Reading the Bible Through

Numbers 36 - Deuteronomy 2   Zelophehad’s daughters had to marry  their cousins on their father’s side to keep the land in that tribe. Having to marry cousins feels creepy to me. When I do genealogy, I may look at marriage licenses from Ohio. The licenses say the two parties are no closer than 1st cousins. However, 1st was crossed out and changed to 2nd. I do wonder how close of cousins  Zelophehad’s daughters  married. I also think that they must not have had any close male relatives as it seems they had to speak up for themselves about their father's inheritance in Canaan.  In Deuteronomy 2:29, it says the Edomites let the Israelites pass through their land. The last time we read about the Edomites the denied Israel passage and Israel went around. I think some of the story is missing here. 

Numbers 16 - 18   So the ground splits open and swallows the rebellious Korah and his follows. The rest of the Israelites are afraid they will be swallowed up as well. Then, the next day, it says, the Israelites grumble that Moses and Aaron killed the Lord's people. What gives? What didn't the Israelites understand from the group swallowing up Korah and his followers?  Then the  Lord uses Aaron's staff to designate the Levites which convinces the Israelites seeming. Why this and not the ground swallowing people up? I wonder, what is the significance of "covenant of salt?"