Numbers 27:12-23

Expanded Bible

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.