1The daughters of Zelophehad belonged to the family groups of Manasseh. Zelophehad was the son of Hepher. Hepher was the son of Gilead. Gilead was the son of Makir. Makir was the son of Manasseh. And Manasseh was the son of Joseph. The names of Zelophehad’s daughters were Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milkah and Tirzah. They approached2the entrance to the tent of meeting. There they stood in front of Moses and Eleazar the priest. The leaders and the whole community were there too. Zelophehad’s daughters said,3‘Our father died in the Sinai Desert. But he wasn’t one of the men who followed Korah. He wasn’t one of those who joined together against the LORD. Our father died because of his own sin. He didn’t leave any sons.4Why should our father’s name disappear from his family just because he didn’t have a son? Give us property among our father’s relatives.’5So Moses brought their case to the LORD.6The LORD said to him,7‘What Zelophehad’s daughters are saying is right. You must certainly give them property. Give them a share among their father’s relatives. Give their father’s property to them.8‘Say to the Israelites, “Suppose a man dies who doesn’t have a son. Then give his property to his daughter.9Suppose the man doesn’t have a daughter. Then give his property to his brothers.10Suppose the man doesn’t have any brothers. Then give his property to his father’s brothers.11Suppose his father doesn’t have any brothers. Then give his property to the nearest male relative in his family group. It will belong to him. That is what the law will require of the Israelites. It is just as the LORD commanded me.” ’
Joshua becomes Israel’s new leader
12Then the LORD said to Moses, ‘Go up this mountain in the Abarim Range. See the land I have given the Israelites.13After you have seen it, you too will join the members of your family who have already died. You will die, just as your brother Aaron did.14The community refused to obey me at the waters of Meribah Kadesh in the Desert of Zin. At that time, you and Aaron did not obey my command. You did not honour me in front of them as the holy God.’15Moses spoke to the LORD. He said,16‘LORD, you are the God who gives life and breath to all living things. Please put someone in charge of this community.17Have that person lead them and take care of them. Then your people won’t be like sheep without a shepherd.’18So the LORD said to Moses, ‘Joshua, the son of Nun, has the ability to be a wise leader. Get him and place your hand on him.19Have him stand in front of Eleazar the priest and the whole community. Put him in charge while everyone is watching.20Give him some of your authority. Then the whole community of Israel will obey him.21Joshua will stand in front of Eleazar the priest. Eleazar will help him make decisions. Eleazar will get help from me by using the Urim. Joshua and the whole community of Israel must not make any move at all unless I command them to.’22Moses did just as the LORD commanded him. He got Joshua and had him stand in front of Eleazar the priest and the whole community.23Then Moses placed his hands on Joshua. And he put him in charge of the people. He did just as the LORD had instructed through Moses.
Numbers 27
English Standard Version
The Daughters of Zelophehad
1Then drew near the daughters of Zelophehad the son of Hepher, son of Gilead, son of Machir, son of Manasseh, from the clans of Manasseh the son of Joseph. The names of his daughters were: Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah. (Nu 26:33; Nu 36:11; Jos 17:3)2And they stood before Moses and before Eleazar the priest and before the chiefs and all the 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 together against the Lord in the company of Korah, but died for his own sin. And he had no sons. (Nu 14:35; Nu 16:1; Nu 26:64; Eze 18:4)4Why should the name of our father be taken away from his clan because he had no son? Give to us a possession among our father’s brothers.” (Jos 17:4)5Moses brought their case before the Lord. (Ex 18:19)6And the Lord said to Moses,7“The daughters of Zelophehad are right. You shall give them possession of an inheritance among their father’s brothers and transfer the inheritance of their father to them. (Nu 36:2; Nu 36:5)8And you shall speak to the people 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.10And if 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 the nearest kinsman of his clan, and he shall possess it. And it shall be for the people of Israel a statute and rule, as the Lord commanded Moses.’” (Nu 35:29; Ru 4:3; Jer 32:6)
Joshua to Succeed Moses
12The Lord said to Moses, “Go up into this mountain of Abarim and see the land that I have given to the people of Israel. (Nu 21:11; Nu 33:44; Nu 33:47; De 3:27; De 32:49; De 34:1)13When you have seen it, you also shall be gathered to your people, as your brother Aaron was, (Nu 20:24)14because you rebelled against my word in the wilderness of Zin when the congregation quarreled, failing to uphold me as holy at the waters before their eyes.” (These are the waters of Meribah of Kadesh in the wilderness of Zin.) (Ex 17:7; Nu 20:12; Nu 20:13; Nu 20:24; De 32:51)15Moses spoke to the Lord, saying,16“Let the Lord, the God of the spirits of all flesh, appoint a man over the congregation (Nu 16:22)17who shall go out before them and come in before them, who shall lead them out and bring them in, that the congregation of the Lord may not be as sheep that have no shepherd.” (De 31:2; Jos 14:11; 1Sa 8:20; 1Sa 18:13; 1Ki 3:7; 1Ki 22:17; 2Ch 1:10; Eze 34:5; Zec 10:2; Mt 9:36; Mr 6:34)18So the Lord said to Moses, “Take Joshua the son of Nun, a man in whom is the Spirit, and lay your hand on him. (Ge 41:38; Nu 32:28; De 34:9; Jud 3:10)19Make him stand before Eleazar the priest and all the congregation, and you shall commission him in their sight. (De 3:28; De 31:7)20You shall invest him with some of your authority, that all the congregation of the people of Israel may obey. (Jos 1:16)21And he 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, both he and all the people of Israel with him, the whole congregation.” (Ex 28:30)22And Moses did as the Lord commanded him. He took Joshua and made him stand before Eleazar the priest and the whole congregation,23and he laid his hands on him and commissioned him as the Lord directed through Moses. (Nu 27:19)