English Standard Version
Numbers 27:4
4Why should the name of our father be taken away from his clan because he had no son? Give to us a possession among our father's brothers."
Numbers 27:4 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Why should the name of our father be done away from among his family, because he hath no son? Give unto us therefore a possession among the brethren of our father.
- New International Version (NIV)Why should our father’s name disappear from his clan because he had no son? Give us property among our father’s relatives.”
- New King James Version (NKJV)Why should the name of our father be removed from among his family because he had no son? Give us a possession among our father’s brothers.”
- New Living Translation (NLT)Why should the name of our father disappear from his clan just because he had no sons? Give us property along with the rest of our relatives.”
Context of Numbers 27:4
2And they stood before Moses and before Eleazar the priest and before the chiefs and all the congregation, at the entrance of the tent of meeting, saying, 3"Our father died in the wilderness. He was not among the company of those who gathered themselves together against the Lord in the company of Korah, but died for his own sin. And he had no sons. Why should the name of our father be taken away from his clan because he had no son? Give to us a possession among our father's brothers." 5Moses brought their case before the Lord. 6And the Lord said to Moses,
Read all of Numbers 27Numbers 27:4 word by word
לָ֣מָּה יִגָּרַ֤ע שֵׁם־אָבִ֙ינוּ֙ מִתּ֣וֹךְ מִשְׁפַּחְתּ֔וֹ כִּ֛י אֵ֥ין ל֖וֹ בֵּ֑ן תְּנָה־לָּ֣נוּ אֲחֻזָּ֔ה בְּת֖וֹךְ אֲחֵ֥י אָבִֽינוּ׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Why should the nameשֵׁםshêm · nameH8034
- of our fatherאָב'âb · fatherH1
- be done awayגָּרַעgâra‛ · diminishH1639
- from amongתָּ֫וֶךְtâvek · midstH8432
- his familyמִשְׁפָּחָהmishpâchâh · familyH4940
- because he hath no sonבֵּןbên · son: childH1121
- Giveנָתַןnâthan · to give: giveH5414
- a possessionאֲחֻזָּה'ăchûzzâh · possessionH272
- the brethrenאָח'âch · brother: male-siblingH251
Cross-references for Numbers 27:4
- Numbers 15:34They put him in custody, because it had not been made clear what should be done to him.
- Exodus 18:15And Moses said to his father-in-law, "Because the people come to me to inquire of God;
- Exodus 25:22There I will meet with you, and from above the mercy seat, from between the two cherubim that are on the ark of the testimony, I will speak with you about all that I will give you in commandment for the people of Israel.
- Leviticus 24:12And they put him in custody, till the will of the Lord should be clear to them.
- Job 23:4I would lay my case before him and fill my mouth with arguments.
- Proverbs 3:5Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding.
Commentaries on Numbers 27:4
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 4Give unto us - As representing our father; that so he, through us his representatives, may enjoy a like inheritance with his brethren.Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 3-4Zelophehad had not joined Korah’s rebellion (16:1–50).If he had taken part in that rebellion, he may have lost his property rights because of his sin (see 15:30; compare 1 Kings 21:7–16). Israelite society was patriarchal and patrilineal. This means that family ancestry and property were passed down through the male line. Normally, sons inherited their father’s land. Zelophehad had no sons. His daughters wanted their father’s land to remain in their…Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 44. Give unto us a possession among the brethren of our father--Those young women perceived that the males only in families had been registered in the census. Because there were none in their household, their family was omitted. So they made known their grievance to Moses, and the authorities conjoined with him in administering justice. The case was important; and as the peculiarity of daughters being the sole members of a family would be no infrequent or…Read the comment
Topics related to Numbers 27:4
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Numbers 27
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
English Standard Version — © 2001 Crossway Bibles
Commentaries