Saadia · Bamidbar 27
Tafsir Reader
Tap any Judeo-Arabic word for a starter gloss. Hover any phrase to see its matching Hebrew, Judeo-Arabic, and English light up together. Toggle the Arabic-script form, the Hebrew translation, or the English off if you'd rather read without crutches.
New here? Read Saadia's own preface to this book.
- Bamidbar 27:1
וַתִּקְרַבְנָה בְּנוֹת צְלָפְחָד בֶּן-חֵפֶר בֶּן-גִּלְעָד בֶּן-מָכִיר בֶּן-מְנַשֶּׁה לְמִשְׁפְּחֹת מְנַשֶּׁה בֶן-יוֹסֵף וְאֵלֶּה שְׁמוֹת בְּנֹתָיו--מַחְלָה נֹעָה וְחָגְלָה וּמִלְכָּה וְתִרְצָה
. . . .
And the daughters of Zelophehad came forward — son of Hepher, son of Gilead, son of Machir, son of Manasseh, from the clans of Manasseh son of Joseph — whose names were: Mahlah, Noa, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah.
- Bamidbar 27:2
וַתַּעֲמֹדְנָה לִפְנֵי מֹשֶׁה וְלִפְנֵי אֶלְעָזָר הַכֹּהֵן וְלִפְנֵי הַנְּשִׂיאִם וְכָל-הָעֵדָה--פֶּתַח אֹהֶל-מוֹעֵד לֵאמֹר
. .
And they stood before Moses and Eleazar the imām, and the nobles and the rest of the congregation, at the entrance of the tent of the assembly, saying:
- Bamidbar 27:3
אָבִינוּ מֵת בַּמִּדְבָּר וְהוּא לֹא-הָיָה בְּתוֹךְ הָעֵדָה הַנּוֹעָדִים עַל-יְהוָה בַּעֲדַת-קֹרַח כִּי-בְחֶטְאוֹ מֵת וּבָנִים לֹא-הָיוּ לוֹ
. . .
'Our father died in the wilderness, and he was not among the body of the congregation who gathered against God with Korah — for he died in his own sin — and he left no sons.
- Bamidbar 27:4
לָמָּה יִגָּרַע שֵׁם-אָבִינוּ מִתּוֹךְ מִשְׁפַּחְתּוֹ כִּי אֵין לוֹ בֵּן תְּנָה-לָּנוּ אֲחֻזָּה בְּתוֹךְ אֲחֵי אָבִינוּ
. . .
Why should our father's name be diminished from among his clan, since he has no son? Give us a portion of inheritance among our uncles.'
- Bamidbar 27:5
וַיַּקְרֵב מֹשֶׁה אֶת-מִשְׁפָּטָן לִפְנֵי יְהוָה
And Moses brought their case before God.
- Bamidbar 27:6
וַיֹּאמֶר יְהוָה אֶל-מֹשֶׁה לֵּאמֹר
Then God said to Moses, saying:
- Bamidbar 27:7
כֵּן בְּנוֹת צְלָפְחָד דֹּבְרֹת--נָתֹן תִּתֵּן לָהֶם אֲחֻזַּת נַחֲלָה בְּתוֹךְ אֲחֵי אֲבִיהֶם וְהַעֲבַרְתָּ אֶת-נַחֲלַת אֲבִיהֶן לָהֶן
. . .
'Rightly have the daughters of Zelophehad spoken. Give them possession of an inheritance among their uncles, and transfer their father's inheritance to them.
- Bamidbar 27:8
וְאֶל-בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל תְּדַבֵּר לֵאמֹר אִישׁ כִּי-יָמוּת וּבֵן אֵין לוֹ--וְהַעֲבַרְתֶּם אֶת-נַחֲלָתוֹ לְבִתּוֹ
. .
And command the sons of Israel and say to them: Any man who dies and has no son — transfer his inheritance to his daughter.
- Bamidbar 27:9
וְאִם-אֵין לוֹ בַּת--וּנְתַתֶּם אֶת-נַחֲלָתוֹ לְאֶחָיו
And if he has no daughter, give his inheritance to his brothers.
- Bamidbar 27:10
וְאִם-אֵין לוֹ אַחִים--וּנְתַתֶּם אֶת-נַחֲלָתוֹ לַאֲחֵי אָבִיו
.
And if he has no brothers, give it to his uncles.
- Bamidbar 27:11
וְאִם-אֵין אַחִים לְאָבִיו--וּנְתַתֶּם אֶת-נַחֲלָתוֹ לִשְׁאֵרוֹ הַקָּרֹב אֵלָיו מִמִּשְׁפַּחְתּוֹ וְיָרַשׁ אֹתָהּ וְהָיְתָה לִבְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל לְחֻקַּת מִשְׁפָּט כַּאֲשֶׁר צִוָּה יְהוָה אֶת-מֹשֶׁה
. . .
And if he has no uncles, give it to the kinsman nearest to him from his clan, and he shall possess it. And this shall be for the sons of Israel a binding rule of judgment, as God commanded Moses.'
