Zelophehad’s Daughters

In context

Five sisters, Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah and Tirzah, came to the door of the Tent of Meeting. Their father Zelophehad had died in the wilderness with no sons: “Why should the name of our father be taken away from among his family, because he had no son?” (Numbers 27:1–4). Moses took their case to the Lord, who said, “The daughters of Zelophehad speak right,” and made it a law for all Israel (Numbers 27:5–11). Years later the sisters reminded Joshua of it and received their land (Joshua 17:3–4).

The Lord told Moses to climb “this mountain of Abarim” and look at the land; like Aaron, he would die without entering it (Numbers 27:12–14). Moses asked for a leader, so that the people would not be “as sheep which have no shepherd,” and the Lord chose Joshua. Moses laid his hands on him in front of everyone (Numbers 27:15–23). Jesus later saw crowds “like sheep without a shepherd” (Matthew 9:36).

Chapters 28–29 are Israel’s calendar of offerings: two lambs every day, morning and evening, with more on Sabbaths, new moons and feasts (Numbers 28:3–29:39). Chapter 30 is about keeping vows, and when a father or a husband could cancel one (Numbers 30:2–16).