52 The Lord spoke to Moses, 53 “The land is to be divided among them as an inheritance based on the number of names. 54 Increase the inheritance for a large tribe and decrease it for a small one. Each is to be given its inheritance according to those who were registered in it. 55 The land must be divided by lot; they will receive an inheritance according to the names of their ancestral tribes. 56 Each inheritance will be divided by lot among the larger and smaller tribes.”(A)

57 These were the Levites registered by their clans:
the Gershonite clan from Gershon;
the Kohathite clan from Kohath;
the Merarite clan from Merari.
58 These were the Levite family groups:
the Libnite clan,
the Hebronite clan,
the Mahlite clan,
the Mushite clan,
and the Korahite clan.(B)

Kohath was the ancestor of Amram. 59 The name of Amram’s wife was Jochebed, a descendant of Levi, born to Levi in Egypt. She bore to Amram: Aaron, Moses, and their sister Miriam. 60 Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar were born to Aaron, 61 but Nadab and Abihu died when they presented unauthorized fire before the Lord.(C) 62 Those registered were 23,000, every male one month old or more; they were not registered among the other Israelites, because no inheritance was given to them among the Israelites.

63 These were the ones registered by Moses and Eleazar the priest when they registered the Israelites on the plains of Moab by the Jordan across from Jericho. 64 But among them there was not one of those who had been registered by Moses and Aaron the priest when they registered the Israelites in the Wilderness of Sinai.(D) 65 For the Lord had said to them that they would all die in the wilderness. None of them was left except Caleb son of Jephunneh and Joshua son of Nun.

A Case of Daughters’ Inheritance

27 The daughters of Zelophehad approached; Zelophehad was the son of Hepher, son of Gilead, son of Machir, son of Manasseh from the clans of Manasseh, the son of Joseph. These were the names of his daughters: Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah. They stood before Moses, Eleazar the priest, the leaders, and the entire community at the entrance to the tent of meeting and said, “Our father died in the wilderness, but he was not among Korah’s followers, who gathered together against the Lord.(E) Instead, he died because of his own sin, and he had no sons. Why should the name of our father be taken away from his clan? Since he had no son, give us property among our father’s brothers.”

Moses brought their case before the Lord, and the Lord answered him, “What Zelophehad’s daughters say is correct. You are to give them hereditary property among their father’s brothers and transfer their father’s inheritance to them.(F) Tell the Israelites: When a man dies without having a son, transfer his inheritance to his daughter. If he has no daughter, give his inheritance to his brothers. 10 If he has no brothers, give his inheritance to his father’s brothers. 11 If his father has no brothers, give his inheritance to the nearest relative of his clan, and he will take possession of it. This is to be a statutory ordinance for the Israelites as the Lord commanded Moses.”

Joshua Commissioned to Succeed Moses

12 Then the Lord said to Moses,(G) “Go up this mountain of the Abarim range[a] and see the land that I have given the Israelites. 13 After you have seen it, you will also be gathered to your people, as Aaron your brother was.(H) 14 When the community quarreled in the Wilderness of Zin, both of you rebelled against My command to show My holiness in their sight at the waters.” Those were the waters of Meribah[b] of Kadesh in the Wilderness of Zin.(I)

15 So Moses appealed to the Lord, 16 “May the Lord, the God of the spirits of all flesh,(J) appoint a man over the community 17 who will go out before them and come back in before them,(K) and who will bring them out and bring them in, so that the Lord’s community won’t be like sheep without a shepherd.”(L)

18 The Lord replied to Moses, “Take Joshua son of Nun, a man who has the Spirit in him, and lay your hands on him.(M) 19 Have him stand before Eleazar the priest and the whole community, and commission(N) him in their sight. 20 Confer some of your authority on him so that the entire Israelite community will obey him. 21 He will stand before Eleazar who will consult the Lord for him with the decision of the Urim.(O) He and all the Israelites with him, even the entire community, will go out and come back in at his command.”

22 Moses did as the Lord commanded him. He took Joshua, had him stand before Eleazar the priest and the entire community, 23 laid his hands on him, and commissioned him, as the Lord had spoken through Moses.

Prescribed Offerings

28 The Lord spoke to Moses, “Command the Israelites and say to them: Be sure to present to Me at its appointed time My offering and My food(P) as My fire offering, a pleasing aroma to Me. And say to them: This is the fire offering you are to present to the Lord:(Q)

Daily Offerings

“Each day present two unblemished year-old male lambs as a regular burnt offering. Offer one lamb in the morning and the other lamb at twilight, along with two quarts[c] of fine flour for a grain offering mixed with a quart[d] of olive oil from crushed olives.(R) It is a regular burnt offering established at Mount Sinai for a pleasing aroma, a fire offering to the Lord. The drink offering is to be a quart[e] with each lamb. Pour out the offering of beer to the Lord in the sanctuary area. Offer the second lamb at twilight, along with the same kind of grain offering and drink offering as in the morning. It is a fire offering, a pleasing aroma to the Lord.

Sabbath Offerings

“On the Sabbath day present two unblemished year-old male lambs, four quarts[f] of fine flour mixed with oil as a grain offering, and its drink offering. 10 It is the burnt offering for every Sabbath, in addition to the regular burnt offering and its drink offering.

Monthly Offerings

11 “At the beginning of each of your months present a burnt offering to the Lord: two young bulls, one ram, seven male lambs a year old—all unblemished— 12 with six quarts[g] of fine flour mixed with oil as a grain offering for each bull, four quarts[h] of fine flour mixed with oil as a grain offering for the ram, 13 and two quarts[i] of fine flour mixed with oil as a grain offering for each lamb. It is a burnt offering, a pleasing aroma, a fire offering to the Lord. 14 Their drink offerings are to be two quarts[j] of wine with each bull, one and a third quarts[k] with the ram, and one quart[l] with each male lamb. This is the monthly burnt offering for all the months of the year. 15 And one male goat is to be offered as a sin offering to the Lord, in addition to the regular burnt offering with its drink offering.

Footnotes

  1. Numbers 27:12 = Mount Nebo; Nm 33:47-48; Dt 32:49; Jr 22:20
  2. Numbers 27:14 = quarreling
  3. Numbers 28:5 Lit one-tenth of an ephah
  4. Numbers 28:5 Lit a fourth of a hin
  5. Numbers 28:7 Lit a fourth of a hin
  6. Numbers 28:9 Lit two-tenths (of an ephah)
  7. Numbers 28:12 Lit three-tenths (of an ephah)
  8. Numbers 28:12 Lit two-tenths (of an ephah)
  9. Numbers 28:13 Lit one-tenth (of an ephah)
  10. Numbers 28:14 Lit a half hin
  11. Numbers 28:14 Lit bull, a third hin
  12. Numbers 28:14 Lit a fourth hin

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