Numbers 27:7-23

7 The daughters of Zelophehad are right in what they are saying; you shall indeed let them possess an inheritance among their father's brothers and pass the inheritance of their father on to them.

8 You shall also say to the Israelites, "If a man dies, and has no son, then you shall pass his inheritance on to his daughter.

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

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

11 And if his father has no brothers, then you shall give his inheritance to the nearest kinsman of his clan, and he shall possess it. It shall be for the Israelites a statute and ordinance, as the Lord commanded Moses."

12 The Lord said to Moses, "Go up this mountain of the Abarim range, and see the land that I have given to the Israelites.

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

14 because you rebelled against my word in the wilderness of Zin when the congregation quarreled with me. You did not show my holiness before their eyes at the waters." (These are the waters of Meribath-kadesh in the wilderness of Zin.)

15 Moses spoke to the Lord, saying,

16 "Let the Lord, the God of the spirits of all flesh, appoint someone over the congregation

17 who shall go out before them and come in before them, who shall lead them out and bring them in, so that the congregation of the Lord may not be like sheep without a shepherd."

18 So the Lord said to Moses, "Take Joshua son of Nun, a man in whom is the spirit, and lay your hand upon him;

19 have him stand before Eleazar the priest and all the congregation, and commission him in their sight.

20 You shall give him some of your authority, so that all the congregation of the Israelites may obey.

21 But he shall stand before Eleazar the priest, who shall inquire for him by the decision 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 Israelites with him, the whole congregation."

22 So Moses did as the Lord commanded him. He took Joshua and had him stand before Eleazar the priest and the whole congregation;

23 he laid his hands on him and commissioned him—as the Lord had directed through Moses.

Numbers 27:7-23 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO NUMBERS 27

This chapter relates, that, upon a petition of the daughters of Zelophehad, the affair of inheritances was settled; and it is directed that, in case of want of male issue, inheritances should pass to females, and in failure of them to the next of kin, whether father's brethren or any near kinsman, Nu 27:1-11, also an order to Moses to go up to the Mount Abarim, and take a view of the good land, and die; with the reason of it, Nu 27:12-14, upon which Moses desires a successor of him might be appointed, Nu 27:15-17, in answer to which Joshua is nominated, and being presented before the high priest and the people, was invested with his office, by imposition of hands, and had his charge given him, Nu 27:18-23.

Footnotes

• [a]. Heb lacks [with me]