Numbers 27

1Then the daughters of Zelophehad son of Hepher, son of Gilead, son of Machir, son of Manasseh, from the clans of Manasseh son of Joseph, came forward. These were the names of his daughters: Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah.

2They stood before Moses, Eleazar the priest, the leaders, and the whole congregation at the entrance to the tent of meeting and said,

3“Our father died in the wilderness. He was not among those who banded together against Yahweh in Korah’s company; he died for his own sin, and he had no sons.

4Why should our father’s name disappear from his clan because he had no son? Give us property among our father’s brothers.”

5So Moses brought their case before Yahweh,

6and Yahweh said to Moses,

7“What Zelophehad’s daughters are saying is right. You must certainly give them property as an inheritance among their father’s brothers and pass their father’s inheritance on to them.

8Tell the Israelites, ‘If a man dies and has no son, you are to pass his inheritance on to his daughter.

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

10If he has no brothers, you are to give his inheritance to his father’s brothers.

11If his father has no brothers, you are to give his inheritance to the nearest relative in his clan, and he is to take possession of it. This is to be a legal statute for the Israelites, as Yahweh commanded Moses.’”

12Then Yahweh said to Moses, “Go up this mountain in the Abarim range and look at the land I have given to the Israelites.

13After you have seen it, you too will be gathered to your people, as your brother Aaron was gathered,

14because in the wilderness of Zin, when the congregation quarreled, you both rebelled against my command to treat me as holy before their eyes at the waters—the waters of Meribah at Kadesh in the wilderness of Zin.”

15Moses said to Yahweh,

16“May Yahweh, the God of the spirits of all people, appoint a man over the congregation

17who will go out before them and come in before them, who will lead them out and bring them in, so that Yahweh’s congregation will not be like sheep that have no shepherd.”

18Yahweh said to Moses, “Take Joshua son of Nun, a man in whom is the Spirit, and lay your hand on him.

19Have him stand before Eleazar the priest and before the whole congregation, and commission him in their sight.

20Give him some of your authority, so that the whole congregation of the Israelites will obey him.

21He is to stand before Eleazar the priest, who will seek a decision for him by means of the Urim before Yahweh. At his command they will go out, and at his command they will come in, both he and all the Israelites with him, the whole congregation.”

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

23He laid his hands on him and commissioned him, as Yahweh had directed through Moses.