1
καὶ προσῆλθον οἱ ἄρχοντες φυλῆς υἱῶν Γαλααδ υἱοῦ Μαχιρ υἱοῦ Μανασση ἐκ τῆς φυλῆς υἱῶν Ιωσηφ καὶ ἐλάλησαν ἔναντι Μωυσῆ καὶ ἔναντι Ελεαζαρ τοῦ ἱερέως καὶ ἔναντι τῶν ἀρχόντων οἴκων πατριῶν υἱῶν Ισραηλ
And the heads of the clan of the sons of Gilead son of Machir son of Manasseh, from the tribe of the sons of Joseph, came forward and spoke before Moses and before Eleazar the priest and before the heads of the ancestral houses of the sons of Israel.
The chapter opens with the standard LXX approach-formula προσῆλθον … καὶ ἐλάλησαν, marking the formal lodging of a legal petition before the constituted authorities (Moses, Eleazar, the tribal chiefs) — the same juridical setting as the daughters' original suit in 27:1–2. The petitioners are now the male clan-heads of Gilead, raising a counter-claim that the earlier ruling endangers Manasseh's tribal allotment.
Word-by-word analysis· 33 words
καὶandnarrative conjunction (Hebraizing καί-parataxis)→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
προσῆλθονcame forwardAor Act Indic 3 Pl · προσέρχομαιmain verb (approach-formula opening the episode)→ constative aorist (single completed approach)προσέρχομαι: 'come near / approach / come forward'; renders קָרַב; in the Pentateuch the verb regularly opens a formal legal or cultic approach (cf. Num 27:1, where the daughters themselves προσῆλθον); here the male clan-heads come forward to lodge a juridical objection.
οἱtheNominativearticle (with ἄρχοντες)→ noun-phrase markingοἱ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ἄρχοντεςheads / rulersNominativesubject (the petitioners)→ participant prominenceἄρχων: 'ruler / chief / head'; renders רֹאשׁ / נָשִׂיא; here the clan-heads of Gilead acting as legal representatives of their lineage; the same noun recurs at the verse's end (τῶν ἀρχόντων) for the tribal chiefs who form the receiving tribunal.
φυλῆςof a clan / tribeGenitivegenitive (of the lineage they head)→ relational specificationφυλή: 'tribe / clan'; renders מַטֶּה / מִשְׁפָּחָה; the keyword of the chapter — the tribal allotment whose integrity the whole legal ruling protects; here it denotes the sub-tribal lineage of Gilead within Manasseh.
υἱῶνof the sonsGenitivegenitive of relationship (the sons of Gilead)→ relational specificationυἱός: 'son'; the recurring genealogical chain υἱῶν Γαλααδ υἱοῦ Μαχιρ υἱοῦ Μανασση establishes the petitioners' descent and hence their standing in the inheritance question.
ΓαλααδGileadgenitive of relationship (indeclinable proper noun)→ participant identificationΓαλααδ: transliteration of Hebrew גִּלְעָד; indeclinable in the LXX; Gilead is son of Machir, grandson of Manasseh (cf. Num 26:29–33), the clan within which Zelophehad's lineage falls.
υἱοῦsonGenitivegenitive in apposition (Gilead son of Machir)→ relational specificationυἱός (gen. sg.): the genealogical linker 'son of', tracing the lineage upward to Machir.
ΜαχιρMachirgenitive of relationship (indeclinable proper noun)→ participant identificationΜαχιρ: transliteration of Hebrew מָכִיר; indeclinable; the firstborn of Manasseh and father of Gilead (Num 26:29).
υἱοῦsonGenitivegenitive in apposition (Machir son of Manasseh)→ relational specificationυἱοῦ: meaning 'son'; it serves as genitive in apposition (Machir son of Manasseh).
ΜανασσηManassehgenitive of relationship (indeclinable proper noun)→ participant identificationΜανασση: transliteration of Hebrew מְנַשֶּׁה; indeclinable; the half-tribe whose western allotment is at risk; descended from Joseph, making the petition simultaneously a 'tribe of Joseph' matter (cf. v. 5).
ἐκfrompreposition + genitive (origin / membership)→ spatial or relational framingἐκ: meaning 'from'; here it marks the relation signaled by preposition + genitive (origin / membership).
τῆςtheGenitivearticle (with φυλῆς)→ noun-phrase markingτῆς: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
φυλῆςtribeGenitivegenitive object of ἐκ (the larger tribe of Joseph)→ relational specificationφυλή: here the wider tribal grouping descended from Joseph, of which Manasseh (and Gilead within it) is a part.
υἱῶνof the sonsGenitivegenitive of relationship (the sons of Joseph)→ relational specificationυἱῶν: meaning 'of the sons'; it serves as genitive of relationship (the sons of Joseph).
ΙωσηφJosephgenitive of relationship (indeclinable proper noun)→ participant identificationΙωσηφ: transliteration of Hebrew יוֹסֵף; indeclinable; the patriarch whose two sons Ephraim and Manasseh became tribes; framing the petition as concerning 'the tribe of the sons of Joseph' broadens its stake.
καὶandcoordinate conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
ἐλάλησανspokeAor Act Indic 3 Pl · λαλέωmain verb (second member of approach-formula)→ constative aorist (single completed speech-act)λαλέω: 'speak / address'; renders דִּבֶּר; paired with προσῆλθον it completes the standard formula of lodging a legal complaint before the assembly.
ἔναντιbeforepreposition + genitive (in the presence of)→ spatial or relational framingἔναντι: 'before / in the presence of'; Hebraism rendering לִפְנֵי; the threefold ἔναντι (Moses / Eleazar / the chiefs) catalogues the full juridical tribunal that receives the petition, paralleling 27:2.
ΜωυσῆMosesGenitivegenitive object of ἔναντι→ relational specificationΜωυσῆς: transliteration of Hebrew מֹשֶׁה; declined in Rahlfs' LXX (gen. Μωυσῆ); the chief legislator before whom the suit is brought and through whom the LORD's answer will come (v. 5).
καὶandcoordinate conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
ἔναντιbeforepreposition + genitive (second occurrence)→ spatial or relational framingἔναντι: meaning 'before'; here it marks the relation signaled by preposition + genitive (second occurrence).
ΕλεαζαρEleazargenitive object of ἔναντι (indeclinable proper noun)→ participant identificationΕλεαζαρ: transliteration of Hebrew אֶלְעָזָר; indeclinable; Aaron's son and successor as high priest; his presence gives the tribunal its priestly-oracular authority alongside Moses' prophetic role.
τοῦtheGenitivearticle (with ἱερέως)→ noun-phrase markingτοῦ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ἱερέωςpriestGenitivegenitive in apposition to Ελεαζαρ→ relational specificationἱερεύς: 'priest'; renders כֹּהֵן; the title marks Eleazar's official cultic capacity in the tribunal that adjudicates the inheritance question.
καὶandcoordinate conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
ἔναντιbeforepreposition + genitive (third occurrence)→ spatial or relational framingἔναντι: meaning 'before'; here it marks the relation signaled by preposition + genitive (third occurrence).
τῶνtheGenitivearticle (with ἀρχόντων)→ noun-phrase markingτῶν: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ἀρχόντωνheads / chiefsGenitivegenitive object of ἔναντι (the tribal tribunal)→ relational specificationἄρχων (gen. pl.): the tribal chiefs forming the receiving body; the same noun used of the petitioners (οἱ ἄρχοντες) now denotes the wider assembly of clan-leaders, framing this as an inter-tribal matter.
οἴκωνof housesGenitivegenitive (of the ancestral houses)→ relational specificationοἶκος: 'house / household'; here in the technical sense of an ancestral lineage-unit; the construction οἴκων πατριῶν renders בֵּית אָבוֹת ('houses of fathers'), the standard term for the kinship subdivisions of a tribe.
πατριῶνof ancestral familiesGenitivegenitive (defining οἴκων: 'houses of ancestral lines')→ relational specificationπατριά: 'ancestral line / paternal family'; renders אָב in the genealogical-administrative sense; with οἶκος it forms the fixed phrase 'ancestral houses', the kinship matrix within which inheritance is reckoned.
υἱῶνof the sonsGenitivegenitive of relationship (of the sons of Israel)→ relational specificationυἱῶν: meaning 'of the sons'; it serves as genitive of relationship (of the sons of Israel).
ΙσραηλIsraelgenitive of relationship (indeclinable proper noun)→ participant identificationΙσραηλ: transliteration of Hebrew יִשְׂרָאֵל; indeclinable; the covenant people whose tribal allotments are the subject of the entire legal ruling.
2
καὶ εἶπαν τῷ κυρίῳ ἡμῶν ἐνετείλατο κύριος ἀποδοῦναι τὴν γῆν τῆς κληρονομίας ἐν κλήρῳ τοῖς υἱοῖς Ισραηλ καὶ τῷ κυρίῳ συνέταξεν κύριος δοῦναι τὴν κληρονομίαν Σαλπααδ τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ ἡμῶν ταῖς θυγατράσιν αὐτοῦ
And they said, 'The LORD commanded our lord to give the land of the inheritance by lot to the sons of Israel, and the LORD instructed our lord to give the inheritance of Zelophehad our brother to his daughters.'
The petitioners ground their objection by citing two prior divine commands: the general allotment-by-lot (ch. 26) and the specific grant to Zelophehad's daughters (ch. 27). Note the wordplay: τῷ κυρίῳ ἡμῶν ('our lord' = Moses) stands beside κύριος (the LORD), the human authority deriving from the divine. The double verb ἐνετείλατο … συνέταξεν stresses that both rulings are settled divine decrees.
Word-by-word analysis· 32 words
καὶandnarrative conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
εἶπανthey saidAor Act Indic 3 Pl · λέγωmain verb (speech-introduction)→ constative aorist (single speech-act)λέγω: 'say'; the late/Koine first-aorist form εἶπαν (for classical εἶπον) is standard in the LXX; introduces the direct-speech content of the petition.
τῷthe / toDativearticle (with κυρίῳ)→ noun-phrase markingτῷ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
κυρίῳlordDativedative (indirect object of ἐνετείλατο: 'commanded our lord')→ sphere or referenceκύριος: here in its ordinary sense 'lord / master' as a respectful address for Moses (τῷ κυρίῳ ἡμῶν, 'our lord'), distinct from the divine κύριος (the Tetragrammaton) in the same clause; renders אֲדֹנִי, the deferential form used to a superior.
ἡμῶνourGenitivegenitive of possession (modifying κυρίῳ)→ relational specificationἐγώ (gen. pl. ἡμῶν): the petitioners' deferential 'our lord' addresses Moses as their recognized authority and mediator of the divine command.
