Under the patriarchs the property of a father was divided among the sons of his legitimate wives (
Genesis 21:10 ;
24:36 ;
25:5 ), the eldest son getting a larger portion than the rest. The Mosaic law made specific regulations regarding the transmission of real property, which are given in detail in
Deuteronomy 21:17 ;
Numbers 27:8 ;
36:6 ;
27:9-11 . Succession to property was a matter of right and not of favour. Christ is the "heir of all things" (
Hebrews 1:2 ;
Colossians 1:15 ). Believers are heirs of the "promise," "of righteousness," "of the kingdom," "of the world," "of God," "joint heirs" with Christ (
Galatians 3:29 ;
Hebrews 6:17 ;
11:7 ;
James 2:5 ;
Romans 4:13 ;
8:17 ).
These dictionary topics are from
M.G. Easton M.A., D.D., Illustrated Bible Dictionary, Third Edition,
published by Thomas Nelson, 1897. Public Domain, copy freely.