Numbers 27
Holman Christian Standard Bible
A Case of Daughters’ Inheritance
27 The daughters of Zelophehad approached; Zelophehad was the son of Hepher, son of Gilead, son of Machir, son of Manasseh from the clans of Manasseh, the son of Joseph. These were the names of his daughters: Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah. 2 They stood before Moses, Eleazar the priest, the leaders, and the entire community at the entrance to the tent of meeting and said, 3 “Our father died in the wilderness, but he was not among Korah’s followers, who gathered together against the Lord.(A) Instead, he died because of his own sin, and he had no sons. 4 Why should the name of our father be taken away from his clan? Since he had no son, give us property among our father’s brothers.”
5 Moses brought their case before the Lord, 6 and the Lord answered him, 7 “What Zelophehad’s daughters say is correct. You are to give them hereditary property among their father’s brothers and transfer their father’s inheritance to them.(B) 8 Tell the Israelites: When a man dies without having a son, transfer his inheritance to his daughter. 9 If he has no daughter, give his inheritance to his brothers. 10 If he has no brothers, give his inheritance to his father’s brothers. 11 If his father has no brothers, give his inheritance to the nearest relative of his clan, and he will take possession of it. This is to be a statutory ordinance for the Israelites as the Lord commanded Moses.”
Joshua Commissioned to Succeed Moses
12 Then the Lord said to Moses,(C) “Go up this mountain of the Abarim range[a] and see the land that I have given the Israelites. 13 After you have seen it, you will also be gathered to your people, as Aaron your brother was.(D) 14 When the community quarreled in the Wilderness of Zin, both of you rebelled against My command to show My holiness in their sight at the waters.” Those were the waters of Meribah[b] of Kadesh in the Wilderness of Zin.(E)
15 So Moses appealed to the Lord, 16 “May the Lord, the God of the spirits of all flesh,(F) appoint a man over the community 17 who will go out before them and come back in before them,(G) and who will bring them out and bring them in, so that the Lord’s community won’t be like sheep without a shepherd.”(H)
18 The Lord replied to Moses, “Take Joshua son of Nun, a man who has the Spirit in him, and lay your hands on him.(I) 19 Have him stand before Eleazar the priest and the whole community, and commission(J) him in their sight. 20 Confer some of your authority on him so that the entire Israelite community will obey him. 21 He will stand before Eleazar who will consult the Lord for him with the decision of the Urim.(K) He and all the Israelites with him, even the entire community, will go out and come back in at his command.”
22 Moses did as the Lord commanded him. He took Joshua, had him stand before Eleazar the priest and the entire community, 23 laid his hands on him, and commissioned him, as the Lord had spoken through Moses.
Footnotes
- Numbers 27:12 = Mount Nebo; Nm 33:47-48; Dt 32:49; Jr 22:20
- Numbers 27:14 = quarreling
Numbers 27
The Voice
As God has said, an entire rebellious generation must die off before anyone can enter the long-awaited and much-anticipated land of milk and honey.
27 Now Zelophehad’s five daughters came forward. Zelophehad came from the Manasseh family (he was a son of Joseph’s). Zelophehad’s father was Hepher, his grandfather was Gilead, and his great-grandfather was Machir. The girls’ names were Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah. 2 They approached the congregation tent and boldly stood in front of Moses, the priest Eleazar, the Israelite clan chiefs, and even before the whole congregation.
Zelophehad’s Daughters: 3 Our father died in the wilderness; he wasn’t part of Korah’s coup that tried to undermine the authority of the Eternal One. He just died having committed his own wickedness like everyone else in his generation, but he left no sons. 4 Why should his name disappear from his clan simply because no boys were born to him? We request that you give us land of our own, just as you are giving it to the descendants of our uncles.
Zelophehad didn’t have any sons, and their inheritance—claim to the land—will die with him and his place among the people for all generations.
5 Moses disappeared inside the tent to ask the Eternal One what should be done, 6 and He answered Moses.
Eternal One: 7 Zelophehad’s daughters make a good point. They’re right, so do as they ask. Give them an inheritance such as would be given to a son. They shall have land alongside their uncles’ families. 8 Moreover, tell the Israelites that in the future they should pass the inheritance to the daughter if there is no son. 9 If a man doesn’t have any daughters either, then after he dies, his property shall go to his brothers. 10 If he has no brothers, then it should go to his uncles. 11 If no uncles, then whoever is his closest relative, give the property to him. This is the system you should apply as a permanent law for the Israelites, coming from Me through Moses.
12 (later God called to Moses) Hike up here, to the top of this mountain amidst the Abarim peaks. When you get to the top, you’ll be able to see the land I’ve already given to the Israelites. 13 After you’ve had that glance, you will join your ancestors, as your brother Aaron did not so long ago. 14 You will not set foot in the promised land, even after all you’ve done for Me and this people because you didn’t follow My instructions back in the Zin Wilderness when the people argued and rebelled. You failed to treat me as holy at the waters before the eyes of the people. This happened at the water called Meribah, in Kadesh of the Zin Wilderness.
