Numbers 27
Expanded Bible
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 [L in 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 [L Why 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 [L a possession of the inheritance in the midst of the relatives of their father]. ·Give [L Pass on to] them ·property among their father’s relatives [L the inheritance of their father].
8 “Tell the ·Israelites [L sons/T children of Israel], ‘If a man dies and has no son, then ·everything he owned should go [L pass on his inheritance] to his daughter. 9 If he has no daughter, then ·everything he owned should go [L you should give his inheritance] to his brothers. 10 If he has no brothers, then ·everything he owned should go [L you should give his inheritance] to his father’s brothers. 11 And if his father had no brothers, then ·everything he owned should go [L you should give his inheritance] to the nearest relative in his ·family group [clan]. This should be a ·rule [statute; ordinance; requirement] among the ·people [L sons; T children] 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 [L sons/T children of Israel]. 13 After you have seen it, you will ·die and join your ancestors [L be gathered to your people] as your brother Aaron ·did [L was 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 [L Wilderness] of Zin.)
15 Moses said to the Lord, 16 “The Lord is the God of the spirits of all ·people [L flesh]. May he ·choose a leader for these people [L appoint 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 [L before their eyes]. 20 Let him share your honor so that all the ·Israelites [L community/assembly/congregation of the sons/T children 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 [L sons/T children 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.
Numbers 27
Holman Christian Standard Bible
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. 2 They stood before Moses, Eleazar the priest, the leaders, and the entire community at the entrance to the tent of meeting and said, 3 “Our father died in the wilderness, but he was not among Korah’s followers, who gathered together against the Lord.(A) Instead, he died because of his own sin, and he had no sons. 4 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.”
5 Moses brought their case before the Lord, 6 and the Lord answered him, 7 “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.(B) 8 Tell the Israelites: When a man dies without having a son, transfer his inheritance to his daughter. 9 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,(C) “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.(D) 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.(E)
15 So Moses appealed to the Lord, 16 “May the Lord, the God of the spirits of all flesh,(F) appoint a man over the community 17 who will go out before them and come back in before them,(G) and who will bring them out and bring them in, so that the Lord’s community won’t be like sheep without a shepherd.”(H)
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.(I) 19 Have him stand before Eleazar the priest and the whole community, and commission(J) 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.(K) 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.
Footnotes
- Numbers 27:12 = Mount Nebo; Nm 33:47-48; Dt 32:49; Jr 22:20
- Numbers 27:14 = quarreling
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