ἐνετείλατοcommandedAor Mid Indic 3 Sg · ἐντέλλομαιmain verb of cited divine command→ constative aorist (settled past decree)ἐντέλλομαι: 'command / charge / give orders'; renders צִוָּה; the standard LXX verb for an authoritative divine injunction; here it cites the prior command (Num 26:52–56) that the land be apportioned by lot.
κύριοςLORDNominativesubject (the divine commander)→ participant prominenceκύριος: the standard LXX rendering of the Tetragrammaton יהוה; the subject of both ἐνετείλατο and συνέταξεν — the deity whose two decrees the petition cites; contrast the human τῷ κυρίῳ ('our lord') addressed in the same verse.
ἀποδοῦναιto give / renderAor Act Inf · ἀποδίδωμιcomplementary infinitive (content of the command)→ aorist infinitive (the act commanded, viewed as a whole)ἀποδίδωμι: 'give back / render / assign'; the compound ἀπο- suggests rendering what is due — the land allotted as a rightful portion; here the act of apportioning the inheritance-land by lot.
τὴνtheAccusativearticle (with γῆν)→ noun-phrase markingτὴν: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
γῆνlandAccusativedirect object of ἀποδοῦναι→ object specificationγῆ: 'land / earth'; renders אֶרֶץ; here the promised land as the object of allotment; γῆ τῆς κληρονομίας ('land of the inheritance') is the territorial substance distributed among the tribes.
τῆςthe / of theGenitivearticle (with κληρονομίας)→ noun-phrase markingτῆς: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
κληρονομίαςof inheritanceGenitivegenitive of definition (the land that constitutes the inheritance)→ relational specificationκληρονομία: 'inheritance / heritage / allotted possession'; renders נַחֲלָה; the keyword of the chapter (8× in vv. 2–12); denotes the inalienable tribal land-portion whose transmission the whole ruling protects.
ἐνby / inpreposition + dative (instrumental: 'by lot')→ spatial or relational framingἐν: meaning 'by'; here it marks the relation signaled by preposition + dative (instrumental: 'by lot').
κλήρῳlotDativedative of means (the method of allotment)→ sphere or referenceκλῆρος: 'lot / allotment / portion assigned by lot'; renders גּוֹרָל; the sacral lot by which Yahweh assigns each tribe its territory (Num 26:55–56); the cognate of κληρονομία, binding the means (κλῆρος) to the result (κληρονομία).
τοῖςthe / to theDativearticle (with υἱοῖς)→ noun-phrase markingτοῖς: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
υἱοῖςto the sonsDativedative (indirect object of ἀποδοῦναι: the recipients of the land)→ sphere or referenceυἱός (dat. pl.): the sons of Israel as the corporate recipients of the apportioned land.
ΙσραηλIsraelgenitive of relationship (indeclinable proper noun)→ participant identificationΙσραηλ: transliterated proper name rendered in Greek letters; here it functions as genitive of relationship (indeclinable proper noun).
καὶandcoordinate conjunction (joining the two cited decrees)→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
τῷthe / toDativearticle (with κυρίῳ)→ noun-phrase markingτῷ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
κυρίῳlordDativedative (indirect object of συνέταξεν: 'instructed our lord')→ sphere or referenceκύριος: again the deferential 'our lord' = Moses (the possessive ἡμῶν of the parallel clause is understood); the human authority through whom the second decree was given.
συνέταξενinstructed / appointedAor Act Indic 3 Sg · συντάσσωmain verb of the second cited command→ constative aorist (settled past decree)συντάσσω: 'arrange / give orders / appoint'; a near-synonym of ἐντέλλομαι; renders צִוָּה; here it cites the specific ruling of Num 27:7 that Zelophehad's daughters should inherit; the variation ἐνετείλατο … συνέταξεν is stylistic, both denoting authoritative divine decree.
κύριοςLORDNominativesubject (the divine commander, second clause)→ participant prominenceκύριος: the Tetragrammaton; subject of συνέταξεν, citing the second of the two prior divine rulings on which the petition rests.
δοῦναιto giveAor Act Inf · δίδωμιcomplementary infinitive (content of the second command)→ aorist infinitive (the act commanded, viewed as a whole)δίδωμι: 'give'; renders נָתַן; the act of conveying Zelophehad's inheritance to his daughters — the very ruling whose unintended consequence the petitioners now raise.
τὴνtheAccusativearticle (with κληρονομίαν)→ noun-phrase markingτὴν: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
κληρονομίανinheritanceAccusativedirect object of δοῦναι→ object specificationκληρονομία: 'inheritance'; here Zelophehad's specific land-portion, the object of the daughters' claim in ch. 27 and the focal point of the present anxiety about inter-tribal transfer.
Σαλπααδof Zelophehadgenitive of relationship (indeclinable proper noun)→ participant identificationΣαλπααδ: the LXX transliteration of Hebrew צְלָפְחָד (Zelophehad); indeclinable; the deceased kinsman of Gilead whose only heirs were daughters (Num 26:33; 27:1); his land is the test-case for the whole inheritance rule.
τοῦtheGenitivearticle (with ἀδελφοῦ)→ noun-phrase markingτοῦ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ἀδελφοῦbrotherGenitivegenitive in apposition to Σαλπααδ ('our brother')→ relational specificationἀδελφός: 'brother / kinsman'; renders אָח; used broadly of a fellow clan-member; the petitioners call Zelophehad 'our brother' to assert their kinship-stake in keeping his land within Gilead.
ἡμῶνourGenitivegenitive of possession (modifying ἀδελφοῦ)→ relational specificationἡμῶν: meaning 'our'; pronoun marking person, possession, or reference within the clause; here it functions as genitive of possession (modifying ἀδελφοῦ).
ταῖςthe / to theDativearticle (with θυγατράσιν)→ noun-phrase markingταῖς: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
θυγατράσινto the daughtersDativedative (indirect object of δοῦναι: the heirs)→ sphere or referenceθυγάτηρ (dat. pl. θυγατράσιν): 'daughter'; renders בַּת; the five daughters of Zelophehad, the unprecedented female heirs whose marriage now threatens to alienate the family land.
αὐτοῦhisGenitivegenitive of possession (Zelophehad's daughters)→ relational specificationαὐτοῦ: meaning 'his'; pronoun marking person, possession, or reference within the clause; here it functions as genitive of possession (Zelophehad's daughters).
3
καὶ ἔσονται ἑνὶ τῶν φυλῶν υἱῶν Ισραηλ γυναῖκες καὶ ἀφαιρεθήσεται ὁ κλῆρος αὐτῶν ἐκ τῆς κατασχέσεως τῶν πατέρων ἡμῶν καὶ προστεθήσεται εἰς κληρονομίαν τῆς φυλῆς οἷς ἂν γένωνται γυναῖκες καὶ ἐκ τοῦ κλήρου τῆς κληρονομίας ἡμῶν ἀφαιρεθήσεται
And if they become wives to one of the tribes of the sons of Israel, then their lot will be subtracted from the possession of our fathers and added to the inheritance of the tribe into which they marry; and so from the lot of our inheritance it will be subtracted.
The crux of the petition: a paratactic conditional ('and they become wives … and the lot is subtracted …') spells out the unintended consequence of ch. 27's ruling. The verbs ἀφαιρεθήσεται ('will be taken away') and προστεθήσεται ('will be added') form an antithetical pair — loss to Manasseh, gain to the marrying tribe. The clause is framed with the possessive 'our fathers / our inheritance', voicing the clan's territorial self-interest.
Word-by-word analysis· 37 words
καὶand / but ifparatactic conjunction (Hebraizing conditional: 'and if')→ discourse linkage or contrastκαί: here introduces a paratactic protasis — the Hebraic idiom וְהָיוּ ('and they shall become') functioning as a conditional 'if they become'; the apodosis follows in the next καί-clause.
ἔσονταιthey will becomeFut Mid Indic 3 Pl · εἰμίverb of the protasis ('if they become wives')→ predictive future (hypothetical case posed)εἰμί (fut. ἔσομαι): 'be / become'; the idiom ἔσονται … γυναῖκες ('they shall be wives [to]') renders הָיוּ … לְנָשִׁים, the standard Hebrew expression for entering marriage; the subject is Zelophehad's daughters.
ἑνὶto oneDativedative (the tribe married into: 'wives to one [tribe]')→ sphere or referenceεἷς (dat. ἑνί): 'one'; the numeral marks the single other tribe into which the daughters might marry; the dative depends on the marriage-idiom ἔσονται … γυναῖκες.
τῶνof theGenitivearticle (with φυλῶν)→ noun-phrase markingτῶν: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
φυλῶνof the tribesGenitivepartitive genitive (one out of the tribes)→ relational specificationφυλή (gen. pl.): the tribes of Israel; partitive 'one of the tribes' — i.e. any tribe other than the daughters' own.
υἱῶνof the sonsGenitivegenitive of relationship→ relational specificationυἱῶν: meaning 'of the sons'; it serves as genitive of relationship.
ΙσραηλIsraelgenitive of relationship (indeclinable proper noun)→ participant identificationΙσραηλ: transliterated proper name rendered in Greek letters; here it functions as genitive of relationship (indeclinable proper noun).
γυναῖκεςwivesNominativepredicate nominative (with ἔσονται: 'become wives')→ participant prominenceγυνή: 'woman / wife'; renders אִשָּׁה; the predicate of the marriage-idiom; the plural marks the daughters collectively entering marriage outside the tribe.
καὶand / thenparatactic conjunction (introducing the apodosis)→ discourse linkage or contrastκαί: introduces the consequence ('then their lot will be subtracted'), the apodosis of the Hebraizing conditional.
ἀφαιρεθήσεταιwill be subtractedFut Pass Indic 3 Sg · ἀφαιρέωmain verb of the apodosis (passive: 'will be taken away')→ predictive future passive (the feared outcome)ἀφαιρέω: 'take away / remove / subtract'; renders גָּרַע / נָסַע; the divine-passive future expresses the inexorable legal effect — the land-lot is withdrawn from the clan's holding; the verb recurs (vv. 3 ×2, 4) as the leitmotif of feared loss.
ὁtheNominativearticle (with κλῆρος)→ noun-phrase markingὁ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
κλῆροςlot / allotmentNominativesubject of ἀφαιρεθήσεται→ participant prominenceκλῆρος: 'lot / allotted portion'; here the concrete land-parcel assigned by lot to Zelophehad's line; its 'subtraction' from Gilead's holding is the precise harm the petition foresees.
