Numbers 27: The Daughters of Zelophehad and Joshua

Five daughters of Zelophehad, who had no sons, ask Moses for their father's share of land. God says they are right and makes a law for inheritance through daughters. God then tells Moses to view the land from the mountain, for he will not enter. Moses asks God to appoint a shepherd for the people, and God chooses Joshua, a man in whom is the Spirit.

Go to worksheets ↓

Bible:

Read Numbers 27

World English Bible · 23 verses

¹ Then 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 came near. These are the names of his daughters: Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah.This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
² They stood before Moses, before Eleazar the priest, and before the princes and all the congregation, at the door of the Tent of Meeting, saying,This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
³ “Our father died in the wilderness. He was not among the company of those who gathered themselves together against Yahweh in the company of Korah, but he died in his own sin. He had no sons.This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
⁴ Why should the name of our father be taken away from among his family, because he had no son? Give to us a possession among the brothers of our father.”This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
⁵ Moses brought their cause before Yahweh.This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
⁶ Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying,This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
⁷ “The daughters of Zelophehad speak right. You shall surely give them a possession of an inheritance among their father’s brothers. You shall cause the inheritance of their father to pass to them.This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
⁸ You shall speak to the children of Israel, saying, ‘If a man dies, and has no son, then you shall cause his inheritance to pass to his daughter.This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
⁹ If he has no daughter, then you shall give his inheritance to his brothers.This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
¹⁰ If he has no brothers, then you shall give his inheritance to his father’s brothers.This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
¹¹ If his father has no brothers, then you shall give his inheritance to his kinsman who is next to him of his family, and he shall possess it. This shall be a statute and ordinance for the children of Israel, as Yahweh commanded Moses.’”This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
¹² Yahweh said to Moses, “Go up into this mountain of Abarim, and see the land which I have given to the children of Israel.This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
¹³ When you have seen it, you also shall be gathered to your people, as Aaron your brother was gathered;This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
¹⁴ because in the strife of the congregation, you rebelled against my word in the wilderness of Zin, to honor me as holy at the waters before their eyes.” (These are the waters of Meribah of Kadesh in the wilderness of Zin.)This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
¹⁵ Moses spoke to Yahweh, saying,This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
¹⁶ “Let Yahweh, the God of the spirits of all flesh, appoint a man over the congregation,This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
¹⁷ who may go out before them, and who may come in before them, and who may lead them out, and who may bring them in, that the congregation of Yahweh may not be as sheep which have no shepherd.”This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
¹⁸ Yahweh said to Moses, “Take Joshua the son of Nun, a man in whom is the Spirit, and lay your hand on him.This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
¹⁹ Set him before Eleazar the priest, and before all the congregation; and commission him in their sight.This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
²⁰ You shall give authority to him, that all the congregation of the children of Israel may obey.This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
²¹ He shall stand before Eleazar the priest, who shall inquire for him by the judgment of the Urim before Yahweh. At his word they shall go out, and at his word they shall come in, both he and all the children of Israel with him, even all the congregation.”This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
²² Moses did as Yahweh commanded him. He took Joshua, and set him before Eleazar the priest and before all the congregation.This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
²³ He laid his hands on him and commissioned him, as Yahweh spoke by Moses.This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.

Scripture: World English Bible, public domain, eBible.org

Worksheets

1Pick a grade below
2Look over the worksheet
3Tap Print worksheet. Print the answer key separately.

Pick a grade:

Answer key (print separately)More print options ↓

Open Preschool on its own page

Numbers 27 · Preschool

Five Brave Sisters

Name Date

Color the five sisters! They asked Moses for help, and God said yes.

Can you find these in the picture? Circle each one!

Bible Verse

“Moses brought their cause before Yahweh.”

Numbers 27:5 (WEB)

Prayer

Thank You, God, for making me!

Take It Home

Read the verse aloud. Say: These sisters asked for help, and Moses asked God. God is fair and cares for everyone.

Open Grade 4 on its own page

Numbers 27 · Grade 4

A Fair Answer and a Faithful Leader

Name Date

Read and Think

Zelophehad's five daughters faced a problem. Land passed through sons, and their father had none. They came respectfully before Moses, Eleazar, the leaders, and the congregation. They pointed out that their father was not part of Korah's rebellion, and they asked for his share.

Moses did not decide on his own. He brought their case to God. God said they spoke right and gave a law to protect families with daughters. These women believed God's promise of land so strongly that they asked for their part of it before Israel had even crossed the Jordan.

God then told Moses he would see the land but not enter it. Moses did not argue for himself. He prayed for the people and asked God to give them a shepherd. God chose Joshua, and Moses publicly passed on his authority.

