Then came the daughters of Zelophehad, the son of Hepher, the son of Gilead, the son of Machir, the son of Manasseh, of the families of Manasseh the son of Joseph: and these are the names of his daughters; Mahlah, Noah, and Hoglah, and Milcah, and Tirzah.
Then the daughters of Zelophehad came forward. Zelophehad was descended from Hepher, who was descended from Gilead, who was descended from Machir, who was descended from Manasseh. They were from the families of Manasseh, who was Joseph's son. The names of Zelophehad's daughters were Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah.
This verse introduces five sisters from the tribe of Manasseh who are about to make a bold request that will change inheritance laws for women in Israel.
📚 Historical Context
This takes place during Israel's time in the wilderness, as they prepared to enter the Promised Land. The genealogy traces these women back to Joseph's son Manasseh, establishing their legitimate claim as part of one of the twelve tribes. In ancient times, women typically could not inherit property, but these sisters were about to challenge that tradition.
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