Daughters of Zelophehad: Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah
Dalziel's Bible Gallery was a collection of Old Testament wood engravings released in 1881. Illustrated here is the moment the sisters appeal to Moses and Eleazar for their rightful inheritance of land because there were no sons to receive it. One of the sisters kneels with arms outstretched in reverance as they await the response. Moses and Eleazar are conferring. Dr. Sandra Glahn's book, A Woman's Place is in the Story, highlights the often untold story of the daughters of Zelophehad found in Numbers 27. While most would never recall the names of Mahlah, Noa, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah as women in the Old Testament, these five daughters of Zelophehad are mentioned five different times in the Pentateuch. Four of these mentions list the women by name, which is significant. While still in the wilderness, the Israelites prepare to enter the land promised by God. The allotment of land is important because of the way the land of the twelve tribes will be passed throughout generations. The book of numbers consists of a census to determine the alotments. The five daughters of Zelophehad are part of Joseph's family line, and they do not have brothers to claim the land. Without a land alotment, their familial line is in grave danger. God calls the people of Israel before Moses and Aaron's son Eleazar and the names of male descendant after male descendant are read until they get to the tribe of Manasseh and all of a sudden, five females are listed: Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah. Dr. Glahn points out that if Zelophehad's name was forgotten, it would pose issues of whether God had kept his promise of land for this tribe or if they had been disqualified by sin. Their father had not been part of the rebellion, and had not forsaked the LORD or his chosen people. The five women bravely appealed to Moses, Eleazar, and the assembly at the tent of meeting to be given their allotment of land. Moses approached the LORD with this dilemma, and God says, "What Zelophehad's daughters are saying is right" (Numbers 27:7). Later, when Joshua distributed the land, they went to court again to remind them that Moses had heard from the LORD regarding their plea, and Joshua granted them the land. These five sisters represented the new generation of Israel was prepared and confident that posession of the land was tied to covenant faithfulness.