Numbers 27

1 Then came the daughters of Salphaad, the son of Hepher, the son of Galaad, the son of Machir, the son of Manasses, who was the son of Joseph: and their names are Maala, and Noa, and Hegla, and Melcha, and Thersa.

Then to Moses came the daughters of Zelophehad son of Hepher son of Gilead son of Machir son of Manasseh, of the clans of Manasseh son of Joseph. These were the names of his daughters: Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milkah, and Tirzah.

2 And they stood before Moses and Eleazar the priest, and all the princes of the people at the door of the tabernacle of the covenant, and said:

They stood before Moses, Eleazar the priest, the leaders, and before all the community at the entrance to the tent of meeting. They said,

3 Our father died in the desert, and was not in the sedition, that was raised against the Lord under Core, but he died in his own sin: and he had no male children. Why is his name taken away out of his family, because he had no son? Give us a possession among the kinsmen of our father.

“Our father died in the wilderness. He was not among those who conspired against Yahweh in the company of Korah. He died for his own sin, and he had no sons.

4 And Moses referred their cause to the judgment of the Lord.

Why should our father's name be taken away from among his clan members because he had no son? Give us land among our father's relatives.”

5 And the Lord said to him:

So Moses brought their case before Yahweh.

6 The daughters of Salphaad demand a just thing: Give them a possession among their father’s kindred, and let them succeed him in his inheritance.

Yahweh spoke to Moses and said,

7 And to the children of Israel thou shalt speak these things:

“Zelophehad's daughters are speaking correctly. You must certainly give them land as an inheritance among their father's relatives, and you must ensure that their father's inheritance passes on to them.

8 When a man dieth without a son, his inheritance shall pass to his daughter.

You must speak to the people of Israel and say, 'If a man dies and has no son, then you must cause his inheritance to pass to his daughter.

9 If he have no daughter, his brethren shall succeed him.

If he has no daughter, then you must give his inheritance to his brothers.

10 And if he have no brethren, you shall give the inheritance to his father’s brethren.

If he has no brothers, then you must give his inheritance to his father's brothers.

11 But if he have no uncles by the father, the inheritance shall be given to them that are the next akin. And this shall be to the children of Israel sacred by a perpetual law, as the Lord hath commanded Moses.

If his father has no brothers, then you must give his inheritance to his nearest relative in his clan, and he must take it for his own. This will be a law established by decree for the people of Israel, as Yahweh has commanded me.'”

12 The Lord also said to Moses: Go up into this mountain Abarim, and view from thence the land which I will give to the children of Israel.

Yahweh said to Moses, “Go up the mountains of Abarim and look at the land that I have given to the people of Israel.

13 And when thou shalt have seen it, thou also shalt go to thy people, as thy brother Aaron is gone:

After you have seen it, you, too, must be gathered to your people, like Aaron your brother.

14 Because you offended me in the desert of Sin in the contradiction of the multitude, neither would you sanctify me before them at the waters. These are the waters of contradiction in Cades of the desert of Sin.

This will happen because you two rebelled against my command in the wilderness of Zin. There, when the water flowed from the rock, in your anger you failed to honor me as holy before the eyes of the whole community.” These are the waters of Meribah of Kadesh in the wilderness of Zin.

15 And Moses answered him:

Then Moses spoke to Yahweh and said,

16 May the Lord the God of the spirits of all flesh provide a man, that may be over this multitude:

“May you, Yahweh, the God of the spirits of all humanity, appoint a man over the community,

17 And may go out and in before them, and may lead them out, or bring them in: lest the people of the Lord be as sheep without a shepherd.

a man who may go out and come in before them and lead them out and bring them in, so that your community is not like sheep that have no shepherd.”

18 And the Lord said to him: Take Josue the son of Nun, a man in whom is the Spirit, and put thy hand upon him.

Yahweh said to Moses, “Take Joshua son of Nun, a man in whom my Spirit lives, and lay your hand on him.

19 And he shall stand before Eleazar the priest and all the multitude:

Place him before Eleazar the priest and before all the community, and command him before their eyes to lead them.

20 And thou shalt give him precepts in the sight of all, and part of thy glory, that all the congregation of the children of Israel may hear him.

You must put some of your authority on him, so that all the community of the people of Israel may obey him.

21 If any thing be to be done, Eleazar the priest shall consult the Lord for him. He and all the children of Israel with him, and the rest of the multitude shall go out and go in at his word.

He will go before Eleazar the priest to seek my will for him by the decisions of the Urim. It will be at his command that the people will go out and come in, both he and all the people of Israel with him, the whole community.”

22 Moses did as the Lord had commanded. And when he had taken Josue, he set him before Eleazar the priest, and all the assembly of the people,

So Moses did as Yahweh had commanded him. He took Joshua and placed him before Eleazar the priest and all the community.

23 And laying his hands on his head, he repeated all things that the Lord had commanded.

He laid his hands on him and commanded him to lead, as Yahweh had commanded him to do.