Numbers 36:7 No inheritance in Israel may be transferred from tribe to tribe, because each of the Israelites is to retain the inheritance of the tribe of his fathers.

◄ Numbers 36:7 ►

New International Version
No inheritance in Israel is to pass from one tribe to another, for every Israelite shall keep the tribal inheritance of their ancestors.

New Living Translation
None of the territorial land may pass from tribe to tribe, for all the land given to each tribe must remain within the tribe to which it was first allotted.

English Standard Version
The inheritance of the people of Israel shall not be transferred from one tribe to another, for every one of the people of Israel shall hold on to the inheritance of the tribe of his fathers.

Berean Standard Bible
No inheritance in Israel may be transferred from tribe to tribe, because each of the Israelites is to retain the inheritance of the tribe of his fathers.

King James Bible
So shall not the inheritance of the children of Israel remove from tribe to tribe: for every one of the children of Israel shall keep himself to the inheritance of the tribe of his fathers.

New King James Version
So the inheritance of the children of Israel shall not change hands from tribe to tribe, for every one of the children of Israel shall keep the inheritance of the tribe of his fathers.

New American Standard Bible
So no inheritance of the sons of Israel will be transferred from tribe to tribe, for the sons of Israel shall each retain possession of the inheritance of the tribe of his fathers.

NASB 1995
“Thus no inheritance of the sons of Israel shall be transferred from tribe to tribe, for the sons of Israel shall each hold to the inheritance of the tribe of his fathers.

NASB 1977
“Thus no inheritance of the sons of Israel shall be transferred from tribe to tribe, for the sons of Israel shall each hold to the inheritance of the tribe of his fathers.

Legacy Standard Bible
Thus no inheritance of the sons of Israel shall be transferred from tribe to tribe, for the sons of Israel shall each hold to the inheritance of the tribe of his fathers.

Amplified Bible
So no inheritance of the Israelites shall be transferred from tribe to tribe, for every one of the Israelites shall hold to the inheritance of the tribe of his fathers (tribal ancestors).

Christian Standard Bible
No inheritance belonging to the Israelites is to transfer from tribe to tribe, because each of the Israelites is to retain the inheritance of his ancestral tribe.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
An inheritance belonging to the Israelites must not transfer from tribe to tribe, because each of the Israelites is to retain the inheritance of his ancestral tribe.

American Standard Version
So shall no inheritance of the children of Israel remove from tribe to tribe; for the children of Israel shall cleave every one to the inheritance of the tribe of his fathers.

Contemporary English Version
Tribal land must not be given to another tribe--it will remain the property of the tribe that received it.

English Revised Version
So shall no inheritance of the children of Israel remove from tribe to tribe: for the children of Israel shall cleave every one to the inheritance of the tribe of his fathers.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
In this way no land of the Israelites will pass from one tribe to another. Every Israelite must keep the tribal land inherited from his ancestors.

Good News Translation
The property of every Israelite will remain attached to his tribe.

International Standard Version
so that the inheritance of the Israelis won't be turned over from one tribe to another. Each one has an inheritance from his own father's tribe that the Israelis are to maintain.

Majority Standard Bible
No inheritance in Israel may be transferred from tribe to tribe, because each of the Israelites is to retain the inheritance of the tribe of his fathers.

NET Bible
In this way the inheritance of the Israelites will not be transferred from tribe to tribe. But every one of the Israelites must retain the ancestral heritage.

New Heart English Bible
So shall no inheritance of the children of Israel remove from tribe to tribe; for the children of Israel shall all keep the inheritance of the tribe of his fathers.

Webster's Bible Translation
So shall not the inheritance of the children of Israel remove from tribe to tribe: for every one of the children of Israel shall keep himself to the inheritance of the tribe of his fathers.

World English Bible
So shall no inheritance of the children of Israel move from tribe to tribe; for the children of Israel shall all keep the inheritance of the tribe of his fathers.

