Numbers 27

Zelophehad’s Daughters

1 The daughters of Zelophehad son of Hepher, the son of Gilead, the son of Makir, the son of Manasseh, belonged to the clans of Manasseh son of Joseph. The names of the daughters were Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milkah and Tirzah. They came forward 

2 and stood before Moses, Eleazar the priest, the leaders and the whole assembly at the entrance to the tent of meeting and said,

 3 “Our father died in the wilderness. He was not among Korah’s followers, who banded together against the Lord, but he died for his own sin and left no sons. 

4 Why should our father’s name disappear from his clan because he had no son? Give us property among our father’s relatives.”

5 So Moses brought their case before the Lord, 

6 and the Lord said to him, 7 “What Zelophehad’s daughters are saying is right. You must certainly give them property as an inheritance among their father’s relatives and give their father’s inheritance to them.

8 “Say to the Israelites, ‘If a man dies and leaves no son, give 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 had no brothers, give his inheritance to the nearest relative in his clan, that he may possess it. This is to have the force of law for the Israelites, as the Lord commanded Moses.’”

Joshua to Succeed Moses

12 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Go up this mountain in the Abarim Range and see the land I have given the Israelites. 

13 After you have seen it, you too will be gathered to your people, as your brother Aaron was, 

14 for when the community rebelled at the waters in the Desert of Zin, both of you disobeyed my command to honor me as holy before their eyes.” (These were the waters of Meribah Kadesh, in the Desert of Zin.)

15 Moses said to the Lord, 

16 “May the Lord, the God who gives breath to all living things, appoint someone over this community

 17 to go out and come in before them, one who will lead them out and bring them in, so the Lord’s people will not be like sheep without a shepherd.”

18 So the Lord said to Moses, “Take Joshua son of Nun, a man in whom is the spirit of leadership,[a] and lay your hand on him. 

19 Have him stand before Eleazar the priest and the entire assembly and commission him in their presence. 

20 Give him some of your authority so the whole Israelite community will obey him. 

21 He is to stand before Eleazar the priest, who will obtain decisions for him by inquiring of the Urim before the Lord. At his command he and the entire community of the Israelites will go out, and at his command they will come in.”

22 Moses did as the Lord commanded him. He took Joshua and had him stand before Eleazar the priest and the whole assembly. 

23 Then he laid his hands on him and commissioned him, as the Lord instructed through Moses.

Footnotes:

1. Numbers 27:18 Or the Spirit

Observation Questions

Who did the daughters of Zelophehad come to for help? (verse 1-2)

Had their father been among Korah's followers? (verse 3)

Why had their father died? (verse 3)

Who did Moses bring their case before? (verse 5)

What did the Lord say Moses was to lay on Joshua son of Nun in verse 18?

In whose presence was Joshua to be commissioned? (verse 19)

What was Moses to give Joshua so that the whole Israelite community will obey him? (verse 20)

Thoughts

“What Zelophehad’s daughters are saying is right. You must certainly give them property as an inheritance among their father’s relatives and give their father’s inheritance to them.

 “Say to the Israelites, ‘If a man dies and leaves no son, give his inheritance to his daughter. 

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

  If he has no brothers, give his inheritance to his father’s brothers. 

 If his father had no brothers, give his inheritance to the nearest relative in his clan, that he may possess it. This is to have the force of law for the Israelites, as the Lord commanded Moses.’” - (verses 8-11)

 Moses said to the Lord, 

 “May the Lord, the God who gives breath to all living things, appoint someone over this community

  to go out and come in before them, one who will lead them out and bring them in, so the Lord’s people will not be like sheep without a shepherd.” - (verse 15-17)

Matthew 9:36-38 

When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.”