Joshua 17:2-6 Meaning: When God’s Promises Include the Unexpected
2So this was for the rest of the children of Manasseh according to their families: for the children of Abiezer, for the children of Helek, for the children of Asriel, for the children of Shechem, for the children of Hepher, and for the children of Shemida. These were the male children of Manasseh the son of Joseph according to their families.
3But Zelophehad, the son of Hepher, the son of Gilead, the son of Machir, the son of Manasseh, had no sons, but daughters. These are the names of his daughters: Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah.
4They came to Eleazar the priest, and to Joshua the son of Nun, and to the princes, saying, “Yahweh commanded Moses to give us an inheritance among our brothers.” Therefore according to the commandment of Yahweh he gave them an inheritance among the brothers of their father.
5Ten parts fell to Manasseh, in addition to the land of Gilead and Bashan, which is beyond the Jordan;
6because the daughters of Manasseh had an inheritance among his sons. The land of Gilead belonged to the rest of the sons of Manasseh.
2There was also a lot for the rest of the children of Manasseh by their families; for the children of Abiezer, and for the children of Helek, and for the children of Asriel, and for the children of Shechem, and for the children of Hepher, and for the children of Shemida: these were the male children of Manasseh the son of Joseph by their families.
3But Zelophehad, the son of Hepher, the son of Gilead, the son of Machir, the son of Manasseh, had no sons, but daughters: and these are the names of his daughters, Mahlah, and Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah.
4And they came near before Eleazar the priest, and before Joshua the son of Nun, and before the princes, saying, The Lord commanded Moses to give us an inheritance among our brethren. Therefore according to the commandment of the Lord he gave them an inheritance among the brethren of their father.
5And there fell ten portions to Manasseh, beside the land of Gilead and Bashan, which were on the other side Jordan;
6Because the daughters of Manasseh had an inheritance among his sons: and the rest of Manasseh’s sons had the land of Gilead.
2So the lot was for the rest of the children of Manasseh according to their families: for the children of Abiezer, and for the children of Helek, and for the children of Asriel, and for the children of Shechem, and for the children of Hepher, and for the children of Shemida: these were the male children of Manasseh the son of Joseph according to their families.
3But Zelophehad, the son of Hepher, the son of Gilead, the son of Machir, the son of Manasseh, had no sons, but daughters: and these are the names of his daughters: Mahlah, and Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah.
4And they came near before Eleazar the priest, and before Joshua the son of Nun, and before the princes, saying, Jehovah commanded Moses to give us an inheritance among our brethren: therefore according to the commandment of Jehovah he gave them an inheritance among the brethren of their father.
5And there fell ten parts to Manasseh, besides the land of Gilead and Bashan, which is beyond the Jordan;
6because the daughters of Manasseh had an inheritance among his sons. And the land of Gilead belonged unto the rest of the sons of Manasseh.
2And there is for the sons of Manasseh who are left, for their families; for the sons of Abiezer, and for the sons of Helek, and for the sons of Asriel, and for the sons of Shechem, and for the sons of Hepher, and for the sons of Shemida; these are the children of Manasseh son of Joseph--the males--by their families.
3As to Zelophehad, son of Hepher, son of Gilead, son of Machir, son of Manasseh, he hath no children except daughters, and these are the names of his daughters: Mahlah, and Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah,
4and they draw near before Eleazar the priest, and before Joshua son of Nun, and before the princes, saying, `Jehovah commanded Moses to give to us an inheritance in the midst of our brethren;' and he giveth to them, at the command of Jehovah, an inheritance in the midst of the brethren of their father.
5And ten portions fall to Manasseh, apart from the land of Gilead and Bashan, which are beyond the Jordan;
6for the daughters of Manasseh have inherited an inheritance in the midst of his sons, and the land of Gilead hath been to the sons of Manasseh who are left.
2There was also [a portion] for the rest of the children of Manasseh according to their families: for the children of Abiezer, and for the children of Helek, and for the children of Asriel, and for the children of Shechem, and for the children of Hepher, and for the children of Shemida: these are the children of Manasseh, the son of Joseph, the males, according to their families.
3And Zelophehad, the son of Hepher, the son of Gilead, the son of Machir, the son of Manasseh, had no sons, but daughters; and these are the names of his daughters: Mahlah, and Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah.
4And they came near before Eleazar the priest, and before Joshua the son of Nun, and before the princes, saying, Jehovah commanded Moses to give us an inheritance among our brethren. And he gave them according to the commandment of Jehovah an inheritance among the brethren of their father.
5And there fell ten portions to Manasseh, besides the land of Gilead and Bashan, which are beyond the Jordan.
