Matos: matrilineal inheritance

The end of the parsha, involves the assignment of Gilad and its environs to the tribes of Reuben and Gad ( and Menashe, who did not ask for it). This is the territory of Lavan, the border that Jacob promised he ( and his descendants) would not cross.
Genesis 31:

וַיֹּאמֶר לָבָן, לְיַעֲקֹב: הִנֵּה הַגַּל הַזֶּה, וְהִנֵּה הַמַּצֵּבָה, אֲשֶׁר יָרִיתִי, בֵּינִי וּבֵינֶךָ.	51 And Laban said to Jacob: 'Behold this heap, and behold the pillar, which I have set up betwixt me and thee.
נב עֵד הַגַּל הַזֶּה, וְעֵדָה הַמַּצֵּבָה: אִם-אָנִי, לֹא-אֶעֱבֹר אֵלֶיךָ אֶת-הַגַּל הַזֶּה, וְאִם-אַתָּה לֹא-תַעֲבֹר אֵלַי אֶת-הַגַּל הַזֶּה וְאֶת-הַמַּצֵּבָה הַזֹּאת, לְרָעָה.	52 This heap be witness, and the pillar be witness, that I will not pass over this heap to thee, and that thou shalt not pass over this heap and this pillar unto me, for harm

There was a prior oath that this land would be for the children of Lavan!

Now, of course , Reuben, Dan and all the tribes of Israel are the descendants of Laban on the maternal side. It is interesting that this claim to the matriarchial land comes juxtaposed to the claim of the daughters of Zelophchad.

The parsha is filled with power politics. The power of men over the vows of women is stated and limited. The conquest of the Midian, the people of Moshe’s wife, Elazar’s wife, Pinchas’ mother and the division of the spoils is described. The power of Reuben’s wealth succeeds in obtaining the land that the tribe desires.

A mixture of Yaakov and Lavan?