Inheritance and Wills in the Bible

39 passages of the Berean Standard Bible, line by line, from Nave’s Topical Bible.

Examples

Childless Abram: a servant, Eliezer of Damascus, will be my heirGen 15:2–3
The verses
Gen 15:2–3But Abram replied, “O Lord GOD, what can You give me, since I remain childless, and the heir of my house is Eliezer of Damascus?” Abram continued, “Behold, You have given me no offspring, so a servant in my household will be my heir.”
Sarah: the slave woman’s son will not share Isaac’s inheritanceGen 21:10
The verses
Gen 21:10and she said to Abraham, “Expel the slave woman and her son, for the slave woman’s son will never share in the inheritance with my son Isaac!”
Abraham leaves everything to Isaac and sends his concubines’ sons away with giftsGen 24:36, Gen 25:5–6
The verses
Gen 24:36My master’s wife Sarah has borne him a son in her old age, and my master has given him everything he owns.
Gen 25:5–6Abraham left everything he owned to Isaac. But while he was still alive, Abraham gave gifts to the sons of his concubines and sent them away from his son Isaac to the land of the east.
Rachel and Leah: “Do we have any inheritance left in our father’s house?”Gen 31:14–16
The verses
Gen 31:14–16And Rachel and Leah replied, “Do we have any portion or inheritance left in our father’s house? Are we not regarded by him as outsiders? Not only has he sold us, but he has certainly squandered what was paid for us. Surely all the wealth that God has taken away from our father belongs to us and to our children. So do whatever God has told you.”
Jacob gives Joseph a ridge of land above his brothersGen 48:21–22
The verses
Gen 48:21–22Then Israel said to Joseph, “Look, I am about to die, but God will be with you and bring you back to the land of your fathers. And to you, as one who is above your brothers, I give the ridge of land that I took from the Amorites with my sword and bow.”
Reuben’s birthright passes to the sons of Joseph1 Chr 5:1–2
The verses
1 Chr 5:1–2These were the sons of Reuben the firstborn of Israel. Though he was the firstborn, his birthright was given to the sons of Joseph son of Israel, because Reuben defiled his father’s bed. So he is not reckoned according to birthright. And though Judah prevailed over his brothers and a ruler came from him, the birthright belonged to Joseph.
Zelophehad’s daughters receive land among their father’s brothersNum 27:1–4, Josh 17:3–4
The verses
Num 27:1–4Now the daughters of Zelophehad son of Hepher, the son of Gilead, the son of Machir, the son of Manasseh, belonged to the clans of Manasseh son of Joseph. These were the names of his daughters: Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah. They approached the entrance to the Tent of Meeting, stood before Moses, Eleazar the priest, the leaders, and the whole congregation, and said, “Our father died in the wilderness, but he was not among the followers of Korah who gathered together against the LORD. Instead, he died because of his own sin, and he had no sons. Why should the name of our father disappear from his clan because he had no sons? Give us property among our father’s brothers.”
Josh 17:3–4But Zelophehad son of Hepher (the son of Gilead, the son of Machir, the son of Manasseh) had no sons but only daughters. These are the names of his daughters: Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah. They approached Eleazar the priest, Joshua son of Nun, and the leaders, and said, “The LORD commanded Moses to give us an inheritance among our brothers.” So Joshua gave them an inheritance among their father’s brothers, in keeping with the command of the LORD.
Jephthah is denied an inheritance as the son of another womanJudg 11:2
The verses
Judg 11:2And Gilead’s wife bore him sons who grew up, drove Jephthah out, and said to him, “You shall have no inheritance in our father’s house, because you are the son of another woman.”
Boaz buys Elimelech’s land to keep the dead man’s nameRuth 4:5–6, Ruth 4:9–10
The verses
Ruth 4:5–6Then Boaz said, “On the day you buy the land from Naomi and also from Ruth the Moabitess, you must also acquire the widow of the deceased in order to raise up the name of the deceased on his inheritance.” The kinsman-redeemer replied, “I cannot redeem it myself, or I would jeopardize my own inheritance. Take my right of redemption, because I cannot redeem it.”
Ruth 4:9–10At this, Boaz said to the elders and all the people, “You are witnesses today that I am buying from Naomi all that belonged to Elimelech, Chilion, and Mahlon. Moreover, I have acquired Ruth the Moabitess, Mahlon’s widow, as my wife, to raise up the name of the deceased through his inheritance, so that his name will not disappear from among his brothers or from the gate of his home. You are witnesses today.”
Naboth will not sell the inheritance of his fathers1 Kgs 21:2–3
The verses
1 Kgs 21:2–3So Ahab said to Naboth, “Give me your vineyard to use as a vegetable garden, since it is next to my palace. I will give you a better vineyard in its place—or if you prefer, I will give you its value in silver.” But Naboth replied, “The LORD forbid that I should give you the inheritance of my fathers.”
Jehoshaphat gives his sons gifts and cities, the kingdom to the firstborn2 Chr 21:3
The verses
2 Chr 21:3Their father had given them many gifts of silver and gold and precious things, as well as the fortified cities in Judah; but he gave the kingdom to Jehoram because he was the firstborn.
Job gives his daughters an inheritance among their brothersJob 42:15
The verses
Job 42:15No women as beautiful as Job’s daughters could be found in all the land, and their father granted them an inheritance among their brothers.
Jeremiah buys his cousin’s field by right of redemptionJer 32:7–8
The verses
Jer 32:7–8Behold! Hanamel, the son of your uncle Shallum, is coming to you to say, ‘Buy for yourself my field in Anathoth, for you have the right of redemption to buy it.’ Then, as the LORD had said, my cousin Hanamel came to me in the courtyard of the guard and urged me, ‘Please buy my field in Anathoth in the land of Benjamin, for you own the right of inheritance and redemption. Buy it for yourself.’” Then I knew that this was the word of the LORD.
“Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me”Luke 12:13
The verses
Luke 12:13Someone in the crowd said to Him, “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me.”
The younger son asks for his share of the estate (a parable)Luke 15:12–13
The verses
Luke 15:12–13The younger son said to him, ‘Father, give me my share of the estate.’ So he divided his property between them. After a few days, the younger son got everything together and journeyed to a distant country, where he squandered his wealth in wild living.
Tenants plot to kill the heir and take the inheritance (a parable)Mark 12:7
The verses
Mark 12:7But the tenants said to one another, ‘This is the heir. Come, let us kill him, and the inheritance will be ours.’

