MPV Commentary

The Daughters of Zelophehad Ask for an Inheritance.

3 Our father died in the wilderness, and he was not involved with Korah's rebellion. This declaration is necessary because his death might have occurred around that time, and it would be unfair if their family lost their inheritance due to a circumstance beyond their control.

He died in his own sin, meaning he passed away as all people do, subject to the consequences of sin.

4 The daughters asked Moses for a share among the brothers of their father. They realized that only males were registered in the census, and since they had no brothers, their family was left out. So they brought their case before Moses, who worked with the authorities to ensure justice was served. This case was significant, and because it's not uncommon for families to consist only of daughters, God extended the law of inheritance to cover such situations. The law also applied when there were no children or brothers to inherit a property. As the distribution of the promised land was about to take place, this provision ensured that family patrimonies would remain within their tribe and not be lost to another.