Numbers 27

1 Then came the daughters of Zelophehad, the son of Hepher, the son of Gilead, the son of Machir, the son of Manasseh, of the families of Manasseh the son of Joseph: and these are the names of his daughters; Mahlah, Noah, and Hoglah, and Milcah, and Tirzah.

Then there approached the daughters of Zelophehad, the son of Hepher, the son of Gilead, the son of Machir, the son of Manasseh, who was the son of Joseph: and their names are Mahlah, and Noa, and Hoglah, and Milcah, and Tirzah.

2 And they stood before Moses, and before Eleazar the priest, and before the princes and all the congregation, by the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, saying,

And they stood before Moses and Eleazar the priest, and all the leaders of the people, at the door of the tabernacle of the covenant, and they said:

3 Our father died in the wilderness, and he was not in the company of them that gathered themselves together against the LORD in the company of Korah; but died in his own sin, and had no sons.

“Our father died in the desert, and was not with the sedition, which was stirred up against the Lord under Korah, but he died in his own sin; he had no male sons. Why is his name taken away from his family, because he had no son? Give us a possession among the kinsmen of our father.”

4 Why should the name of our father be done away from among his family, because he has no son? Give unto us therefore a possession among the brethren of our father.

And Moses referred their case to the judgment of the Lord.

5 And Moses brought their cause before the LORD.

And the Lord said to him:

6 And the LORD spoke unto Moses, saying,

“The daughters of Zelophehad are asking for something just. So give them a possession among the kinsmen of their father, and let them succeed him in his inheritance.

7 The daughters of Zelophehad speak right: you shall surely give them a possession of an inheritance among their father's brethren; and you shall cause the inheritance of their father to pass unto them.

And to the sons of Israel, you shall speak these things:

8 And you shall speak unto the children of Israel, saying, If a man die, and have no son, then all of you shall cause his inheritance to pass unto his daughter.

When a man dies without a son, his inheritance shall be transferred to his daughter.

9 And if he have no daughter, then all of you shall give his inheritance unto his brethren.

If he has no daughter, his brothers shall succeed him.

10 And if he have no brethren, then all of you shall give his inheritance unto his father's brethren.

But if there were also no brothers, you shall give the inheritance to the brothers of his father.

11 And if his father have no brethren, then all of you shall give his inheritance unto his kinsman that is next to him of his family, and he shall possess it: and it shall be unto the children of Israel a statute of judgment, as the LORD commanded Moses.

But if he has no paternal uncles, the inheritance shall be given to those who are closest to him. And this shall be, for the sons of Israel, consecrated as a perpetual law, just as the Lord has instructed Moses.”

12 And the LORD said unto Moses, Get you up into this mount Abarim, and see the land which I have given unto the children of Israel.

The Lord also said to Moses: “Ascend onto this mountain, Abarim, and contemplate from there the land, which I will give to the sons of Israel.

13 And when you have seen it, you also shall be gathered unto your people, as Aaron your brother was gathered.

And when you have seen it, you shall then go to your people, just as your brother Aaron went.

14 For all of you rebelled against my commandment in the desert of Zin, in the strife of the congregation, to sanctify me at the water before their eyes: that is the water of Meribah in Kadesh in the wilderness of Zin.

For you offended me in the desert of Sin at the Contradiction of the multitude; neither were you willing to sanctify me in their sight over the waters. These are the Waters of Contradiction at Kadesh in the desert of Sin.”

15 And Moses spoke unto the LORD, saying,

Moses answered him:

16 Let the LORD, the God of the spirits of all flesh, set a man over the congregation,

“May the Lord, the God of the spirits of all flesh, provide a man, who may be over this multitude,

17 Which may go out before them, and which may go in before them, and which may lead them out, and which may bring them in; that the congregation of the LORD be not as sheep which have no shepherd.

and who may be able to exit and enter before them, and who may lead them out or lead them in: lest the people of the Lord be like sheep without a shepherd.”

18 And the LORD said unto Moses, Take you Joshua the son of Nun, a man in whom is the spirit, and lay your hand upon him;

And the Lord said to him: “Take Joshua, the son of Nun, a man in whom the Spirit is, and place your hand upon him.

19 And set him before Eleazar the priest, and before all the congregation; and give him a charge in their sight.

And he shall stand before Eleazar the priest and the entire multitude.

20 And you shall put some of your honour upon him, that all the congregation of the children of Israel may be obedient.

And you shall give him the precepts in the sight of all, and a portion of your glory, so that the entire congregation of the sons of Israel may listen to him.

21 And he shall stand before Eleazar the priest, who shall ask counsel for him after the judgment of Urim before the LORD: at his word shall they go out, and at his word they shall come in, both he, and all the children of Israel with him, even all the congregation.

On his behalf, if anything is to be done, Eleazar the priest shall consult the Lord. He, and all the sons of Israel with him, and the rest of the multitude, shall go out and enter in at his word.”

22 And Moses did as the LORD commanded him: and he took Joshua, and set him before Eleazar the priest, and before all the congregation:

Moses did just as the Lord had instructed. And when he had brought Joshua, he set him before Eleazar the priest, and before the entire gathering of the people.

23 And he laid his hands upon him, and gave him a charge, as the LORD commanded by the hand of Moses.

And imposing his hands upon his head, he repeated all that the Lord had commanded.