Matthew Henry Commentary Numbers 27:1-11

"Then drew near the daughters of Zelophehad, the son of Hepher, the son of Gilead, the son of Machir, the son of Manasseh, of the families of Manasseh the son of Joseph; and these are the names of his daughters: Mahlah, Noah, and Hoglah, and Milcah, and Tirzah. And they stood before Moses, and before Eleazar the priest, and before the princes and all the congregation, at the door of the tent of meeting, saying, Our father died in the wilderness, and he was not among the company of them that gathered themselves together against Jehovah in the company of Korah: but he died in his own sin; and he had no sons. Why should the name of our father be taken away from among his family, because he had no son? Give unto us a possession among the brethren of our father. And Moses brought their cause before Jehovah. And Jehovah spake unto Moses, saying, The daughters of Zelophehad speak right: thou shalt surely give them a possession of an inheritance among their father`s brethren; and thou shalt cause the inheritance of their father to pass unto them. And thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel, saying, If a man die, and have no son, then ye shall cause his inheritance to pass unto his daughter. And if he have no daughter, then ye shall give his inheritance unto his brethren. And if he have no brethren, then ye shall give his inheritance unto his father`s brethren. And if his father have no brethren, then ye shall give his inheritance unto his kinsman that is next to him of his family, and he shall possess it: and it shall be unto the children of Israel a statute [and] ordinance, as Jehovah commanded Moses." — Numbers 27:1-11 (ASV)

The five daughters of Zelophehad considered themselves left destitute, having neither father nor brother to inherit any land. Their believing expectation that the word of the Lord would be performed at the proper time, their desire for an interest in the promised inheritance, and the modest, candid manner in which they asked—without secret murmurs or discontents—are a good example. They asked for a possession in the land of Canaan. In this, they showed:

1. Strong faith in the power and promise of God concerning the giving of the land of Canaan to Israel.
2. An earnest desire for a place and name in the land of promise, which was a type of heaven.
3. Respect and honour for their father, whose name was dear to them now that he was gone. He had never done anything that might bar his children's claim.

It is a comfort to parents as they approach death if, although they have suffered for their own sin, they are not conscious of any of those iniquities that God will visit upon their children. God Himself gives judgment. He takes notice of the affairs not only of nations but also of private families, and orders them according to His will. The petition is granted. Those who seek an inheritance in the land of promise will have what they seek, and other things will be added to them.