Numbers 27:12-23

Joshua to Succeed Moses

12 The LORD said to Moses, "Go up into ¹this mountain of Abarim and see the land that I have given to the people of Israel.

13 When you have seen it, you also ²shall be gathered to your people, as your brother Aaron was,

14 ³because you rebelled against my word in the wilderness of Zin when the congregation quarreled, failing ⁴to uphold me as holy at the waters before their eyes." (These are ⁵the waters of Meribah of Kadesh in the wilderness of Zin.)

15 Moses spoke to the LORD, saying,

16 "Let the LORD, ⁶the God of the spirits of all flesh, appoint a man over the congregation

17 who ⁷shall 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 ⁸as sheep that have no shepherd."

18 So the LORD said to Moses, "Take ⁹Joshua the son of Nun, a man ¹⁰in whom is the Spirit, and ¹¹lay your hand on him.

19 Make him stand before Eleazar the priest and all the congregation, and you shall ¹²commission him in their sight.

20 You shall invest him with some of your authority, ¹³that all the congregation of the people of Israel may obey.

21 And he shall stand before Eleazar the priest, who shall inquire for him ¹⁴by 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."

22 And Moses did as the LORD commanded him. He took Joshua and made him stand before Eleazar the priest and the whole congregation,

23 and he laid his hands on him and ¹⁵commissioned him as the LORD directed through Moses.

Numbers 27:12-23 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.

Cross References

• 1. Numbers 21:11; Numbers 33:44, 47; Deuteronomy 32:49; [Deuteronomy 3:27; Deuteronomy 34:1]
• 2. See Numbers 20:24
• 3. Numbers 20:12, 24
• 4. Numbers 20:12, 13
• 5. Numbers 20:13; Deuteronomy 32:51; [Exodus 17:7]
• 6. See Numbers 16:22
• 7. Deuteronomy 31:2; 1 Samuel 8:20; 1 Samuel 18:13; 1 Kings 3:7; 2 Chronicles 1:10; [Joshua 14:11]
• 8. 1 Kings 22:17; Ezekiel 34:5; Zechariah 10:2; Matthew 9:36; Mark 6:34
• 9. Numbers 32:28
• 10. Genesis 41:38; See Judges 3:10
• 11. Deuteronomy 34:9
• 12. Deuteronomy 3:28; Deuteronomy 31:7, 8
• 13. See Joshua 1:16-18
• 14. See Exodus 28:30
• 15. [See ver. 19 above]