An Impossible Miracle: Esther and the Five Daughters of Zelophehad

Numbers 27

The five daughters of Zelophehad had no land. Zelophehad was an Israelite who died in the desert, and he had no sons. Because Israel was patriarchal and the family line was passed down through the men, Zelophehad’s land would be lost and his name would “disappear from his clan just because he had no sons” (v.4).

Israel was at the end of its 40-year walk in the desert. The original generation that came out of Egypt was now gone. “The Five Daughters” – Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah – were part of the Next Generation of Israel and they were about to take possession of the Promised Land their parents had only dreamed about. However, Moses was preparing to divide the land among the tribes of Israel, and the Five Daughters would receive nothing, leaving them destitute.

They Asked One Time

The Five Daughters of Zelophehad picked up courage from somewhere. We don’t know much about these women, but they found [respectful] boldness in their situation. Commentaries say their boldness came from the belief that Israel would indeed conquer and inherit the Promised Land. We read nothing of any grumbling or complaining coming from them… no tears of fear, nor any demanding or begging for what they wanted. Maybe we would be jumping to conclusions to say they were women of faith, character, integrity, and respect… Five Wise Virgins (Matthew 25)… but maybe not. At the very least, the Daughters had faith that it wouldn’t hurt to ask.

“These women stood before Moses, Eleazar the Priest, all of the tribal leaders, and the entire community of Israel at the entrance of the Tabernacle” (v.2). Without fear, doubt, or shame, they stood in the most important public place, in front of the most important people in all the land, and asked for the impossible. Women never inherited land, and others were probably already staking their claim! Even with every eventuality stacked against them, they stepped up because they had nothing left to lose…

This part of the story makes me think of Esther. Her entire nation of people had been targeted by Haman, a man who wanted to kill all of the Jews. Esther had been taken from her family and chosen to marry a foreign king; Haman’s king. “And the king loved Esther more than any other woman. He was so delighted with her that he set the royal crown upon her head and made her queen…” (Esther 2:17). But it became clear that Esther was placed in that kingdom so she could save her people from Haman’s murderous schemes. In the end of the story, Esther placed all of her bets on the king’s love for her, and risked her life to stop Haman. She wanted to accomplish an impossible miracle, so she took a leap of faith and said, “I will go before the king even though it is against the law, and if I perish, I perish” (Esther 4:16). She did that to save her family. The Five Daughters did the same…

“Our father died in the wilderness… why should his name disappear from his clan because he had no sons? Give us property along with the rest of our relatives.”

Numbers 27:3-4

Yes, the Daughters were asking as women… but they were standing on family. “We’re not nobody. We’re blood.”

The Father placed this story in the Bible for a reason. He wanted us to see these daughters, hear their plea, and know that His answer was not shallow, but reached into generations. He not only granted their request, but He established their case as a rule in order to preserve property within families permanently…

And the Lord replied to Moses, ⁷ “The claim of the daughters of Zelophehad is legitimate. You must give them a grant of land along with their father’s relatives. Assign them the property that would have been given to their father.

⁸ “And give the following instructions to the people of Israel: If a man dies and has no son, then give his inheritance to his daughters. ⁹ And if he has no daughter either, transfer his inheritance to his brothers. ¹⁰ If he has no brothers, give his inheritance to his father’s brothers. ¹¹ But if his father has no brothers, give his inheritance to the nearest relative in his clan. This is a legal requirement for the people of Israel, just as the Lord commanded Moses.”

Numbers 27:6-11

The Lord drew the Daughters into Himself with a sweeping change of tradition that embraced them as “legitimate.” He saw them, He saw future generations of more just like them, and He met all of their needs at once.

It’s not about what you do, it’s about who you are.

The Five Daughters did not have to earn their place in the community of Israel. They were born in the desert. They had walked with their family, and experienced the presence and mystery of God for themselves. These were young women who were known. They were clan children. And they were about to watch every one of their relatives get a piece of the Promised Land while they had none because they were women. But by faith, they stepped outside of that obstacle and claimed their rights as family.

Esther did not choose her role in her husband’s kingdom, it chose her. She did not ask to join a harem or become queen. She did not ask to save her people. SHE WAS CHOSEN because of who she was. The king would not love and have favor for any other woman in the kingdom. Only Esther. The king would not spare the life of any other woman who broke the law and approached his throne without being summoned. Only Esther. The king would not have known or desired to stop Haman from killing the Jews if it had not been for Esther. The king heard her voice and listened to her heart, because she was his family.

We work our fingers to the bone to earn our place in God’s kingdom. We work even harder to earn the right to speak to Him, to ask Him for what we need. We think that if we are perfect, we might earn the right to finally feel good. We sit in cages we’ve made for ourselves never realizing that the chains have been broken and the door has been opened. We bind ourselves to striving for things we don’t realize we already have because of Christ. Working, working, working… earning, earning, earning… and never resting in the knowledge that you. are. His. family.

The Bible says you are the righteousness of God in Christ. You are chosen. You are forgiven. You are a child of God. The Bible says that you are justified, sanctified, redeemed, and delivered. A son of God. Co-heirs with Christ. “But to all who did receive Him, who believed in His name, He gave the right to become [family]” (John 1:12).

The world says work harder, but God says “rest in Me.” The world says you have to earn it, but God says “I freely give.” Jesus said in John 10:10, “The thief comes only in order to steal and kill and destroy. I came that [you] may have and enjoy life, and have it in abundance [to the full, till it overflows].”

When I begin to feel bogged down by life – as we all do from time to time – I remember that I am a child of God. I remember that He loves me down to the bone and into the marrow of who I am, because He made me. Sometimes I have to fight to get there! But I make myself remember that I am His and He is mine. I have no need to worry, struggle, or strive for He can be trusted and His every Word is true. When I know that He is taking care of me because I am His child… When I know that I don’t have to earn anything from Him… When I know that I am loved because HE IS LOVE… the pressure of life comes off, and I am refreshed and confident once more.

Esther and the Five Daughters stood up because they believed in family, and it affected untold generations of people. Just imagine what kind of impossible miracles could happen if we stood up, as well.