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12 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Go up to this mountain (Nebo) [in the] Abarim [range] and look at the land I have given to the sons of Israel. 13 When you have seen it, you too will be gathered to your people [in death], just as Aaron your brother was gathered; 14 because in the Wilderness of Zin, during the strife of the congregation, you rebelled against My command to treat me as holy [by following My instruction] before their eyes at the water.” (These are the waters of Meribah in Kadesh in the Wilderness of Zin.)(A)

Joshua to Succeed Moses

15 Then Moses spoke to the Lord, saying, 16 [a]Let the Lord, the God of the spirits of all flesh, appoint a man over the congregation 17 who will go out and come in before them, and will lead them out and bring them in, so that the congregation of the Lord will not be as sheep without 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 have him stand before Eleazar the priest and before the whole congregation, and give him a commission in their sight. 20 You shall put some of your authority and honor on him, so that all the congregation of the Israelites will obey him. 21 He shall stand before Eleazar the priest, who shall inquire before the Lord for him by the judgment (decision) of the [b]Urim. At Joshua’s command the people shall go out and at his command they shall come in, he and all the congregation of Israel with him.” 22 Moses did as the Lord commanded him. He took Joshua and had him stand before Eleazar the priest and the whole congregation, 23 and Moses laid his hands on Joshua and commissioned him, just as the Lord had commanded through Moses.

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Footnotes

  1. Numbers 27:16 In his humility and godliness, Moses never complained to God about the severity of his punishment. His only concern was to protect the people whom he had reluctantly led, who had so often exasperated and disappointed him.
  2. Numbers 27:21 One of two articles (used like lots) in the priest’s breastpiece worn when inquiring of the Lord for the people (Ex 28:30).

Joshua Chosen to Lead Israel

12 One day the Lord said to Moses, “Climb one of the mountains east of the river,[a] and look out over the land I have given the people of Israel. 13 After you have seen it, you will die like your brother, Aaron, 14 for you both rebelled against my instructions in the wilderness of Zin. When the people of Israel rebelled, you failed to demonstrate my holiness to them at the waters.” (These are the waters of Meribah at Kadesh[b] in the wilderness of Zin.)

15 Then Moses said to the Lord, 16 “O Lord, you are the God who gives breath to all creatures. Please appoint a new man as leader for the community. 17 Give them someone who will guide them wherever they go and will lead them into battle, so the community of the Lord will not be like sheep without a shepherd.”

18 The Lord replied, “Take Joshua son of Nun, who has the Spirit in him, and lay your hands on him. 19 Present him to Eleazar the priest before the whole community, and publicly commission him to lead the people. 20 Transfer some of your authority to him so the whole community of Israel will obey him. 21 When direction from the Lord is needed, Joshua will stand before Eleazar the priest, who will use the Urim—one of the sacred lots cast before the Lord—to determine his will. This is how Joshua and the rest of the community of Israel will determine everything they should do.”

22 So Moses did as the Lord commanded. He presented Joshua to Eleazar the priest and the whole community. 23 Moses laid his hands on him and commissioned him to lead the people, just as the Lord had commanded through Moses.

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Footnotes

  1. 27:12 Or the mountains of Abarim.
  2. 27:14 Hebrew waters of Meribath-kadesh.

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.

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Joshua to Succeed Moses

12 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Go up this mountain(A) in the Abarim Range(B) and see the land(C) I have given the Israelites.(D) 13 After you have seen it, you too will be gathered to your people,(E) as your brother Aaron(F) was, 14 for when the community rebelled at the waters in the Desert of Zin,(G) both of you disobeyed my command to honor me as holy(H) before their eyes.” (These were the waters of Meribah(I) Kadesh, in the Desert of Zin.)

15 Moses said to the Lord, 16 “May the Lord, the God who gives breath to all living things,(J) appoint someone over this community 17 to go out and come in before them, one who will lead them out and bring them in, so the Lord’s people will not be like sheep without a shepherd.”(K)

18 So the Lord said to Moses, “Take Joshua son of Nun, a man in whom is the spirit of leadership,[a](L) and lay your hand on him.(M) 19 Have him stand before Eleazar the priest and the entire assembly and commission him(N) in their presence.(O) 20 Give him some of your authority so the whole Israelite community will obey him.(P) 21 He is to stand before Eleazar the priest, who will obtain decisions for him by inquiring(Q) of the Urim(R) before the Lord. At his command he and the entire community of the Israelites will go out, and at his command they will come in.”

22 Moses did as the Lord commanded him. He took Joshua and had him stand before Eleazar the priest and the whole assembly. 23 Then he laid his hands on him and commissioned him,(S) as the Lord instructed through Moses.

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Footnotes

  1. Numbers 27:18 Or the Spirit