Numbers 27

1 Then there approached the daughters of Zelophehad, the son of Hepher, the son of Gilead, the son of Machir, the son of Manasseh, who was the son of Joseph: and their names are Mahlah, and Noa, and Hoglah, and Milcah, and Tirzah.

Then the daughters of Zelophehad, the son of Hepher, the son of Gilead, the son of Machir, the son of Manasseh, of the families of Manasseh the son of Joseph came near. These are the names of his daughters: Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah.

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

They stood before Moses, before Eleazar the priest, and before the princes and all the congregation, at the door of the Tent of Meeting, saying,

3 “Our father died in the desert, and was not with the sedition, which was stirred up against the Lord under Korah, but he died in his own sin; he had no male sons. Why is his name taken away from 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 amongst the company of those who gathered themselves together against the LORD in the company of Korah, but he died in his own sin. He had no sons.

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

Why should the name of our father be taken away from amongst his family, because he had no son? Give to us a possession amongst the brothers of our father.”

5 And the Lord said to him:

Moses brought their cause before the LORD.

6 “The daughters of Zelophehad are asking for something just. So give them a possession among the kinsmen of their father, and let them succeed him in his inheritance.

The LORD spoke to Moses, saying,

7 And to the sons of Israel, you shall speak these things:

“The daughters of Zelophehad speak right. You shall surely give them a possession of an inheritance amongst their father’s brothers. You shall cause the inheritance of their father to pass to them.

8 When a man dies without a son, his inheritance shall be transferred to his daughter.

You shall speak to the children of Israel, saying, ‘If a man dies, and has no son, then you shall cause his inheritance to pass to his daughter.

9 If he has no daughter, his brothers shall succeed him.

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

10 But if there were also no brothers, you shall give the inheritance to the brothers of his father.

If he has no brothers, then you shall give his inheritance to his father’s brothers.

11 But if he has no paternal uncles, the inheritance shall be given to those who are closest to him. And this shall be, for the sons of Israel, consecrated as a perpetual law, just as the Lord has instructed Moses.”

If his father has no brothers, then you shall give his inheritance to his kinsman who is next to him of his family, and he shall possess it. This shall be a statute and ordinance for the children of Israel, as the LORD commanded Moses.’”

12 The Lord also said to Moses: “Ascend onto this mountain, Abarim, and contemplate from there the land, which I will give to the sons of Israel.

The LORD said to Moses, “Go up into this mountain of Abarim, and see the land which I have given to the children of Israel.

13 And when you have seen it, you shall then go to your people, just as your brother Aaron went.

When you have seen it, you also shall be gathered to your people, as Aaron your brother was gathered;

14 For you offended me in the desert of Sin at the Contradiction of the multitude; neither were you willing to sanctify me in their sight over the waters. These are the Waters of Contradiction at Kadesh in the desert of Sin.”

because in the strife of the congregation, you rebelled against my word in the wilderness of Zin, to honour me as holy at the waters before their eyes.” (These are the waters of Meribah of Kadesh in the wilderness of Zin.)

15 Moses answered him:

Moses spoke to the LORD, saying,

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

“Let the LORD, the God of the spirits of all flesh, appoint a man over the congregation,

17 and who may be able to exit and enter before them, and who may lead them out or lead them in: lest the people of the Lord be like sheep without a shepherd.”

who may go out before them, and who may come in before them, and who may lead them out, and who may bring them in, that the congregation of the LORD may not be as sheep which have no shepherd.”

18 And the Lord said to him: “Take Joshua, the son of Nun, a man in whom the Spirit is, and place your hand upon him.

The LORD said to Moses, “Take Joshua the son of Nun, a man in whom is the Spirit, and lay your hand on him.

19 And he shall stand before Eleazar the priest and the entire multitude.

Set him before Eleazar the priest, and before all the congregation; and commission him in their sight.

20 And you shall give him the precepts in the sight of all, and a portion of your glory, so that the entire congregation of the sons of Israel may listen to him.

You shall give authority to him, that all the congregation of the children of Israel may obey.

21 On his behalf, if anything is to be done, Eleazar the priest shall consult the Lord. He, and all the sons of Israel with him, and the rest of the multitude, shall go out and enter in at his word.”

He shall stand before Eleazar the priest, who shall enquire for him by the judgement of the Urim before the LORD. At his word they shall go out, and at his word they shall come in, both he and all the children of Israel with him, even all the congregation.”

22 Moses did just as the Lord had instructed. And when he had brought Joshua, he set him before Eleazar the priest, and before the entire gathering of the people.

Moses did as the LORD commanded him. He took Joshua, and set him before Eleazar the priest and before all the congregation.

23 And imposing his hands upon his head, he repeated all that the Lord had commanded.

He laid his hands on him and commissioned him, as the LORD spoke by Moses.