And thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel, saying, If a man die, and have no son, then ye shall cause his inheritance to pass unto his daughter.
Complete Jewish Bible:
Moreover, say to the people of Isra'el, 'If a man dies and does not have a son, you are to have his inheritance pass to his daughter.
Berean Standard Bible:
Furthermore, you shall say to the Israelites, ‘If a man dies and leaves no son, you are to transfer his inheritance to his daughter.
American Standard Version:
And thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel, saying, If a man die, and have no son, then ye shall cause his inheritance to pass unto his daughter.
**Themes:**
- **Inheritance Rights:** The verse addresses the issue of inheritance within the context of a patriarchal society, proposing a progressive change by allowing daughters to inherit property in the absence of a son.
- **Gender Equality:** It reflects a step towards gender equity by recognizing the legal rights of daughters, ensuring that family property remains within the immediate family line.
- **Divine Legislation:** The instruction given to Moses underscores the theme of God's direct involvement in legislating the social and economic structures of Israelite society.
- **Continuity and Identity:** By regulating inheritance, the law seeks to maintain the continuity of tribal identity and land possession, which is central to the Israelites' understanding of their national identity and divine promise.
**Historical Context:**
- **Time Period:** The book of Numbers covers the period of the Israelites' wanderings in the wilderness, approximately the 13th century BCE, after their exodus from Egypt and before their entry into the Promised Land.
- **Social Structure:** Israelite society was predominantly patriarchal and tribal, with land and property typically passing from father to son.
- **Legal Context:** The laws given in Numbers are part of a larger body of legislation known as the Mosaic Law, which includes civil, religious, and moral codes. These laws were meant to govern the social, religious, and economic life of the Israelites.
- **Implications for Women:** This particular law represented an advancement in the rights of women within Israelite society, as it provided for female inheritance under specific circumstances, which was not a common practice in the ancient Near East.
In summary, Numbers 27:8 is a significant verse that reflects a divine mandate to adjust inheritance laws in favor of including daughters, thereby supporting the economic stability of families without sons and recognizing the importance of women within the social structure of Israelite society.
*This commentary is produced by Microsoft/WizardLM-2-8x22B AI model
Strong's Numbers and Definitions:
Note: H = Hebrew (OT), G = Greek (NT)
Strong's Number: H1696 There are 1050 instances of this translation in the Bible Lemma: דָבַר Transliteration: dâbar Pronunciation: daw-bar' Description: a primitive root; perhaps properly, to arrange; but used figuratively (of words), to speak; rarely (in a destructive sense) to subdue; answer, appoint, bid, command, commune, declare, destroy, give, name, promise, pronounce, rehearse, say, speak, be spokesman, subdue, talk, teach, tell, think, use (entreaties), utter, [idiom] well, [idiom] work.
Strong's Number: H1121 There are 3654 instances of this translation in the Bible Lemma: בֵּן Transliteration: bên Pronunciation: bane Description: from בָּנָה; a son (as a builder of the family name), in the widest sense (of literal and figurative relationship, including grandson, subject, nation, quality or condition, etc., (like father or brother), etc.); [phrase] afflicted, age, (Ahoh-) (Ammon-) (Hachmon-) (Lev-) ite, (anoint-) ed one, appointed to, ([phrase]) arrow, (Assyr-) (Babylon-) (Egypt-) (Grec-) ian, one born, bough, branch, breed, [phrase] (young) bullock, [phrase] (young) calf, [idiom] came up in, child, colt, [idiom] common, [idiom] corn, daughter, [idiom] of first, [phrase] firstborn, foal, [phrase] very fruitful, [phrase] postage, [idiom] in, [phrase] kid, [phrase] lamb, ([phrase]) man, meet, [phrase] mighty, [phrase] nephew, old, ([phrase]) people, [phrase] rebel, [phrase] robber, [idiom] servant born, [idiom] soldier, son, [phrase] spark, [phrase] steward, [phrase] stranger, [idiom] surely, them of, [phrase] tumultuous one, [phrase] valiant(-est), whelp, worthy, young (one), youth.
