AND HE WAS NOT AMONG THE COMPANY. The daughters¹ thought that the children of those who gathered themselves together against the Lord² would not inherit.³

footnotes: ¹ Of Zelophehad. ² In the company of Korah (Num. 16:1-19). ³ Hence they said that their father was not in Korah’s company.

BUT HE DIED IN HIS OWN SIN. Rabbi Judah Ha-Levi the Spaniard says but he died in his own sin is to be understood as connected to and he had no sons.⁴ It is as we say today, such and such occurred to so and so because of his sins. This interpretation is not far off.

footnotes: ⁴ In other words, the meaning here is: he died without sons because of his sins.

BECAUSE HE HAD NO SON. Ki en lo ben is to be rendered, because he had no son.⁵ in our verse is because. Ki has a number of meanings. Hence I.E.’s comments.

footnotes: ⁵ In other words, the meaning of ki

RIGHT. Ken means true.⁶). Or, the thing is so.⁷) as the daughters of Zelophehad speak.

footnotes: ⁶ According to this interpretation our clause reads: The daughters of Zelophehad speak the truth (ken ⁷ According this interpretation our clause reads: The facts are (ken

AND THOU SHALT CAUSE THE INHERITANCE. What he should have received, they shall receive.

AND HAVE NO SON. This is proof that a son inherits his father’s property.

UNTO HIS BRETHREN. From his father or mother.

UNTO HIS KINSMAN THAT IS NEXT TO HIM. From all of his family.⁸

footnotes: ⁸ That is closest to the deceased.

AND HE SHALL POSSESS IT. The inheritance. I have already explained the approach of the rabbis in my comments on unto a foreign people (Ex. 21:8).⁹. The rabbis render this, and he (the husband) shall inherit her (otah). According to the rabbis our verse teaches that a man inherits his wife’s property but a woman does not inherit her husband’s property. See Baba Batra 111b and I.E.’s short commentary on Ex. 21:8. We need rabbinic tradition to know the laws of inheritance with regard to whether a father or a mother inherits a son’s property or what a woman inherits.

footnotes: ⁹ Our verse reads, ve-yarash otah

The rabbis of blessed memory said that the chapter that opens with the words, Get thee up into this mountain (v. 12), follows the laws of inheritance because Moses wanted to know who would inherit his position.

TO SANCTIFY ME. The word le-hakdesheni (to sanctify me) is connected to meritem (ye rebelled).¹⁰ Its meaning is, ye rebelled with regard to sanctifying me.¹¹ This, I have explained,¹² is the meaning of because ye sanctified Me not in the midst of the children of Israel (Deut. 32:51).

footnotes: ¹⁰ Even though these words do not follow each other. ¹¹ Its meaning is, you rebelled against me by not sanctifying me. ¹² Num. 20:8.

THE GOD OF THE SPIRITS. He knows the spirits. He knows which spirit is fit.¹³

footnotes: ¹³ To lead the congregation.

[SET.] The word yifkod (set) is related to the word pakid (official).¹⁴ means let Him appoint a leader.

footnotes: ¹⁴ Thus yifkod

WHO MAY GO OUT BEFORE THEM. In war.

WHO MAY LEAD THEM OUT. Va-asher yotzi’em (who may lead them out) means who will direct someone else to lead them out.¹⁵ is a hifil. It literally means shall cause them to go out. Hence I.E.’s comment.

footnotes: ¹⁵ The verse reads va-asher yotzi’em. Yotzi’em

IN WHOM IS SPIRIT. Now all living persons have spirit in them.¹⁶? Its meaning can only be similar to that of be thou strong therefore, and show thyself a man (I Kings 2:2).¹⁷

footnotes: ¹⁶ Why then does Scripture say, a man in whom is spirit ¹⁷ Solomon was a man. What point was there in telling him show thyself a man? Thus show thyself a man means show thyself to be a man of valor.

AND LAY THY HAND UPON HIM. To show Israel that he was in Moses’ place and that he¹⁸ was the one on whom Moses had placed his hands.

footnotes: ¹⁸ Only he.

AND THOU SHALT PUT OF THY HONOR UPON HIM. You will honor Joshua in front of all of Israel.

THAT…MAY HEARKEN. For Israel already believes in you. When they see that you honored Joshua they will respect him, for they will follow your ways.

AT HIS WORD SHALL THEY GO OUT. Upon the word of Eleazar by the judgment of the Urim.¹⁹ (at his word) refers to Eleazar’s word. Others say, in accordance to the judgment of the Urim.²⁰ (at his word) refers to the Urim. For the Urim see Ex. 28:30 and I.E.’s comment on Ex. 28:5 (Vol. 2, pp. 591-598). The first interpretation appears correct to me.

footnotes: ¹⁹ In others words, al piv ²⁰ According to this interpretation, al piv

BOTH HE, AND ALL THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL. In regard to that which pertains to all.

EVEN ALL THE CONGREGATION. They gathered in the tent of meeting concerning a matter that pertained to the congregation.