Literal Translations

Literal Standard Version
and the inheritance of the sons of Israel does not turn around from tribe to tribe; for each of the sons of Israel cleaves to the inheritance of the tribe of his fathers.

Young's Literal Translation
and the inheritance of the sons of Israel doth not turn round from tribe unto tribe; for each to the inheritance of the tribe of his fathers, do the sons of Israel cleave.

Smith's Literal Translation
And the inheritance of the sons of Israel shall not remove from tribe to tribe; for the sons of Israel shall cleave each to the inheritance of the tribe of his fathers.

Catholic Translations

Douay-Rheims Bible
Lest the possession of the children of Israel be mingled from tribe to tribe. For all men shall marry wives of their own tribe and kindred:

Catholic Public Domain Version
lest the possession of the sons of Israel become commingled, from tribe to tribe. For all men shall take wives from their own tribe and kinship;

New American Bible
so that no heritage of the Israelites will pass from one tribe to another, but all the Israelites will retain their own ancestral heritage.

New Revised Standard Version
so that no inheritance of the Israelites shall be transferred from one tribe to another; for all Israelites shall retain the inheritance of their ancestral tribes.

Translations from Aramaic

Lamsa Bible
So that no inheritance of the children of Israel shall be transferred from one tribe to another tribe; for every one of the children of Israel shall cleave to the inheritance of the tribe of his father.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And the inheritance of the children of Israel shall not go around from tribe to another tribe, but each man of the children of Israel shall cleave to the inheritance of the tribe of his father.

OT Translations

JPS Tanakh 1917
So shall no inheritance of the children of Israel remove from tribe to tribe; for the children of Israel shall cleave every one to the inheritance of the tribe of his fathers.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
So shall not the inheritance of the children of Israel go about from tribe to tribe, for the children of Israel shall steadfastly continue each in the inheritance of his family's tribe.

Additional Translations ...

Audio Bible

Context

Zelophehad's Daughters Marry
…6This is what the LORD has commanded concerning the daughters of Zelophehad: They may marry anyone they please, provided they marry within a clan of the tribe of their father. 7No inheritance in Israel may be transferred from tribe to tribe, because each of the Israelites is to retain the inheritance of the tribe of his fathers. 8Every daughter who possesses an inheritance from any Israelite tribe must marry within a clan of the tribe of her father, so that every Israelite will possess the inheritance of his fathers.…

Berean Standard Bible · Download

Cross References

Leviticus 25:23
The land must not be sold permanently, because it is Mine, and you are but foreigners and residents with Me.

Joshua 13:7
Now therefore divide this land as an inheritance to the nine tribes and the half-tribe of Manasseh.”

Joshua 14:1-2
Now these are the portions that the Israelites inherited in the land of Canaan, as distributed by Eleazar the priest, Joshua son of Nun, and the heads of the families of the tribes of Israel. / Their inheritance was assigned by lot for the nine and a half tribes, as the LORD had commanded through Moses.

Joshua 18:4-10
Appoint three men from each tribe, and I will send them out to survey the land and map it out, according to the inheritance of each. Then they will return to me / and divide the land into seven portions. Judah shall remain in their territory in the south, and the house of Joseph shall remain in their territory in the north. / When you have mapped out the seven portions of land and brought it to me, I will cast lots for you here in the presence of the LORD our God. ...

Ezekiel 46:16-18
This is what the Lord GOD says: ‘If the prince gives a gift to any of his sons as an inheritance, it will belong to his descendants. It will become their property by inheritance. / But if he gives a gift from his inheritance to one of his servants, it will belong to that servant until the year of freedom; then it will revert to the prince. His inheritance belongs only to his sons; it shall be theirs. / The prince must not take any of the inheritance of the people by evicting them from their property. He is to provide an inheritance for his sons from his own property, so that none of My people will be displaced from his property.’”

1 Kings 21:3
But Naboth replied, “The LORD forbid that I should give you the inheritance of my fathers.”

Ruth 4:3-4
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. / I thought I should inform you that you may buy it back in the presence of those seated here and in the presence of the elders of my people. If you want to redeem it, do so. But if you will not redeem it, tell me so I may know, because there is no one but you to redeem it, and I am next after you.” “I will redeem it,” he replied.

