Numbers 27

1Then the daughters of Zelophehad came forward. Zelophehad was the son of Hepher, son of Gilead, son of Machir, son of Manasseh, and belonged to the clans of Manasseh son of Joseph. His daughters were named Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah and Tirzah. 2They stood before Moses, Eleazar the priest, the leaders and the whole congregation at the entrance of the tent of meeting, and said, 3“Our father died in the wilderness. He was not one of the company who banded together against the LORD, the company of Korah. He died for his own sin, and he had no sons. 4Why should our father’s name disappear from his clan because he had no son? Give us property among our father’s brothers.” 5So Moses brought their case before the LORD.

6The LORD said to Moses, 7“The daughters of Zelophehad are right in what they say. You must give them a property as an inheritance among their father’s brothers, and transfer their father’s inheritance to them. 8And tell the Israelites, ‘If a man dies and has no son, you are to transfer his inheritance to his daughter. 9If he has no daughter, you are to give his inheritance to his brothers. 10If he has no brothers, you are to give his inheritance to his father’s brothers. 11If his father has no brothers, you are to give his inheritance to the nearest relative in his clan, and he will take possession of it. This is to be a legal statute for the Israelites,’” just as the LORD commanded Moses.

12Then the LORD said to Moses, “Climb this mountain in the Abarim range and look out over the land I have given to the Israelites. 13When you have seen it, you too will be gathered to your people, as your brother Aaron was, 14for when the congregation quarreled in the wilderness of Zin, you rebelled against my command to show my holiness before their eyes at the waters.” (These were the waters of Meribah at Kadesh, in the wilderness of Zin.)

15Moses said to the LORD, 16“May the LORD, the God of the spirits of all humankind, appoint a man over the congregation, 17someone who will go out ahead of them and come in ahead of them, who will lead them out and bring them in, so that the congregation of the LORD will not be like sheep with no shepherd.” 18So the LORD said to Moses, “Take Joshua son of Nun, a man with the spirit in him, and lay your hand on him, 19have him stand before Eleazar the priest and the whole congregation, and commission him in their sight, 20and give him some of your authority, so that the whole congregation of the Israelites will obey him. 21He is to stand before Eleazar the priest, who will seek decisions for him before the LORD by means of the Urim. At his word they will go out, and at his word they will come in, Joshua and all the Israelites with him, the whole congregation.” 22Moses did as the LORD had commanded him. He took Joshua and had him stand before Eleazar the priest and the whole congregation, 23and he laid his hands on him and commissioned him, as the LORD had directed through Moses.