Descent of Inheritances
Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself;
thou shalt do no injustice unto him.
1. IF a man die leaving sons, his inheritance shall belong to them, and it may be parted among them. And to the firstborn, or he that is worthy to be so reckoned, shall be given a double portion, that he may keep up the dignity of his father’s house.
49 words,
191 letters.
1. The son of the father’s flesh, born of a free woman, before any other of such a mother, is firstborn by the Law. If there is no son of a free woman, the son of a concubine is firstborn by the Law. In either of these cases, if the mother lived with the father as his wife, under a betrothal or a defective marriage, at the time her first son was born, he will not forfeit his right as firstborn thereby.
2. If there is no son by a wife, the oldest son by any strange woman will inherit as firstborn; but if he has no son of his own flesh, then the son first adopted, if he has made no distinction among them, or the one he has exalted above all others, if he has so exalted any one, shall inherit as firstborn.
2. The sons which he hath adopted shall be reckoned with the sons he hath begotten. They are his. But if any of his sons have received an inheritance already, they shall
[Page 301]
not receive a portion with their father’s children.
39 words,
175 letters.
If a son accepts a separate inheritance, he cannot inherit from his father as firstborn, though he is every way worthy, nor can he have a portion as a son, because he is thus already made equal with him. He gains by this a full inheritance, instead of a portion; but his younger brother who inherits as firstborn, will take precedence before him in the family.
3. No man shall receive two inheritances, lest his neighbour have none. But if he receive another, or if he marry an heiress, he shall surely give up the former, that it may be given to him who hath none, or who lacketh a portion.
44 words,
177 letters.
1. An heiress is one whose father has an inheritance, but no son. If there are several of them, such as wish to inherit from their father must retain his name, and name it on their husbands; otherwise they will lose their portions.
2. If one who has received an inheritance wishes to return after his father’s death, and claim a portion, he must give up his own inheritance; and he cannot return without the con-sent of all the heirs. If one who has already received a portion of his father’s inheritance marries an heiress, his portion will return to the head of the house.
4. If a man die having no sons, but daughters, the inheritance shall belong to them: the men who shall take them to wife, shall be called after the name of their fathers, every man after the name of his wife’s father: otherwise he shall not possess the inheritance.
[Page 302]
Thus shall the house and the name of him be kept up, who hath no son.
64 words,
259 letters.
An only son, or a son in a small family, ought not to marry an heiress, because, as he cannot perpetuate both houses, he thus becomes the possible means of extinguishing one or the other. Having once assumed the name of his wife’s father, he cannot return to his fathers house, even to save it from extinction.
5. But if he have neither sons nor daughters, and he be found a righteous man, then may the King appoint his nearest kinsman who is found worthy, and is not the firstborn of his father, his heir; and he who is thus appointed shall be called after the name of him who had no child. Thus shall his name and his house be kept up. Otherwise shall the King give his inheritance to him who is needy.
77 words,
306 letters.
In case the inheritance is merely given to him who is needy, without reference to the name of its former possessor, he takes in his own name, and the house of the former is lost.
6. If a man desert his inheritance for a long time, that it be left to decay and waste, or become wild, that the portion of the house of the Lord, and the treasury of the King fail, then shall the King’s servants possess it. And the King may take it to himself, or grant it to another who needeth it.
60 words,
229 letters.
[Page 303]
When the possessor has not improved and given value to his inheritance, if he abandons it one year it may be given to another. But if he has made valuable improvements, it will not be given to another until he evinces a design of total abandonment.
7. If the sons of him who has left his inheritance return, the King’s servants shall render it to them. But if the King has taken it to himself, or granted it to another, then shall the King give them another inheritance.
41 words,
172 letters.
8. If any man will leave his inheritance to seek a place in another land which the Lord your God giveth you, then shall he render his inheritance to the King, who shall appoint him another, that his children may possess it instead of the former, and his house and his name be not lost among the Saints.
57 words,
238 letters.
In such a case the custom is to grant the inheritance to some worthy man, requiring him to pay him who gave it up a sum sufficient to improve another in a similar manner. But this will not be done, when the change is without counsel.
9. If the King seek men to go up to a new land to possess it by the Command of the Lord your God, then shall the sons among many brethren go up and establish their houses, and their names shall be named upon their inheritances, that they may be kept up forever. And they shall not inherit with
[Page 304]
their brethren of the possessions of their father.
66 words,
271 letters.
While the land is abundant and waiting to be occupied, it is desirable that most of the sons thus go up to new lands, and establish themselves on inheritances, instead of remaining to receive a portion of their fathers’. But, when duly qualified, it is preferable that the firstborn remain to inherit, because otherwise a younger brother wilt take precedence of him.
10. Thus shall every man have an inheritance, or a portion, and they shall not be divided till they are too small for you.
23 words,
93 letters.
The distinction should ever be kept up between an inheritance and a portion. The inheritance is one and indivisible. All that inherit receive their portions in it, unless they choose to occupy it jointly. The division of an inheritance into portions is not desirable, when the whole house can agree in occupying it jointly. It is desirable to double up the portions, but they cannot go to strangers.
11. If an inheritance have been divided, and one who hath a portion die leaving no child, or render it up to receive another, it shall not be given to a stranger to his house. It shall return to the head of the family to whom the inheritance pertaineth.
48 words,
197 letters.
12. And if he die leaving no sons, but a daughter, and any of her kinsman who has also a portion of that inheritance take her to wife, he shall have her portion with her.
34 words,
129 letters.
