Numbers 36: Group Study Handout

How to use: read Numbers 36 aloud together, then take the questions in order. One page is enough for an evening.

Overview

The heads of the fathers’ households from Manasseh came to speak with Moses. They raised a concern about inheritance laws. Yahweh had commanded that Zelophehad’s inheritance go to his daughters. They worried that if these women married outside their tribe, their inheritance would leave Manasseh. They feared this would impact their own tribal inheritance.

Key verse

“If they are married to any of the sons of the other tribes of the children of Israel, then will their inheritance be taken away from the inheritance of our fathers, and will be added to the inheritance of the tribe to which they shall belong. So will it be taken away from the lot of our inheritance.”
Numbers 36:3 (WEB)

Outline

Numbers 36:1–2 Concern of Manasseh's leaders
Numbers 36:3–4 Potential loss of inheritance
Numbers 36:5–6 Moses' response from God
Numbers 36:7–9 Preservation of tribal inheritances
Numbers 36:10–12 Daughters' obedience
Numbers 36:13 Conclusion of commandments

Discussion questions

In v3, what concern do the leaders of Gilead express about the daughters of Zelophehad?
What directive does Moses receive from Yahweh regarding the daughters of Zelophehad in v6?
The daughters’ command to marry within their tribe in vv. 6-7: how does this relate to their father's inheritance?
Moses states in v9 that 'no inheritance move from one tribe to another tribe': what implications does this have for tribal identity?
Have you been in a situation where family ties influenced a significant choice, as the daughters of Zelophehad faced?

Go deeper

Passages that echo Numbers 36: Numbers 27, Leviticus 25, 1 Kings 21.

Before next time: read Deuteronomy 1.