Numbers 27

A Law of Inheritance

1Then 1the 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 forward; and these are 2the names of his daughters: Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah. 2They stood before Moses, before Eleazar the priest, before the leaders, and all the congregation at the entrance of the tent of meeting, saying, 3“Our father 3died in the wilderness, yet he was not among the group of those who gathered together against the Lord, in the group of Korah; but he died in his own sin, and 4he had no sons. 4Why should the name of our father be withdrawn from among his family simply because he had no son? Give us property among our father’s brothers.” 55So Moses brought their case before the Lord.

6Then the Lord said to 6Moses, 7“7The daughters of Zelophehad are right about their statements. You shall certainly give them hereditary property among their father’s brothers, and you shall transfer the inheritance of their father to them. 8Further, you shall speak to the sons of Israel, saying, ‘If a man dies and has no son, then you shall transfer his inheritance to his daughter. 9And if 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. 11And if his father has no brothers, then you shall give his inheritance to his nearest relative in his own family, and he shall take possession of it; and it shall be a 8statutory ordinance to the sons of Israel, just as the Lord has commanded Moses.’”

129Then the Lord said to Moses, “Go up to this 10mountain of Abarim, and see the land which I have given to the sons of Israel. 13When you have seen it, you too 11will be gathered to your people, 12just as Aaron your brother 13was; 14for in the wilderness of Zin, during the strife of the congregation, 14you rebelled against My 15command to treat Me as holy before their eyes at the water.” (These are the waters of Meribah of Kadesh in the wilderness of Zin.)

Joshua to Succeed Moses

15Then Moses spoke to the Lord, saying, 16“16May the Lord, the God of the spirits of 17humanity, appoint a man over the congregation, 17who 18will go out 19and come in before them, and lead them out and 20bring them in, so that the congregation of the Lord will not be 21like sheep that have no shepherd.” 18So the Lord said to Moses, “22Take Joshua the son of Nun, a man 23in whom is the Spirit, and 24lay your hand on him; 19and have him stand before Eleazar the priest and before all the congregation, and 25commission him in their sight. 20And you shall put some of your 26authority on him, so that all the congregation of the sons of Israel will obey him. 21Moreover, he shall stand before Eleazar the priest, who shall inquire for him 27by the judgment of the Urim before the Lord. At his 28command they shall go out, and at his 29command they shall come in, both he and all the sons of Israel with him, all the congregation.” 22Then Moses did just as the Lord commanded him; he took Joshua and had him stand before Eleazar the priest and before all the congregation. 23Then he laid his hands on him and 30commissioned him, just as the Lord had spoken 31through Moses.