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Laws of Inheritance(A)

27 Then came near the daughters of Zelophehad, the son of Hepher, the son of Gilead, the son of Makir, the son of Manasseh, of the families of Manasseh the son of Joseph, and these are the names of his daughters: Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milkah, and Tirzah. They stood before Moses, and before Eleazar the priest, and before the leaders and all the assembly by the door of the tent of meeting, saying, “Our father died in the wilderness, and he was not in the company of them that gathered against the Lord, in the company of Korah, but died in his own sin and had no sons. Why should the name of our father diminish from among his family, because he has no son? Give to us a possession among the brothers of our father.”

Moses brought their case before the Lord. The Lord spoke to Moses, saying: The daughters of Zelophehad speak right. You will certainly give them an inheritance among their father’s brothers, and you will cause the inheritance of their father to pass on to them.

You will speak to the children of Israel, saying, “If a man dies, and has no son, then you will cause his inheritance to pass on to his daughter. If he has no daughter, then you will give his inheritance to his brothers. 10 If he has no brothers, then you will give his inheritance to his father’s brothers. 11 If his father has no brothers, then you will give his inheritance to his closest kinsman in his family, and he will possess it. And it will be for the children of Israel a statute of judgment, as the Lord commanded Moses.”

Joshua to Succeed Moses

12 The Lord said to Moses, “Go up into this mountain of Abarim, and see the land which I have given to the children of Israel. 13 When you have seen it, you also will be gathered to your people as Aaron your brother was gathered. 14 For you rebelled against My commandment in the Wilderness of Zin when the congregation argued against Me. You did not show My holiness at the waters before their eyes.” (These are the waters of Meribah in Kadesh in the Wilderness of Zin.)

15 Moses spoke to the Lord, saying, 16 “Let the Lord, the God of the spirits of all flesh, appoint a man over the assembly 17 who will go out before them, and who will go in before them, and who will lead them out, and who will bring them in, so the assembly of the Lord will not be like sheep who do not have a shepherd.”

18 The Lord said to Moses, “Take Joshua the son of Nun, a man in whom is the Spirit, and lay your hand on him, 19 and cause him to stand before Eleazar the priest and before all the assembly, and command in their sight. 20 You will put some of your majesty on him, in order that all the assembly of the children of Israel will listen. 21 He will stand before Eleazar the priest, who will ask for him about the judgment of the Urim before the Lord. At his word will they go out, and at his word they will come in, both he and all the children of Israel with him, even all the assembly.”

22 Moses did as the Lord commanded him, and he took Joshua, and he caused him to stand before Eleazar the priest and before all the assembly. 23 And he laid his hands on him and commanded him as the Lord spoke by the hand of Moses.

27 Then came the daughters of Zelophehad, the son of Hepher, the son of Gilead, the son of Machir, the son of Manasseh, of the families of Manasseh the son of Joseph; and these are the names of his daughters: Mahlah, Noah, and Hoglah, and Milcah, and Tirzah.

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

“Our father died in the wilderness; and he was not in the company of those who gathered themselves together against the Lord in the company of Korah, but died in his own sin and had no sons.

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

And Moses brought their cause before the Lord.

And the Lord spoke unto Moses, saying,

“The daughters of Zelophehad speak right. Thou shalt surely give them a possession of an inheritance among their father’s brethren, and thou shalt cause the inheritance of their father to pass unto them.

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

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

10 And if he have no brethren, then ye shall give his inheritance unto his father’s brethren.

11 And if his father have no brethren, then ye shall give his inheritance unto his kinsman who is next to him of his family, and he shall possess it. And it shall be unto the children of Israel a statute of judgment, as the Lord commanded Moses.’”

12 And the Lord said unto Moses, “Get thee up into this Mount Abarim, and see the land which I have given unto the children of Israel.

13 And when thou hast seen it, thou also shalt be gathered unto thy people, as Aaron thy brother was gathered.

14 For ye rebelled against My commandment in the Desert of Zin, in the strife of the congregation, to sanctify Me at the water before their eyes.” (That is, the water of Meribah in Kadesh in the Wilderness of Zin.)

15 And Moses spoke unto the Lord, saying,

16 “Let the Lord, the God of the spirits of all flesh, set a man over the congregation,

17 who may go out before them and who may go in before them and who may lead them out and who may bring them in, that the congregation of the Lord be not as sheep which have no shepherd.”

18 And the Lord said unto Moses, “Take thee Joshua the son of Nun, a man in whom is the Spirit, and lay thine hand upon him;

19 and set him before Eleazar the priest and before all the congregation, and give him a charge in their sight.

20 And thou shalt put some of thine honor upon him, that all the congregation of the children of Israel may be obedient.

21 And he shall stand before Eleazar the priest, who shall ask counsel for him by the judgment of the Urim before the Lord. At his word shall they go out, and at his word they shall come in, both he and all the children of Israel with him, even all the congregation.”

22 And Moses did as the Lord commanded him, and he took Joshua and set him before Eleazar the priest and before all the congregation.

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