- Bamidbar 27:12
וַיֹּאמֶר יְהוָה אֶל-מֹשֶׁה עֲלֵה אֶל-הַר הָעֲבָרִים הַזֶּה וּרְאֵה אֶת-הָאָרֶץ אֲשֶׁר נָתַתִּי לִבְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל
. . .
And when God said to Moses: 'Ascend this mountain of the Abarim, and look upon the land which I am giving to the sons of Israel —
- Bamidbar 27:13
וְרָאִיתָה אֹתָהּ וְנֶאֱסַפְתָּ אֶל-עַמֶּיךָ גַּם-אָתָּה כַּאֲשֶׁר נֶאֱסַף אַהֲרֹן אָחִיךָ
.
when you have seen it, you too shall be joined to your people, just as Aaron your brother was joined.'
- Bamidbar 27:14
כַּאֲשֶׁר מְרִיתֶם פִּי בְּמִדְבַּר-צִן בִּמְרִיבַת הָעֵדָה לְהַקְדִּישֵׁנִי בַמַּיִם לְעֵינֵיהֶם הֵם מֵי-מְרִיבַת קָדֵשׁ מִדְבַּר-צִן
. . .
— 'As you two transgressed My command in the wilderness of Zin, at the strife of the congregation, and did not sanctify Me at that water in their presence' — and that is why it was called: the water of the strife of Kadesh, in the wilderness of Zin.
- Bamidbar 27:15
וַיְדַבֵּר מֹשֶׁה אֶל-יְהוָה לֵאמֹר
.
And Moses spoke before God, saying:
- Bamidbar 27:16
יִפְקֹד יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵי הָרוּחֹת לְכָל-בָּשָׂר אִישׁ עַל-הָעֵדָה
. .
'If it be Your will, O Lord — O God of the spirits of all flesh — appoint a man over the congregation,
- Bamidbar 27:17
אֲשֶׁר-יֵצֵא לִפְנֵיהֶם וַאֲשֶׁר יָבֹא לִפְנֵיהֶם וַאֲשֶׁר יוֹצִיאֵם וַאֲשֶׁר יְבִיאֵם וְלֹא תִהְיֶה עֲדַת יְהוָה כַּצֹּאן אֲשֶׁר אֵין-לָהֶם רֹעֶה
. . . .
who shall go out among them and come in among them, and shall lead them out and bring them in, so that the congregation of God shall not remain like a flock that has no shepherd.'
- Bamidbar 27:18
וַיֹּאמֶר יְהוָה אֶל-מֹשֶׁה קַח-לְךָ אֶת-יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בִּן-נוּן--אִישׁ אֲשֶׁר-רוּחַ בּוֹ וְסָמַכְתָּ אֶת-יָדְךָ עָלָיו
. . .
And God said to Moses: 'Take for yourself Joshua son of Nun — for he is a man in whom there is distinction — and lay your hand upon him.
- Bamidbar 27:19
וְהַעֲמַדְתָּ אֹתוֹ לִפְנֵי אֶלְעָזָר הַכֹּהֵן וְלִפְנֵי כָּל-הָעֵדָה וְצִוִּיתָה אֹתוֹ לְעֵינֵיהֶם
. .
And set him before Eleazar the imām and the rest of the congregation, and charge him in their presence.
- Bamidbar 27:20
וְנָתַתָּה מֵהוֹדְךָ עָלָיו--לְמַעַן יִשְׁמְעוּ כָּל-עֲדַת בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל
And place upon him some of your splendor, so that the congregation of the sons of Israel may accept from him.
- Bamidbar 27:21
וְלִפְנֵי אֶלְעָזָר הַכֹּהֵן יַעֲמֹד וְשָׁאַל לוֹ בְּמִשְׁפַּט הָאוּרִים לִפְנֵי יְהוָה עַל-פִּיו יֵצְאוּ וְעַל-פִּיו יָבֹאוּ הוּא וְכָל-בְּנֵי-יִשְׂרָאֵל אִתּוֹ--וְכָל-הָעֵדָה
. . . .
And his station shall be to stand before Eleazar the imām, that he may inquire for what he needs through the splendor of the Lights before God; and at his command they shall go out and come in — he and the sons of Israel with him, and the rest of the congregation.'
- Bamidbar 27:22
וַיַּעַשׂ מֹשֶׁה כַּאֲשֶׁר צִוָּה יְהוָה אֹתוֹ וַיִּקַּח אֶת-יְהוֹשֻׁעַ וַיַּעֲמִדֵהוּ לִפְנֵי אֶלְעָזָר הַכֹּהֵן וְלִפְנֵי כָּל-הָעֵדָה
. . . .
And Moses did as God had commanded him: he took Joshua, and set him before Eleazar the imām and the rest of the congregation.
- Bamidbar 27:23
וַיִּסְמֹךְ אֶת-יָדָיו עָלָיו וַיְצַוֵּהוּ כַּאֲשֶׁר דִּבֶּר יְהוָה בְּיַד-מֹשֶׁה
And he laid his hands upon him, and charged him as God had said to him.
English is a working draft — author revising