Numbers 27:1–11

A CASE OF DAUGHTERS’ INHERITANCE

27The daughters of Zelophehad approached; Zelophehad was the son of Hepher, son of Gilead, son of Machir, son of Manasseh from the clans of Manasseh, the son of Joseph. These were the names of his daughters: Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah. ²They stood before Moses, the priest Eleazar, the leaders, and the entire community at the entrance to the tent of meeting and said, ³“Our father died in the wilderness, but he was not among Korah’s followers, who gathered together against the Lord.^g Instead, he died because of his own sin, and he had no sons. ⁴Why should the name of our father be taken away from his clan? Since he had no son, give us property among our father’s brothers.”

⁵Moses brought their case before the Lord, ⁶and the Lord answered him, ⁷“What Zelophehad’s daughters say is correct. You are to give them hereditary property among their father’s brothers and transfer their father’s inheritance to them.^{h 8}Tell the Israelites: When a man dies without having a son, transfer his inheritance to his daughter. ⁹If he has no daughter, give his inheritance to his brothers. ¹⁰If he has no brothers, give his inheritance to his father’s brothers. ¹¹If his father has no brothers, give his inheritance to the nearest relative of his clan, and he will take possession of it. This is to be a statutory ordinance for the Israelites as the Lord commanded Moses.”