This verse emphasizes that tribal inheritance must not be permanently transferred, preserving the heritage of every family in Israel.
“And when the jubilee of the sons of Israel comes, then their inheritance will be added to the inheritance of the tribe to which they belong; so their inheritance will be taken away from the inheritance of the tribe of our fathers.” (v.4) Here the LORD addresses a vital concern involving land ownership and tribal boundaries in ancient Israel. The backdrop to this situation is the inheritance granted to the daughters of Zelophehad (Numbers 27). Zelophehad died around the wilderness period of the exodus, which is often dated to the 15th century BC. Since he had no sons, his daughters were permitted to inherit his portion of land. Now, in Numbers 36, the heads of the clan raise a fear: if these women marry outside their own tribe, their inherited land will effectively become part of their husbands’ tribe during the year of jubilee. The jubilee, taught in Leviticus 25, was to occur every fifty years, restoring ancestral lands to original owners. However, if an Israelite woman’s inheritance were transferred to another tribe by marriage, her birth tribe would lose land on the jubilee.
By stating, “then their inheritance will be added to the inheritance of the tribe to which they belong; so their inheritance will be taken away” (v.4), the passage underscores the principle that tribal boundaries must be preserved. Each tribe’s portion in the Promised Land was to remain as originally assigned, testifying to God’s faithfulness in fulfilling His covenant promise to give Israel a permanent homeland. The spiritual dimension of the jubilee can point us toward the concept of release and restoration. This Old Testament principle foreshadows the restoration to come through Christ, where believers receive an eternal inheritance (Romans 8:17). Moreover, the careful protection of land for each tribe reveals God’s desire for orderly stewardship, ensuring that no one tribe gets permanently diminished.
Moses, who first led the Israelites out of Egypt around 1446 BC, presided over these final instructions before they crossed into Canaan. He took great care to clarify how inheritance laws applied so the tribes would abide by God’s design. In so doing, the LORD provided for continued tribal identity, harmony, and fairness in a system where property and people were uniquely bound together.
Set to dark mode
Numbers 36:4 meaning
“And when the jubilee of the sons of Israel comes, then their inheritance will be added to the inheritance of the tribe to which they belong; so their inheritance will be taken away from the inheritance of the tribe of our fathers.” (v.4) Here the LORD addresses a vital concern involving land ownership and tribal boundaries in ancient Israel. The backdrop to this situation is the inheritance granted to the daughters of Zelophehad (Numbers 27). Zelophehad died around the wilderness period of the exodus, which is often dated to the 15th century BC. Since he had no sons, his daughters were permitted to inherit his portion of land. Now, in Numbers 36, the heads of the clan raise a fear: if these women marry outside their own tribe, their inherited land will effectively become part of their husbands’ tribe during the year of jubilee. The jubilee, taught in Leviticus 25, was to occur every fifty years, restoring ancestral lands to original owners. However, if an Israelite woman’s inheritance were transferred to another tribe by marriage, her birth tribe would lose land on the jubilee.
By stating, “then their inheritance will be added to the inheritance of the tribe to which they belong; so their inheritance will be taken away” (v.4), the passage underscores the principle that tribal boundaries must be preserved. Each tribe’s portion in the Promised Land was to remain as originally assigned, testifying to God’s faithfulness in fulfilling His covenant promise to give Israel a permanent homeland. The spiritual dimension of the jubilee can point us toward the concept of release and restoration. This Old Testament principle foreshadows the restoration to come through Christ, where believers receive an eternal inheritance (Romans 8:17). Moreover, the careful protection of land for each tribe reveals God’s desire for orderly stewardship, ensuring that no one tribe gets permanently diminished.
Moses, who first led the Israelites out of Egypt around 1446 BC, presided over these final instructions before they crossed into Canaan. He took great care to clarify how inheritance laws applied so the tribes would abide by God’s design. In so doing, the LORD provided for continued tribal identity, harmony, and fairness in a system where property and people were uniquely bound together.