Numbers 27

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

And there came nigh the daughters of Zelophehad, the son of Chepher, the son of Gil'ad, the son of Machir, the son of Manasseh, of the families of Menasseh the son of Joseph: and these are the names of his daughters, Machlah, No'ah, and Choglah, and Milcah, and Tirzah.

2 They stood before Moses, Eleazar the priest, the leaders, and before all the community at the entrance to the tent of meeting. They said,

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

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

Our father died in the wilderness; but he was not among the company of those that gathered themselves together against the Lord in the company of Korach; but in his own sin he died, and sons he had not.

4 Why should our father's name be taken away from among his clan members because he had no son? Give us land among our father's relatives.”

Why should the name of our father be done away from the midst of his family, because he hath no son? Give unto us a possession among the brothers of our father.

5 So Moses brought their case before Yahweh.

And Moses brought their cause before the Lord.

6 Yahweh spoke to Moses and said,

And the Lord spoke unto Moses, saying,

7 “Zelophehad's daughters are speaking correctly. You must certainly give them land as an inheritance among their father's relatives, and you must ensure that their father's inheritance passes on to them.

The daughters of Zelophehad speak rightly: thou shalt indeed give them a possession as an inheritance among the brothers of their father; and thou shalt cause the inheritance of their father to pass unto them.

8 You must speak to the people of Israel and say, 'If a man dies and has no son, then you must cause his inheritance to pass to his daughter.

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

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

And if he have no daughter, then shall ye give his inheritance unto his brothers.

10 If he has no brothers, then you must give his inheritance to his father's brothers.

And if he have no brothers, then shall ye give his inheritance unto his father's brothers.

11 If his father has no brothers, then you must give his inheritance to his nearest relative in his clan, and he must take it for his own. This will be a law established by decree for the people of Israel, as Yahweh has commanded me.'”

And if his father have no brothers, then shall ye give his inheritance unto his kinsman that is next to him of his family, and he shall inherit it; and it shall be unto the children of Israel a statute of justice, as the Lord hath commanded Moses.

12 Yahweh said to Moses, “Go up the mountains of Abarim and look at the land that I have given to the people of Israel.

And the Lord said unto Moses, Go thou up unto this mount of 'Abarim, and see the land which I have given unto the children of Israel.

13 After you have seen it, you, too, must be gathered to your people, like Aaron your brother.

And when thou hast seen it, then shalt thou also be gathered unto thy people, as Aaron thy brother hath been gathered.

14 This will happen because you two rebelled against my command in the wilderness of Zin. There, when the water flowed from the rock, in your anger you failed to honor me as holy before the eyes of the whole community.” These are the waters of Meribah of Kadesh in the wilderness of Zin.

Because ye rebelled against my order in the desert of Zin, at the quarreling of the congregation, to sanctify me through the waters before their eyes: these are the waters of Meribah in Kadesh, in the wilderness of Zin.

15 Then Moses spoke to Yahweh and said,

And Moses spoke unto the Lord, saying,

16 “May you, Yahweh, the God of the spirits of all humanity, appoint a man over the community,

Let the Lord, the God of the spirits of all flesh, appoint a man over the congregation,

17 a man who may go out and come in before them and lead them out and bring them in, so that your community is not like sheep that have no shepherd.”

Who may go out before them, and who may come in before them, and who may lead them out, and who may bring them in; that the congregation of the Lord be not as a flock which have no shepherd.

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

And the Lord said unto Moses, Take to thyself Joshua the son of Nun, a man in whom there is a spirit, and thou shalt lay thy hand upon him;

19 Place him before Eleazar the priest and before all the community, and command him before their eyes to lead them.

And thou shalt cause him to stand before Elazar the priest, and before all the congregation; and thou shalt give him a charge before their eyes.

20 You must put some of your authority on him, so that all the community of the people of Israel may obey him.

And thou shalt put some of thy greatness upon him; in order that all the congregation of the children of Israel may be obedient.

21 He will go before Eleazar the priest to seek my will for him by the decisions of the Urim. It will be at his command that the people will go out and come in, both he and all the people of Israel with him, the whole community.”

And before Elazar the priest shall he stand, and he shall ask of him after the judgment of the Urim before the Lord: at his direction shall they go out, and at his direction shall they come in, he, and all the children of Israel with him, and all the congregation.

22 So Moses did as Yahweh had commanded him. He took Joshua and placed him before Eleazar the priest and all the community.

And Moses did, as the Lord had commanded him; and he took Joshua, and caused him to stand before Elazar the priest, and before all the congregation;

23 He laid his hands on him and commanded him to lead, as Yahweh had commanded him to do.

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