Numbers 27:1

Zelophehad's Daughters

1 The daughters of Zelophehad belonged to the family groups of Manasseh. Zelophehad was the son of Hepher. Hepher was the son of Gilead. Gilead was the son of Makir. Makir was the son of Manasseh. And Manasseh was the son of Joseph. The names of Zelophehad's daughters were Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah and Tirzah. They approached

Numbers 27:1 Meaning and Commentary

Numbers 27:1

Then came the daughters of Zelophehad
Who are mentioned among the families of Manasseh, under that of the Hepherites, ( Numbers 26:33 ) , their father being dead, and they having no brethren, when they heard the land was to be divided among those that were numbered, and who were only males of twenty years old and upwards, were concerned, lest they should have no share in the division of the land; and therefore came, according to the Targum of Jonathan, to the house of judgment, or court of judicature, where Moses, the princes were now sitting: the genealogy of Zelophehad is given;

he was the son of Hepher, the son of Gilead, the son of Machir, the son
of Manasseh, the son of Joseph;
by which it appears he was of the tribe of Manasseh, and of the fourth generation from him:

and these are the names of his daughters, Mahlah, Noah, ann Hoglah, and
Milcah, and Tirzah;
in the same order their names are given in ( Numbers 26:33 ) ( Joshua 17:3 ) , but in ( Numbers 36:11 ) , it is a little altered, Noah and Tirzah change places, which Jarchi says shows they were upon an equality one with another.

Numbers 27:1 In-Context

1 The daughters of Zelophehad belonged to the family groups of Manasseh. Zelophehad was the son of Hepher. Hepher was the son of Gilead. Gilead was the son of Makir. Makir was the son of Manasseh. And Manasseh was the son of Joseph. The names of Zelophehad's daughters were Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah and Tirzah. They approached

2 the entrance to the Tent of Meeting. There they stood in front of Moses and the priest Eleazar. The leaders and the whole community were there too. Zelophehad's daughters said,

3 "Our father died in the Sinai Desert. But he wasn't one of the men who followed Korah. He wasn't one of those who joined together against the Lord. Our father died because of his own sin. He didn't leave any sons.

4 "Why should our father's name disappear from his family just because he didn't have a son? Give us property among our father's relatives."

5 So Moses brought their case to the Lord.