The Origins of N.T.L. - Marilyn Fiddmont

Marilyn Fiddmont

Marilyn S. Fiddmont is vice president of the Christian Church Foundation’s Southwest Zone, including New Mexico, Arizona, and areas served by the Pacific Southwest Region and the Northeastern Region. Marilyn received her undergraduate degree from the University of Missouri at Kansas City and her Master of Divinity from Houston Graduate School of Theology. Marilyn and her husband, Norman, are both ordained ministers and active members of The Good Shepherd Christian Church in Houston, Texas.

The Origins of N.T.L. - Marilyn Fiddmont Marilyn S. Fiddmont is vice president of the Christian Church Foundation's Southwest Zone, including New Mexico, Ari...

TEXT

Numbers 27:1-11 (NRSV)

27 The daughters of Zelophehad son of Hepher, the son of Gilead, the son of Makir, the son of Manasseh, belonged to the clans of Manasseh son of Joseph. The names of the daughters were Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milkah and Tirzah. They came forward 2 and stood before Moses, Eleazar the priest, the leaders and the whole assembly at the entrance to the tent of meeting and said, 3 “Our father died in the wilderness. He was not among Korah’s followers, who banded together against the Lord, but he died for his own sin and left no sons. 4 Why should our father’s name disappear from his clan because he had no son? Give us property among our father’s relatives.”

5 So Moses brought their case before the Lord, 6 and the Lord said to him, 7 “What Zelophehad’s daughters are saying is right. You must certainly give them property as an inheritance among their father’s relatives and give their father’s inheritance to them.

8 “Say to the Israelites, ‘If a man dies and leaves no son, give his inheritance to his daughter. 9 If he has no daughter, give his inheritance to his brothers. 10 If he has no brothers, give his inheritance to his father’s brothers. 11 If his father had no brothers, give his inheritance to the nearest relative in his clan, that he may possess it. This is to have the force of law for the Israelites, as the Lord commanded Moses.’”