Numbers 27

The Daughters of Zelophehad

1Then the daughters of Zelophehad came forward. Zelophehad was son of Hepher, son of Gilead, son of Machir, son of Manasseh, from the clans of Manasseh son of Joseph. These were the names of his daughters: Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah. 2They stood before Moses, before Eleazar the priest, before the leaders and the whole congregation at the entrance of the Tent of Meeting, saying, 3“Our father died in the wilderness. He was not among the company of those who gathered themselves against the LORD in Korah’s company, but he died for his own sin, and he had no sons. 4Why should our father’s name be taken away from among his clan because he had no son? Give us a possession among our father’s brothers.” 5So Moses brought their case before the LORD.

The Law of Inheritance

6The LORD spoke to Moses, saying, 7“The daughters of Zelophehad speak rightly. You shall surely give them a possession of inheritance among their father’s brothers and cause their father’s inheritance to pass to them. 8Speak to the Israelites, saying: If a man dies and has no son, you shall cause his inheritance to pass to his daughter. 9If he has no daughter, then you shall give his inheritance to his brothers. 10If he has no brothers, then you shall give his inheritance to his father’s brothers. 11If his father has no brothers, then you shall give his inheritance to the nearest relative in his clan, and that person shall possess it. This shall be for the Israelites a statute of justice, as the LORD commanded Moses.”

Moses Sees the Land

12The LORD said to Moses, “Go up this mountain of Abarim and see the land that I have given to the Israelites. 13When you have seen it, you also shall be gathered to your people, as Aaron your brother was gathered, 14because you rebelled against my command in the wilderness of Zin, when the congregation quarreled, failing to treat me as holy through the water before their eyes.” These were the waters of Meribah of Kadesh in the wilderness of Zin.

Joshua Commissioned

15Moses spoke to the LORD, saying, 16“Let the LORD, the God of the spirits of all flesh, appoint a man over the congregation, 17who will go out before them and come in before them, who will lead them out and bring them in, so that the congregation of the LORD may not be like sheep that have no shepherd.”

18The LORD said to Moses, “Take Joshua son of Nun, a man in whom is the Spirit, and lay your hand on him. 19Have him stand before Eleazar the priest and before the whole congregation, and commission him in their sight. 20Give him some of your authority, so that the whole congregation of the Israelites may listen to him. 21He shall stand before Eleazar the priest, who shall inquire for him by the judgment of the Urim before the LORD. At his word they shall go out and at his word they shall come in, he and all the Israelites with him, the whole congregation.”

22Moses did as the LORD commanded him. He took Joshua and had him stand before Eleazar the priest and before the whole congregation. 23He laid his hands on him and commissioned him, as the LORD had spoken through Moses.