Easton's Bible Dictionary (1897)
First-born, of the tribe of Manasseh, and of the family of Gilead; died in the wilderness. Having left no sons, his daughters, concerned lest their father’s name should be “done away from among his family,” made an appeal to Moses, who, by divine direction, appointed it as “a statute of judgment” in Israel that daughters should inherit their father’s portion when no sons were left (Num. 27:1-11).
But that the possession of Zelophehad might not pass away in the year of jubilee from the tribe to which he belonged, it was ordained by Moses that his daughters should not marry any one out of their father’s tribe; and this afterwards became a general law (Num. 36).
Smith's Bible Dictionary (1863)
(first-born), son of Zepher, son of Gilead, son of Machir, son of Manasseh. ) He was apparently the second son of Hepher. (1 Chronicles 7:15) Zelophehad came out of Egypt with Moses, but died in the wilderness, as did the whole of that generation. (Numbers 14:35; 27:3) On his death without male heirs, his five daughters, just after the second numbering in the wilderness, came before Moses and Eleazar to claim the inheritance of their father in the tribe of Manasseh. The claim was admitted by divine direction.
Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible (1898) & Schaff's Bible Dictionary
ZELO'PHEHAD (first-born), a descendant of Manasseh who died in the wilderness and left only daughters. It was then ordained that, in want of male heirs, females should succeed to the inheritance, but not be allowed to marry out of the tribe. Num 26:33; Deut 27:1, 1 Chr 27:7; Isa 36:2, Isa 36:6, Num 36:10-11; Josh 17:3; 1 Chr 7:15.
Hitchcock's Bible Names (1869)
the shade or tingling of fear