Zelophehad’s Daughters

27 Then the daughters of Zelophehad came near. Zelophehad was the son of Hepher, the son of Gilead, the son of Makir, the son of Manasseh. Zelophehad’s daughters belonged to the ·family groups [clans] of Manasseh son of Joseph [26:29–34]. The daughters’ names were Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah. ² They went to the entrance of the Meeting Tent and stood before Moses, Eleazar the priest, the leaders, and all the ·people [community; congregation; assembly]. They said, ³ “Our father died in the ·desert [wilderness]. He was not ·one of Korah’s followers [^Lin the community/congregation/assembly of Korah] who came together against the Lord [16:1–50], but he died because of his own sin, and he had no sons. ⁴ ·Our father’s name will [^LWhy should our father’s name…?] die out because he had no sons. Give us ·property [a possession] among our father’s relatives [36:1–13; Josh. 17:3–6].”

⁵ So Moses brought their case to the Lord, ⁶ and the Lord said to him, ⁷ “The daughters of Zelophehad are right; they should certainly get ·what their father owned [^La possession of the inheritance in the midst of the relatives of their father]. ·Give [^LPass on to] them ·property among their father’s relatives [^Lthe inheritance of their father].

⁸ “Tell the ·Israelites [^Lsons/^Tchildren of Israel], ‘If a man dies and has no son, then ·everything he owned should go [^Lpass on his inheritance] to his daughter. ⁹ If he has no daughter, then ·everything he owned should go [^Lyou should give his inheritance] to his brothers. ¹⁰ If he has no brothers, then ·everything he owned should go [^Lyou should give his inheritance] to his father’s brothers. ¹¹ And if his father had no brothers, then ·everything he owned should go [^Lyou should give his inheritance] to the nearest relative in his ·family group [clan]. This should be a ·rule [statute; ordinance; requirement] among the ·people [^Lsons; ^Tchildren] of Israel, as the Lord has given this command to Moses.’”

Joshua Is the New Leader

¹² Then the Lord said to Moses, “Climb this mountain in the Abarim Mountains, and look at the land I have given to the ·Israelites [^Lsons/^Tchildren of Israel]. ¹³ After you have seen it, you will ·die and join your ancestors [^Lbe gathered to your people] as your brother Aaron ·did [^Lwas gathered; 20:22–29], ¹⁴ because you both ·acted [rebelled] against my command in the ·Desert [Wilderness] of Zin. You did not honor me as holy before the people at the waters of Meribah [20:1–13].” (This was at Meribah in Kadesh in the ·Desert [^LWilderness] of Zin.)

¹⁵ Moses said to the Lord, ¹⁶ “The Lord is the God of the spirits of all ·people [^Lflesh]. May he ·choose a leader for these people [^Lappoint someone over the community/assembly/congregation], ¹⁷ who will go in and out before them. He must lead them out like sheep and bring them in; the Lord’s ·people [community; assembly; congregation] must not be like sheep without a shepherd.”

¹⁸ So the Lord said to Moses, “Take Joshua son of Nun, because my Spirit is in him. ·Put [Lay] your hand on him, ¹⁹ and have him stand before Eleazar the priest and all the ·people [community; assembly; congregation]. Then give him his orders ·as they watch [^Lbefore their eyes]. ²⁰ Let him share your honor so that all the ·Israelites [^Lcommunity/assembly/congregation of the sons/^Tchildren of Israel] will ·obey [listen to] him. ²¹ He must stand before Eleazar the priest, and Eleazar will get advice from the Lord by using the Urim [Ex. 28:30]. At his command all the ·Israelites [^Lsons/^Tchildren of Israel, the whole community/assembly/congregation] will go out, and at his command they will all come in.”

²² Moses did what the Lord told him. He took Joshua and had him stand before Eleazar the priest and all the ·people [community; assembly; congregation], ²³ and he ·put [lay] his hands on him and gave him orders, just as the Lord had told him.