Bible Strands
Numbers 36:1
Now the family heads of the clan of Gilead son of Machir son of Manasseh, one of the clans of Joseph, approached Moses and the leaders who were the heads of the Israelite families and addressed them,
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — The family heads of Gilead's clan approach Moses and the Israelite family leaders to address them. This occurs immediately after the command to distribute land by lot and the ruling regarding Zelophehad's daughters.
The words — The verb וַֽיִּקְרְבוּ (va-yikrevu) means "and they drew near," denoting a formal approach to authority. The noun phrase רָאשֵׁי הָאָבֹת (ra'sei ha-avot) translates to "leaders of the fathers," identifying clan heads.
The thread — This lineage connects to Numbers 26:29, the initial petition in Numbers 27:1, and the land allotment in Joshua 17:2.
Why it lands — The text records a procedural inquiry about tribal inheritance, requiring readers to note the chain of command and the preservation of clan boundaries. It establishes that land distribution follows established command and clan structure.
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 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:
Cross-references
- Numbers 27:1 Now the daughters of Zelophehad son of Hepher, the son of Gilead, the son of Machir, the son of Manasseh, belonged to the clans of Manasseh son of Joseph. These were the names of his daughters: Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah. They approached
- Numbers 26:29 These were the descendants of Manasseh: The Machirite clan from Machir, the father of Gilead, and the Gileadite clan from Gilead.
- Joshua 17:2 So this allotment was for the rest of the descendants of Manasseh—the clans of Abiezer, Helek, Asriel, Shechem, Hepher, and Shemida. These are the other male descendants of the clans of Manasseh son of Joseph.
- 1 Chronicles 7:14 The descendants of Manasseh: Asriel through his Aramean concubine. She also gave birth to Machir the father of Gilead.