αὐτῶνtheirGenitivegenitive of possession (the daughters' lot)→ relational specificationαὐτῶν: meaning 'their'; pronoun marking person, possession, or reference within the clause; here it functions as genitive of possession (the daughters' lot).
ἐκfrompreposition + genitive (separation)→ spatial or relational framingἐκ: meaning 'from'; here it marks the relation signaled by preposition + genitive (separation).
τῆςthe / of theGenitivearticle (with κατασχέσεως)→ noun-phrase markingτῆς: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
κατασχέσεωςpossessionGenitivegenitive of separation (from which the lot is removed)→ relational specificationκατάσχεσις: 'possession / holding / property'; renders אֲחֻזָּה, the technical term for permanent, inalienable land-tenure (Lev 25:13–34); its use here invokes the Jubilee land-theology: the lot belongs to the ancestral 'possession' and must not be permanently severed from it.
τῶνof theGenitivearticle (with πατέρων)→ noun-phrase markingτῶν: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
πατέρωνof the fathersGenitivegenitive of possession (the ancestral possession)→ relational specificationπατήρ (gen. pl.): 'father'; the 'possession of our fathers' is the patrimonial land held by the clan since the conquest-allotment; the appeal to the fathers underscores the inalienability claim.
ἡμῶνourGenitivegenitive of possession (modifying πατέρων)→ relational specificationἡμῶν: meaning 'our'; pronoun marking person, possession, or reference within the clause; here it functions as genitive of possession (modifying πατέρων).
καὶandcoordinate conjunction (the counterpart effect)→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
προστεθήσεταιwill be addedFut Pass Indic 3 Sg · προστίθημιmain verb (passive: 'will be added')→ predictive future passive (the gain to the other tribe)προστίθημι: 'add / put to / join'; renders יָסַף / נוֹסַף; the antithetical counterpart of ἀφαιρέω — what is subtracted from Manasseh is added to the marrying tribe; the loss/gain pair (ἀφαιρεθήσεται / προστεθήσεται) frames the zero-sum inter-tribal transfer.
εἰςto / intopreposition + accusative (direction of accrual)→ spatial or relational framingεἰς: meaning 'to'; here it marks the relation signaled by preposition + accusative (direction of accrual).
κληρονομίανinheritanceAccusativeaccusative object of εἰς (the inheritance it accrues to)→ object specificationκληρονομία: the receiving tribe's heritage, now augmented at Manasseh's expense — the inter-tribal shift the ruling will prohibit.
τῆςof theGenitivearticle (with φυλῆς)→ noun-phrase markingτῆς: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
φυλῆςof the tribeGenitivegenitive of possession (the tribe married into)→ relational specificationφυλή: the tribe into which the daughters marry, which gains the alienated land.
οἷςto whomDativerelative pronoun (dative with marriage-idiom: 'to whom they become wives')→ participant reference or interestὅς (dat. pl. οἷς): relative pronoun; the antecedent is the men of the receiving tribe; the dative again governs the marriage-idiom γένωνται γυναῖκες ('become wives to').
ἂνevermodal particle (with subjunctive: indefiniteness)→ discourse linkage or contrastἄν: modal particle marking the relative clause as indefinite/contingent ('whoever they may marry'); with the subjunctive γένωνται it generalizes the case.
γένωνταιthey becomeAor Mid Subj 3 Pl · γίνομαιverb of indefinite relative clause→ aorist subjunctive (contingent eventuality)γίνομαι: 'become'; with γυναῖκες, the marriage-idiom 'become wives'; the aorist subjunctive under ἄν marks the hypothetical, generalized marriage-event.
γυναῖκεςwivesNominativepredicate nominative (with γένωνται)→ participant prominenceγυνή: 'wife'; predicate of the marriage-idiom within the relative clause.
καὶand / socoordinate conjunction (resumptive summary)→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
ἐκfrompreposition + genitive (separation, resumptive)→ spatial or relational framingἐκ: meaning 'from'; here it marks the relation signaled by preposition + genitive (separation, resumptive).
τοῦthe / of theGenitivearticle (with κλήρου)→ noun-phrase markingτοῦ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
κλήρουlotGenitivegenitive of separation (resumptive: 'from the lot of our inheritance')→ relational specificationκλῆρος: the allotted portion again; the resumptive clause restates the loss for emphasis — the land is removed precisely 'from the lot of our inheritance.'
τῆςof theGenitivearticle (with κληρονομίας)→ noun-phrase markingτῆς: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
κληρονομίαςof inheritanceGenitivegenitive of definition (the lot belonging to the inheritance)→ relational specificationκληρονομία: the clan's heritage from which the lot is subtracted; the pairing κλῆρος τῆς κληρονομίας binds the concrete parcel to the corporate heritage.
ἡμῶνourGenitivegenitive of possession (modifying κληρονομίας)→ relational specificationἡμῶν: meaning 'our'; pronoun marking person, possession, or reference within the clause; here it functions as genitive of possession (modifying κληρονομίας).
ἀφαιρεθήσεταιit will be subtractedFut Pass Indic 3 Sg · ἀφαιρέωmain verb (resumptive repetition of the loss)→ predictive future passive (emphatic restatement)ἀφαιρέω: 'take away'; the repetition of ἀφαιρεθήσεται at the verse's close rhetorically seals the petition's fear — the loss is stated, expanded, and restated, hammering the point that Manasseh's land will be diminished.
4
ἐὰν δὲ γένηται ἡ ἄφεσις τῶν υἱῶν Ισραηλ καὶ προστεθήσεται ἡ κληρονομία αὐτῶν ἐπὶ τὴν κληρονομίαν τῆς φυλῆς οἷς ἂν γένωνται γυναῖκες καὶ ἀπὸ τῆς κληρονομίας φυλῆς πατριᾶς ἡμῶν ἀφαιρεθήσεται ἡ κληρονομία αὐτῶν
And if the release of the sons of Israel comes, then their inheritance will be added to the inheritance of the tribe into which they marry, and from the inheritance of the tribe of our ancestral house their inheritance will be subtracted.
The decisive aggravation: ἄφεσις (the Jubilee 'release') is the very institution meant to restore alienated land — but here it works the opposite way, since at the Jubilee land reverts to its current holder's clan, permanently fixing the transfer to the marrying tribe. The conditional ἐὰν δέ + subjunctive (γένηται) poses the Jubilee as the moment the temporary alienation becomes irreversible, completing the legal problem before YHWH's resolution in vv. 5–9.
Word-by-word analysis· 33 words
ἐὰνifconditional conjunction (+ subjunctive: future-more-vivid)→ discourse linkage or contrastἐάν: 'if'; introduces a conditional protasis with the subjunctive (γένηται); here it poses the arrival of the Jubilee as the hinge on which permanent alienation turns.
δὲand / nowmild adversative / continuative (post-positive)→ discourse linkage or contrastδέ: post-positive particle advancing the argument to its decisive stage — the Jubilee scenario.
γένηταιcomes / arrivesAor Mid Subj 3 Sg · γίνομαιverb of the protasis ('if the release comes')→ aorist subjunctive (contingent future event)γίνομαι: 'come to be / happen / arrive'; here of the Jubilee 'coming' — the recurring fiftieth-year release; the subjunctive under ἐάν marks it as a certain-but-future contingency.
ἡtheNominativearticle (with ἄφεσις)→ noun-phrase markingἡ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ἄφεσιςrelease / JubileeNominativesubject of γένηται→ participant prominenceἄφεσις: 'release / remission / liberation'; the standard LXX rendering of both יוֹבֵל (Jubilee) and דְּרוֹר (liberty) in the land-release legislation of Lev 25:10–13; the supreme irony of the petition is that the ἄφεσις, designed to restore land to its original holders, here permanently confirms the alienation, because at the Jubilee land reverts to the clan currently holding it, not to the original tribe.
τῶνof theGenitivearticle (with υἱῶν)→ noun-phrase markingτῶν: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
υἱῶνof the sonsGenitivegenitive (the release belonging to / observed by Israel)→ relational specificationυἱός (gen. pl.): the sons of Israel as the community among whom the Jubilee-release operates.
ΙσραηλIsraelgenitive of relationship (indeclinable proper noun)→ participant identificationΙσραηλ: transliterated proper name rendered in Greek letters; here it functions as genitive of relationship (indeclinable proper noun).
καὶand / thenparatactic conjunction (apodosis)→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
προστεθήσεταιwill be addedFut Pass Indic 3 Sg · προστίθημιmain verb of apodosis (passive)→ predictive future passive (permanent accrual at the Jubilee)προστίθημι: 'add'; here the addition becomes permanent at the Jubilee — the receiving tribe's heritage is augmented for good, the loss/gain (προστεθήσεται / ἀφαιρεθήσεται) pair recurring from v. 3 but now sealed by the release.
ἡtheNominativearticle (with κληρονομία)→ noun-phrase markingἡ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
κληρονομίαinheritanceNominativesubject of προστεθήσεται→ participant prominenceκληρονομία: the daughters' inherited land, now (at the Jubilee) permanently joined to the marrying tribe's holdings.
αὐτῶνtheirGenitivegenitive of possession (the daughters' inheritance)→ relational specificationαὐτῶν: meaning 'their'; pronoun marking person, possession, or reference within the clause; here it functions as genitive of possession (the daughters' inheritance).
ἐπὶto / ontopreposition + accusative (direction of accrual)→ spatial or relational framingἐπὶ: meaning 'to'; here it marks the relation signaled by preposition + accusative (direction of accrual).
τὴνtheAccusativearticle (with κληρονομίαν)→ noun-phrase markingτὴν: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
κληρονομίανinheritanceAccusativeaccusative object of ἐπί (the heritage it joins)→ object specificationκληρονομία: the receiving tribe's inheritance onto which the daughters' land is permanently grafted at the Jubilee.
τῆςof theGenitivearticle (with φυλῆς)→ noun-phrase markingτῆς: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
φυλῆςof the tribeGenitivegenitive of possession (the marrying tribe)→ relational specificationφυλή: the tribe married into, the permanent beneficiary of the transfer at the Jubilee.
οἷςto whomDativerelative pronoun (dative with marriage-idiom)→ participant reference or interestὅς (dat. pl.): relative pronoun; the men of the receiving tribe, governing the marriage-idiom γένωνται γυναῖκες as in v. 3.
ἂνevermodal particle (indefiniteness with subjunctive)→ discourse linkage or contrastἂν: meaning 'ever'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
γένωνταιthey becomeAor Mid Subj 3 Pl · γίνομαιverb of indefinite relative clause→ aorist subjunctive (contingent eventuality)γίνομαι: marriage-idiom 'become wives'; repeated verbatim from v. 3, knitting the two-stage argument (immediate transfer / Jubilee permanence) into one continuous case.
