INHERITANCE

The laws of inheritance among the Hebrews were very simple. Land might be mortgaged, but could not be alienated, Nu 36:6-9. See JUBILEE. The only permanent right to property was by heritage, or lineal succession. The eldest son had a double portion. Females had no territorial possession; but if a man left no sons, his daughters inherited-on condition of their marrying into a family within the tribe to which their father belonged. If a man had no children, his land passed to distant relatives, according to a law laid down in Nu 27:8-11. The Law of Moses rendered wills unnecessary; they were introduced, however, at a later period, Ga 3:15 Heb 9:17. Property was sometimes distributed among children during the lifetime of the father: thus, in the parable of the prodigal son, the father divided his property between the two sons, Lu 15:12.

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INHERITANCE. → Provisions for inheritance under Levirate marriages Ge 38:7-11; Nu 36:6-9; De 25:5-10; Ru 3:1-8; 4:7-17 → UNCLASSIFIED SCRIPTURES RELATING TO Ge 15:3; 21:9-11; 24:36; 25:5,6; 48:21,22; Nu 27:6-11; De 21:15-17; 1Ki 21:3; 2Ch 21:3; Job 42:15; Pr 17:2; 20:21; Ec 2:18,19; Jer 32:6-8; Eze 46:16-18; Lu 15:12,25-31; Ga 3:15; Heb 9:16,17
* See WILL
* See HEIR

→ FIGURATIVE Ps 37:29; Ac 20:32; 26:18; Ro 8:16,17; Eph 1:11-14; Tit 3:7; Heb 1:14
* See FIRSTBORN
* See HEIR
* See WILL

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(A) INHERITANCE, EARTHLY (1) General References to Nu 36:2; Jos 16:4; 17:4; 19:1; Jud 2:6; Ru 4:6; Jer 32:8 Lu 15:12 (2) Laws of. See BUSINESS LIFE (3) Of Israel Le 20:24; De 1:38; Jos 1:6; 12:6; 13:6; 14:2; 24:28 --SEE Land of Promise, CANAAN, LAND OF Canaan, CANAAN, LAND OF Fruitful Land, CANAAN, LAND OF (B) HERITAGE OF THE RIGHTEOUS (1) Earthly Ps 37:11,22; Isa 57:13; Mt 5:5; Ro 4:13 --SEE Land of Promise, CANAAN, LAND OF ---Of Priests. See LEADERS (2) Spiritual Ps 61:5; 119:111; Isa 54:17; Ac 20:32; 26:18; Eph 1:11 Col 1:12; 3:24; 1Pe 1:4 --SEE Spiritual Heirs, CHURCH, THE Spiritual Treasure, RICHES Spiritual Riches, RICHES RICHES

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inheritance. Inheritance, n. a hereditary possession, a patrimony

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In‐her″it‐ance (?), n. [[Cf. OF. enheritance.]] 1. 1. The act or state of inheriting; as, the inheritance of an estate; the inheritance of mental or physical qualities.
2. 2. That which is or may be inherited; that which is derived by an heir from an ancestor or other person; a heritage; a possession which passes by descent.
When the man dies, let the inheritance Descend unto the daughter. Shak. 3. 3. A permanent or valuable possession or blessing, esp. one received by gift or without purchase; a benefaction.
To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away. 1 Pet. i. 4. 4. 4. Possession; ownership; acquisition. “The inheritance of their loves.” Shak.
To you th' inheritance belongs by right Of brother's praise; to you eke 'longs his love. Spenser. 5. 5. (Biol.) Transmission and reception by animal or plant generation.
6. 6. (Law) A perpetual or continuing right which a man and his heirs have to an estate; an estate which a man has by descent as heir to another, or which he may transmit to another as his heir; an estate derived from an ancestor to an heir in course of law. Blackstone.
☞ The word inheritance (used simply) is mostly confined to the title to land and tenements by a descent. Mozley & W. Men are not proprietors of what they have, merely for themselves; their children have a title to part of it which comes to be wholly theirs when death has put an end to their parents' use of it; and this we call inheritance. Locke.