Numbers 27:4

Why should the name of our father be done away from among his family, because he hath no son? Give unto us therefore a possession among the brethren of our father.

Give unto us ... a possession among the brethren of our father. Those young women-perceiving that the males only in families had been registered in the census, and that, in consequence of there being none in their household, their family was omitted-made known their grievance to Moses and the authorities conjoined with him in administering justice. The case was important; and as the peculiarity of daughters being the sole members of a family would be no unfrequent or uncommon occurrence, the law of inheritance, under divine authority, was extended, not only to meet all similar cases, but other cases also-such as when there were no children left by the proprietor, and no brothers to succeed him. A distribution of the promised land was about to be made; and it is interesting to know the legal provision made in these comparatively rare cases for preserving a patrimony from being alienated to another tribe (see the notes at Numbers 36:6).