Numbers 27

1The daughters of Zelophehad son of Hepher son of Gilead son of Machir son of Manasseh, from the families of Manasseh son of Joseph, came forward, and these are the names of his daughters: Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah.

2They stood before Moses, Eleazar the priest, the princes, and all the congregation at the entrance to the tent of meeting, saying,

3Our father died in the wilderness, but he was not among the congregation of those who gathered against Yahweh in Korah's congregation, for he died in his own sin, and he had no sons.

4Why should our father's name be cut off from his family, because he has no son? Give us a possession among our father's brothers.

5Moses presented their case before Yahweh.

6Yahweh answered Moses, saying,

7Zelophehad's daughters speak rightly: you must give them an inherited possession among their father's brothers, and you shall pass their father's inheritance to them.

8Speak to the sons of Israel, saying, If a man dies and has no son, you shall cause his inheritance to pass to his daughter.

9If he has no daughter, you shall give his inheritance to his brothers.

10If he has no brothers, you shall give his inheritance to his father's brothers.

11If his father has no brothers, you shall give his inheritance to his nearest kinsman from his family, and he shall possess it; it shall be a statute and judgment for the children of Israel, as Yahweh commanded Moses.

12Yahweh said to Moses, "Go up to this mountain of Abarim and see the land that I have given to the sons of Israel."

13When you see it, you too will be gathered to your people, as Aaron your brother was gathered.

14As you disobeyed my command in Zin's wilderness amid the assembly's strife, refusing to treat me as holy at the waters before their eyes—these are Meribah's waters at Kadesh in Zin's wilderness.

15Moses spoke to Yahweh, saying,

16May Yahweh, God of the spirits of all flesh, appoint a man over the congregation.

17who goes out before them and comes in before them, and who leads them out and brings them in, so that the congregation of Yahweh is not like sheep without a shepherd.

18Yahweh said to Moses, “Take Joshua son of Nun, a man in whom is the Spirit, and lay your hand on him.”

19Present him before Eleazar the priest and before all the congregation, and commission him before their eyes.

20You shall give him some of your majesty, so that all the congregation of the sons of Israel may obey.

21He shall stand before Eleazar the priest, who shall inquire for him by the Urim's judgment before Yahweh. They shall go out at his command and come in at his command—he and all Israel's children with him, the entire congregation.

22Moses did as Yahweh commanded him, and he took Joshua and set him before Eleazar the priest and before all the congregation.

23He laid his hands on him and commissioned him, as Yahweh had spoken through Moses.