Num 27 | EE | STEP | Then the daughters of Zelophehad the son of Hepher came near to Moses. Hepher was the son of Gilead, the son of Machir, the son of Manasseh, the son of Joseph. So Zelophehad was in the tribe of Manasseh. And his daughters were called Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah and Tirzah.

Numbers 27

Zelophehad’s daughters

1 Then the daughters of Zelophehad the son of Hepher came near to Moses. Hepher was the son of Gilead, the son of Machir, the son of Manasseh, the son of Joseph. So Zelophehad was in the tribe of Manasseh. And his daughters were called Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah and Tirzah. 2 They went to the front of the Tent of Meeting. They stood in front of Moses, Eleazar and all the leaders of the people and they said, 3 ‘Our father died in the desert. But he was not in the group of men who came together against the LORD with Korah. But he died for his own sin, and he did not have any sons. 4 Please give us some of our tribe‘s land. Then the people will not forget our father.’

5 Moses spoke to the LORD about this. 6 The LORD said to Moses, 7 ‘What the daughters of Zelophehad said is right. You must give to them some of the tribe of Manasseh’s land. Give to them everything that was their father’s.

8 Tell the people this. “Sometimes a man only has daughters. He may die. Then, everything that was his must be theirs. 9 And if he does not have any sons or daughters, you must give his land to his brothers. 10 But if he does not have any brothers, you must give his land to his father’s brothers. 11 Sometimes the man with no children may have no brothers of his father. If that happens, you must give his land to another person in his family. This is a rule for all the people. The LORD gave this rule to Moses.”’

Joshua is the new leader

12 The LORD said to Moses, ‘Go up the Abiram mountains. Look at the country that I am giving to the Israelites. 13 You will see it. And then you will die as your brother Aaron died. 14 That is because of what happened in the desert at Zin. It was when the people were quarrelling with me there. You did not obey what I said to you. And all the people saw it. So you did not show to the people that I am holy. That was at the water.’ (These are the waters of Meribah at Kadesh in the desert called Zin.)

15 Moses said to the LORD, 16 ‘You are the LORD, the God of the spirits of all people. Please choose another man to be over all the people. 17 Then he can go out and he can come in in front of them. He can lead them out and he can bring them in. Then all the LORD‘s people will not be like sheep without a shepherd.’

18 So the LORD said to Moses, ‘Take Joshua the son of Nun. My Spirit is in him. Lay your hand on him. 19 He must stand in front of Eleazar the priest and in front of all the Israelites. Tell Joshua and all the people this. He will be the leader when you die. 20 Tell the people that they must obey him. 21 Eleazar the priest will use everything that is holy. He will stand in front of the LORD. He will know what I am saying. He will tell Joshua. Then the Israelites must obey Joshua.’

22 Moses did as the LORD told him. He took Joshua and he brought him to stand in front of Eleazar the priest. 23 He put his hands on Joshua. So Joshua became the new leader. The LORD had told Moses that he should do that.