Hoglah

Biblical Record

Hoglah was a descendant of Manasseh, the son of Joseph. Her genealogy runs Manasseh–Machir–Gilead–Hepher–Zelophehad (Numbers 27:1). Her father, Zelophehad, had no sons but five daughters: Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah. In most lists Hoglah is named third (Numbers 26:33; 27:1; Joshua 17:3). In Numbers 36:11 the order differs: Mahlah, Tirzah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Noah. Scripture never speaks of Hoglah individually; it always records the five sisters as acting together.

• The request for inheritance (Numbers 27:1-11): The sisters stood at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation before Moses, Eleazar the priest, the princes, and all the congregation. They stated that their father had died in the wilderness, that he had not been among the company of Korah, and that he had no sons. Contending that their father's name should not be done away from among his family because he had no son, they asked to be given land. When Moses brought their case before the LORD, the LORD answered, "The daughters of Zelophehad speak right" (Numbers 27:7). A law of succession was then given: if a man had no son, his inheritance (land held as a hereditary possession) was to pass to his daughter, and if he had no daughter, to his brothers and nearest kinsmen.
• The marriage regulation (Numbers 36): The heads of the families of Gilead were concerned that if the daughters married men of other tribes, the land would pass to those tribes. In response, a regulation was issued requiring the daughters to marry only within their father's tribe. All five sisters married the sons of their father's brothers, that is, their cousins (Numbers 36:11).
• The allotment of the land (Joshua 17:3-6): During the settlement of Canaan, the sisters came before Eleazar and Joshua and claimed their inheritance on the basis of the command Moses had received. As a result, they received land along with the male descendants of Manasseh.

Significance Within Scripture

The account of the daughters of Zelophehad is an instance in which a specific case, arising as the twelve tribes of Israel divided the land, gave rise to a provision of the law. The account is recorded consistently across two books, Numbers and Joshua. The New Testament makes no mention of Hoglah or her sisters.

Interpretations and Debates

• Some writings in Jewish tradition are reported to praise these sisters as wise and righteous women.
• Some scholars hold that names such as Hoglah, Noah, and Tirzah are also connected with place names or clan names in the territory of Manasseh. As evidence, they point to the appearance of Hoglah and Noah as place names in the Samaria ostraca (inscribed pottery fragments) from the period of the northern kingdom of Israel.
• Some modern interpreters read this passage in terms of the rights and status of women. Others focus instead on the sisters' faith in trusting God's promise to give the land and in seeking to preserve their family's inheritance.
• Beth-hoglah, mentioned in Joshua 15:6, 18:19, and 18:21, was a place on the border between Judah and Benjamin. Scripture does not state any relationship between this place name and the person Hoglah.

In the Korean Church

In Korean church preaching and Bible study, Hoglah is usually treated as one of the group known as "the daughters of Zelophehad." The main themes drawn from the account are faith that asks boldly and the justice of God; Hoglah is rarely discussed as an individual.