Show What You Know

What problem did the daughters face?
How did the daughters show faith?
What did Moses do when he did not know the answer?
What did Moses pray for instead of himself?

Word Bank Fill-In

Use the word bank to fill in each blank.

EleazardaughtersLandGodshepherd

passed through sons, and their father had none.
They came respectfully before Moses, , the leaders, and the congregation.
He brought their case to .
God said they spoke right and gave a law to protect families with .
He prayed for the people and asked God to give them a .

Think About It

How can you ask for help respectfully when something seems unfair?
What does Moses teach us about caring for others more than ourselves?

Memory Verse

Yahweh said to Moses, “Take Joshua the son of Nun, a man in whom is the Spirit, and lay your hand on him.

Numbers 27:18 (WEB)

Copy It

Prayer

Dear God, thank You for being fair. Help me . Amen.

Take It Home

For families: talk about these together.

How can you be brave enough to ask for what is right?
In the New Testament, how does Jesus lead and care for you?

Open Grade 5 on its own page

Numbers 27 · Grade 5

Sheep with a Shepherd

Name Date

Read and Think

The daughters of Zelophehad, Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah, came near and stood before Moses, Eleazar, the princes, and all the congregation at the door of the Tent of Meeting. They explained that their father died in the wilderness for his own sin but was not among Korah's company. Why should the name of our father be taken away from among his family, because he had no son? Give to us a possession among the brothers of our father.

Moses brought their cause before Yahweh. God answered, The daughters of Zelophehad speak right. God then set out an order of inheritance: to a son, then a daughter, then brothers, then father's brothers, then the nearest kinsman. Their faith is striking. They wanted a share in land Israel did not yet possess, because they trusted God's promise. Numbers 36 and Joshua 17:3-6 show the promise kept.

God told Moses to go up the mountain of Abarim to see the land, since he would be gathered to his people like Aaron, because of Meribah. Moses responded with a shepherd's heart: Let Yahweh, the God of the spirits of all flesh, appoint a man over the congregation, that the congregation of Yahweh may not be as sheep which have no shepherd. God chose Joshua son of Nun, a man in whom is the Spirit. Moses laid his hands on him before Eleazar. The name Joshua comes from the same Hebrew name as Jesus. Jesus saw crowds like sheep without a shepherd and had compassion on them (Matthew 9:36).

Show What You Know

Where did the daughters make their request?
What did God say about them?
Why was their request an act of faith?
Why would Moses not enter the land?
Which verse shows Jesus' compassion for sheep without a shepherd?

Crossword

Across

Number of sisters.
Moses did not want Israel without a ____.
One of the sisters.

Down

The mountain where Moses saw the land.
Became the new leader.
God said the daughters spoke ____.

Think About It

How did the daughters show both courage and respect?
Who are the shepherds God has given you, and how can you pray for them?

Memory Verse

Yahweh said to Moses, “Take Joshua the son of Nun, a man in whom is the Spirit, and lay your hand on him.

Numbers 27:18 (WEB)

Copy It

Prayer

Dear God, thank You for being fair. Help me . Amen.

Take It Home

For families: talk about these together.

What does God's answer to the daughters show about His justice?
How can you pray for the leaders in your church?
What is one way you could live out this chapter this week?

More print options

Student sheets have no answers on them. The answer key is a separate document for teachers and parents.

This gradeOnly the Preschool sheet

Whole chapterEvery verse of the chapter, in the translation you pickOpen & print Download PDF

All student sheetsEvery grade, preschool to grade 5Open & print

Answer keyAll grades in one, each grade labeledOpen & print

‹ All Numbers chapters · All books

Numbers 27: The Daughters of Zelophehad and Joshua

Read Numbers 27

Worksheets

Five Brave Sisters

Prayer

Take It Home

God Is Fair

Trace the Words

Match the Pictures

Mini Maze

Draw It

Prayer

Take It Home

A New Leader

Trace the Words

Match the Pictures

Five Sisters and a New Leader

Prayer

Take It Home

Five Sisters Ask

Read the Story

Show What You Know

Word Search

Prayer

Take It Home

They Speak Right

Read the Story

Answer the Questions

Five Sisters and a New Leader

Prayer

Take It Home

A Fair Answer and a Faithful Leader

Read and Think

Show What You Know

Word Bank Fill-In

Think About It

Copy It

Prayer

Take It Home

Sheep with a Shepherd

Read and Think

Show What You Know

Crossword

Think About It

Copy It

Prayer

Take It Home

More print options