In the Law

No son: to the daughter, then brothers, uncles, nearest relativeNum 27:8–11
The verses
Num 27:8–11Furthermore, you shall say to the Israelites, ‘If a man dies and leaves no son, you are to transfer his inheritance to his daughter. If he has no daughter, give his inheritance to his brothers. If he has no brothers, give his inheritance to his father’s brothers. And if his father has no brothers, give his inheritance to the next of kin from his clan, that he may take possession of it. This is to be a statutory ordinance for the Israelites, as the LORD has commanded Moses.’”
The firstborn of an unloved wife still gets a double portionDeut 21:15–17
The verses
Deut 21:15–17If a man has two wives, one beloved and the other unloved, and both bear him sons, but the unloved wife has the firstborn son, when that man assigns his inheritance to his sons he must not appoint the son of the beloved wife as the firstborn over the son of the unloved wife. Instead, he must acknowledge the firstborn, the son of his unloved wife, by giving him a double portion of all that he has. For that son is the firstfruits of his father’s strength; the right of the firstborn belongs to him.
Inherited land must not pass from tribe to tribeNum 36:7–9
The verses
Num 36:7–9No inheritance in Israel may be transferred from tribe to tribe, because each of the Israelites is to retain the inheritance of the tribe of his fathers. Every daughter who possesses an inheritance from any Israelite tribe must marry within a clan of the tribe of her father, so that every Israelite will possess the inheritance of his fathers. No inheritance may be transferred from one tribe to another, for each tribe of Israel must retain its inheritance.”
The land is divided by lot, more to larger tribesNum 26:53–55
The verses
Num 26:53–55“The land is to be divided among the tribes as an inheritance, according to the number of names. Increase the inheritance for a large tribe and decrease it for a small one; each tribe is to receive its inheritance according to the number of those registered. Indeed, the land must be divided by lot; they shall receive their inheritance according to the names of the tribes of their fathers.
Aaron is told he will have no inheritance in the landNum 18:20
The verses
Num 18:20Then the LORD said to Aaron, “You will have no inheritance in their land, nor will you have any portion among them. I am your portion and your inheritance among the Israelites.
A prince’s gift to a servant returns in the year of freedomEzek 46:16–17
The verses
Ezek 46:16–17This is what the Lord GOD says: ‘If the prince gives a gift to any of his sons as an inheritance, it will belong to his descendants. It will become their property by inheritance. But if he gives a gift from his inheritance to one of his servants, it will belong to that servant until the year of freedom; then it will revert to the prince. His inheritance belongs only to his sons; it shall be theirs.

