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 ancient Israel, inheritance typically passed from fathers to sons, so having only daughters created a legal challenge for family property rights. This genealogy traces back to Manasseh, one of Joseph's sons who became a major tribe of Israel. The mention of these five daughters sets up an important legal precedent that would be established later in Israel's history regarding women's inheritance rights.
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