γυναῖκεςwivesNominativepredicate nominative (with γένωνται)→ participant prominenceγυνή: 'wife'; predicate of the marriage-idiom.
καὶandcoordinate conjunction (the counterpart loss)→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
ἀπὸfrompreposition + genitive (separation)→ spatial or relational framingἀπὸ: meaning 'from'; here it marks the relation signaled by preposition + genitive (separation).
τῆςthe / of theGenitivearticle (with κληρονομίας)→ noun-phrase markingτῆς: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
κληρονομίαςinheritanceGenitivegenitive of separation (from which the land is removed)→ relational specificationκληρονομία: the clan's own heritage, permanently diminished at the Jubilee.
φυλῆςof the tribeGenitivegenitive (defining: the tribe of our ancestral house)→ relational specificationφυλή: here the petitioners' own tribe (Manasseh), specified by πατριᾶς ἡμῶν.
πατριᾶςof ancestral houseGenitivegenitive of definition (the ancestral line of the tribe)→ relational specificationπατριά: 'ancestral house / paternal line'; the phrase φυλῆς πατριᾶς ἡμῶν ('the tribe of our ancestral house') stresses lineal patrimony — it is the fathers' inheritance that stands to be permanently reduced.
ἡμῶνourGenitivegenitive of possession (modifying πατριᾶς)→ relational specificationἡμῶν: meaning 'our'; pronoun marking person, possession, or reference within the clause; here it functions as genitive of possession (modifying πατριᾶς).
ἀφαιρεθήσεταιwill be subtractedFut Pass Indic 3 Sg · ἀφαιρέωmain verb (passive: the permanent loss)→ predictive future passive (the sealed diminution)ἀφαιρέω: 'take away'; the verse and the whole petition close on this verb of loss, now rendered irreversible by the Jubilee — the rhetorical climax that demands a divine ruling.
ἡtheNominativearticle (with κληρονομία)→ noun-phrase markingἡ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
κληρονομίαinheritanceNominativesubject of ἀφαιρεθήσεται→ participant prominenceκληρονομία: the daughters' inheritance, subject of the final loss-verb; its repetition (κληρονομία … κληρονομία) frames the verse around the heritage permanently lost to Manasseh.
αὐτῶνtheirGenitivegenitive of possession (the daughters' inheritance)→ relational specificationαὐτῶν: meaning 'their'; pronoun marking person, possession, or reference within the clause; here it functions as genitive of possession (the daughters' inheritance).
5
καὶ ἐνετείλατο Μωυσῆς τοῖς υἱοῖς Ισραηλ διὰ προστάγματος κυρίου λέγων οὕτως φυλὴ υἱῶν Ιωσηφ λέγουσιν
And Moses commanded the sons of Israel by the ordinance of the LORD, saying, 'Thus the tribe of the sons of Joseph speak rightly.'
The pivot from petition to ruling. Moses commands 'by the ordinance of the LORD' (διὰ προστάγματος κυρίου), marking the answer as an authoritative oracular decree, not Moses' own judgment — paralleling 27:5–6, where Moses brought the daughters' case before the LORD. The clause φυλὴ υἱῶν Ιωσηφ λέγουσιν ('the tribe of Joseph speak [rightly]') affirms the petitioners' objection as valid before the corrective is given.
Word-by-word analysis· 15 words
καὶandnarrative conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
ἐνετείλατοcommandedAor Mid Indic 3 Sg · ἐντέλλομαιmain verb (Moses issues the ruling)→ constative aorist (single authoritative decree)ἐντέλλομαι: 'command / charge'; the same verb used in v. 2 of the LORD's prior decrees now describes Moses' promulgation of the answer — the human command faithfully transmits the divine πρόσταγμα.
ΜωυσῆςMosesNominativesubject→ participant prominenceΜωυσῆς: the legislator-mediator; he commands not on his own authority but διὰ προστάγματος κυρίου, the formula that subordinates his ruling to the divine word.
τοῖςthe / to theDativearticle (with υἱοῖς)→ noun-phrase markingτοῖς: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
υἱοῖςto the sonsDativedative (indirect object of ἐνετείλατο: the recipients of the command)→ sphere or referenceυἱός (dat. pl.): the sons of Israel as the corporate addressees of the binding ruling.
ΙσραηλIsraelgenitive of relationship (indeclinable proper noun)→ participant identificationΙσραηλ: transliterated proper name rendered in Greek letters; here it functions as genitive of relationship (indeclinable proper noun).
διὰby / throughpreposition + genitive (instrumental: mediating authority)→ spatial or relational framingδιά + genitive: 'through / by means of'; the phrase διὰ προστάγματος κυρίου marks the ruling's source as the divine ordinance, transmitted through Moses.
προστάγματοςordinance / decreeGenitivegenitive object of διά (the mediating decree)→ relational specificationπρόσταγμα: 'ordinance / command / decree'; renders פֶּה ('mouth / command') in the formula עַל־פִּי יְהוָה ('according to the mouth of the LORD'); the term casts the ruling as a formal, oracular statute of YHWH.
κυρίουof the LORDGenitivegenitive of source (the LORD's ordinance)→ relational specificationκύριος: the Tetragrammaton; the ordinance is the LORD's, guaranteeing the ruling's binding, revelatory character.
λέγωνsayingPres Act Ptcp Nom Sg Masc · λέγωcircumstantial participle (introducing direct speech)→ imperfective participle (speech-framing redundancy: Hebraism)λέγω (pres. ptcp.): the participle λέγων renders the Hebrew infinitive לֵאמֹר ('saying'), the standard LXX device for introducing direct discourse after a verb of commanding.
οὕτωςthus / rightlyadverb (affirming the petition: 'so [they speak] rightly')→ adverbial qualificationοὕτως: 'thus / so / in this way'; here it functions to endorse the petitioners' claim — 'the tribe of Joseph speak thus [correctly]'; cf. the parallel affirmation at 27:7 (ὀρθῶς … λελαλήκασιν), where the daughters' suit is likewise upheld.
φυλὴtribeNominativesubject of λέγουσιν→ participant prominenceφυλή: 'tribe'; the tribe of the sons of Joseph (= Manasseh) as corporate petitioner; the singular collective noun takes a plural verb (λέγουσιν) by constructio ad sensum.
υἱῶνof the sonsGenitivegenitive of relationship→ relational specificationυἱῶν: meaning 'of the sons'; it serves as genitive of relationship.
ΙωσηφJosephgenitive of relationship (indeclinable proper noun)→ participant identificationΙωσηφ: the tribe is named by its patriarch Joseph rather than Manasseh, broadening the affirmation to the whole Josephite house whose allotment is in view.
λέγουσινspeak / sayPres Act Indic 3 Pl · λέγωmain verb of the affirming clause (constructio ad sensum)→ gnomic/descriptive present (their standing claim)λέγω (pres.): the plural verb with the singular collective φυλή construes the tribe as its constituent members; the present affirms the validity of the petition as it stands ('the tribe of Joseph say [rightly]').
6
τοῦτο τὸ ῥῆμα ὃ συνέταξεν κύριος ταῖς θυγατράσιν Σαλπααδ λέγων οὗ ἀρέσκει ἐναντίον αὐτῶν ἔστωσαν γυναῖκες πλὴν ἐκ τοῦ δήμου τοῦ πατρὸς αὐτῶν ἔστωσαν γυναῖκες
This is the word which the LORD instructed concerning the daughters of Zelophehad, saying: Let them be wives to whomever pleases them, only let them be wives within the clan of their father.
The cataphoric τοῦτο τὸ ῥῆμα ('this is the word') formally introduces the divine statute. The ruling balances freedom and limit: the daughters may marry οὗ ἀρέσκει ('whom they please') — a remarkable concession of personal choice — but qualified by πλήν ('only / except') restricting the choice ἐκ τοῦ δήμου τοῦ πατρὸς αὐτῶν ('within their father's clan'). The double ἔστωσαν γυναῖκες frames the concession and its limit.
Word-by-word analysis· 25 words
τοῦτοthisNominativedemonstrative pronoun (subject, cataphoric)→ participant referenceοὗτος: 'this'; the cataphoric neuter τοῦτο points forward to the ruling that follows; τοῦτο τὸ ῥῆμα ('this is the word') is a solemn statute-introducing formula.
τὸtheNominativearticle (with ῥῆμα)→ noun-phrase markingτὸ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ῥῆμαword / matterNominativepredicate nominative (the divine pronouncement)→ participant referenceῥῆμα: 'word / saying / matter'; renders דָּבָר; in legal contexts 'the word / the thing decreed'; here the authoritative divine ruling on the daughters' marriages.
ὃwhichAccusativerelative pronoun (object of συνέταξεν)→ participant referenceὅς: relative pronoun; introduces the clause specifying that this word is the LORD's own decree.
συνέταξενinstructed / appointedAor Act Indic 3 Sg · συντάσσωverb of relative clause (the LORD's decreeing)→ constative aorist (authoritative decree)συντάσσω: 'appoint / order / give instruction'; the same verb used of the LORD's prior command in v. 2, here introducing the corrective statute concerning the daughters.
κύριοςLORDNominativesubject of συνέταξεν (the divine decreer)→ participant prominenceκύριος: the Tetragrammaton; the source of the ruling, underscoring its binding authority.
ταῖςthe / to theDativearticle (with θυγατράσιν)→ noun-phrase markingταῖς: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
θυγατράσινconcerning the daughtersDativedative of reference (the ruling's beneficiaries)→ sphere or referenceθυγάτηρ (dat. pl.): 'daughter'; the dative marks the daughters of Zelophehad as the parties to whom / concerning whom the statute is issued.
Σαλπααδof Zelophehadgenitive of relationship (indeclinable proper noun)→ participant identificationΣαλπααδ: LXX form of צְלָפְחָד; the daughters are identified by their father, the original landholder whose inheritance is at stake.
λέγωνsayingPres Act Ptcp Nom Sg Masc · λέγωcircumstantial participle (introducing direct speech)→ imperfective participle (speech-framing: Hebraism)λέγω (pres. ptcp.): renders לֵאמֹר; introduces the content of the divine statute that follows.
οὗto whomGenitiverelative pronoun (with ἀρέσκει: 'whom it pleases [them]')→ relational specificationὅς (gen. οὗ): relative pronoun; the construction οὗ ἀρέσκει ἐναντίον αὐτῶν ('to whomever is pleasing before them') grants the daughters freedom of choice within the prescribed limit; the genitive depends on the impersonal ἀρέσκει.
