Numbers 27:15-23

New King James Version

¹⁵Then Moses spoke to the Lord, saying: ¹⁶“Let the Lord, ^(A)the God of the spirits of all flesh, set a man over the congregation, ¹⁷^(B)who may go out before them and go in before them, who may lead them out and bring them in, that the congregation of the Lord may not be ^(C)like sheep which have no shepherd.”

¹⁸And the Lord said to Moses: “Take Joshua the son of Nun with you, a man ^(D)in whom is the Spirit, and ^(E)lay your hand on him; ¹⁹set him before Eleazar the priest and before all the congregation, and ^(F)inaugurate^[a] him in their sight. ²⁰And ^(G)you shall give some of your authority to him, that all the congregation of the children of Israel ^(H)may be obedient. ²¹^(I)He shall stand before Eleazar the priest, who shall inquire before the Lord for him ^(J)by the judgment of the Urim. ^(K)At his word they shall go out, and at his word they shall come in, he and all the children of Israel with him—all the congregation.”

²²So Moses did as the Lord commanded him. He took Joshua and set him before Eleazar the priest and before all the congregation. ²³And he laid his hands on him ^(L)and ^[b]inaugurated him, just as the Lord commanded by the hand of Moses.