6765. Tselophchad
Lexical Summary
Tselophchad: Zelophehad

Original Word: צְלָפְחָד
Part of Speech: Proper Name Masculine
Transliteration: Tslophchad
Pronunciation: tse-lof-KHAD
Phonetic Spelling: (tsel-of-chawd')
KJV: Zelophehad
NASB: Zelophehad
Word Origin: [from the same as H6764 (צָּלָף - Zalaph) and H259 (אֶחָד - one)]

1. Tselophchad, an Israelite

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
Zelophehad

From the same as Tsalaph and 'echad; Tselophchad, an Israelite -- Zelophehad.

see HEBREW Tsalaph

see HEBREW 'echad

NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Origin
of uncertain derivation
Definition
a man of Manasseh
NASB Translation
Zelophehad (11).

Brown-Driver-Briggs
צְלָפְחָד proper name, masculine of Manasseh, Numbers 26:33,23; Numbers 27:1,7; Numbers 36:2,6,10,11; Joshua 17:3; 1 Chronicles 7:15 (twice in verse), Σαλπααδ, etc.

Topical Lexicon
Genealogical Context

Zelophehad was a descendant of Joseph through Manasseh. His lineage is traced as Manasseh → Makir → Gilead → Hepher → Zelophehad (Numbers 26:29, 33). Being of the clan of Hepher placed him among those who were numbered for inheritance on the plains of Moab shortly before Israel crossed the Jordan. Though he died in the wilderness generation, his household would become pivotal for a landmark legal ruling in Israel.

Narrative in Numbers

During the second census (Numbers 26:33) Zelophehad is mentioned only to note that he had no sons. His five daughters—Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah—are named each time the narrative is rehearsed. After Zelophehad’s death, the daughters approached Moses, Eleazar, the leaders, and “all the congregation” (Numbers 27:2) at the tent of meeting:

“Our father died in the wilderness… Why should the name of our father disappear from his clan because he had no son? Give us property among our father’s brothers” (Numbers 27:3-4).

The Lord upheld their petition: “The daughters of Zelophehad speak rightly. You shall surely give them property as an inheritance among their father’s brothers” (Numbers 27:7). This divine verdict established a new statute: if a man died without a son, his inheritance passed to his daughter(s) (Numbers 27:8-11).

Legal Precedent on Inheritance

The case did more than secure land for one family; it codified succession law for every tribe. Later, leaders of Manasseh raised a concern: should the daughters marry outside the tribe, the land could transfer to another tribe in the Jubilee year. The Lord’s reply balanced individual liberty with tribal integrity: “Let them marry whom they think best, but they must marry into a clan of their father’s tribe” (Numbers 36:6). The daughters complied (Numbers 36:10-12), preserving Manasseh’s territorial allocation. Thus two complementary statutes emerged:

1. Daughters may inherit when no sons exist.
2. Such heiresses must marry within their tribe to retain ancestral land.

These principles safeguarded both family names and divinely apportioned tribal boundaries.

Faith and Character of the Daughters

Although Zelophehad himself uttered no recorded words, the faith of his household is seen in his daughters:

• They believed the promise of the land before Israel possessed it, asking for an inheritance visible only by faith.
• They appealed respectfully through God-ordained leadership, exemplifying proper petition in the covenant community.
• Their obedience in marriage choices (Numbers 36:10-11) matched their earlier courage, showing a balance of initiative and submission.

By calling attention to their father’s place among “those who died in his own sin” but not with Korah (Numbers 27:3), they protected his reputation and underscored personal accountability.

Later References

Joshua 17:3-6 records Joshua honoring the command: “The daughters of Manasseh received an inheritance among the sons.” Centuries later the genealogies of 1 Chronicles 7:15 reiterate Zelophehad’s position, confirming that the legal and territorial effects endured into the monarchy era.

Theological and Ministry Implications

1. Divine Justice: The Lord listens to the oppressed and corrects societal gaps without violating His prior instructions.
2. Covenant Equality: While Old Testament society was patriarchal, the inclusion of female heirs anticipates the broader spiritual inheritance “in Christ Jesus… neither male nor female” (Galatians 3:28).
3. Faith Transmission: Zelophehad’s daughters display a legacy of faith apparently nurtured in the home despite wilderness hardships.
4. Leadership Responsiveness: Moses sought the Lord rather than relying on precedent (Numbers 27:5), modeling humility for leaders handling novel issues.
5. Stewardship of Inheritance: The passage instructs believers to value both spiritual and material gifts as trusts to be guarded and passed on.

Teaching Outline

• Background of Zelophehad in the tribe of Manasseh
• The petition and its immediate outcome (Numbers 27)
• Supplemental ruling preserving tribal allotments (Numbers 36)
• Fulfillment under Joshua (Joshua 17)
• Ongoing genealogical witness (1 Chronicles 7)
• Applications: faith, justice, leadership, stewardship, Christological hope

Summary

Zelophehad’s brief biographical mention becomes a cornerstone for Israel’s inheritance law and a testimony to God’s righteous concern for every name in His covenant community. His daughters’ faith turned an apparent dead-end lineage into a perpetual monument of divine equity, ensuring that the promise given through Abraham and Moses would be apportioned “according to the word of the LORD” (Numbers 36:5).