Total—12 sec., 602 words, 2,437 letters.
thou shalt do no injustice unto him.
1. IF a man die leaving sons, his inheritance shall belong to them, and it may be parted among them. And to the firstborn, or he that is worthy to be so reckoned, shall be given a double portion, that he may keep up the dignity of his father’s house.
49 words,
191 letters.
1. The son of the father’s flesh, born of a free woman, before any other of such a mother, is firstborn by the Law. If there is no son of a free woman, the son of a concubine is firstborn by the Law. In either of these cases, if the mother lived with the father as his wife, under a betrothal or a defective marriage, at the time her first son was born, he will not forfeit his right as firstborn thereby.
2. If there is no son by a wife, the oldest son by any strange woman will inherit as firstborn; but if he has no son of his own flesh, then the son first adopted, if he has made no distinction among them, or the one he has exalted above all others, if he has so exalted any one, shall inherit as firstborn.
2. The sons which he hath adopted shall be reckoned with the sons he hath begotten. They are his. But if any of his sons have received an inheritance already, they shall
[Page 301]
not receive a portion with their father’s children.
39 words,
175 letters.
If a son accepts a separate inheritance, he cannot inherit from his father as firstborn, though he is every way worthy, nor can he have a portion as a son, because he is thus already made equal with him. He gains by this a full inheritance, instead of a portion; but his younger brother who inherits as firstborn, will take precedence before him in the family.
3. No man shall receive two inheritances, lest his neighbour have none. But if he receive another, or if he marry an heiress, he shall surely give up the former, that it may be given to him who hath none, or who lacketh a portion.
44 words,
177 letters.
1. An heiress is one whose father has an inheritance, but no son. If there are several of them, such as wish to inherit from their father must retain his name, and name it on their husbands; otherwise they will lose their portions.
2. If one who has received an inheritance wishes to return after his father’s death, and claim a portion, he must give up his own inheritance; and he cannot return without the con-sent of all the heirs. If one who has already received a portion of his father’s inheritance marries an heiress, his portion will return to the head of the house.
4. If a man die having no sons, but daughters, the inheritance shall belong to them: the men who shall take them to wife, shall be called after the name of their fathers, every man after the name of his wife’s father: otherwise he shall not possess the inheritance.
[Page 302]
Thus shall the house and the name of him be kept up, who hath no son.
64 words,
259 letters.
An only son, or a son in a small family, ought not to marry an heiress, because, as he cannot perpetuate both houses, he thus becomes the possible means of extinguishing one or the other. Having once assumed the name of his wife’s father, he cannot return to his fathers house, even to save it from extinction.
5. But if he have neither sons nor daughters, and he be found a righteous man, then may the King appoint his nearest kinsman who is found worthy, and is not the firstborn of his father, his heir; and he who is thus appointed shall be called after the name of him who had no child. Thus shall his name and his house be kept up. Otherwise shall the King give his inheritance to him who is needy.
77 words,
306 letters.
In case the inheritance is merely given to him who is needy, without reference to the name of its former possessor, he takes in his own name, and the house of the former is lost.
6. If a man desert his inheritance for a long time, that it be left to decay and waste, or become wild, that the portion of the house of the Lord, and the treasury of the King fail, then shall the King’s servants possess it. And the King may take it to himself, or grant it to another who needeth it.
60 words,
229 letters.
[Page 303]
When the possessor has not improved and given value to his inheritance, if he abandons it one year it may be given to another. But if he has made valuable improvements, it will not be given to another until he evinces a design of total abandonment.
7. If the sons of him who has left his inheritance return, the King’s servants shall render it to them. But if the King has taken it to himself, or granted it to another, then shall the King give them another inheritance.
41 words,
172 letters.
8. If any man will leave his inheritance to seek a place in another land which the Lord your God giveth you, then shall he render his inheritance to the King, who shall appoint him another, that his children may possess it instead of the former, and his house and his name be not lost among the Saints.
57 words,
238 letters.
In such a case the custom is to grant the inheritance to some worthy man, requiring him to pay him who gave it up a sum sufficient to improve another in a similar manner. But this will not be done, when the change is without counsel.
9. If the King seek men to go up to a new land to possess it by the Command of the Lord your God, then shall the sons among many brethren go up and establish their houses, and their names shall be named upon their inheritances, that they may be kept up forever. And they shall not inherit with
[Page 304]
their brethren of the possessions of their father.
66 words,
271 letters.
While the land is abundant and waiting to be occupied, it is desirable that most of the sons thus go up to new lands, and establish themselves on inheritances, instead of remaining to receive a portion of their fathers’. But, when duly qualified, it is preferable that the firstborn remain to inherit, because otherwise a younger brother wilt take precedence of him.
10. Thus shall every man have an inheritance, or a portion, and they shall not be divided till they are too small for you.
23 words,
93 letters.
The distinction should ever be kept up between an inheritance and a portion. The inheritance is one and indivisible. All that inherit receive their portions in it, unless they choose to occupy it jointly. The division of an inheritance into portions is not desirable, when the whole house can agree in occupying it jointly. It is desirable to double up the portions, but they cannot go to strangers.
11. If an inheritance have been divided, and one who hath a portion die leaving no child, or render it up to receive another, it shall not be given to a stranger to his house. It shall return to the head of the family to whom the inheritance pertaineth.
48 words,
197 letters.
12. And if he die leaving no sons, but a daughter, and any of her kinsman who has also a portion of that inheritance take her to wife, he shall have her portion with her.
34 words,
129 letters.
Total—12 sec., 602 words, 2,437 letters.