15 Then Moses addressed the Eternal One.
Moses: 16-17 Please, take care of these people. Eternal One, God of the spirit in all human beings, see to it that an able leader is appointed to guide and direct Your people by going out and coming in before them so that they are not like sheep without a shepherd.
Eternal One (to Moses): 18-19 Single out Joshua (Nun’s son). In him is the breath of My Spirit. Before the whole congregation, bring him to stand before the priest, Eleazar. Put your hand on him, and commission him into leadership. 20 You should make clear that you are investing him with some of your authority, so that every Israelite accepts his leadership. 21 Joshua shall consult with Eleazar the priest, who will ask of Me (by consulting the Urim and Thummim) to show how they should proceed. In other words, Eleazar will consult the oracle and indicate when the people should go forward and when they should pull back, both he and the congregation of Israel.
Attention now shifts to their future in the land. Just as God has used Moses and Aaron to lead the congregation up until now, a new leader must be trained and in place for Israel to move forward. Remember that Moses and Aaron must be replaced because they are part of that unfaithful generation God won’t allow into the land; they, too, acted against Him and are being punished in spite of their consistent favor with God. The preparation to enter the land needed only a couple of years for God to provide the law, the plans for the congregation tent, and an orderly structuring of the tribes. But the time in the wilderness has stretched on for another 38 years because it took a generation for God to purge the lack of belief on the part of the people.
22-23 Moses did with Joshua and Eleazar exactly what the Eternal One instructed; he laid his hands on Joshua to indicate this transfer of authority. Just as the Eternal One commanded, Moses did.
Números 27
Nueva Biblia de las Américas
Las hijas de Zelofehad
27 Entonces las hijas de Zelofehad, hijo de Hefer, hijo de Galaad, hijo de Maquir, hijo de Manasés, de las familias de Manasés, hijo de José, se acercaron(A); y estos eran los nombres de sus hijas: Maala, Noa, Hogla, Milca y Tirsa(B). 2 Y se presentaron delante de Moisés, delante del sacerdote Eleazar, delante de los jefes y de toda la congregación, a la entrada de la tienda de reunión y dijeron: 3 «Nuestro padre murió en el desierto(C), aunque no estuvo entre el grupo de los que se juntaron contra el Señor, en el grupo de Coré, sino que murió por su pecado, y no tuvo hijos(D). 4 ¿Por qué ha de desaparecer el nombre de nuestro padre de entre su familia solo porque no tuvo hijo? Dennos herencia entre los hermanos de nuestro padre». 5 Y Moisés presentó su caso ante el Señor(E).
6 Entonces el Señor habló a Moisés y le dijo: 7 «Las hijas de Zelofehad tienen razón en lo que dicen. Ciertamente les darás herencia entre los hermanos de su padre, y pasarás a ellas la herencia de su padre(F). 8 Además, dirás a los israelitas: “Si un hombre muere y no tiene hijo, ustedes pasarán su herencia a su hija. 9 Si no tiene hija, entonces darán su herencia a sus hermanos. 10 Si no tiene hermanos, entonces darán su herencia a los hermanos de su padre. 11 Y si su padre no tiene hermanos, entonces darán su herencia al pariente más cercano en su familia, y él la poseerá. Y será norma de derecho(G) para los israelitas, tal como el Señor ordenó a Moisés”».
Josué ungido sucesor de Moisés
12 (H)Entonces el Señor dijo a Moisés: «Sube a este monte Abarim(I), y mira la tierra que Yo he dado a los israelitas. 13 Y cuando la hayas visto, tú también te reunirás a tu pueblo(J), como se reunió tu hermano Aarón(K). 14 Porque cuando ustedes se rebelaron contra Mi mandamiento en el desierto de Zin durante la contienda de la congregación, debieron santificarme en las aguas ante sus ojos(L)». (Esas son las aguas de Meriba, de Cades, en el desierto de Zin).
15 Entonces Moisés respondió al Señor: 16 «Ponga el Señor, Dios de los espíritus de toda carne(M), un hombre sobre la congregación, 17 que salga y entre delante de ellos, y que los haga salir y entrar a fin de que la congregación del Señor no sea como ovejas que no tienen pastor(N)». 18 Y el Señor dijo a Moisés: «Toma a Josué, hijo de Nun, hombre en quien está el Espíritu(O), y pon tu mano sobre él(P); 19 y haz que se ponga delante del sacerdote Eleazar, y delante de toda la congregación, e impártele autoridad a la vista de ellos(Q). 20 Pondrás sobre él parte de tu dignidad a fin de que le obedezca toda la congregación de los israelitas. 21 Él se presentará delante del sacerdote Eleazar, quien consultará por él por medio del juicio del Urim(R) delante del Señor. A su palabra saldrán y a su palabra entrarán, él y todos los israelitas con él, es decir, toda la congregación». 22 Moisés hizo tal como el Señor le ordenó; tomó a Josué y lo puso delante del sacerdote Eleazar y delante de toda la congregación. 23 Luego puso sus manos sobre él y le impartió autoridad(S), tal como el Señor había hablado por medio de Moisés.
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