Numbers 36
1645EABNumbers 36:1
OF the children of Gilead] Not those who had already received their possession in the land of Gilead, but those who were yet unprovided of a portion, and were to receive it beyond Jordan, for these Gileadites had the same Gilead for their Progenitor.
Numbers 36:4
Jubile] That is, the yeare of remission of debts, of release of mortgages, restoring of libertie to the exiled, &c. See Levit. 25. from vers. 11. forward; this Jubile was celebrated every fiftieth yeare.
Numbers 36:6
to whom they thinke best] Though they were restrained to their Tribe, and in their Tribe (as some resolve) to their neere kindred, yet they were free for the choice of the particular person; as Gen. 24. 57, 58. not marrying within the degrees forbidden; and their obligation to marry within their Tribes, made them the more capable of inheritance, though they were of the weaker sex.
Tribe of their father] This rule is made (as some take it) rather for women then for men; and of women, chiefly for such as had no brethren to inherit their fathers portion, in which case as they must marry within their Tribe, so he that was of the same Tribe, and neere of kinne, must marry such a one, rather then one of another Tribe; otherwise there want not examples (and those examples are no where condemned) of men marrying with women of another Tribe, sometimes of another Nation: as David of the Tribe of Judah, married Michol the daughter of Saul of the Tribe of Levi; and Jehojadah the Priest of the same Tribe, married Jehoshabeath the daughter of King Jehoram of the Tribe of Judah, 2 Chronicles 22:11. and Elizabeth as cousin to the Virgin Mary being of the Tribe of Judah, was married to Zacharias the Priest, of the Tribe of Levi: and the Levites might the rather have that libertie, because they had not such divided portions as the other Tribes had, but were mingled among them, and so might the rather marry in other Tribes; and generally it was allowed to men of the Hebrewes to marry aliens from the Common-weale of Israel, yea enemies taken in the warres, Deuteronomy 21:13. (so that they were not of the race of the accursed Canaanites, Deuteronomy 7:3.) By vertue of that warrant Booz married Ruth a Moabitesse, Rth 1:10.
Numbers 36:10
as the Lord] In cases of doubt Moses used to consult with God, and to make the resolution from him, as Leviticus 24:12. Num. 15. 34, 35.