But Zelophehad, the son of Hepher, the son of Gilead, the son of Machir, the son of Manasseh, had no sons, but daughters: and these are the names of his daughters, Mahlah, and Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah.
But Zelophehad, who was the son of Hepher, grandson of Gilead, great-grandson of Machir, and great-great-grandson of Manasseh, had no sons, only daughters. The names of his daughters were Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah.
This verse introduces Zelophehad, a man who had five daughters but no sons, which was significant for inheritance laws in ancient Israel.
📚 Historical Context
In the Book of Joshua, the Israelites were dividing the Promised Land among the tribes after their conquest of Canaan, as part of God's fulfillment of His covenant promises. Zelophehad, a descendant of Manasseh, had no sons, so his daughters stepped forward to claim their rightful inheritance, based on a prior ruling from God through Moses in the Book of Numbers. This arrangement ensured that family land stayed within the tribe and addressed exceptions to the typical patriarchal inheritance practices of ancient Israelite society.
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