1 Chronicles 7 · a question people ask
Who is "the second" in 7:15, and who were Zelophehad's daughters?
The chapter doesn't say who "the second" is. "Machir took a wife of Huppim and Shuppim, whose sister’s name was Maacah. The name of the second was Zelophehad; and Zelophehad had daughters" (1 Chronicles 7:15). It names no first, and it gives neither Zelophehad's father nor his daughters' names. Numbers does: "Zelophehad the son of Hepher had no sons, but daughters: and the names of the daughters of Zelophehad were Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah" (Numbers 26:33). They came to Moses and said, "Give to us a possession among the brothers of our father" (Numbers 27:4), and the LORD said, "The daughters of Zelophehad speak right" (Numbers 27:7). 1 Chronicles 7 names a Mahlah too, among the children Hammolecheth bore (1 Chronicles 7:18), and doesn't join that Mahlah to Zelophehad's daughter. These notes set the lists side by side and don't join them.
The verses
“Machir took a wife of Huppim and Shuppim, whose sister’s name was Maacah. The name of the second was Zelophehad; and Zelophehad had daughters.”
“His sister Hammolecheth bore Ishhod, Abiezer, and Mahlah.”
“Zelophehad the son of Hepher had no sons, but daughters: and the names of the daughters of Zelophehad were Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah.”