Numbers 27:12-23
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
Joshua Appointed Moses’s Successor
12 The Lord said to Moses, “Go up this mountain of the Abarim range, and see the land that I have given to the Israelites.(A) 13 When you have seen it, you also shall be gathered to your people, as your brother Aaron was,(B) 14 because you rebelled against my word in the wilderness of Zin when the congregation quarreled with me.[a] You did not show my holiness before their eyes at the waters.” (These are the waters of Meribath-kadesh in the wilderness of Zin.)(C) 15 Moses spoke to the Lord, saying, 16 “Let the Lord, the God of the spirits of all flesh, appoint someone over the congregation(D) 17 who shall go out before them and come in before them, who shall lead them out and bring them in, so that the congregation of the Lord may not be like sheep without a shepherd.”(E) 18 So the Lord said to Moses, “Take Joshua son of Nun, a man in whom is the spirit, and lay your hand upon him;(F) 19 have him stand before Eleazar the priest and all the congregation and commission him in their sight.(G) 20 You shall give him some of your authority, so that all the congregation of the Israelites may obey.(H) 21 But he shall stand before Eleazar the priest, who shall inquire for him by the decision of the Urim before the Lord; at his word they shall go out, and at his word they shall come in, both he and all the Israelites with him, the whole congregation.”(I) 22 So Moses did as the Lord commanded him. He took Joshua and had him stand before Eleazar the priest and the whole congregation; 23 he laid his hands on him and commissioned him, as the Lord had directed through Moses.
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- 27.14 Heb lacks with me
Numbers 27:12-23
International Standard Version
Preparations for a Successor to Moses
12 Then the Lord told Moses, “You are to climb these Abarim mountains and look over the land that I’m going to give the Israelis. 13 After you’ve seen it, you’ll be taken to be with your people just as your brother Aaron was gathered to them,[a] 14 because in the wilderness of Zin, when the community rebelled, you rebelled against my command to treat me as holy before their eyes in regards to the Meribah Springs in Kadesh in the wilderness of Zin.”
15 Moses responded to the Lord, 16 “May the Lord God of the spirits of all living creatures appoint a man over the community 17 who will go in and out before them, and who will lead them out and bring them in so that the Lord’s community won’t be like a flock without a shepherd.”
God Appoints Joshua
18 “Select Nun’s son Joshua. The Spirit is in that man,” the Lord answered Moses. “You are to lay your hand on him 19 and make him stand in front of Eleazar the priest and the entire community. Then you are to set him in charge right before their eyes, 20 turning over your authority[b] to him so that the entire community of Israel knows to[c] obey him. 21 You are to make him stand in the presence of Eleazar the priest, who is to inquire on his behalf using the Urim[d] in the presence of the Lord regarding a decision of judgment, because by his command[e] he and all the Israelis with him will go out or come in.”
22 So Moses did what the Lord had commanded him. He took Joshua, made him stand in the presence of Eleazar the priest and the entire community, 23 laid his hands on him, and charged him, just as the Lord had commanded, using Moses’ authority.[f]
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- Numbers 27:13 The Heb. lacks to them
- Numbers 27:20 Or power
- Numbers 27:20 The Heb. lacks knows to
- Numbers 27:21 I.e. a part of the priest’s breast piece by which God provided revelation; cf. 1Sam 28:6
- Numbers 27:21 Lit. mouth
- Numbers 27:23 Lit. hand
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