ἀρέσκειis pleasingPres Act Indic 3 Sg · ἀρέσκωverb of relative clause (impersonal: 'whom it pleases')→ gnomic present (standing permission)ἀρέσκω: 'please / be agreeable to'; renders יָטַב בְּעֵינֵי / טוֹב; the clause grants the daughters genuine personal choice of husband — a notable concession — bounded only by the tribal-endogamy requirement.
ἐναντίονbefore / in the sight ofpreposition + genitive (evaluative perspective: Hebraism)→ spatial or relational framingἐναντίον: 'before / in the eyes of'; Hebraism for the seat of judgment/preference (בְּעֵינֵי); 'pleasing before them' = 'whom they themselves judge good', locating the choice in the daughters' own estimation.
αὐτῶνthemGenitivegenitive object of ἐναντίον (the daughters)→ relational specificationαὐτῶν: meaning 'them'; pronoun marking person, possession, or reference within the clause; here it functions as genitive object of ἐναντίον (the daughters).
ἔστωσανlet them bePres Act Impv 3 Pl · εἰμίmain verb (third-person imperative granting the marriage)→ imperative of permission (concessive command: 'let them be')εἰμί (impv. ἔστωσαν): 'let them be'; the third-person imperative with γυναῖκες forms the marriage-idiom 'let them be wives [to]'; here a permissive imperative granting the daughters their choice of husband.
γυναῖκεςwivesNominativepredicate nominative (with ἔστωσαν)→ participant prominenceγυνή: 'wife'; the predicate of the marriage-idiom 'let them be wives'.
πλὴνonly / exceptrestrictive adverb/conjunction (limiting the concession)→ discourse linkage or contrastπλήν: 'only / except / nevertheless'; the hinge of the ruling — it restricts the freedom just granted: marry whomever you please, only within the father's clan; renders אַךְ ('only'), the standard limiting particle.
ἐκfrom / withinpreposition + genitive (membership/source: within the clan)→ spatial or relational framingἐκ: meaning 'from'; here it marks the relation signaled by preposition + genitive (membership/source: within the clan).
τοῦthe / of theGenitivearticle (with δήμου)→ noun-phrase markingτοῦ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
δήμουclanGenitivegenitive object of ἐκ (the clan they must marry within)→ relational specificationδῆμος: 'clan / kinship-group / division of the people'; renders מִשְׁפָּחָה, the sub-tribal lineage; the restriction ἐκ τοῦ δήμου τοῦ πατρὸς αὐτῶν ('within their father's clan') is the operative limit that keeps the land in the family lineage.
τοῦthe / of theGenitivearticle (with πατρὸς)→ noun-phrase markingτοῦ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
πατρὸςof the fatherGenitivegenitive of possession (the father's clan)→ relational specificationπατήρ (gen. πατρός): 'father'; the daughters' father Zelophehad, whose clan (δῆμος) defines the permitted marriage-pool; endogamy within the father's lineage secures the inheritance.
αὐτῶνtheirGenitivegenitive of possession (modifying πατρὸς)→ relational specificationαὐτῶν: meaning 'their'; pronoun marking person, possession, or reference within the clause; here it functions as genitive of possession (modifying πατρὸς).
ἔστωσανlet them bePres Act Impv 3 Pl · εἰμίmain verb (repeated imperative emphasizing the limit)→ imperative of command (the binding restriction restated)εἰμί (impv.): the repeated ἔστωσαν γυναῖκες now carries the restrictive force — 'let them be wives [only within the father's clan]'; the repetition frames the verse around the balance of freedom (first ἔστωσαν) and limit (second ἔστωσαν).
γυναῖκεςwivesNominativepredicate nominative (with second ἔστωσαν)→ participant prominenceγυνή: 'wife'; predicate of the restated marriage-idiom, sealing the endogamy requirement.
7
καὶ οὐχὶ περιστραφήσεται κληρονομία τοῖς υἱοῖς Ισραηλ ἀπὸ φυλῆς ἐπὶ φυλήν ὅτι ἕκαστος ἐν τῇ κληρονομίᾳ τῆς φυλῆς τῆς πατριᾶς αὐτοῦ προσκολληθήσονται οἱ υἱοὶ Ισραηλ
And the inheritance of the sons of Israel shall not turn from tribe to tribe, for the sons of Israel shall each cleave to the inheritance of his ancestral tribe.
The theological-legal axiom underlying the whole ruling: inheritance must not 'turn' (περιστραφήσεται) from one tribe to another. The ὅτι-clause supplies the reason: each Israelite is to 'cleave' (προσκολληθήσονται) to his ancestral tribe's allotment — using προσκολλάω, the verb of covenantal attachment (cf. Gen 2:24). The verse states the inheritance-integrity principle that vv. 8–9 will generalize and restate.
Word-by-word analysis· 25 words
καὶandcoordinate conjunction (introducing the rationale)→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
οὐχὶnotemphatic negation (with future indicative)→ clausal contributionοὐχί: the emphatic/strengthened form of οὐ ('not at all / by no means'); negates περιστραφήσεται with categorical force — under no circumstances shall the inheritance pass between tribes.
περιστραφήσεταιshall turn / be transferredFut Pass Indic 3 Sg · περιστρέφωmain verb (negated: the prohibited transfer)→ predictive/prescriptive future passive (categorical prohibition)περιστρέφω: 'turn around / turn about / revolve'; in the passive 'be turned/transferred'; renders סָבַב ('go around / be transferred'); the vivid 'turning' of land from tribe to tribe is precisely what the statute forbids; the verb recurs at v. 9 (κλῆρος … περιστραφήσεται), bracketing the ruling.
κληρονομίαinheritanceNominativesubject of περιστραφήσεται→ participant prominenceκληρονομία: 'inheritance'; the tribal land-portion that must remain fixed to its tribe — the subject whose 'turning' is prohibited.
τοῖςthe / for theDativearticle (with υἱοῖς)→ noun-phrase markingτοῖς: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
υἱοῖςfor the sonsDativedative of reference/possession (the inheritance belonging to Israel)→ sphere or referenceυἱός (dat. pl.): the sons of Israel; the dative marks the inheritance as theirs — Israel's tribal allotments must each stay with their own tribe.
ΙσραηλIsraelgenitive of relationship (indeclinable proper noun)→ participant identificationΙσραηλ: transliterated proper name rendered in Greek letters; here it functions as genitive of relationship (indeclinable proper noun).
ἀπὸfrompreposition + genitive (point of departure of the transfer)→ spatial or relational framingἀπό: the construction ἀπὸ φυλῆς ἐπὶ φυλήν ('from tribe to tribe') is the idiom for inter-tribal transfer; the prohibition targets exactly this movement.
φυλῆςtribeGenitivegenitive object of ἀπό (source tribe)→ relational specificationφυλή: the originating tribe from which the land would (illicitly) depart.
ἐπὶtopreposition + accusative (destination of the transfer)→ spatial or relational framingἐπὶ: meaning 'to'; here it marks the relation signaled by preposition + accusative (destination of the transfer).
φυλήνtribeAccusativeaccusative object of ἐπί (destination tribe)→ object specificationφυλή: the receiving tribe to which the land would (illicitly) pass; the ἀπὸ … ἐπί pair maps the forbidden trajectory.
ὅτιfor / becausecausal conjunction (introducing the rationale)→ discourse linkage or contrastὅτι: 'because / for'; introduces the reason the inheritance cannot transfer: each Israelite is bound to his own ancestral allotment.
ἕκαστοςeach oneNominativedistributive subject (in apposition to οἱ υἱοὶ Ισραηλ)→ participant prominenceἕκαστος: 'each / every one'; distributive, individualizing the corporate υἱοὶ Ισραηλ — every single Israelite stays attached to his own tribal land.
ἐνin / topreposition + dative (sphere of attachment)→ spatial or relational framingἐν: meaning 'in'; here it marks the relation signaled by preposition + dative (sphere of attachment).
τῇtheDativearticle (with κληρονομίᾳ)→ noun-phrase markingτῇ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
κληρονομίᾳinheritanceDativedative (the inheritance to which one cleaves; governed by προσκολληθήσονται)→ sphere or referenceκληρονομία: the ancestral allotment to which each Israelite is to remain attached; the dative is the object of attachment for προσκολλάω.
τῆςof theGenitivearticle (with φυλῆς)→ noun-phrase markingτῆς: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
φυλῆςof the tribeGenitivegenitive of possession (the inheritance of his tribe)→ relational specificationφυλή: the Israelite's own tribe, whose inheritance defines his lawful holding.
τῆςof theGenitivearticle (with πατριᾶς)→ noun-phrase markingτῆς: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
πατριᾶςancestral houseGenitivegenitive of definition (the tribe of his ancestral line)→ relational specificationπατριά: 'ancestral house / paternal line'; φυλῆς τῆς πατριᾶς αὐτοῦ ('the tribe of his ancestral house') specifies the lineage-bound character of the allotment — it belongs to the fathers and passes only within them.
αὐτοῦhisGenitivegenitive of possession (modifying πατριᾶς)→ relational specificationαὐτοῦ: meaning 'his'; pronoun marking person, possession, or reference within the clause; here it functions as genitive of possession (modifying πατριᾶς).
προσκολληθήσονταιshall cleave / be joinedFut Pass Indic 3 Pl · προσκολλάωmain verb of the ὅτι-clause (the binding attachment)→ prescriptive future passive (the required cleaving)προσκολλάω: 'glue to / cleave / attach firmly'; the passive 'be joined / cleave'; renders דָּבַק; the same verb of intimate covenantal bonding used in Gen 2:24 (a man cleaving to his wife) is here applied to an Israelite's bond with his ancestral land — the land-tie is as inviolable as the marriage-tie; the plural with distributive ἕκαστος is constructio ad sensum.
οἱtheNominativearticle (with υἱοὶ)→ noun-phrase markingοἱ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
υἱοὶsonsNominativesubject of προσκολληθήσονται→ participant prominenceυἱός (nom. pl.): the sons of Israel collectively; the plural subject resumes the distributive ἕκαστος — all of them, each to his own.
ΙσραηλIsraelgenitive of relationship (indeclinable proper noun)→ participant identificationΙσραηλ: transliterated proper name rendered in Greek letters; here it functions as genitive of relationship (indeclinable proper noun).
