Plead Your Case

By: Lisa Boisvert

Friday, February 20, 2026

So Moses brought their case before the Lord, and the Lord said to him, “What Zelophehad’s daughters are saying is right. You must certainly give them property as an inheritance among their father’s relatives and give their father’s inheritance to them. Numbers 27:5-7

In the Western world, women are allowed to inherit land and anything else that is part of their family inheritance. But even in our country, women didn't always have those rights. In our modern world, many countries only allow the male heirs to inherit land and property.

In Moses day, women weren't allowed to inherit property. Being a landowner was reserved for the men of the family. This is the situation that is being described in our opening verse. When Zelophehad died, Numbers 27:3 says he didn't have any male heirs, he only had daughters. Because there was no male heir, the family name would disappear, and his inheritance wouldn't get passed down to his relatives.

It was part of their culture, so most people didn't complain. Everyone just went along with tradition and accepted their fate. But Zelophehad’s daughters were different! Instead of accepting what they saw as unfair, they asked Moses to present their case before God. When God heard their case, He gave them the land they asked for. Their bold request resulted in the blessing of a family inheritance. If they hadn't asked God, they wouldn't have received anything.

Like Zelophehad’s daughters, we can't be timid if we're being treated unfairly. When it happens, instead of complaining, we must present our case to God. He is righteous, just, and holy, so He will always determine the best outcome. Zelophehad’s daughters believed they held the rights to a blessing, so they boldly asked God to bless them. They knew God was just and fair, so they trusted Him to intervene on their behalf.

Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. Philippians 4:6

Have you ever felt like you may have missed out on a blessing? As we reflect on missed blessings, could it have happened because we never asked God to bless us? Have we ever forfeited a blessing because we were afraid to petition our case before God?

Whether we actually missed out, or just thought we did, we can't have any anxiety or regrets about it. What we can do from this day forward is to act more like Zelophehad's daughters and boldly plead our case before God!

Each day is a gift from God, so let's not forget to praise God for His many blessings!