In verses 5 through 9 a statute was given to the sons of Israel according to the word of Jehovah.
"Moses commanded the sons of Israel according to the word of Jehovah, saying, The tribe of the sons of Joseph has spoken rightly. This is what Jehovah commands concerning the daughters of Zelophehad, saying, Let them marry those who are good in their eyes; only, they shall marry within the family of the tribe of their father" (vv. 5-6). God allowed the daughters to marry according to their taste but only within the family of the tribe of their father. This indicates that although the Lord gives us freedom, this freedom must be exercised within the limit, the boundary, of God's regulation.
"The inheritance of the sons of Israel shall not pass from one tribe to another; for every one of the sons of Israel shall cleave to the inheritance of the tribe of his fathers" (v. 7). This signifies that as our inheritance Christ is not transferable and that we should cleave to Him as this inheritance. Paul's word in 2 Corinthians 6:14 may help us to understand this: "Do not become unequally yoked with unbelievers." This word applies to all manner of intimate relationships between believers and unbelievers, including marriage. In principle, for a believer to marry an unbeliever is to make Christ as the inheritance transferable.
"Every daughter who possesses an inheritance in any tribe of the sons of Israel shall be wife to one of the family of the tribe of her father, so that every one of the sons of Israel may possess the inheritance of his fathers. And no inheritance shall pass from one tribe to another; for each of the tribes of the sons of Israel shall cleave to its own inheritance" (Num. 36:8-9). This was the way to keep the God-ordained inheritance from becoming transferrable.