8
καὶ πᾶσα θυγάτηρ ἀγχιστεύουσα κληρονομίαν ἐκ τῶν φυλῶν υἱῶν Ισραηλ ἑνὶ τῶν ἐκ τοῦ δήμου τοῦ πατρὸς αὐτῆς ἔσονται γυναῖκες ἵνα ἀγχιστεύσωσιν οἱ υἱοὶ Ισραηλ ἕκαστος τὴν κληρονομίαν τὴν πατρικὴν αὐτοῦ
And every daughter who inherits an inheritance from the tribes of the sons of Israel shall become a wife to one of the clan of her father, so that the sons of Israel may each retain by kinship-right the inheritance of his father.
The case-specific ruling is now generalized to a universal statute: πᾶσα θυγάτηρ ('every daughter') who inherits, throughout all the tribes, must marry within her father's clan. The legal term ἀγχιστεύω (the verb of the kinsman-redeemer / next-of-kin right) appears twice — for the daughter who 'holds by kinship-right' and the purpose that the sons may 'retain by kinship-right' their fathers' land, invoking the gō'ēl-institution that keeps property within the family.
Word-by-word analysis· 31 words
καὶandcoordinate conjunction (introducing the general statute)→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
πᾶσαeveryNominativeattributive adjective (universalizing: 'every daughter')→ participant prominenceπᾶς (fem. πᾶσα): 'every / all'; generalizes the ruling beyond Zelophehad's daughters to every inheriting daughter in Israel, converting the case into permanent law.
θυγάτηρdaughterNominativesubject (the inheriting daughter)→ participant prominenceθυγάτηρ: 'daughter'; here any daughter who, lacking brothers, becomes heir to her father's land — the legal class the statute governs.
ἀγχιστεύουσαholding by kinship-right / inheritingPres Act Ptcp Nom Sg Fem · ἀγχιστεύωattributive participle (modifying θυγάτηρ: 'who inherits')→ imperfective participle (the standing condition of being heir)ἀγχιστεύω: 'act as next-of-kin / hold by right of kinship / inherit as nearest relative'; renders יָרַשׁ / גָּאַל in the inheritance-redemption sphere; the verb belongs to the gō'ēl ('kinsman-redeemer') vocabulary (cf. Lev 25:25; Ruth 3–4) that keeps land within the lineage; the participle marks the daughter as legal heir.
κληρονομίανan inheritanceAccusativedirect object of ἀγχιστεύουσα→ object specificationκληρονομία: the land-portion the daughter inherits by kinship-right; object of the participle ἀγχιστεύουσα.
ἐκfrom / ofpreposition + genitive (partitive/source)→ spatial or relational framingἐκ: meaning 'from'; here it marks the relation signaled by preposition + genitive (partitive/source).
τῶνof theGenitivearticle (with φυλῶν)→ noun-phrase markingτῶν: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
φυλῶνtribesGenitivepartitive genitive (from among the tribes)→ relational specificationφυλή (gen. pl.): the tribes of Israel; the statute applies across all of them — 'from [any of] the tribes of the sons of Israel.'
υἱῶνof the sonsGenitivegenitive of relationship→ relational specificationυἱῶν: meaning 'of the sons'; it serves as genitive of relationship.
ΙσραηλIsraelgenitive of relationship (indeclinable proper noun)→ participant identificationΙσραηλ: transliterated proper name rendered in Greek letters; here it functions as genitive of relationship (indeclinable proper noun).
ἑνὶto oneDativedative (the man married: 'a wife to one')→ sphere or referenceεἷς (dat. ἑνί): 'one'; the single man (of her father's clan) whom she is to marry; the dative governs the marriage-idiom ἔσονται γυναῖκες.
τῶνof thoseGenitivepartitive genitive (one of those from the clan)→ relational specificationὁ (gen. pl. τῶν): here substantival/partitive 'one of those [who are] from the clan of her father'; the article governs the following ἐκ-phrase.
ἐκfrom / ofpreposition + genitive (membership: within the clan)→ spatial or relational framingἐκ: meaning 'from'; here it marks the relation signaled by preposition + genitive (membership: within the clan).
τοῦthe / of theGenitivearticle (with δήμου)→ noun-phrase markingτοῦ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
δήμουclanGenitivegenitive object of ἐκ (her father's clan)→ relational specificationδῆμος: 'clan / kinship-group'; renders מִשְׁפָּחָה; the marriage must be within the father's δῆμος, the operative endogamy-unit keeping land in the lineage.
τοῦthe / of theGenitivearticle (with πατρὸς)→ noun-phrase markingτοῦ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
πατρὸςof the fatherGenitivegenitive of possession (her father's clan)→ relational specificationπατήρ (gen.): the daughter's father, whose clan defines the lawful marriage-pool.
αὐτῆςherGenitivegenitive of possession (modifying πατρὸς)→ relational specificationαὐτός (fem. gen.): 'her'; the feminine pronoun (vs. αὐτῶν elsewhere) individualizes 'every daughter' of the generalized statute.
ἔσονταιshall becomeFut Mid Indic 3 Pl · εἰμίmain verb (marriage-idiom: 'shall be wives')→ prescriptive future (the binding requirement)εἰμί (fut.): the marriage-idiom ἔσονται γυναῖκες ('shall be wives [to]'); the plural verb with the collective 'every daughter' is constructio ad sensum; prescriptive force — this is now law.
γυναῖκεςwivesNominativepredicate nominative (with ἔσονται)→ participant prominenceγυνή: 'wife'; predicate of the marriage-idiom.
ἵναso thatpurpose conjunction (+ subjunctive)→ discourse linkage or contrastἵνα: 'in order that'; introduces the purpose of the endogamy rule — that each Israelite retain his ancestral land within the lineage.
ἀγχιστεύσωσινthey may retain by kinship-rightAor Act Subj 3 Pl · ἀγχιστεύωverb of purpose clause (+ ἵνα)→ aorist subjunctive (intended result of the statute)ἀγχιστεύω: here 'retain/secure by right of kinship'; the second occurrence of the gō'ēl-verb in the verse forms a deliberate pairing — the daughter who inherits (ἀγχιστεύουσα) marries within the clan so that the men may keep (ἀγχιστεύσωσιν) the ancestral land; the institution of next-of-kin redemption is invoked to seal property within the family.
οἱtheNominativearticle (with υἱοὶ)→ noun-phrase markingοἱ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
υἱοὶsonsNominativesubject of ἀγχιστεύσωσιν→ participant prominenceυἱός (nom. pl.): the sons of Israel collectively, the beneficiaries of the inheritance-securing purpose.
ΙσραηλIsraelgenitive of relationship (indeclinable proper noun)→ participant identificationΙσραηλ: transliterated proper name rendered in Greek letters; here it functions as genitive of relationship (indeclinable proper noun).
ἕκαστοςeach oneNominativedistributive (in apposition to οἱ υἱοὶ Ισραηλ)→ participant prominenceἕκαστος: 'each'; distributively individualizes the corporate subject — every Israelite keeps his own father's portion.
τὴνtheAccusativearticle (with κληρονομίαν)→ noun-phrase markingτὴν: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
κληρονομίανinheritanceAccusativedirect object of ἀγχιστεύσωσιν→ object specificationκληρονομία: the ancestral land each Israelite is to retain; object of the kinship-right verb.
τὴνtheAccusativearticle (with πατρικὴν, attributive)→ noun-phrase markingτὴν: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
πατρικὴνpaternal / ancestralAccusativeattributive adjective (modifying κληρονομίαν: 'his father's inheritance')→ object specificationπατρικός: 'paternal / belonging to one's father / ancestral'; the adjective τὴν κληρονομίαν τὴν πατρικήν ('the paternal inheritance') stresses lineal descent — the land is the father's, inherited down the male line, and must stay there.
αὐτοῦhisGenitivegenitive of possession (his paternal inheritance)→ relational specificationαὐτοῦ: meaning 'his'; pronoun marking person, possession, or reference within the clause; here it functions as genitive of possession (his paternal inheritance).
9
καὶ οὐ περιστραφήσεται κλῆρος ἐκ φυλῆς ἐπὶ φυλὴν ἑτέραν ἀλλὰ ἕκαστος ἐν τῇ κληρονομίᾳ αὐτοῦ προσκολληθήσονται οἱ υἱοὶ Ισραηλ
And the lot shall not turn from one tribe to another, but the sons of Israel shall each cleave to his own inheritance.
The ruling closes by restating its governing principle in a tighter form, forming an inclusio with v. 7: now κλῆρος (the lot itself) shall not 'turn' (περιστραφήσεται) from one tribe to another (ἑτέραν), but each Israelite cleaves (προσκολληθήσονται) to his own inheritance. The ἀλλά ('but') sharpens the antithesis between prohibited transfer and required attachment, sealing the legal corpus before the obedience-narrative of vv. 10–12.
Word-by-word analysis· 19 words
καὶandcoordinate conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
οὐnotnegation (with future indicative)→ participant referenceοὐ: 'not'; negates περιστραφήσεται; the principle of v. 7 is restated in summary form.
περιστραφήσεταιshall turn / be transferredFut Pass Indic 3 Sg · περιστρέφωmain verb (negated: the prohibited transfer, restated)→ prescriptive future passive (categorical prohibition)περιστρέφω: 'turn / be transferred'; the verb of v. 7 recurs here with κλῆρος as subject, forming the inclusio that brackets the ruling (vv. 7–9); the land-lot must never revolve from one tribe to another.
κλῆροςlot / allotmentNominativesubject of περιστραφήσεται→ participant prominenceκλῆρος: 'lot / allotted portion'; here the concrete land-parcel; the variation κληρονομία (v. 7) / κλῆρος (v. 9) restates the principle from the angle of the assigned lot itself.
ἐκfrompreposition + genitive (source of transfer)→ spatial or relational framingἐκ: meaning 'from'; here it marks the relation signaled by preposition + genitive (source of transfer).
φυλῆςtribeGenitivegenitive object of ἐκ (source tribe)→ relational specificationφυλή: the originating tribe; the ἐκ … ἐπί idiom again maps the forbidden inter-tribal movement (cf. v. 7).
ἐπὶtopreposition + accusative (destination of transfer)→ spatial or relational framingἐπὶ: meaning 'to'; here it marks the relation signaled by preposition + accusative (destination of transfer).
φυλὴνtribeAccusativeaccusative object of ἐπί (destination tribe)→ object specificationφυλή: the receiving tribe.
ἑτέρανanotherAccusativeattributive adjective (modifying φυλὴν: 'another tribe')→ object specificationἕτερος: 'other / another (of a different kind)'; ἐπὶ φυλὴν ἑτέραν ('to another, different tribe') sharpens the prohibition — the lot must not pass to any tribe other than its own.
ἀλλὰbutstrong adversative (antithesis)→ discourse linkage or contrastἀλλά: 'but / rather'; the strong adversative sets the required attachment against the prohibited transfer — not transfer, but cleaving.
