Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Joshua 17:4
And they came near before Eleazar the priest, and before Joshua the son of Nun, and before the princes, saying, The LORD commanded Moses to give us an inheritance among our brethren. Therefore according to the commandment of the LORD he gave them an inheritance among the brethren of their father.
4. And they came ] In place of sons, Zelophehad had five daughters, and they, anxious that their father’s name should not perish, present themselves before Eleazar and Joshua, with a request for an inheritance.
The Lord commanded Moses ] They remind the high-priest, Joshua, and the princes, of the command of Moses in the wilderness in their favour. They had then reminded the great lawgiver (Num 27:1-4) that their father had no share in the sin of those who rose up against the Lord “in the company of Korah,” but died “in his own sin.” It was an injustice, therefore, that, because he had no son, “his name should be done away from among his family.” Moses brought their cause before the Lord (Num 27:5), and by the Divine command granted them an inheritance amongst their brothers.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
He gave them, i.e. Eleazar, or Joshua, with the consent of the princes appointed for that work.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
And they came near before Eleazar the priest, and before Joshua the son of Nun, and before the princes,…. The ten princes, who, with Eleazar and Joshua, were appointed to divide the land,
Nu 34:17; and were now met together for that purpose,
Jos 14:1;
saying, the Lord commanded Moses to give us an inheritance among our brethren; those of the same tribe with them; for upon their application to Moses he inquired of the Lord, who ordered him to grant their request, Nu 27:1;
therefore according to the commandment of the Lord he gave them an inheritance among the brethren of their fathers; that is, to the half tribe of Manasseh.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
4. Before Eleazar As one of the commission to divide the land.
Jos 14:1.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
‘ And they came near before Eleazar the priest, and before Joshua the son of Nun, and before the princes, saying, “YHWH commanded Moses to give us an inheritance among our brothers”, therefore according to the commandment of YHWH he gave them an inheritance among the brothers of their father.’
As they had previously brought their case to Moses and Eleazar the priest of the tribal confederacy, now they brought it to Joshua and Eleazar, and the tribal princes. The dividing of the land satisfactorily was a huge task. It was clearly carried out with great care and much consideration had been given to it. The casting of lots was not in order to make life easy but in order to gain the mind of YHWH about the distribution and to rule out charges of favouritism. Here the daughters were ensuring the portion of their own family.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Jos 17:4 And they came near before Eleazar the priest, and before Joshua the son of Nun, and before the princes, saying, The LORD commanded Moses to give us an inheritance among our brethren. Therefore according to the commandment of the LORD he gave them an inheritance among the brethren of their father.
Ver. 4. He gave them an inheritance. ] But with this caution, that they should not marry out of their own tribe. Num 36:6
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Eleaear the priest. His presence necessary for the casting of lots, with the Urim and Thummim. See notes on Exo 28:30 and Num 26:55.
The LORD. Hebrew. Jehovah. App-4.
Moses. Some codices, with three early printed editions, Septuagint, and Vulgate, read “by the hand of Moses”: “hand” being put by Figure of speech Metonymy (of Cause), for what is done by it (App-6).
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Eleazar: Jos 14:1, Num 34:17-29
The Lord commanded: Num 27:6, Num 27:7, Gal 3:28
Reciprocal: Num 27:4 – Give Jos 21:1 – Eleazar
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Jos 17:4-6. He gave them That is, Eleazar or Joshua, with the consent of the princes appointed for that work. For after the lot had determined what land every tribe should have, these commissioners considered how many families were in the tribe, and how large they were, and accordingly divided it among them. This is implied, Num 26:54-56. Ten portions Five for the sons and five for the daughters; for as for Hepher, both he and his son Zelophehad were dead, and that without sons, and therefore had no portion; but his daughters had several portions allotted to them. The daughters Not less than the sons, so the sex was no bar to their inheritance.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
17:4 And they came near before Eleazar the priest, and before Joshua the son of Nun, and before the princes, saying, The LORD commanded Moses to give us an inheritance among our {b} brethren. Therefore according to the commandment of the LORD he gave them an inheritance among the brethren of their father.
(b) Among them of our tribe.