Who is…
Zelophehad

Meaning: first-born

This is an Israelite man of the tribe of Manasseh, and of the family of Gilead.

He died in the wilderness in the Exodus from Egypt. Having left no sons, his daughters, were very concerned that their father’s name would be “done away from among his family.” They made an appeal to Moses, who, by divine direction, appointed “a statute of judgment” in Israel that daughters should inherit their father’s portion when no sons were left (Numbers 27:1-11).

But that the possession of Zelophehad should not pass away in the year of jubilee from the tribe to which he belonged, it was ordained by Moses that his daughters should not marry any one out of their father’s tribe; and this afterwards became a general law (Numbers 36).

More information

• What is the Tribe of Manasseh?
• What is Gilead?
• What is The Exodus?
• Who is Israel?
• About wilderness in the Bible
• What is the Law of Moses?
• What is the jubilee?
• Men of the Bible