Numbers 27:1

The Daughters of Zelophehad

1 Now the daughters of Zelophehad son of Hepher, the son of Gilead, the son of Machir, the son of Manasseh, belonged to the clans of Manasseh son of Joseph. These were the names of his daughters: Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah. They approached ¹

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 Now the daughters of Zelophehad son of Hepher, the son of Gilead, the son of Machir, the son of Manasseh, belonged to the clans of Manasseh son of Joseph. These were the names of his daughters: Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah. They approached

2 the entrance to the Tent of Meeting, stood before Moses, Eleazar the priest, the leaders, and the whole congregation, and said,

3 “Our father died in the wilderness, but he was not among the followers of Korah who gathered together against the LORD. Instead, he died because of his own sin, and he had no sons.

4 Why should the name of our father disappear from his clan because he had no sons? Give us property among our father’s brothers.”

5 So Moses brought their case before the LORD,

Cross References

• 1. (Numbers 36:1–13)