Numbers 36:1

And the chief fathers of the families of the children of Gilead, the son of Machir, the son of Manasseh, of the families of the sons of Joseph, came near, and spake before Moses, and before the princes, the chief fathers of the children of Israel:

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Word by word — the Hebrew

Word	Hebrew	Strong’s	Meaning
chief	רָאשֵׁ֣י ra.Shei	H7218	the head (as most easily shaken) · noun, common masculine plural construct
fathers	הָֽאָב֗וֹת ha.'a.Vot	H1	father · definite article + noun, common feminine plural absolute
families	לְמִשְׁפַּ֤חַת le.mish.Pa.chat	H4940	a family · preposition + noun, common feminine singular construct
children	בְּנֵֽי be.nei-	H1121	a son (as a builder of the family name) · noun, common masculine plural construct
Gilead	גִלְעָד֙ gil.'Ad	H1568	Gilad · proper noun, a place name
son	בֶּן ben-	H1121	a son (as a builder of the family name) · noun, common masculine singular construct
Machir	מָכִ֣יר ma.Khir	H4353	Makir · proper noun, a man's name
son	בֶּן ben-	H1121	a son (as a builder of the family name) · noun, common masculine singular construct
Manasseh	מְנַשֶּׁ֔ה me.na.Sheh	H4519	Menashsheh · proper noun, a man's name
families	מִֽמִּשְׁפְּחֹ֖ת mi.mish.pe.Chot	H4940	a family · preposition + noun, common feminine plural construct
sons	בְּנֵ֣י be.Nei	H1121	a son (as a builder of the family name) · noun, common masculine plural construct
Joseph	יוֹסֵ֑ף yo.Sef	H3130	Joseph · proper noun, a man's name
near	וַֽיִּקְרְב֞וּ vai.yik.re.Vu	H7126	to approach (causatively · conjunction + verb, qal sequential imperfect, 3rd person masculine plural
spake	וַֽיְדַבְּר֞וּ vay.da.be.Ru	H1696	perhaps properly · conjunction + verb, piel sequential imperfect, 3rd person masculine plural
before	לִפְנֵ֤י lif.Nei	H6440	the face (as the part that turns) · preposition + noun, common masculine plural construct
Moses	מֹשֶׁה֙ mo.Sheh	H4872	Mosheh · proper noun, a man's name
before	וְלִפְנֵ֣י ve.lif.Nei	H6440	the face (as the part that turns) · conjunction + preposition + noun, common masculine plural construct
princes	הַנְּשִׂאִ֔ים ha.ne.si.'Im	H5387	properly · definite article + noun, common masculine plural absolute
chief	רָאשֵׁ֥י ra.Shei	H7218	the head (as most easily shaken) · noun, common masculine plural construct
fathers	אָב֖וֹת 'a.Vot	H1	father · noun, common feminine plural absolute
children	לִבְנֵ֥י liv.Nei	H1121	a son (as a builder of the family name) · preposition + noun, common masculine plural construct
Israel	יִשְׂרָאֵֽל Yis.ra.'El	H3478	Jisrael · proper noun, a place name

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance (James Strong, 1890/1894), public domain; digitized by Open Scriptures (CC BY-SA). KJV word tagging: eBible.org (public domain). Original-language text, parsing and brief lexicon: STEPBible.org data from Tyndale House, Cambridge (CC BY 4.0).

Cross-references

Numbers 27:1 Then came the daughters of Zelophehad, the son of Hepher, the son of Gilead, the son of Machir, the son of Manasseh, of the families of Mana…
Numbers 26:29-33 Of the sons of Manasseh: of Machir, the family of the Machirites: and Machir begat Gilead: of Gilead come the family of the Gileadites.
Joshua 17:2-3 There was also a lot for the rest of the children of Manasseh by their families; for the children of Abiezer, and for the children of Helek,…
1 Chronicles 7:14-16 The sons of Manasseh; Ashriel, whom she bare: (but his concubine the Aramitess bare Machir the father of Gilead:

Cross-references from OpenBible.info (CC BY), in the lineage of the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (public domain).

Commentary

Matthew Henry on Numbers 36:1-4

We have here the humble address which the heads of the tribe of Manasseh made to Moses and the princes, on occasion of the order lately made concerning the daughters of Zelophehad. The family they belonged to was part of that half of the tribe of Manasseh which we yet to have their lot within Jordan, not that half that was already settled; and yet they speak of the land of their possession, and the inheritance of their fathers, with as great assurance as if they had it already in their hands, knowing whom they had trusted. In their appeal observe, 1. They fairly recite the former order made in this case, and do not move to have that set aside, but are very willing to acquiesce in it (Num 36:…

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John Gill on Numbers 36:1

And the chief fathers of the families of the children of Gilead,.... The princes, as Aben Ezra; so the Septuagint version, which was the tribe of Manasseh, whose grandson Gilead was, as follows: the son of Machir, the son of Manasseh of the families of the sons of Joseph, came near; to the house of judgment, as the Targum of Jonathan, the sanhedrim or court of judicature, consisting of the following persons: and spoke before Moses; the Septuagint version adds, "and before Eleazar the priest", as in Numbers 27:2. and before the princes, the chief fathers of the children of Israel: the princes of the several tribes; or it may be rather the seventy elders.

John Calvin on Numbers 36:1

And the chief fathers of the families. It might appear strange that God had given an imperfect law with reference to succession, as if what will be now stated had not occurred to His mind until Moses was reminded by the chief men of the families (of Machir,) [201] that it was unjust that the inheritances should be alienated, which would have been the case if the daughters of Zelophehad had married into other tribes, whereas their portion had fallen in the lot of the tribe of Manasseh. For whatever fell into the hands of those of another tribe, was a diminution of that lot. As, therefore, God had lately made provision for preserving the rights of individuals, He now treats of the general adva…

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Dictionary and topics

Law of Moses — Is the whole body of the Mosaic legislation (1 Kings 2:3; 2 Kings 23:25; Ezra 3:2). It is called by way of eminence simply “the Law” (Heb. Torah, Deut. 1:5; 4:8, 44; 17:18, 19; 27:3, 8). As a written…
Machir — Sold. (1.) Manasseh’s oldest son (Josh. 17:1), or probably his only son (see 1 Chr. 7:14, 15; comp. Num. 26:29-33; Josh. 13:31). His descendants are referred to under the name of Machirites, being…
Zelophehad — First-born, of the tribe of Manasseh, and of the family of Gilead; died in the wilderness. Having left no sons, his daughters, concerned lest their father’s name should be “done away from among his…
Desert, Journey Of Israel Through The · The law of female inheritance settled — The law of female inheritance settled
Gilead · 4. Grand — 4. Grand
Heir · General scriptures concerning — General scriptures concerning
Land · Unmarried woman’s rights in — Unmarried woman’s rights in
Machir · .Father of the Machirites — .Father of the Machirites
Milcah · .Special legislation in regard to the inheritance of — .Special legislation in regard to the inheritance of
Petition · Israel — Israel
Property · .Entail of — .Entail of
Tribes Of Israel, The · Each family of, had a chief or head — Each family of, had a chief or head

Word by word — the Hebrew

Cross-references

Commentary

Matthew Henry on Numbers 36:1-4

John Gill on Numbers 36:1

John Calvin on Numbers 36:1

Dictionary and topics

Word by word — the Hebrew

Cross-references

Commentary

Matthew Henry on Numbers 36:1-4

John Gill on Numbers 36:1

John Calvin on Numbers 36:1

Dictionary and topics

Tyndale Open Study Notes on Numbers 36:1-13