Lessons from the daughters of Zelophehad

Did you know that the daughters of Zelophehad are mentioned five times in the Old Testament? They are mentioned in Numbers 26, 27, 36, Joshua 17, and 1 Chronicles 7. In all but the last passage, the five daughters are mentioned by name—not just “the daughters of Zelophehad,” but their five names are given. This shows their importance.

The root word of Zelophehad means “united.” Numbers 26:33 tells us, “And Zelophehad the son of Hepher had no sons, but daughters: and the names of the daughters of Zelophehad were Mahlah, and Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah.”

1. They were destitute but not hopeless. Their father had died in the desert during the 40 years of wandering. The laws of that time prevented women from being heirs to the property of their father. Their situation was a gloomy one. Yet, they did not allow the reality of the situation to overwhelm them to the point where they were crippled by helplessness. They didn’t just sit back and allow life to happen to them. They didn’t have a “woe is me” attitude. These women knew that as long as God was in charge of them, there was a better solution to their problems.

2. They spoke the language of faith. They all spoke the same language. The language of faith. They believed strongly in the promise that God had been repeating over and over for 40 years: the desert experience wouldn’t last forever. They believed that they would be among those going into the Promised Land. And by faith, they were seeking to claim their piece of land before they even set eyes or foot on it. They were claiming their piece of land in anticipation of the fulfillment of God’s promise. These women made the definition of faith come alive. "Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see." Hebrews 11:1

3. They dared to challenge the norms. By practice, only the males of families were recorded to track the patriarchal descendants and ancestry. Only sons could inherit a father’s possession. Land being apportioned to women as inheritance was completely unheard of. This had never been done before. But the daughters of Zelophehad were intent on pushing the boundaries of the norms to ensure they could secure their own future.

The boldness that these five women showed, influenced the development of a new set of laws.

4. God loves and cares for His daughters immeasurably. God’s heart is filled with love for his daughters just as much as for his sons. God did not do it out of pity for them. God honored these women and their unwavering faith. God expressed confidence in their ability to manage their own estate and their own lives. God trusted them to be outstanding stewards of the blessing that was rightly theirs.

The Bible talks about the equality of the sexes: There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. (Galatians 3:28 NIV)

Application Questions:

1. Ask God to help you change your mindset so that despite your situation, you will not feel helpless, but you will feel empowered through faith.

2. Ask God to help you understand His deep and unconditional love for you as well as ways in which you can practice walking in that love every day.

Quote:

“Faith does not eliminate questions. But faith knows where to take them.” –Elisabeth Elliot

Prayer:

Lord, help me not to just sit back and allow life to happen to me, but help me to be empowered through faith. Amen.