Study notes

Numbers 36

Introducing NumbersWho wrote it, when, why, and what to look for as you read

32:1–36:13 Section

Moses recorded a list of all the places where the Israelites had travelled. Then God described the borders of the land he was giving them. It was to be divided among the tribes by casting lots.

Each family group would receive land based on how many people were in the family. Land would be given to daughters if there were no sons in the family. This was the case with Zelophehad’s daughters. Daughters who received land would marry men in their own tribe. That way the land wouldn’t be lost to the tribe.

The borders God described didn’t include the lands the Israelites had taken from Sihon and Og. Yet some Israelites were allowed to stay east of the River Jordan. This included the tribes of Reuben and Gad and half of the tribe of Manasseh.

The men of these tribes would go into Canaan with the other tribes. They would help them drive out the people already living there. Then they would return to their homes east of the River Jordan.

Canaan would be divided among all the other tribes except the tribe of Levi. The Levites would receive towns and fields throughout the other tribes’ territories. Six of their towns would be safe cities.

The Israelites’ land was to be considered pure and clean. This was because the holy God wanted to live among them. But the land would be polluted and impure if people committed murder. It would also be impure if the Israelites worshipped false gods and didn’t worship only God. That would happen if they didn’t drive out the Canaanites who lived there already.

36:1–4

Women who inherited land might marry men from another tribe. Their land would then be lost by their ancestral tribe and transferred to their husband’s tribe.

The "Year of Jubilee" usually allowed land to return to its original owner (Leviticus 25:8–55). But it only applied to land sold, not land gained through marriage.

36:1–13

The five daughters of Zelophehad requested and received fair property rights (27:1–11). This passage discusses the effects of that decision.

36:5

The Lord quickly provided the justice that the men of the tribe of Joseph asked for in their request.

Here, the tribe of Joseph refers to the tribe of Manasseh, the son of Joseph.

36:6–9

These rules solved the problem. They ensured that each tribe would keep its land.

In this way, the land given to each tribe would remain stable and continue within that tribe for future generations.

36:10–12

Zelophehad’s five daughters married their cousins on their father's side, as instructed. This kept their father's land within his clan.

In ancient Hebrew society, marrying a first cousin was acceptable (compare Leviticus 18, 20; see also 1 Chronicles 23:22). Other Near Eastern cultures also accepted this practice.

36:13

commands and ordinances: These might refer to the legal instructions in the whole book (compare Leviticus 27:34). They might also refer only to the laws given on the plains of Moab (Numbers 26–36).
After this, only one step remained before the Israelites entered Canaan. Moses needed to remind them of their history and their covenant responsibilities. These are the main themes of the book of Deuteronomy.

Verse notes: Adapted by Mission Mutual (Aquifer Open Study Notes) from Tyndale Open Study Notes © 2023 Tyndale House Publishers. CC BY-SA 4.0. Section notes: Biblica Study Notes © 2023 Biblica, Inc. CC BY-SA 4.0, via BibleAquifer. About the sources