Article November 27, 1971 Issue

Remember the Daughters of Zelophehad!

KAREN CORNELL WILSON

Did you know that even Moses recognized that women have rights? Of course, his concept of women's rights wasn't as advanced as today's. But, still, he was one of the first lawgivers to grant women property and inheritance rights in certain circumstances.

It seems that after Zelophehad died, his five daughters realized they wouldn't get any of the property to be distributed in the Promised Land. Custom decreed that if a father died leaving no male heir, his property went to the closest male relative—leaving his daughters without an inheritance. So Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah marched before Moses and stated their case. We read in the book of Numbers, "And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, The daughters of Zelophehad speak right."^{Num. 27:6, 7;} So they won a fair judgment that became law among the twelve tribes of Israel. Today this case is still cited as legal precedent and authority.

What if the daughters of Zelophehad had sat back and wrung their hands in despair, submitting by default to injustice? Today Women's Liberation calls for a courageous stand to win, among other more controversial goals, equal career opportunities and equal pay for equal work. Legal, social, and educational equity. The right to participate in policy-making activities of business and government.

Send a comment to the editors

NEXT IN THIS ISSUE

Editorial

Why Read the Bible?