Forms and Transliterations
וְלִצְלָפְחָד֩ וּצְלָפְחָ֣ד ולצלפחד וצלפחד לִצְלָפְחָ֖ד לצלפחד צְלָפְחָ֑ד צְלָפְחָ֔ד צְלָפְחָ֗ד צְלָפְחָ֥ד צְלָפְחָֽד׃ צְלָפְחָד֙ צְלָפְחָד֮ צלפחד צלפחד׃ liṣ·lā·p̄ə·ḥāḏ liṣlāp̄əḥāḏ litzlafeChad ṣə·lā·p̄ə·ḥāḏ ṣəlāp̄əḥāḏ tzelafeChad ū·ṣə·lā·p̄ə·ḥāḏ ūṣəlāp̄əḥāḏ utzelafeChad velitzlafeChad wə·liṣ·lā·p̄ə·ḥāḏ wəliṣlāp̄əḥāḏ
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Interlinear GreekInterlinear HebrewStrong's NumbersEnglishman's Greek ConcordanceEnglishman's Hebrew ConcordanceParallel Texts
Englishman's Concordance
Numbers 26:33
HEB: וּצְלָפְחָ֣ד בֶּן־ חֵ֗פֶר
NAS: Now Zelophehad the son of Hepher
KJV: And Zelophehad the son of Hepher
INT: now Zelophehad the son of Hepher

Numbers 26:33
HEB: וְשֵׁם֙ בְּנ֣וֹת צְלָפְחָ֔ד מַחְלָ֣ה וְנֹעָ֔ה
NAS: of the daughters of Zelophehad were Mahlah,
KJV: of the daughters of Zelophehad [were] Mahlah,
INT: and the names of the daughters of Zelophehad were Mahlah Noah

Numbers 27:1
HEB: וַתִּקְרַ֜בְנָה בְּנ֣וֹת צְלָפְחָ֗ד בֶּן־ חֵ֤פֶר
NAS: Then the daughters of Zelophehad, the son
KJV: the daughters of Zelophehad, the son
INT: came the daughters of Zelophehad the son of Hepher

Numbers 27:7
HEB: כֵּ֗ן בְּנ֣וֹת צְלָפְחָד֮ דֹּבְרֹת֒ נָתֹ֨ן
NAS: The daughters of Zelophehad are right
KJV: The daughters of Zelophehad speak
INT: right the daughters of Zelophehad in statements shall surely

Numbers 36:2
HEB: אֶֽת־ נַחֲלַ֛ת צְלָפְחָ֥ד אָחִ֖ינוּ לִבְנֹתָֽיו׃
NAS: the inheritance of Zelophehad our brother
KJV: the inheritance of Zelophehad our brother
INT: to give the inheritance of Zelophehad our brother to his daughters

Numbers 36:6
HEB: יְהוָ֗ה לִבְנ֤וֹת צְלָפְחָד֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר לַטּ֥וֹב
NAS: concerning the daughters of Zelophehad, saying,
KJV: concerning the daughters of Zelophehad, saying,
INT: the LORD the daughters of Zelophehad saying best

Numbers 36:10
HEB: עָשׂ֖וּ בְּנ֥וֹת צְלָפְחָֽד׃
NAS: so the daughters of Zelophehad did:
KJV: so did the daughters of Zelophehad:
INT: did the daughters of Zelophehad

Numbers 36:11
HEB: וְנֹעָ֖ה בְּנ֣וֹת צְלָפְחָ֑ד לִבְנֵ֥י דֹדֵיהֶ֖ן
NAS: the daughters of Zelophehad married
KJV: the daughters of Zelophehad, were married
INT: and Noah the daughters of Zelophehad sons their uncles'

Joshua 17:3
HEB: וְלִצְלָפְחָד֩ בֶּן־ חֵ֨פֶר
NAS: However, Zelophehad, the son
KJV: But Zelophehad, the son of Hepher,
INT: Zelophehad the son of Hepher

1 Chronicles 7:15
HEB: וְשֵׁ֥ם הַשֵּׁנִ֖י צְלָפְחָ֑ד וַתִּהְיֶ֥נָה לִצְלָפְחָ֖ד
NAS: of the second was Zelophehad, and Zelophehad
KJV: of the second [was] Zelophehad: and Zelophehad
INT: and the name of the second was Zelophehad had and Zelophehad

1 Chronicles 7:15
HEB: צְלָפְחָ֑ד וַתִּהְיֶ֥נָה לִצְלָפְחָ֖ד בָּנֽוֹת׃
NAS: was Zelophehad, and Zelophehad had
KJV: [was] Zelophehad: and Zelophehad had daughters.
INT: was Zelophehad had and Zelophehad daughters

11 Occurrences

Strong's Hebrew 6765
11 Occurrences


liṣ·lā·p̄ə·ḥāḏ — 1 Occ.
ṣə·lā·p̄ə·ḥāḏ — 8 Occ.
ū·ṣə·lā·p̄ə·ḥāḏ — 1 Occ.
wə·liṣ·lā·p̄ə·ḥāḏ — 1 Occ.

6764
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