Numbers Chapter 27

The Daughters of Zelophehad

¹ The daughters of Zelophehad Ben-Hepher (Ben-Gilead Ben-Machir Ben-Manasseh) Ben-Joseph came near: Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah. ² They stood in front of Moses, Eleazar, and the leaders of the community at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting, and said,

³ “Our father died in the wilderness, but not among those who opposed Yahveh with Korah. He died in his own sin and didn’t have any sons. ⁴ Why should he disappear from his clan just because he didn’t have any sons? Give us a possession among our father’s brothers.”                                                                                                  

Num 27:1-4

                ⁵Moses brought the case to Yahveh.

                ⁶Yahveh told him,

⁷ “Zelophehad’s daughters are right. Give them a possession among their father’s brothers and transfer their father’s inheritance to them. ⁸ If a man dies without a son, transfer his inheritance to his daughter. ⁹ If he doesn’t have a daughter, give it to his brothers. ¹⁰ If he doesn’t have any brothers, give it to his father’s brothers. ¹¹ If his father doesn’t have any brothers, give it to the nearest other relative in his family. It will be an ordinance in Israel.”

Joahua to Succeed Moses

¹² Yahveh told Moses,

“Climb one of the mountains in the Abarim range and look at the land I’ll give Israel. ¹³ When you’ve seen it, you’ll pass on to your people like Aaron did. ¹⁴ In the Wilderness of Zin, during the conflict with the community, you rebelled against my command to honor me as holy in front of them at the water” (of Meribah at Kadesh). Num 27:5-14           

                                  ¹⁵Moses said,

¹⁶ “May Yahveh, the God that gives breath to all flesh, appoint a man ¹⁷ to lead the community so they won’t be like sheep without a shepherd.”

¹⁸ Yahveh told him,

“Take Joshua Ben-Nun, a man that has the Spirit in him, and put your hand on him. ¹⁹ Have him stand in the presence of Eleazar and the community and commission him. ²⁰ Put some of your authority on him so the community can obey him. ²¹ He’ll present himself to Eleazar, who will ask Yahveh for him by the Urim. At his command, he and this whole community will determine what to do.”

²² So Moses stood Joshua in front of Eleazar and the community, ²³ put his hand on him, and commissioned him.          

Num 27:15-23