ἕκαστοςeach oneNominativedistributive subject (in apposition to οἱ υἱοὶ Ισραηλ)→ participant prominenceἕκαστος: 'each'; distributively individualizes the cleaving — every Israelite to his own portion.
ἐνin / topreposition + dative (sphere of attachment)→ spatial or relational framingἐν: meaning 'in'; here it marks the relation signaled by preposition + dative (sphere of attachment).
τῇtheDativearticle (with κληρονομίᾳ)→ noun-phrase markingτῇ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
κληρονομίᾳinheritanceDativedative (the inheritance to which one cleaves)→ sphere or referenceκληρονομία: each Israelite's own allotment; the object of attachment for προσκολλάω, restated more concisely than in v. 7 (here simply 'his own inheritance').
αὐτοῦhis ownGenitivegenitive of possession (modifying κληρονομίᾳ)→ relational specificationαὐτοῦ: meaning 'his own'; pronoun marking person, possession, or reference within the clause; here it functions as genitive of possession (modifying κληρονομίᾳ).
προσκολληθήσονταιshall cleave / be joinedFut Pass Indic 3 Pl · προσκολλάωmain verb (the required attachment, restated)→ prescriptive future passive (the binding cleaving)προσκολλάω: 'cleave / be joined firmly'; the covenantal-attachment verb of v. 7 recurs, sealing the inclusio; the land-bond is reaffirmed as inviolable; plural with distributive ἕκαστος (constructio ad sensum).
οἱtheNominativearticle (with υἱοὶ)→ noun-phrase markingοἱ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
υἱοὶsonsNominativesubject of προσκολληθήσονται→ participant prominenceυἱός (nom. pl.): the sons of Israel collectively.
ΙσραηλIsraelgenitive of relationship (indeclinable proper noun)→ participant identificationΙσραηλ: transliterated proper name rendered in Greek letters; here it functions as genitive of relationship (indeclinable proper noun).
10
ὃν τρόπον συνέταξεν κύριος Μωυσῇ οὕτως ἐποίησαν θυγατέρες Σαλπααδ
In the manner the LORD instructed Moses, so the daughters of Zelophehad did.
The narrative of compliance opens with the standard obedience-formula ὃν τρόπον … οὕτως ('as … so'), rendering the Hebrew כַּאֲשֶׁר … כֵּן; it asserts exact correspondence between divine command and human execution — the daughters did precisely as commanded. This formula closes the inheritance arc with the satisfying note of perfect obedience (cf. the obedience-reports of Exod 39–40).
Word-by-word analysis· 9 words
ὃνwhichAccusativerelative pronoun (with τρόπον: 'in which manner')→ participant referenceὅς: relative pronoun; ὃν τρόπον is an adverbial accusative ('in the manner that / just as'), the first member of the correspondence-formula.
τρόπονmanner / wayAccusativeadverbial accusative (manner: 'in the way that')→ object specificationτρόπος: 'manner / way / fashion'; ὃν τρόπον ('in the manner which') renders כַּאֲשֶׁר; with the answering οὕτως it forms the obedience-correspondence frame.
συνέταξενinstructed / commandedAor Act Indic 3 Sg · συντάσσωverb of the comparative clause (the LORD's command)→ constative aorist (settled past command)συντάσσω: 'command / appoint'; the verb of vv. 2, 6 recurs to mark the divine command now being fulfilled — the law given is the law obeyed.
κύριοςLORDNominativesubject of συνέταξεν→ participant prominenceκύριος: the Tetragrammaton; the commander whose word the daughters carry out.
Μωυσῇto MosesDativedative (indirect object: the LORD commanded Moses)→ sphere or referenceΜωυσῆς (dat. Μωυσῇ): the mediator through whom the command reached the daughters; the dative marks him as its recipient.
οὕτωςso / thuscorrelative adverb (answering ὃν τρόπον: 'so')→ adverbial qualificationοὕτως: 'thus / so'; the answering member of the correspondence-formula, asserting that the execution matched the command exactly.
ἐποίησανdidAor Act Indic 3 Pl · ποιέωmain verb (the act of obedience)→ constative aorist (completed act of compliance)ποιέω: 'do / make'; renders עָשָׂה; the verb of obedient performance; ἐποίησαν … οὕτως ('so they did') is the standard LXX compliance-report, confirming the daughters' full conformity to the statute.
θυγατέρεςdaughtersNominativesubject of ἐποίησαν→ participant prominenceθυγάτηρ (nom. pl. θυγατέρες): 'daughters'; the daughters of Zelophehad, the very petitioners of ch. 27, now the obedient subjects of the ruling that resolves their case.
Σαλπααδof Zelophehadgenitive of relationship (indeclinable proper noun)→ participant identificationΣαλπααδ: LXX form of צְלָפְחָד; the daughters are again named by their father, binding the obedience-report to the inheritance at stake.
11
καὶ ἐγένοντο Θερσα καὶ Εγλα καὶ Μελχα καὶ Νουα καὶ Μααλα θυγατέρες Σαλπααδ τοῖς ἀνεψιοῖς αὐτῶν
And Tharsa and Egla and Melcha and Noua and Maala, the daughters of Zelophehad, became wives to their cousins.
The five daughters are named individually (as at 26:33; 27:1), and their compliance specified: they married τοῖς ἀνεψιοῖς αὐτῶν ('their cousins'). The naming of all five gives the obedience concrete, personal form — these are not abstract heiresses but the named women whose suit opened the inheritance question. The marriage-idiom ἐγένοντο … τοῖς ἀνεψιοῖς ('they became [wives] to their cousins') confirms endogamy within the father's clan.
Word-by-word analysis· 16 words
καὶandnarrative conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
ἐγένοντοbecame / were marriedAor Mid Indic 3 Pl · γίνομαιmain verb (marriage-idiom: 'became [wives] to')→ constative aorist (completed marriages)γίνομαι: 'become'; with the dative τοῖς ἀνεψιοῖς it forms the marriage-idiom 'became [wives] to their cousins' (γυναῖκες understood from the context of vv. 6, 8); renders הָיוּ … לְ; the aorist records the accomplished obedient marriages.
ΘερσαTharsasubject (indeclinable personal name)→ participant identificationΘερσα: LXX transliteration of Hebrew תִּרְצָה (Tirzah); indeclinable; the first-named of Zelophehad's five daughters (the LXX order differs slightly from the MT).
καὶandcoordinate conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
ΕγλαEglasubject (indeclinable personal name)→ participant identificationΕγλα: LXX transliteration of Hebrew חָגְלָה (Hoglah); indeclinable; the second-named daughter.
καὶandcoordinate conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
ΜελχαMelchasubject (indeclinable personal name)→ participant identificationΜελχα: LXX transliteration of Hebrew מִלְכָּה (Milcah); indeclinable; the third-named daughter.
καὶandcoordinate conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
ΝουαNouasubject (indeclinable personal name)→ participant identificationΝουα: LXX transliteration of Hebrew נֹעָה (Noah, the daughter — not the patriarch); indeclinable; the fourth-named daughter.
καὶandcoordinate conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
ΜααλαMaalasubject (indeclinable personal name)→ participant identificationΜααλα: LXX transliteration of Hebrew מַחְלָה (Mahlah); indeclinable; the fifth-named daughter; the full roll of five (cf. 26:33; 27:1; Josh 17:3) is repeated to mark the completeness of their obedience.
θυγατέρεςdaughtersNominativeapposition to the five names (subject)→ participant prominenceθυγάτηρ (nom. pl.): 'daughters'; the appositional summary 'the daughters of Zelophehad' gathers the five names under their patrimonial identity.
Σαλπααδof Zelophehadgenitive of relationship (indeclinable proper noun)→ participant identificationΣαλπααδ: LXX form of צְלָפְחָד; their father, whose inheritance their marriages preserve.
τοῖςthe / to theDativearticle (with ἀνεψιοῖς)→ noun-phrase markingτοῖς: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ἀνεψιοῖςto their cousinsDativedative (the men married: governing the marriage-idiom)→ sphere or referenceἀνεψιός: 'cousin / first cousin'; renders דּוֹד / בֶּן־דּוֹד (paternal-uncle's son); the daughters marry their cousins — the sons of their father's brothers — the closest endogamous match, perfectly satisfying the 'within the father's clan' requirement (v. 6).
αὐτῶνtheirGenitivegenitive of possession (modifying ἀνεψιοῖς)→ relational specificationαὐτῶν: meaning 'their'; pronoun marking person, possession, or reference within the clause; here it functions as genitive of possession (modifying ἀνεψιοῖς).
12
ἐκ τοῦ δήμου τοῦ Μανασση υἱῶν Ιωσηφ ἐγενήθησαν γυναῖκες καὶ ἐγένετο ἡ κληρονομία αὐτῶν ἐπὶ τὴν φυλὴν δήμου τοῦ πατρὸς αὐτῶν
From the clan of Manasseh, of the sons of Joseph, they became wives, and their inheritance remained upon the tribe of their father's clan.
The narrative's resolving statement: by marrying within the clan of Manasseh (their own tribe), the daughters ensured their inheritance 'remained upon the tribe of their father's clan' (ἐγένετο … ἐπὶ τὴν φυλὴν δήμου τοῦ πατρὸς αὐτῶν). The verb ἐγένετο here answers the petitioners' feared προστεθήσεται/ἀφαιρεθήσεται of vv. 3–4 with the opposite outcome — no loss, the land secured. The inheritance-integrity principle is thus enacted, closing the arc from ch. 27.
Word-by-word analysis· 21 words
ἐκfrom / withinpreposition + genitive (membership: within the clan)→ spatial or relational framingἐκ: meaning 'from'; here it marks the relation signaled by preposition + genitive (membership: within the clan).
τοῦthe / of theGenitivearticle (with δήμου)→ noun-phrase markingτοῦ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
δήμουclanGenitivegenitive object of ἐκ (the clan of Manasseh)→ relational specificationδῆμος: 'clan'; renders מִשְׁפָּחָה; the daughters marry within the δῆμος of Manasseh — their own tribe — exactly fulfilling the endogamy requirement of vv. 6, 8.
τοῦthe / ofGenitivearticle (with Μανασση)→ noun-phrase markingτοῦ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
Μανασσηof Manassehgenitive of relationship (indeclinable proper noun)→ participant identificationΜανασση: LXX form of מְנַשֶּׁה; the daughters' own tribe; marrying within Manasseh's clan keeps the land in the tribe whose allotment the petitioners feared losing (v. 1).
