Numbers 27

1 And daughters of Zelophehad son of Hepher, son of Gilead, son of Machir, son of Manasseh, of the families of Manasseh son of Joseph, draw near—and these [are] the names of his daughters: Mahlah, Noah, and Hoglah, and Milcah, and Tirzah—

Now the daughters of Zelophehad son of Hepher, the son of Gilead, the son of Machir, the son of Manasseh, belonged to the clans of Manasseh son of Joseph. These were the names of his daughters: Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah. They approached

2 and stand before Moses, and before Eleazar the priest, and before the princes, and all the congregation, at the opening of the Tent of Meeting, saying,

the entrance to the Tent of Meeting, stood before Moses, Eleazar the priest, the leaders, and the whole congregation, and said,

3 “Our father died in the wilderness, and he was not in the midst of the congregation who were gathered together against YHWH in the congregation of Korah, but he died for his own sin, and had no sons;

“Our father died in the wilderness, but he was not among the followers of Korah who gathered together against the LORD. Instead, he died because of his own sin, and he had no sons.

4 why is the name of our father withdrawn from the midst of his family because he has no son? Give a possession to us in the midst of the brothers of our father”;

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

5 and Moses brings their cause near before YHWH.

So Moses brought their case before the LORD,

6 And YHWH speaks to Moses, saying,

and the LORD answered him,

7 “The daughters of Zelophehad are speaking correctly; you certainly give to them a possession of an inheritance in the midst of their father’s brothers, and have caused the inheritance of their father to pass over to them.

“The daughters of Zelophehad speak correctly. You certainly must give them property as an inheritance among their father’s brothers, and transfer their father’s inheritance to them.

8 And you speak to the sons of Israel, saying, When a man dies and has no son, then you have caused his inheritance to pass over to his daughter;

Furthermore, you shall say to the Israelites, ‘If a man dies and leaves no son, you are to transfer his inheritance to his daughter.

9 and if he has no daughter, then you have given his inheritance to his brothers;

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

10 and if he has no brothers, then you have given his inheritance to his father’s brothers;

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

11 and if his father has no brothers, then you have given his inheritance to his relation who is near to him of his family, and he has possessed it”; and it has been to the sons of Israel for a statute of judgment, as YHWH has commanded Moses.

And if his father has no brothers, give his inheritance to the next of kin from his clan, that he may take possession of it. This is to be a statutory ordinance for the Israelites, as the LORD has commanded Moses.’”

12 And YHWH says to Moses, “Go up to this Mount Abarim, and see the land which I have given to the sons of Israel;

Then the LORD said to Moses, “Go up this mountain of the Abarim range and see the land that I have given the Israelites.

13 and you have seen it, and you have been gathered to your people, also you, as your brother Aaron has been gathered,

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

14 because you provoked My mouth in the wilderness of Zin, in the strife of the congregation—to sanctify Me at the waters before their eyes”; they [are] the waters of Meribah, in Kadesh, in the wilderness of Zin.

for when the congregation contended in the Wilderness of Zin, both of you rebelled against My command to show My holiness in their sight regarding the waters.” Those were the waters of Meribah in Kadesh, in the Wilderness of Zin.

15 And Moses speaks to YHWH, saying,

So Moses appealed to the LORD,

16 “YHWH, God of the spirits of all flesh, appoint a man over the congregation,

“May the LORD, the God of the spirits of all flesh, appoint a man over the congregation

17 who goes out before them, and who comes in before them, and who takes them out, and who brings them in, and the congregation of YHWH is not as sheep which have no shepherd.”

who will go out and come in before them, and who will lead them out and bring them in, so that the congregation of the LORD will not be like sheep without a shepherd.”

18 And YHWH says to Moses, “Take Joshua son of Nun to yourself, a man in whom [is] the Spirit, and you have laid your hand on him,

And the LORD replied to Moses, “Take Joshua son of Nun, a man with the Spirit in him, and lay your hands on him.

19 and have caused him to stand before Eleazar the priest and before all the congregation, and have charged him before their eyes,

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

20 and have put of your splendor on him, so that all the congregation of the sons of Israel listens.

Confer on him some of your authority, so that the whole congregation of Israel will obey him.

21 And he stands before Eleazar the priest, and he has inquired before YHWH for him by the judgment of the Lights; at his word they go out, and at his word they come in, he and all the sons of Israel with him—even all the congregation.”

He shall stand before Eleazar the priest, who will seek counsel for him before the LORD by the judgment of the Urim. At his command, he and all the Israelites with him—the entire congregation—will go out and come in.”

22 And Moses does as YHWH has commanded him, and takes Joshua and causes him to stand before Eleazar the priest and before all the congregation,

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

23 and lays his hands on him and charges him, as YHWH has spoken by the hand of Moses.

and laid his hands on him and commissioned him, as the LORD had instructed through Moses.