluded from owning land?
‘And they stood before Moses, and before Eleazar the priest, and before the princes and all the congregation, at the door of the tent of meeting, saying,'
What courage they had. Following correct procedure they brought their request officially so that it could be considered by all Israel, although more strictly by Moses, Eleazar and the chieftains. That it was at the door of the tent of meeting demonstrated that they sought a decision before Yahweh. They came hesitantly and shyly, bolstering each other up, as the representatives of their family name. They clearly had a deep certainty that Yahweh would deal rightly with them. What could have been a better example to Israel at this time than this? In context it is full of meaning. Out of context it becomes just another dispute about land.
It should be noted here, as it will be noted later, that this very approach brings out that womenfolk were thus not of necessity excluded from having their part in such important matters. As with the widows and divorcees mentioned later in regard to oaths (Numbers 30:9), where they were the ‘head' of their particular family grouping they had equal rights to all other family heads. The reason that men usually took prominence was simply because it was they who were usually the heads of the family and responsible for their welfare and protection. But that did not totally exclude women in the right circumstances.
Yet it would not be easy for them. Standing in that holy place, facing the great men of the nation, they must have quailed. The courage that they mustered exceeded far that which was required to face up to the Anakim. These men of Israel whom they had to face were ‘giants' indeed. But they believed that they were in the right. And they believed in Yahweh.