Numbers 27

1 One day the five daughters of Zelophehad came [to Moses/me]. They were Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah.

Then 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, came forward: their names are Mahlah, Noah, and Hoglah, and Milcah, and Tirzah.

2 They came to the entrance of the Sacred Tent and stood in front of Eleazar, Moses/me, the tribal leaders, and many [EUP] other Israeli people.

They came before Moses and Eleazar the priest and the chiefs and all the people at the door of the Tent of meeting, and said,

3 They said, “Our father died [during the time that we were] in the desert, and he did not have any sons. But he was not among those who supported Korah, who rebelled against Yahweh. He died just because he was a sinner [like everyone else].

Death overtook our father in the waste land; he was not among those who were banded together with Korah against the Lord; but death came to him in his sin; and he had no sons.

4 (Why should the name of his clan disappear [with the result that we do not receive any land] only because our father had no sons?/It is not right that the name of his clan disappear [with the result that we do not receive any land] only because our father had no sons.) [RHQ] So give us some land like our relatives will be getting!”

Why is the name of our father to be taken away from among his family, because he had no son? Give us a heritage among our father's brothers.

5 So Moses/I asked Yahweh [what to do about] their request.

So Moses put their cause before the Lord.

6 And Yahweh replied,

And the Lord said to Moses,

7 “What the daughters of Zelophehad are requesting is right. You must give them some land, just as you are giving to their father’s relatives. Give to each of them some of the land that would have been given to their brothers [if they had any].

What the daughters of Zelophehad say is right: certainly you are to give them a heritage among their father's brothers: and let the property which would have been their father's go to them.

8 “Also tell this to the Israeli people: ‘If a man who has no sons dies, give the things that his sons would have inherited to his daughters.

And say to the children of Israel, If a man has no son at the time of his death, let his heritage go to his daughter.

9 If the man has no sons or daughters, give to his brothers the things that his sons and daughters would have inherited.

And if he has no daughter, then give his heritage to his brothers.

10 If the man had no brothers, give to his father’s brothers the things that his sons or daughters or brothers would have inherited.

And if he has no brothers, then give his heritage to his father's brothers.

11 If the man’s father has no brothers, give to his closest relative the things that the others would have inherited.’ That will be a rule for the Israeli people, because I am giving this as a command to you, Moses, [to tell them].”

And if his father has no brothers, then give it to his nearest relation in the family, as his heritage: this is to be a decision made by law for the children of Israel, as the Lord gave orders to Moses.

12 One day, Yahweh said to Moses/me, “Climb to the top of the Abarim Mountains [east of the Jordan River]. Then look out over the land that I am giving to the Israeli people.

And the Lord said to Moses, Go up into this mountain of Abarim so that you may see the land which I have given to the children of Israel.

13 After you have seen it, you will die [EUP] just like your [older] brother Aaron did.

And when you have seen it, you will be put to rest with your people, as your brother Aaron was:

14 The reason [that you will die and not enter that land] is that you both disobeyed my instructions/commands in the Zin Desert. When the Israeli people rebelled against me there at Meribah, near Kadesh, [I told you to speak to the rock to cause] water to flow out of it. [But because you struck the rock instead of speaking to it], you did not show the people my holy power.”

Because in the waste land of Zin, when the people were angry, you and he went against my word and did not keep my name holy before their eyes, at the waters. (These are the waters of Meribah in Kadesh in the waste land of Zin.)

15 Then Moses/I said this to Yahweh:

Then Moses said to the Lord,

16 “Yahweh, you are the God who directs the spirits of all people. So please appoint a new leader for the Israeli people.

Let the Lord, the God of the spirits of all flesh, put a man at the head of this people,

17 Appoint someone who will lead your people when they go to fight a battle, so that they will not [just wander around] like sheep that do not have a shepherd.” [SIM]

To go out and come in before them and be their guide; so that the people of the Lord may not be like sheep without a keeper.

18 Yahweh replied, “Get Joshua, the son of Nun, who has my Spirit within him. Lay your hands on him [to appoint him].

And the Lord said to Moses, Take Joshua, the son of Nun, a man in whom is the spirit, and put your hand on him;

19 Cause him to stand in front of Eleazar the priest, as all the people are watching, and commission/appoint him to be the new leader of the Israeli people.

And take him before Eleazar the priest and all the meeting of the people, and give him his orders before their eyes.

20 Give to him some of the authority that you now have, in order that all the Israeli people will [know that they must] obey him.

And put your honour on him, so that all the children of Israel may be under his authority.

21 When you all need me to guide you, Joshua will stand in front of Eleazar. Then by (casting lots/throwing marked stones on the ground) Eleazar will find out what they should do.”

He will take his place before Eleazar the priest, so that he may get directions from the Lord for him, with the Urim: at his word they will go out, and at his word they will come in, he and all the children of Israel.

22 So Moses/I did what Yahweh commanded. He/I presented Joshua to Eleazar and to all the Israeli people.

So Moses did as the Lord said: he took Joshua and put him before Eleazar the priest and the meeting of the people:

23 Moses/I laid his/my hands on him and commissioned/appointed him to do the work that Yahweh told Moses/me to tell him to do.

And he put his hands on him and gave him his orders, as the Lord had said by Moses.