Numbers 27

1Then the daughters of Zelophehad son of Hepher, son of Gilead, son of Machir, son of Manasseh, from the clans of Manasseh son of Joseph, came near. And these were the names of his daughters: Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah.

2And they stood before Moses, before Eleazar the priest, before the leaders, and all the congregation, at the entrance of the tent of meeting, saying,

3Our father died in the wilderness, and he was not among the congregation of those who gathered themselves against Yahweh in the company of Korah; rather, he died for his own sin, and he had no sons.

4Why should our father's name be taken away from among his clan because he had no son? Give us a possession among our father's brothers.

5So Moses brought their case before Yahweh.

6Then Yahweh said to Moses, saying,

7The daughters of Zelophehad are right. You must surely give them a hereditary possession among their father's brothers, and you shall transfer their father's inheritance to them.

8And you shall speak to the sons of Israel, saying, ‘If a man dies and has no son, then you shall transfer his inheritance to his daughter.’

9And if he has no daughter, then you shall give his inheritance to his brothers.

10But if he has no brothers, then you shall give his inheritance to his father's brothers.

11And if his father has no brothers, then you shall give his inheritance to his nearest relative from his clan, and he shall possess it. This shall be for the sons of Israel a statute of judgment, just as Yahweh commanded Moses.

12Then Yahweh said to Moses, “Go up to this mountain of the Abarim and see the land that I have given to the sons of Israel.”

13And when you have seen it, you also will be gathered to your people, just as Aaron your brother was gathered.

14because you rebelled against my command in the wilderness of Zin, in the strife of the congregation, by not treating me as holy at the waters before their eyes. These are the waters of Meribath-kadesh in the wilderness of Zin.

15Then Moses spoke to Yahweh, saying,

16May Yahweh, the God of the spirits of all flesh, appoint a man over the congregation,

17who will go out before them and come in before them, and who will lead them out and bring them in, so that the congregation of Yahweh may not be like sheep that have no shepherd.

18And Yahweh said to Moses, “Take Joshua son of Nun, a man in whom is spirit, and lay your hand on him.”

19You shall set him before Eleazar the priest and before all the congregation, and you shall commission him in their sight.

20And you shall put some of your splendor on him, so that all the congregation of the sons of Israel may obey.

21And he shall stand before Eleazar the priest, who shall inquire for him by the judgment of the Urim before Yahweh. At his command they shall go out, and at his command they shall come in—he and all the sons of Israel with him, even all the congregation.

22And Moses did as Yahweh had commanded him: he took Joshua and set him before Eleazar the priest and before all the congregation.

23And he laid his hands on him and commanded him, just as Yahweh had spoken by the hand of Moses.