Zelophehad had five daughters but no sons. According to the inheritance laws of the land Zelophehad faced the possibility of losing his portion of the land that would be divided among the families of his clan. But in keeping with the courageous character of the new generation, these five daughters present their case, not only to Moses and Eleazar the priest, but also before the chiefs and all the congregation. They petitioned for the right to share in the land that would rightfully belong to their family when they entered the Promised Land.
First, I believe God was moved by the faith of these five women. They had no doubt that God was giving the Promised Land to Israel. You can almost sense God’s pleasure in their faith in what he says to Moses. “The Lord said to Moses, ‘The
daughters of Zelophehad are right. You shall give them possession of an inheritance among their father’s brothers and transfer the inheritance of their father to them.” (27:6-7) I like what Philip and Ogilvie say about this passage: “Here, then, is a word of encouragement for all who have found themselves in such a position of helplessness and need, lonely, unprotected, underprivileged, unprovided for, and deprived of the protection and sustaining that men folk can give: There is a God in heaven who cares, who sees and understands, and will move in answer to our cries, and will provide for our needs.”