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Zelophehad צְלׇפְחָד

Male Tribe of Manasseh H6765 3 books

Israelite whose daughters received his inheritance

Who is Zelophehad in the Bible?

Zelophehad was a man from the tribe of Manasseh who died without sons during Israel's wilderness wanderings (Numbers 26:33). His five daughters, Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah, petitioned Moses and the leaders for the right to inherit their father's property, since Israelite law traditionally granted inheritance only to sons (Numbers 27:1-7). The Lord approved their request, establishing a new legal precedent for inheritance in cases where a man had no male heir (Numbers 27:7). To preserve tribal land divisions, later regulations required that Zelophehad's daughters marry within their own tribe so their inheritance would remain with Manasseh (Numbers 36:2-11). Zelophehad's daughters are significant in biblical history because their case led to an important expansion of inheritance rights and demonstrated how God's law could be adapted to address situations not originally covered by existing statutes.

Biography

Zelophehad was a man from the tribe of Manasseh during the time of Moses. He had five daughters - Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah - but no sons. After the census in the wilderness, Zelophehad's daughters came before Moses, Eleazar the priest, the leaders, and the congregation, asking for a possession among their father's brothers, since Zelophehad had died without a male heir. Moses brought their case before the Lord, who commanded that the daughters be given their father's inheritance. This ruling set a precedent for cases where a man died without a son. Later, when the Israelites were preparing to enter Canaan, the heads of the fathers' houses of Manasseh raised a concern that if Zelophehad's daughters married outside their tribe, their inheritance would be lost to the tribe. Moses then commanded that they could marry whom they thought best, but only within their father's tribal clan, to keep the inheritance within the tribe. Zelophehad's daughters did as the Lord commanded and married sons of their father's brothers. This event is significant in establishing the rights of inheritance for women in ancient Israel.

Family

Parents

Offspring

In Scripture

3 biblical books ; 1 with study content
Numbers 5 verses
  • Numbers 26:33

    "Now Zelophehad son of Hepher had no sons but only daughters. The names of his daughters were Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah."

  • Numbers 27:1

    "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"

  • Numbers 27:7

    "“The daughters of Zelophehad speak correctly. You certainly must give them property as an inheritance among their father’s brothers and transfer their father’s inheritance to them."

  • Numbers 36:2

    "saying, “When the LORD commanded my lord to give the land as an inheritance to the Israelites by lot, He also commanded him to give the inheritance of our brother Zelophehad to his daughters."

  • Numbers 36:6

    "This is what the LORD has commanded concerning the daughters of Zelophehad: They may marry anyone they please, provided they marry within a clan of the tribe of their father."

Joshua 1 verse
  • Joshua 17:3

    "But Zelophehad son of Hepher (the son of Gilead, the son of Machir, the son of Manasseh) had no sons but only daughters. These are the names of his daughters: Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah."

    Study Joshua →
1 Chronicles 1 verse
  • 1 Chronicles 7:15

    "Machir took a wife from among the Huppites and Shuppites. The name of his sister was Maacah. Another descendant was named Zelophehad, who had only daughters."

Names & Aliases

Form Language Script
Named Hebrew צְלׇפְחָד
Encyclopedia Article

Zelophehad

ISBE 1915 (Public Domain)

27.7">7; 36:2,6,10,11; Jos 17:3; 1Ch 7:15). His daughters came to Moses and Eleazar and successfully pleaded for a possession for themselves (Nu 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 (Nu 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 Nu 26:33) that the "daughters" of Zelophehad are towns or clans.

David Francis Roberts

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ze-lo'-tez (Zelotes).

See SIMON THE ZEALOT; ZEALOT.

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zel'-za (tseltsach; hallomenous megala): A

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