Numbers 27:18

18 And the Lord said to Moses, Take thou Joshua, the son of Nun, a man in whom the spirit of God is (a man in whom is the spirit of God), and put thine hand upon him;

Numbers 27:18 Meaning and Commentary

Numbers 27:18

And the Lord said unto Moses
In answer to his request:

take thou Joshua the son of Nun,
who had been a servant of his near forty years, and of whose humility, diligence, faithfulness and integrity he had sufficient proof, as well as of his skill and courage in military affairs, particularly at the battle with Amalek, ( Exodus 17:9-13 ) ( 24:13 ) ( 33:11 ) :

a man in whom is the Spirit:
not only in whom is a spirit or soul, which is in every man; but the Spirit of God, and that not only as a spirit of grace and sanctification, which is in every good man; but as a spirit of prophecy, as the Targums of Onkelos and Jonathan; or rather it respects the more than ordinary gifts of the Spirit qualifying him for government, as courage and conduct, wisdom, prudence, and greatness of mind:

and lay thine hand upon him;
thereby transferring the government to him, pointing him out to the people as his successor; to show to the children of Israel that he was in his place, as Aben Ezra notes; upon which followed a larger measure of the gifts of the Spirit of God; see ( Deuteronomy 34:9 ) .

Numbers 27:18 In-Context

16 The Lord God of the spirits of all flesh, purvey a man, that he be on this multitude, (May the Lord God of the spirits of all people purvey a man who shall be over these people,)

17 and that may go out (and who can go out), and enter in before them, and lead them out, and lead them in, lest the people of the Lord be as sheep without (a) shepherd.

18 And the Lord said to Moses, Take thou Joshua, the son of Nun, a man in whom the spirit of God is (a man in whom is the spirit of God), and put thine hand upon him;

19 and he shall stand before Eleazar, the priest, and before all the multitude. And thou shalt give to him behests, in the sight of all men (And thou shalt give him his orders, or his commission, in the sight of all the people),

20 and a part of thy glory, that all the synagogue of the sons of Israel hear him. (and some of thy authority, so that all the congregation of the Israelites shall listen to him, and shall follow him.)