Numbers 27:1-11

EasyEnglish Bible

Zelophehad's daughters

27 Then the daughters of Zelophehad, the son of Hepher, came to speak to Moses. Hepher was the son of Gilead, the son of Makir, the son of Manasseh, the son of Joseph. So Zelophehad belonged to the tribe of Manasseh. His daughters were called Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah and Tirzah. ² Moses, Eleazar the priest and all the leaders of the people were standing at the front of the Tent of Meeting. Zelophehad's daughters said to them, ³ ‘Our father died in the desert. But he was not in Korah's group of men who came together to speak against the Lord. He died in the desert because of his own sin, and he did not have any sons. ⁴ We are his daughters, so please give us some land along with our father's male relatives. Then people will not forget our father's family name.’

⁵ Moses asked the Lord about this. ⁶ The Lord said to Moses, ⁷ ‘What the daughters of Zelophehad said is right. You must give to them some of the land that their father's family will receive. Give to them the land that their father would have received.

⁸ Tell the Israelites this: “Sometimes a man only has daughters. When he dies, his daughters must receive what belongs to their family. ⁹ If he does not have any sons or daughters, you must give his family's land to his brothers. ¹⁰ If he does not have any brothers, you must give his land to his father's brothers. ¹¹ Sometimes the man's father may have no brothers. If that happens, you must give his land to another person in his family. This is a rule for all the people. The Lord gave this command to Moses.” ’