υἱῶνof the sonsGenitivegenitive of relationship→ relational specificationυἱῶν: meaning 'of the sons'; it serves as genitive of relationship.
ΙωσηφJosephgenitive of relationship (indeclinable proper noun)→ participant identificationΙωσηφ: the patriarch; 'of the sons of Joseph' reasserts the Josephite frame (cf. v. 5), confirming the land stays within the wider house of Joseph as well as Manasseh.
ἐγενήθησανthey became / were marriedAor Pass Indic 3 Pl · γίνομαιmain verb (marriage-idiom: 'they became wives')→ constative aorist (completed marriages)γίνομαι (aor. pass. ἐγενήθησαν): 'become'; with γυναῖκες the marriage-idiom 'became wives'; the passive-form aorist is equivalent in sense to the middle ἐγένοντο of v. 11, both recording the accomplished marriages within the clan.
γυναῖκεςwivesNominativepredicate nominative (with ἐγενήθησαν)→ participant prominenceγυνή: 'wife'; predicate of the marriage-idiom, confirming the endogamous marriages.
καὶandcoordinate conjunction (introducing the result)→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
ἐγένετοremained / came to beAor Mid Indic 3 Sg · γίνομαιmain verb (the resulting state of the inheritance)→ constative aorist (the secured outcome)γίνομαι: 'come to be / remain'; ἐγένετο … ἐπὶ τὴν φυλήν ('came to be / stayed upon the tribe') describes the inheritance's secured location; this positive outcome directly reverses the feared προστεθήσεται ἐπὶ τὴν κληρονομίαν τῆς φυλῆς (another tribe) of vv. 3–4 — the land remains on the father's tribe.
ἡtheNominativearticle (with κληρονομία)→ noun-phrase markingἡ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
κληρονομίαinheritanceNominativesubject of ἐγένετο→ participant prominenceκληρονομία: the daughters' inherited land; its 'remaining upon' their father's tribe is the consummation of the whole ruling — inheritance-integrity achieved.
αὐτῶνtheirGenitivegenitive of possession (the daughters' inheritance)→ relational specificationαὐτῶν: meaning 'their'; pronoun marking person, possession, or reference within the clause; here it functions as genitive of possession (the daughters' inheritance).
ἐπὶupon / onpreposition + accusative (location/remaining-on)→ spatial or relational framingἐπί + accusative: 'upon / on'; here of the inheritance remaining attached to the tribe — the land stays 'on' Manasseh rather than passing away.
τὴνtheAccusativearticle (with φυλὴν)→ noun-phrase markingτὴν: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
φυλὴνtribeAccusativeaccusative object of ἐπί (the tribe the inheritance stays on)→ object specificationφυλή: the father's tribe (Manasseh), upon which the inheritance is secured.
δήμουof the clanGenitivegenitive of definition (the tribe of the clan)→ relational specificationδῆμος: 'clan'; the phrase φυλὴν δήμου τοῦ πατρὸς αὐτῶν ('the tribe of their father's clan') stacks the kinship terms to stress the precise lineage-unit within which the land is kept.
τοῦthe / of theGenitivearticle (with πατρὸς)→ noun-phrase markingτοῦ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
πατρὸςof the fatherGenitivegenitive of possession (their father's clan)→ relational specificationπατήρ (gen.): the daughters' father Zelophehad; the inheritance stays on the tribe of his clan — the patrimonial line is preserved intact.
αὐτῶνtheirGenitivegenitive of possession (modifying πατρὸς)→ relational specificationαὐτῶν: meaning 'their'; pronoun marking person, possession, or reference within the clause; here it functions as genitive of possession (modifying πατρὸς).
13
αὗται αἱ ἐντολαὶ καὶ τὰ δικαιώματα καὶ τὰ κρίματα ἃ ἐνετείλατο κύριος ἐν χειρὶ Μωυσῆ ἐπὶ δυσμῶν Μωαβ ἐπὶ τοῦ Ιορδάνου κατὰ Ιεριχω
These are the commandments and the ordinances and the judgments which the LORD commanded by the hand of Moses on the plains of Moab by the Jordan, opposite Jericho.
The closing COLOPHON of the entire book and a formal subscription to the Sinai-to-Moab legislation. The summarizing demonstrative αὗται ('these are…') gathers the foregoing laws into a closed corpus; the triple αἱ ἐντολαὶ καὶ τὰ δικαιώματα καὶ τὰ κρίματα ('the commandments and the ordinances and the judgments') is a comprehensive legal merism. The mediation-formula ἐν χειρὶ Μωυσῆ ('by the hand of Moses') stamps the whole as Mosaic, and the geographical anchor (the plains of Moab, by the Jordan, opposite Jericho) fixes its setting on the threshold of the land — directly parallel to the sealing formula of Lev 27:34 and setting up the renewed law-exposition of Deuteronomy.
Word-by-word analysis· 23 words
αὗταιtheseNominativedemonstrative pronoun (subject of the summarizing formula)→ participant referenceοὗτος (fem. nom. pl. αὗται): 'these'; the anaphoric demonstrative gathers all the preceding legislation into a single closed corpus; αὗται αἱ ἐντολαί ('these are the commandments') is the standard subscription/colophon formula (cf. Lev 27:34; Num 30:17).
αἱtheNominativearticle (with ἐντολαὶ)→ noun-phrase markingαἱ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ἐντολαὶcommandmentsNominativepredicate nominative (first member of the legal triad)→ participant prominenceἐντολή: 'commandment / injunction'; renders מִצְוָה; the cognate of the verb ἐνετείλατο in the same verse, binding the noun (commandments) to the act (the LORD commanded); first term of the comprehensive legal merism.
καὶandcoordinate conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
τὰtheNominativearticle (with δικαιώματα)→ noun-phrase markingτὰ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
δικαιώματαordinances / statutesNominativepredicate nominative (second member of the legal triad)→ participant prominenceδικαίωμα: 'ordinance / statute / regulation / righteous decree'; renders חֹק / מִשְׁפָּט; in the LXX a key term for the standing statutes of the covenant; second term of the merism — the fixed regulations.
καὶandcoordinate conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
τὰtheNominativearticle (with κρίματα)→ noun-phrase markingτὰ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
κρίματαjudgmentsNominativepredicate nominative (third member of the legal triad)→ participant prominenceκρίμα: 'judgment / legal decision / case-ruling'; renders מִשְׁפָּט; the case-law and juridical rulings (such as the very inheritance-judgment just given); third term of the merism, completing the comprehensive sweep of the Mosaic corpus.
ἃwhichAccusativerelative pronoun (object of ἐνετείλατο)→ participant referenceὅς (neut. acc. pl. ἅ): relative pronoun; gathers the whole triad as the object of the LORD's commanding — all these were divinely commanded through Moses.
ἐνετείλατοcommandedAor Mid Indic 3 Sg · ἐντέλλομαιverb of relative clause (the divine commanding)→ constative aorist (the completed body of legislation)ἐντέλλομαι: 'command'; the cognate of ἐντολή; its single constative aorist sums up the entire law-giving as one accomplished divine act mediated through Moses; the same verb that opened the chapter's legal citations (v. 2) now seals the book.
κύριοςLORDNominativesubject of ἐνετείλατο (the divine legislator)→ participant prominenceκύριος: the Tetragrammaton; the sole author of the whole legal corpus — the colophon attributes everything to YHWH, mediated but not originated by Moses.
ἐνby / inpreposition + dative (instrumental: 'by the hand of')→ spatial or relational framingἐν: meaning 'by'; here it marks the relation signaled by preposition + dative (instrumental: 'by the hand of').
χειρὶhandDativedative of means (in the mediation-formula 'by the hand of Moses')→ sphere or referenceχείρ: 'hand'; ἐν χειρὶ Μωυσῆ ('by the hand of Moses') is a Hebraism rendering בְּיַד מֹשֶׁה, the standard formula of mediated agency — the law is the LORD's, given through Moses' instrumentality (cf. Lev 26:46).
Μωυσῆof MosesGenitivegenitive (with χειρὶ: 'the hand of Moses')→ relational specificationΜωυσῆς (gen. Μωυσῆ): the human mediator of the whole corpus; the colophon's 'by the hand of Moses' authenticates the legislation as Mosaic, the foundation Deuteronomy will expound.
ἐπὶon / atpreposition + genitive (location)→ spatial or relational framingἐπί + genitive: 'on / at / upon'; ἐπὶ δυσμῶν Μωαβ locates the legislation geographically — 'at the west / plains of Moab.'
δυσμῶνthe plains / the westGenitivegenitive object of ἐπί (the place: the steppes of Moab)→ relational specificationδυσμή (pl. δυσμαί): properly 'setting (of the sun) / the west'; here ἐπὶ δυσμῶν Μωαβ renders עַרְבֹת מוֹאָב ('the plains/steppes of Moab') — the LXX construes the locale by its western orientation (the Moabite plain west of the highlands, along the Jordan); the staging-ground of Israel before the conquest (cf. Num 22:1; 33:48–50).
Μωαβof Moabgenitive of relationship (indeclinable place name)→ participant identificationΜωαβ: transliteration of Hebrew מוֹאָב; indeclinable; the trans-Jordan region on whose plains Israel encamped opposite Jericho; the setting of the entire Moab-legislation (Num 22–36) and of Deuteronomy.
ἐπὶby / atpreposition + genitive (location: by the Jordan)→ spatial or relational framingἐπὶ: meaning 'by'; here it marks the relation signaled by preposition + genitive (location: by the Jordan).
τοῦtheGenitivearticle (with Ιορδάνου)→ noun-phrase markingτοῦ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ΙορδάνουJordanGenitivegenitive object of ἐπί (the river-boundary)→ relational specificationΙορδάνης (gen. Ιορδάνου): transliteration of Hebrew יַרְדֵּן (with Greek declension; here governed by the article τοῦ); the boundary-river Israel must cross to enter the land; 'by the Jordan' fixes the legislation on the very threshold of the promise.
κατὰopposite / over againstpreposition + accusative (position: 'opposite')→ spatial or relational framingκατά + accusative: 'opposite / over against / facing'; κατὰ Ιεριχω ('opposite Jericho') renders יְרֵחוֹ on the formula 'by the Jordan facing Jericho' — pinpointing the encampment directly across from the first city of the conquest.
ΙεριχωJerichoaccusative object of κατά (indeclinable place name)→ participant identificationΙεριχω: transliteration of Hebrew יְרִיחוֹ; indeclinable; the great walled city of the Jordan plain, first objective of the conquest (Josh 6); naming it as the book's final word orients the entire Mosaic legislation toward the imminent entry into the land.