1. The daughters of Zelophehad son of Hepher, the son of Gilead, the son of Makir, the son of Manasseh, belonged to the clans of Manasseh son of Joseph. The names of the daughters were Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milkah and Tirzah. They came forward
2. and stood before Moses, Eleazar the priest, the leaders and the whole assembly at the entrance to the tent of meeting and said,
3. “Our father died in the wilderness. He was not among Korah’s followers, who banded together against the Lord, but he died for his own sin and left no sons.
4. Why should our father’s name disappear from his clan because he had no son? Give us property among our father’s relatives.”
5. So Moses brought their case before the Lord,
6. and the Lord said to him,
7. “What Zelophehad’s daughters are saying is right. You must certainly give them property as an inheritance among their father’s relatives and give their father’s inheritance to them.
8. “Say to the Israelites, ‘If a man dies and leaves no son, give his inheritance to his daughter.
9. If he has no daughter, give his inheritance to his brothers.
10. If he has no brothers, give his inheritance to his father’s brothers.
11. If his father had no brothers, give his inheritance to the nearest relative in his clan, that he may possess it. This is to have the force of law for the Israelites, as the Lord commanded Moses.’ ”
12. Then the Lord said to Moses, “Go up this mountain in the Abarim Range and see the land I have given the Israelites.
13. After you have seen it, you too will be gathered to your people, as your brother Aaron was,
14. for when the community rebelled at the waters in the Desert of Zin, both of you disobeyed my command to honor me as holy before their eyes.” (These were the waters of Meribah Kadesh, in the Desert of Zin.)