The Pulpit Commentary — Numbers — Section 379

HOMILIES BY VARIOUS AUTHORS. Vere. 1-11.-The disabilities of sez. I. THE POSSIBLE INJUSTICE CONSEQUENT ON A STRICT ADHERENCE TO SOCIAL TRADITIONS. Try to imagine how this appeal of the daughters of Zelophehad arises. Canaan is now very near, the borders of it visible across the flood ; and God has jnst told Moses the great general principles on which it is to be allotted. Thus the minds of the people are naturally filled with th1t thoughts of the inheritance. They can no longer complain of being in desolate places. There was good land even before they crossed Jordan (eh. xxxii.), and so Canaan was looked forward to with great expectations. In such circumstances, every family would be on the look-out to anticipate and assert its share. The disciples after they had heard Jesus discoursing so frequently and earnestly on the coming kingdom of heaven, fell to in hot rivalry as to who should be greatest in the kingdom. So here we may well suppose that the sons of Hepher were only too ready to reckon the daughters of their brother Zelophehad as outside any right to the land that would fall to Hepher's children. Natural relations are only too easily trampled on in the greed of gain. Disputes over the division of property breed and sustain deadly quarrels among kindred (Luke xii. 13). Very possibly the brothers of Zelophehad told their nieces that they had no claim to inherit, it being the settled custom that inheritances were to go to sons. Let them be satisfied with marriage into some other family. But the daughters felt pride in their father's name. They do no* claim great things for him, feeling that such a claim would not accord with the lot of one who belonged to the doomed generation ; but at all events they can say thai he died in his own sin; he was free from the taint of that great rebellion which left 110 deep an impression on Israel's mind. Why then should his name perish from among his family, because he had no son? The answer which we are led to infer is very simple; very worldly also, it is true, but all the more conceivable because of that," We cleave to our customs; we cannot even give way to feelings which are so creditable to daughters." This perhaps openly-then in their own hearts they would add," They are only women; they can do nothing." II. A DOLD REVOLT AGAINST THE ARTIFICIAL DISABILITIES 011' SEX. We hava imagined an actual refusal to let these women share in the possession. But even if it were not actual, they have a shrewd idea of what will happen, and come appealing to Moses, in the most public manner, so that they may have his weighty authority to Aettle the matter before he goes, They were but women, yet they had all a man's decision and courage-and more than belongs to most men-to break away from Pll conventional notions rather than tamely submit to injustice. Paul's disapproval of 866 THE BOOK .OF NUMBERS. [OB. XXVII. 1-11.