1 Chronicles 28:8
So now in the sight of all Israel, the assembly of the LORD, and in the hearing of our God, keep and seek out all the commandments of the LORD your God, so that you may possess this good land and leave it as an inheritance to your descendants forever.

Nehemiah 11:1
Now the leaders of the people settled in Jerusalem, and the rest of the people cast lots to bring one out of ten to live in the holy city of Jerusalem, while the remaining nine were to dwell in their own towns.

Ezekiel 47:13-14
This is what the Lord GOD says: “These are the boundaries by which you are to divide the land as an inheritance among the twelve tribes of Israel; Joseph shall receive two portions. / You are to divide it equally among them. Because I swore with an uplifted hand to give it to your forefathers, this land will fall to you as an inheritance.

Matthew 19:29
And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or fields for the sake of My name will receive a hundredfold and will inherit eternal life.

Luke 18:29-30
“Truly I tell you,” Jesus replied, “no one who has left home or wife or brothers or parents or children for the sake of the kingdom of God / will fail to receive many times more in this age—and in the age to come, eternal life.”

Acts 2:45
Selling their possessions and goods, they shared with anyone who was in need.

Acts 4:34-35
There were no needy ones among them, because those who owned lands or houses would sell their property, bring the proceeds from the sales, / and lay them at the apostles’ feet for distribution to anyone as he had need.

Romans 8:17
And if we are children, then we are heirs: heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ—if indeed we suffer with Him, so that we may also be glorified with Him.

Treasury of Scripture

So shall not the inheritance of the children of Israel remove from tribe to tribe: for every one of the children of Israel shall keep himself to the inheritance of the tribe of his fathers.

for every one.

Numbers 36:9
Neither shall the inheritance remove from one tribe to another tribe; but every one of the tribes of the children of Israel shall keep himself to his own inheritance.

1 Kings 21:3
And Naboth said to Ahab, The LORD forbid it me, that I should give the inheritance of my fathers unto thee.

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Numbers 36

1. The inheritance of daughters is remedied by marrying in their own tribes
7. Lest the inheritance should be removed from the tribe
10. The daughters of Zelophehad marry their father's brothers' sons

Berean Study Bible

No inheritance
The concept of "inheritance" in the Hebrew context is deeply tied to the land, which was seen as a divine gift to the Israelites. The Hebrew word for inheritance, "nachalah," implies a possession or heritage that is passed down through generations. In the context of Numbers 36:7, the inheritance refers to the land allotted to each tribe of Israel. This land was not just a physical possession but a symbol of God's promise and faithfulness to His people. The prohibition against transferring inheritance underscores the importance of maintaining the divinely ordained order and blessings within each tribe.

in Israel
The phrase "in Israel" signifies the collective identity and unity of the twelve tribes as God's chosen people. Israel, named after Jacob (who was renamed Israel), represents the covenant community that God established through Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. The land of Israel was not merely a geographical location but a sacred space where God's presence dwelled among His people. This phrase emphasizes the national and spiritual significance of the inheritance, which was meant to remain within the boundaries of the tribes to preserve the integrity and unity of the nation.

is to pass
The verb "to pass" in this context indicates the transfer or movement of property from one party to another. In Hebrew, the word "abar" can mean to cross over or to pass through. Here, it highlights the potential for inheritance to change hands, which could disrupt the tribal boundaries established by God. The use of this verb underscores the need for vigilance in maintaining the divinely appointed distribution of land, ensuring that each tribe retains its God-given portion.

from tribe to tribe
This phrase underscores the tribal structure of ancient Israel, where each tribe was allotted a specific portion of land. The tribes, descended from the twelve sons of Jacob, were distinct yet interconnected parts of the nation. The prohibition against inheritance passing from tribe to tribe was intended to prevent the erosion of tribal identities and the potential for conflict or inequality. It reflects God's desire for order and stability within His covenant community, ensuring that each tribe could thrive within its designated inheritance.

