Numbers 27:9

And if he have no brethren,.... Nor any descendants from them:

then ye shall give his inheritance unto his father's brethren; that is, to his uncles, and to their children.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Him. The Jews observe, that if the father of the deceased were still alive, he would take the inheritance. (Selden, Success. xii. and xiii.) But if his wife were inclined to marry again, she might insist on his next relation taking her, before she could be required to give up his goods, Deuteronomy xxv. 5. Hence the Gemarra of Babylon says, "If we are the daughters of Salphaad, let them give us his estate; but if we are not his daughters, let them make the brother of Salphaad marry our mother."

George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).

General Information:

This continues God's law about who will receive land if a man does not have any sons.

be a law established by decree for the people of Israel

This can be stated in active form. AT: "be a law that all the people of Israel must obey" (See: Active or Passive)

has commanded me

Here "me" refers to Moses.

translationWords

clan

law, laws

decree

command

unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.

AND IF HE HAVE NO DAUGHTER, THEN YE SHALL GIVE HIS INHERITANCE UNTO HIS BRETHREN. Our Rabbis have received a tradition that a father inherits his son if he [the son] dies without any children, but Scripture, however, did not mention this. The reason [for this omission] is that in the laws of inheritance [the rule is]: “Whoever can bequeath an inheritance to his relations can inherit [from them],” since their relationship is mutual. Now since Scripture stated that a son inherits his father, [it is self-understood that] the father also inherits his son [if the son died without direct descendants, but left, for example, brothers]. And furthermore, the [primary law of] inheritance is [that it follows the direct] line of [descent of] successors [of the progenitor] according to his [direct] descendants, and does not go by means of a side-succession [such as to a brother; hence the father gets it back from his son]. If so [the meaning of the verse] then ye shall give his inheritance unto his brethren is the inheritance which the father inherits in the grave [in a direct line back from his son]; and from him [the father, who is already dead], it comes [again in a direct line] to the brothers [who survive the deceased son]. But [although according to the tradition of our Rabbis, a father inherits his son who dies without any children, even if the son has surviving brothers], Scripture yet did not want to say: “And if he have no daughter, then ye shall give his inheritance unto ‘his [surviving] father,’” [but instead states that you shall give his inheritance ‘to his brothers’] since the Torah speaks “in a way of blessing” [and therefore mentions only the children or brothers who inherit], for it does not [want to speak about] those who are “cut off” [i.e., a case where the dead man is “cut off” in his youth, during the lifetime of his father]. And perhaps [the reason why Scripture does not mention it explicitly is] because it did not happen to any of those who entered the Land, that a father [outlived and] inherited his son, but the sons always had direct descendants to inherit them; for it is about them [those who entered the Land] that Scripture speaks.

Ramban (Nachmanides) on the Tanakh — English translation: “Commentary on the Torah by Ramban (Nachmanides). Translated and annotated by Charles B. Chavel. New York, Shilo Pub. House, 1971-1976” (CC BY 4.0). Text via Sefaria.