Numbers 27:11

And if his father has no brothers, give his inheritance to the next of kin from his clan, that he may take possession of it. This is to be a statutory ordinance for the Israelites, as the LORD has commanded Moses.’”

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — Moses delivers a divine command to the Israelite community regarding inheritance distribution when a man dies without male heirs. The instruction applies at the moment the daughters of Zelophehad receive their legal ruling, establishing the fallback procedure for land transfer.

The words — לִ/שְׁאֵר֞/וֹ (li/sh'ērō) translates literally as "to his relative" or "to his kinsman," designating the next eligible family member. נַחֲלָת֗/וֹ (naḥălātō) means "his inheritance," referring specifically to the ancestral land allotment.

The thread — This inheritance protocol establishes a legal precedent echoed in Numbers 35:29, which mandates it as a permanent ordinance. The principle of clan-based land retention later informs the kinsman-redeemer actions in Ruth 4:3 and Jeremiah 32:8.

Why it lands — The text states that tribal land must pass to the nearest clan relative when no brothers exist, creating a fixed legal hierarchy. It requires readers to apply this sequence to prevent permanent loss of family property and to maintain tribal boundaries.

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

וְאִם־ve./'im-and/ if אֵ֣ין'einnot אַחִים֮'a.Chimbrothers לְאָבִיו֒le./'a.Vi/v[belong] to/ father/ his וּנְתַתֶּ֣םu./ne.ta.Temand/ you will give אֶת־'et-<obj.>נַחֲלָת֗וֹna.cha.la.T/oinheritance/ his לִשְׁאֵר֞וֹli/sh.'e.R/oto/ relative/ his הַקָּרֹ֥בha./ka.Ro<the>/ near אֵלָ֛יו'e.La/vto/ him מִמִּשְׁפַּחְתּ֖וֹmi./mish.pach.T/ofrom/ own clan/ his וְיָרַ֣שׁve./ya.Rashand/ he will take possession of אֹתָ֑הּ'o.Ta/h<obj.>/ it וְֽהָ֨יְתָ֜הve./Ha.ye.Tahand/ it will become לִבְנֵ֤יli/v.Neifor/ [the] people of יִשְׂרָאֵל֙Yis.ra.'ElIsrael לְחֻקַּ֣תle./chu.Kat<into>/ a statute of מִשְׁפָּ֔טmish.Patjudgment כַּאֲשֶׁ֛רka./'a.Sherjust/ as צִוָּ֥הtzi.Vahhe has commanded יְהוָ֖הYah.wehYahweh אֶת־'et-<obj.>מֹשֶֽׁה׃ סmo.ShehMoses

King James Version

And if his father have no brethren, then ye shall give his inheritance unto his kinsman that is next to him of his family, and he shall possess it: and it shall be unto the children of Israel a statute of judgment, as the Lord commanded Moses.

Cross-references

Numbers 35:29 This will be a statutory ordinance for you for the generations to come, wherever you live.
Ruth 4:3 And he said to the kinsman-redeemer, “Naomi, who has returned from the land of Moab, is selling the piece of land that belonged to our brother Elimelech.
Jeremiah 32:8 Then, as the LORD had said, my cousin Hanamel came to me in the courtyard of the guard and urged me, ‘Please buy my field in Anathoth in the land of Benjamin, for you own the right of inheritance and redemption. Buy it for yourself.’” Then I knew that this was the word of the LORD.
Leviticus 25:25 If your brother becomes impoverished and sells some of his property, his nearest of kin may come and redeem what his brother has sold.
Leviticus 25:49 either his uncle or cousin or any close relative from his clan may redeem him. Or if he prospers, he may redeem himself.
1 Samuel 30:25 And so it has been from that day forward. David established this statute and ordinance for Israel to this very day.

People named

Moses