For the Israelites
The term "Israelites" refers to the descendants of Jacob, who were chosen by God to be His people. This designation carries with it the weight of the covenant relationship established at Sinai, where God gave the Law and promised to be their God. The Israelites were called to live according to God's statutes and to reflect His holiness to the surrounding nations. The instructions regarding inheritance were part of this covenantal framework, designed to help the Israelites live in obedience and harmony with God's will.

are to retain
The word "retain" implies holding onto or keeping something secure. In Hebrew, the word "chazaq" can mean to strengthen or to hold fast. This command to retain their inheritance emphasizes the responsibility of each tribe to safeguard the land entrusted to them by God. It is a call to stewardship, reminding the Israelites that their inheritance is not merely a possession but a trust from God that must be preserved for future generations.

the inheritance
The repetition of "inheritance" in this verse reinforces its central importance in the life of Israel. It is a tangible expression of God's promise and a vital component of the Israelites' identity and relationship with God. The inheritance is not just about land; it is about the continuity of God's covenant and the assurance of His provision and blessing. By retaining their inheritance, the Israelites affirm their trust in God's faithfulness and their commitment to His covenant.

of their fathers
This phrase connects the present generation of Israelites with their ancestors, highlighting the continuity of God's promises across time. The "fathers" refer to the patriarchs—Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob—through whom God established His covenant. The inheritance is a link to the past, a reminder of God's enduring faithfulness, and a promise for the future. It calls the Israelites to honor their heritage and to live in a way that reflects the values and faith of their forebears.

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 7. - Every one... shall keep himself to the inheritance of the tribe of his fathers. This was to be the general rule which governed all such questions. Every Israelite had his own share in the inheritance of his tribe, and with that he was to be content, and not seek to intrude on other tribes. Accordingly the decision in the case of the daughters of Zelophehad is extended to all similar cases.

Parallel Commentaries ...

Hebrew

No
וְלֹֽא־ (wə·lō-)
Conjunctive waw | Adverb - Negative particle
Strong's 3808: Not, no

inheritance
נַחֲלָה֙ (na·ḥă·lāh)
Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 5159: Something inherited, occupancy, an heirloom, an estate, patrimony, portion

in Israel
לִבְנֵ֣י (liḇ·nê)
Preposition-l | Noun - masculine plural construct
Strong's 1121: A son

may be transferred
תִסֹּ֤ב (ṯis·sōḇ)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person feminine singular
Strong's 5437: To turn about, go around, surround

from tribe
מִמַּטֶּ֖ה (mim·maṭ·ṭeh)
Preposition-m | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 4294: A staff, rod, shaft, branch, a tribe

to
אֶל־ (’el-)
Preposition
Strong's 413: Near, with, among, to

tribe,
מַטֶּ֑ה (maṭ·ṭeh)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 4294: A staff, rod, shaft, branch, a tribe

because
כִּ֣י (kî)
Conjunction
Strong's 3588: A relative conjunction

each
אִ֗ישׁ (’îš)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 376: A man as an individual, a male person

of the Israelites
בְּנֵ֥י (bə·nê)
Noun - masculine plural construct
Strong's 1121: A son

is to retain
יִדְבְּק֖וּ (yiḏ·bə·qū)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural
Strong's 1692: To impinge, cling, adhere, to catch by pursuit

the inheritance
בְּנַחֲלַת֙ (bə·na·ḥă·laṯ)
Preposition-b | Noun - feminine singular construct
Strong's 5159: Something inherited, occupancy, an heirloom, an estate, patrimony, portion

of the tribe
מַטֵּ֣ה (maṭ·ṭêh)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 4294: A staff, rod, shaft, branch, a tribe

of his fathers.
אֲבֹתָ֔יו (’ă·ḇō·ṯāw)
Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 1: Father

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OT Law: Numbers 36:7 So shall no inheritance of the children (Nu Num.)