The Law concerning the Marriage of Heiresses

361 And the chief fathers of the families of the children of Gilead, the son of Machir, the son of Manasseh, of the families of the sons of Joseph, came near, and spake before Moses, and before the princes, the chief fathers of the children of Israel:

Other Translations of Numbers 36:1

New International Version

The Law concerning the Marriage of Heiresses

361 The family heads of the clan of Gilead son of Makir, the son of Manasseh, who were from the clans of the descendants of Joseph, came and spoke before Moses and the leaders, the heads of the Israelite families.

English Standard Version

The Law concerning the Marriage of Heiresses

361 The heads of the fathers' houses of the clan of the people of Gilead the son of Machir, son of Manasseh, from the clans of the people of Joseph, came near and spoke before Moses and before the chiefs, the heads of the fathers' houses of the people of Israel.

The Message

The Law concerning the Marriage of Heiresses

361 The heads of the ancestral clan of Gilead son of Makir, the son of Manasseh - they were from the clans of the descendants of Joseph - approached Moses and the leaders who were heads of the families in the People of Israel.

New King James Version

The Law concerning the Marriage of Heiresses

361 Now the chief fathers of the families of the children of Gilead the son of Machir, the son of Manasseh, of the families of the sons of Joseph, came near and spoke before Moses and before the leaders, the chief fathers of the children of Israel.

New Living Translation

The Law concerning the Marriage of Heiresses

361 Then the heads of the clans of Gilead-descendants of Makir, son of Manasseh, son of Joseph-came to Moses and the family leaders of Israel with a petition.

Matthew Henry's Commentary on Numbers 36:1

Commentary on Numbers 36:1-4

(Read Numbers 36:1-4)

The heads of the tribe of Manasseh represent the evil which might follow, if the daughters of Zelophehad should marry into any other tribes. They sought to preserve the Divine appointment of inheritances, and that contests and quarrels should not rise among those who should come afterwards. It is the wisdom and duty of those who have estates in the world, to settle them, and to dispose of them, so that no strife and contention may arise.