Numbers 27

1 The daughters of Zelophehad came to present their case. Their father Zelophehad was the son of Hepher, son of Gilead, son of Machir, son of Manasseh, and was from the tribe of Manasseh, son of Joseph. The names of his daughters were Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah. They came

And the daughters of Salpaad the son of Opher, the son of Galaad, the son of Machir, of the tribe of Manasse, of the sons of Joseph, came near; and these were their names, Maala, and Nua, and Egla, and Melcha, and Thersa;

2 and stood before Moses, Eleazar the priest, the leaders, and all the Israelites at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting. They said,

and they stood before Moses, and before Eleazar the priest, and before the princes, and before all the congregation at the door of the tabernacle of witness, saying,

3 “Our father died in the desert, but he wasn't one of Korah's followers who joined together to rebel against the Lord. No, he died from his own sins, and he didn't have any sons.

Our father died in the wilderness, and he was not in the midst of the congregation that rebelled against the Lord in the gathering of Core; for he died for his own sin, and he had no sons. Let not the name of our father be blotted out of the midst of his people, because he has no son: give us an inheritance in the midst of our father's brethren.

4 Why should our family name be lost simply because he didn't have a son? Give us land to own alongside our uncles.”

And Moses brought their case before the Lord.

5 Moses took their case before the Lord.

And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying,

6 The Lord gave him this answer,

The daughters of Salpaad have spoken rightly: you shall surely give them a possession of inheritance in the midst of their father's brethren, and you shall assign their father's inheritance to them.

7 “What the daughters of Zelophehad are saying is right. You really must give them land to own alongside their uncles—give to them what would have been allocated to their father.

And you shall speak to the children of Israel, saying,

8 In addition, tell the Israelites, ‘If a man dies and doesn't have a no son, give his property to his daughter.

If a man die, and have no son, you shall assign his inheritance to his daughter.

9 If he doesn't have a daughter, give his property to his brothers.

And if he have no daughter, you shall give his inheritance to his brother.

10 If he doesn't have brothers, give his property to his father's brothers.

And if he have no brethren, you shall give his inheritance to his father's brother.

11 If his father doesn't have brothers, give his property his family's next of kin so that they can own it. This is a legal regulation for the Israelites, given as an order by the Lord to Moses.’”

And if there be no brethren of his father, you shall give the inheritance to his nearest relation of his tribe, to inherit his possessions; and this shall be to the children of Israel an ordinance of judgement, as the Lord commanded Moses.

12 The Lord told Moses, “Go up into the Abarim mountains so you can see the land that I have given the Israelites.

And the Lord said to Moses, Go up to the mountain that is in the country beyond Jordan, this mount Nabau, and behold the land Chanaan, which I give to the sons of Israel for a possession.

13 After you have seen it, you will also join your forefathers in death, just as your brother Aaron did,

And you shall see it, and you also shall be added to your people, as Aaron your brother was added [to them] in mount Or:

14 because when the Israelites complained in the Desert of Zin, you both rebelled against my instructions to show my holiness before them in regard to providing water.” (These were the waters of Meribah in Kadesh, in the Desert of Zin.)

because you transgressed my commandment in the wilderness of Sin, when the congregation resisted [and refused] to sanctify me; you sanctified me not at the water before them. This is the water of Strife in Cades in the wilderness of Sin.

15 Then Moses pleaded with the Lord,

And Moses said to the Lord,

16 “May the Lord, the God who gives life to all living beings, choose a man to lead the Israelites

Let the Lord God of spirits and of all flesh look out for a man over this congregation,

17 who will tell them what to do and show them where to go, so that the people of the Lord won't be like sheep without a shepherd.”

who shall go out before them, and who shall come in before them, and who shall lead them out, and who shall bring them in; so the congregation of the Lord shall not be as sheep without a shepherd.

18 The Lord told Moses, “Call for Joshua, son of Nun, a man who has the Spirit in him, and place your hands on him.

And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, Take to yourself Joshua the son of Naue, a man who has the Spirit in him, and you shall lay your hands upon him.

19 Make him stand in front of Eleazar the priest and all the Israelites, and dedicate him while they watch.

And you shall set him before Eleazar the priest, and you shall give him a charge before all the congregation, and you shall give a charge concerning him before them.

20 Hand over some of your authority to him so that all the Israelites will obey him.

And you shall put of your glory upon him, that the children of Israel may listen to him.

21 When he needs instructions he is to go before Eleazar the priest who will ask the Lord on his behalf and find out the decision using the Urim. Joshua will give orders to all the Israelites concerning everything they are to do.”

And he shall stand before Eleazar the priest, and they shall ask of him before the Lord the judgement of the Urim: they shall go forth at his word, and at his word they shall come in, he and the children of Israel with one accord, and all the congregation.

22 Moses followed the Lord's instructions. He had Joshua come and stand in front of Eleazar the priest and all the Israelites.

And Moses did as the Lord commanded him; and he took Joshua, and set him before Eleazar the priest, and before all the congregation.

23 Moses placed his hands on Joshua and dedicated him, just as the Lord had told him to do.

And he laid his hands on him, and appointed him as the Lord ordered Moses.