Last wishes

Jacob crosses his hands and puts Ephraim before ManassehGen 48:13–14, Gen 48:19–20
The verses
Gen 48:13–14And Joseph took both of them—with Ephraim in his right hand toward Israel’s left hand, and Manasseh in his left hand toward Israel’s right hand—and brought them close to him. But Israel stretched out his right hand and put it on the head of Ephraim, the younger; and crossing his hands, he put his left on Manasseh’s head, although Manasseh was the firstborn.
Gen 48:19–20But his father refused. “I know, my son, I know!” he said. “He too shall become a people, and he too shall be great; nevertheless, his younger brother shall be greater than he, and his offspring shall become a multitude of nations.” So that day Jacob blessed them and said: “By you shall Israel pronounce this blessing: ‘May God make you like Ephraim and Manasseh.’” So he put Ephraim before Manasseh.
Jacob gathers his sons and blesses each of them before he diesGen 49:1, Gen 49:28, Gen 49:33
The verses
Gen 49:1Then Jacob called for his sons and said, “Gather around so that I can tell you what will happen to you in the days to come:
Gen 49:28These are the tribes of Israel, twelve in all, and this was what their father said to them. He blessed them, and he blessed each one with a suitable blessing.
Gen 49:33When Jacob had finished instructing his sons, he pulled his feet into the bed and breathed his last, and he was gathered to his people.
David’s last charge to Solomon1 Kgs 2:1–3
The verses
1 Kgs 2:1–3As the time drew near for David to die, he charged his son Solomon, “I am about to go the way of all the earth. So be strong and prove yourself a man. And keep the charge of the LORD your God to walk in His ways and to keep His statutes, commandments, ordinances, and decrees, as is written in the Law of Moses, so that you may prosper in all you do and wherever you turn,
Isaiah to Hezekiah: “Put your house in order”2 Kgs 20:1
The verses
2 Kgs 20:1In those days Hezekiah became mortally ill. The prophet Isaiah son of Amoz came to him and said, “This is what the LORD says: ‘Put your house in order, for you are about to die; you will not recover.’”
A will takes effect only after its maker has diedHeb 9:16–17
The verses
Heb 9:16–17In the case of a will, it is necessary to establish the death of the one who made it, because a will does not take effect until the one who made it has died; it cannot be executed while he is still alive.
A ratified human covenant cannot be canceled or amendedGal 3:15
The verses
Gal 3:15Brothers, let me put this in human terms. Even a human covenant, once it is ratified, cannot be canceled or amended.
An heir who is a child is under guardians and trusteesGal 4:1–2
The verses
Gal 4:1–2What I am saying is that as long as the heir is a child, he is no different from a slave, although he is the owner of everything. He is subject to guardians and trustees until the date set by his father.

Sayings

A wise servant will share the inheritance as one of the brothersProv 17:2
The verses
Prov 17:2A wise servant will rule over a disgraceful son and share his inheritance as one of the brothers.
Wealth lost in a failed venture leaves nothing to pass on to a sonEccl 5:13–14
The verses
Eccl 5:13–14There is a grievous evil I have seen under the sun: wealth hoarded to the harm of its owner, or wealth lost in a failed venture, so when that man has a son there is nothing to pass on.
Houses and wealth are inherited from fathersProv 19:14
The verses
Prov 19:14Houses and wealth are inherited from fathers, but a prudent wife is from the LORD.
Who knows whether my heir will be wise or foolish?Eccl 2:18–19
The verses
Eccl 2:18–19I hated all for which I had toiled under the sun, because I must leave it to the man who comes after me. And who knows whether that man will be wise or foolish? Yet he will take over all the labor at which I have worked skillfully under the sun. This too is futile.

Sources

From Nave’s Topical Bible (Orville J. Nave, 1896; public domain): subjects chosen, lines shortened and put into modern words, lines of interpretation left out; each verse checked.

Berean Standard Bible · Public domain