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 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 leaders of the people, at the door of the tabernacle of the covenant, and they 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 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 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 case 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 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.

Yahweh spoke to Moses and said,

7 And to the sons of Israel, you shall 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 dies without a son, his inheritance shall be transferred 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 has no daughter, his brothers shall succeed him.

If he has no daughter, then you must 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 must 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 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: “Ascend onto this mountain, Abarim, and contemplate from there the land, which I will give to the sons 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 you have seen it, you shall then go to your people, just as your brother Aaron went.

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

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.”

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 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, who may be over this multitude,

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

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.”

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 Joshua, the son of Nun, a man in whom the Spirit is, and place your 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 the entire multitude.

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

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

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 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 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.

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

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

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