Bible Strands
Joshua 17:4
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.
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — Zelophehad’s five daughters approach Eleazar the priest, Joshua son of Nun, and the tribal leaders to formally request their promised land inheritance. This petition occurs during the initial territorial division of Canaan as recorded in Joshua 17:3-5.
The words — וַתִּקְרַבְנָה (va.tik.rav.nah) means “they drew near,” denoting their formal approach to the leadership. לִפְנֵי (li.fnei) translates as “before,” establishing the official venue where the inheritance claim is presented.
The thread — The procedural sequence aligns with Joshua 14:1, where Eleazar and the leaders distribute portions, and recalls the legal foundation of Numbers 27:5, where Moses originally brought their case before the LORD. The resolution of this petition directly precedes the allocation of ten shares to Manasseh in Joshua 17:5.
Why it lands — The text records the daughters citing a prior divine command to Moses and receiving a corresponding administrative fulfillment. It requires the reader to observe that covenant inheritance is secured through documented precedent and official channels rather than independent appeal.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
And they came near before Eleazar the priest, and before Joshua the son of Nun, and before the princes, saying, The Lord commanded Moses to give us an inheritance among our brethren. Therefore according to the commandment of the Lord he gave them an inheritance among the brethren of their father.
Cross-references
- Joshua 14:1 Now these are the portions that the Israelites inherited in the land of Canaan, as distributed by Eleazar the priest, Joshua son of Nun, and the heads of the families of the tribes of Israel.
- Numbers 27:5 So Moses brought their case before the LORD,
- Galatians 3:28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.
- Numbers 34:17 “These are the names of the men who are to assign the land as an inheritance for you: Eleazar the priest and Joshua son of Nun.