Numbers 36:7

7 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 cleave to the inheritance of the tribe of his fathers.

Numbers 36:7 Meaning and Commentary

Numbers 36:7

So shall not the inheritance of the children of Israel remove
from tribe to tribe
Which shows that this concerns all the tribes of Israel, though yet not fully expressed, as it is afterwards:

for everyone of the children of Israel shall keep himself to the
inheritance of the tribe of his fathers;
or cleave F1 to a wife in that tribe for marriage; this word is used in the original institution of it, ( Genesis 2:24 ) though they were not strictly obliged to marry in their own tribe; and frequently they did intermarry with other tribes, which, had it been unlawful, would not have been done, as it was by kings, and priests, and others; nor was there any danger of an inheritance going into another tribe by a man's marrying into it; wherefore this signifies only, that they were to be careful to keep their inheritances in their tribe; and therefore if any of them had no sons, only daughters, he was to marry them in his own tribe and family, that the inheritance might not remove, as follows


FOOTNOTES:

F1 (wqbdy) "adhaerebunt", Montanus, Vatablus, Junius & Tremellius.

Numbers 36:7 In-Context

5 And Moses commanded the people of Israel according to the word of the LORD, saying, "The tribe of the sons of Joseph is right.
6 This is what the LORD commands concerning the daughters of Zeloph'ehad, 'Let them marry whom they think best; only, they shall marry within the family of the tribe of their father.
7 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 cleave to the inheritance of the tribe of his fathers.
8 And every daughter who possesses an inheritance in any tribe of the people of Israel shall be wife to one of the family of the tribe of her father, so that every one of the people of Israel may possess the inheritance of his fathers.
9 So no inheritance shall be transferred from one tribe to another; for each of the tribes of the people of Israel shall cleave to its own inheritance.'"
Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyright 1952 [2nd edition, 1971] by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.