This is the Bible Book Club. And we're in the book of numbers. Welcome to the club.

Last episode, we were in chapter 26 and that one was entirely about the second census. And as we

know, we're in numbers. And it's called numbers because they take these census.

So the census, this one, the second one, had two purposes, another military count in preparation

for invading Canaan, and it was to determine the size of each tribe by clan, family, and

for the distribution of land once they take possession of Canaan. Some tribes increased, some decreased, and clearly

the tribes that were faithful to God were blessed, and they increased. Judah, the tribe that will

be where Jesus will come from, it is still the largest at 76,500, three times the size of the

smallest tribe, which is Simeonian which has fallen to 22,000

a decrease of 37,000 men most of those 37,000 men probably died in the bail worshiped a

bachal that resulted in zimri getting speared with a midianite priestess and a plague that struck

the camp and that's where we are right now.

It's a big deal. All right. In this episode, there's going to be a property problem in chapter 27.

And it's a problem that stems from the Israelate's patrilinear problem. Let me explain.

What? A big word that was. I know. I'm using big words. I'm learning new things. Patrilinear. Patriline explain. What a big word that was. I'm using big words. I'm learning

new things. Patrilinear. Patrilinear. Well, what does that mean? Okay. In Israel, a father's property was divided

between his sons after his death. The eldest son would receive twice the land, a double portion,

then the others received. The other brothers, then all, it was divided

evenly. Now, the daughters only received a substantial dowry consisting of clothes, jewelry,

money, furniture, and if they had tons of land, maybe a gift of some sort. Once married,

a daughter was the financial responsibility of her husband and became part of his clan

or tribe as her sons would be after they were born. This patrilinear method of land division

...