6For the daughters of Manasseh received an inheritance among his sons; and the rest of Manasseh's sons had the land of Gilead.
Meaning in one sentence
Why were Zelophehad’s daughters included in the land allotment? Joshua 17:2-6 shows God’s faithfulness to keep His word even when it breaks tradition.
Context
The book of Joshua records how God gave the Promised Land to the tribes of Israel. Manasseh, Joseph’s firstborn, had already received territory east of the Jordan. Now the western half-tribe receives its allotment. The passage lists six clans descended from Manasseh, the families of Abiezer, Helek, Asriel, Shechem, Hepher, and Shemida. But then it pauses to note one man, Zelophehad, who had no sons. His five daughters come before Eleazar the priest and Joshua to claim an inheritance, as the Lord had commanded Moses. Their boldness results in ten portions for Manasseh: five for the male clans and five for the daughters. This is a quiet but powerful moment: God’s word proves stronger than custom.
Key Words
Three Hebrew words anchor this passage. First, nachalah (“inheritance”) appears four times. It means a permanent possession, something given that cannot be taken away. These women are not asking for a favor; they are claiming what God had already assigned.
Second, the verb qarav (“drew near”) pictures them stepping forward into the presence of the leaders. The same word is used for approaching a king or drawing close to the altar. It was a brave, deliberate move.
Third, the phrase “according to the mouth of Yahweh” (pi Yehovah) emphasizes that Joshua gave the land not by his own judgment, but in exact obedience to God’s spoken command. Each time the inheritance is mentioned, it is anchored back to what God said through Moses. The whole story rests on trust in a promise, not on human cleverness.
How Christians Read This Verse
Christians across traditions read this story in different ways. Matthew Henry and John Calvin focus on the sovereign ordering of the inheritance and the faith of the daughters who trusted God’s word. Many Protestant commentators note that the episode establishes a biblical precedent for daughters inheriting when there are no sons, showing that God’s provision can overturn patriarchal custom. Catholic and Orthodox readers may see here a picture of how God’s family includes every believing person, regardless of earthly status. Anglicans like the Cambridge Bible emphasize the careful record-keeping that honors each family’s place in the covenant. All agree on the central point: the daughters received their inheritance because God had commanded it, and Joshua obeyed.
A common misunderstanding
A common misreading is to view Zelophehad’s daughters as ancient activists demanding equal rights in a modern sense. But the text is careful to show their claim rests entirely on God’s specific command through Moses. They say, “Yahweh commanded Moses to give us an inheritance among our brothers.” They are not challenging God’s order; they are clinging to God’s word. The story is about trusting divine promises, not about human social change.
Living This Out
This week, consider an area where you feel overlooked, maybe in your family, workplace, or church. Before you assume God has no portion for you, remember these five women. They did not wait for an invitation; they approached the leaders and reminded them of God’s command. You can do the same in prayer, bringing God’s own promises back to Him. He is faithful to what He has said, even when it takes courage to claim it. Ask Him for the boldness to step forward and the trust to stand on His word, not on what others expect.
Main takeaway: God keeps every promise He makes, even when it overturns the customs of the day.
For Families
For ages 5, 8
God gave land to five sisters because He promised. They asked for it, and God said yes. We can ask God for what He promises too.
For ages 9, 12
Zelophehad’s daughters had a problem: their father died without sons, so according to custom they should not get any land. But Moses had told them that God said daughters could inherit. So they went to Joshua and the priest and reminded them of God’s promise. Joshua listened and gave them land. Sometimes we have to be brave and ask for what God has promised, even when people think otherwise.
Questions People Ask
Who were Zelophehad’s daughters?
They were five sisters from the tribe of Manasseh: Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah. Their father died in the wilderness without any sons, so they came to request an inheritance in the Promised Land.
Why did they receive an inheritance when normally only sons did?
Because God had commanded Moses in Numbers 27 that daughters could inherit if there were no sons. Their request was based on that command, not on a new idea.
What does “ten portions” mean in verse 5?
The land for the half-tribe of Manasseh on the west of the Jordan was divided into ten shares. Five shares went to the five male clans (Abiezer, Helek, Asriel, Shechem, and Shemida), and five shares went to Zelophehad’s five daughters.
How does this story apply to Christians today?
It shows that God’s promises are not limited by human customs. We can claim His promises with bold faith, knowing He is faithful to His word. It also reminds us to obey God’s commands even when they challenge tradition.
Where else in the Bible are these daughters mentioned?
They first appear in Numbers 26:33 and Numbers 27:1-11, where the original command is given. They also appear in Numbers 36, which restricts their marriage to within their own tribe to keep the inheritance in Manasseh.
For pastors & researchers
Hebrew interlinear, 8 commentaries & word study