And if his father have no brethren, then ye shall give his inheritance unto his kinsman that is next to him of his family, and he shall possess it: and it shall be unto the children of Israel a statute of judgment, as the LORD commanded Moses.
And if his father has no brothers, then you shall give his inheritance to the closest relative in his family, and that person shall possess it. This shall be a permanent law for the people of Israel, as the LORD commanded Moses.
God is establishing that if someone dies without direct heirs or uncles, their property should go to their nearest family relative as a permanent law for Israel.
📚 Historical Context
This verse concludes the inheritance laws given after the daughters of Zelophehad requested their father's inheritance since he had no sons. Moses brought their case before God, who established comprehensive rules about how property should pass through families when the usual inheritance patterns couldn't be followed. These laws ensured that land remained within tribal and family lines, which was crucial for maintaining Israel's covenant relationship with the Promised Land.
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