first-born, of the tribe of Manasseh, and of the family of Gilead; died in the wilderness. Having left no sons, his daughters, concerned lest their father's name should be "done away from among his family," made an appeal to Moses, who, by divine direction, appointed it as "a statute of judgment" in Israel that daughters should inherit their father's portion when no sons were left ( Numbers 27:1-11 ). But that the possession of Zelophehad might not pass away in the year of jubilee from the tribe to which he belonged, it was ordained by Moses that his daughters should not marry any one out of their father's tribe; and this afterwards became a general law ( Numbers 36 ).
the shade or tingling of fear
(first-born ), son of Zepher, son of Gilead, son of Machir, son of Manasseh. ( Joshua 17:3 ) (B.C. before 1450.) He was apparently the second son of Hepher. ( 1 Chronicles 7:15 ) Zelophehad came out of Egypt with Moses, but died in the wilderness, as did the whole of that generation. ( Numbers 14:35 ; 27:3 ) On his death without male heirs, his five daughters, just after the second numbering in the wilderness, came before Moses and Eleazar to claim the inheritance of their father in the tribe of Manasseh. The claim was admitted by divine direction. ( Numbers 26:33 ; 27:1-11 )
ZELOPHEHAD
ze-lo'-fe-had (tslophchadh, meaning unknown):
Head of a Manassite family who died without male issue (Numbers 26:33; 27:1,7; 36:2,6,10,11; Joshua 17:3; 1 Chronicles 7:15). His daughters came to Moses and Eleazar and successfully pleaded for a possession for themselves (Numbers 27:1). This became the occasion for a law providing that in the case of a man dying without sons, the inheritance was to pass to his daughters if he had any. A further request is made (Numbers 36:2) by the heads of the Gileadite houses that the women who were given this right of inheritance should be compelled to marry members of their own tribe, so that the tribe may not lose them and their property. This is granted and becomes law among the Hebrews.
Gray says (ICC on Numbers 26:33) that the "daughters" of Zelophehad are towns or clans.
David Francis Roberts
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