Strong's Number: H3478 There are 2229 instances of this translation in the Bible Lemma: יִשְׂרָאֵל Transliteration: Yisrâʼêl Pronunciation: yis-raw-ale' Description: from שָׂרָה and אֵל; he will rule as God; Jisrael, a symbolical name of Jacob; also (typically) of his posterity; Israel.
Strong's Number: H559 There are 4434 instances of this translation in the Bible Lemma: אָמַר Transliteration: ʼâmar Pronunciation: aw-mar' Description: a primitive root; to say (used with great latitude); answer, appoint, avouch, bid, boast self, call, certify, challenge, charge, [phrase] (at the, give) command(-ment), commune, consider, declare, demand, [idiom] desire, determine, [idiom] expressly, [idiom] indeed, [idiom] intend, name, [idiom] plainly, promise, publish, report, require, say, speak (against, of), [idiom] still, [idiom] suppose, talk, tell, term, [idiom] that is, [idiom] think, use (speech), utter, [idiom] verily, [idiom] yet.
Strong's Number: H376 There are 1507 instances of this translation in the Bible Lemma: אִישׁ Transliteration: ʼîysh Pronunciation: eesh Description: contracted for אֱנוֹשׁ (or perhaps rather from an unused root meaning to be extant); a man as an individual or a male person; often used as an adjunct to a more definite term (and in such cases frequently not expressed in translation); also, another, any (man), a certain, [phrase] champion, consent, each, every (one), fellow, (foot-, husband-) man, (good-, great, mighty) man, he, high (degree), him (that is), husband, man(-kind), [phrase] none, one, people, person, [phrase] steward, what (man) soever, whoso(-ever), worthy. Compare אִשָּׁה.
Strong's Number: H4191 There are 694 instances of this translation in the Bible Lemma: מוּת Transliteration: mûwth Pronunciation: mooth Description: a primitive root; to die (literally or figuratively); causatively, to kill; [idiom] at all, [idiom] crying, (be) dead (body, man, one), (put to, worthy of) death, destroy(-er), (cause to, be like to, must) die, kill, necro(-mancer), [idiom] must needs, slay, [idiom] surely, [idiom] very suddenly, [idiom] in (no) wise.
Strong's Number: H5159 There are 191 instances of this translation in the Bible Lemma: נַחֲלָה Transliteration: nachălâh Pronunciation: nakh-al-aw' Description: from נָחַל (in its usual sense); properly, something inherited, i.e. (abstractly) occupancy, or (concretely) an heirloom; generally an estate, patrimony or portion; heritage, to inherit, inheritance, possession. Compare נַחַל.
Strong's Number: H5674 There are 493 instances of this translation in the Bible Lemma: עָבַר Transliteration: ʻâbar Pronunciation: aw-bar' Description: a primitive root; to cross over; used very widely of any transition (literal or figurative; transitive, intransitive, intensive, causative); specifically, to cover (in copulation); alienate, alter, [idiom] at all, beyond, bring (over, through), carry over, (over-) come (on, over), conduct (over), convey over, current, deliver, do away, enter, escape, fail, gender, get over, (make) go (away, beyond, by, forth, his way, in, on, over, through), have away (more), lay, meddle, overrun, make partition, (cause to, give, make to, over) pass(-age, along, away, beyond, by, -enger, on, out, over, through), (cause to, make) [phrase] proclaim(-amation), perish, provoke to anger, put away, rage, [phrase] raiser of taxes, remove, send over, set apart, [phrase] shave, cause to (make) sound, [idiom] speedily, [idiom] sweet smelling, take (away), (make to) transgress(-or), translate, turn away, (way-) faring man, be wrath.
Strong's Number: H1323 There are 499 instances of this translation in the Bible Lemma: בַּת Transliteration: bath Pronunciation: bath Description: from בָּנָה (as feminine of בֵּן); a daughter (used in the same wide sense as other terms of relationship, literally and figuratively); apple (of the eye), branch, company, daughter, [idiom] first, [idiom] old, [phrase] owl, town, village.