The Daughters of Zelophehad
1Then the daughters of Zelophehad came forward — Zelophehad was the son of Hepher, son of Gilead, son of Machir, son of Manasseh, of the clans of Manasseh son of Joseph. The names of his daughters were Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah. 2They stood before Moses, before Eleazar the priest, before the leaders, and before the whole congregation, at the entrance of the tent of meeting, and said, 3“Our father died in the wilderness. He was not among the company of those who gathered themselves against Yahweh in the company of Korah, but he died for his own sin, and he had no sons. 4Why should our father’s name be taken away from his clan just because he had no son? Give us a possession among our father’s brothers.” 5So Moses brought their case before Yahweh. 6Yahweh said to Moses, 7“The daughters of Zelophehad speak rightly. You shall certainly give them a possession of an inheritance among their father’s brothers, and you shall transfer their father’s inheritance to them. 8And you shall say to the Israelites: If a man dies and has no son, you shall transfer his inheritance 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 the nearest relative of his clan, and he shall possess it. This shall be a statute of judgment for the Israelites.” (This was just as Yahweh had commanded Moses.)
Joshua Appointed to Succeed Moses
12Yahweh said to Moses, “Go up this mountain of the Abarim range, and see the land I have given to the Israelites. 13When you have seen it, you also will be gathered to your people, as your brother Aaron was gathered, 14because you both rebelled against my command in the wilderness of Zin, during the strife of the congregation, failing to honor me as holy at the waters before their eyes.” (These are the waters of Meribah at Kadesh, in the wilderness of Zin.) 15Moses said to Yahweh, 16“Let Yahweh, the God of the spirits of all flesh, appoint a man over the congregation 17who will go out before them and come in before them, who will lead them out and bring them in, so that the congregation of Yahweh will not be 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. 19Set him before Eleazar the priest and before the whole congregation, and commission him in their sight. 20Give him some of your authority, so that the whole congregation of the Israelites will obey him. 21He shall stand before Eleazar the priest, who will inquire for him by the judgment of the Urim before Yahweh. At his word they shall go out, and at his word they shall come in, he and all the Israelites with him, the whole congregation.” 22So Moses did just as Yahweh had commanded him. He took Joshua and set him before Eleazar the priest and before the whole congregation. 23He laid his hands on him and commissioned him, just as Yahweh had spoken through Moses.
