Numbers 27:12–23

Joshua to Succeed Moses

¹²Then the Lord said to Moses, “Go up this mountain^r in the Abarim Range^s and see the land^t I have given the Israelites.^{u 13}After you have seen it, you too will be gathered to your people,^v as your brother Aaron^w was, ¹⁴for when the community rebelled at the waters in the Desert of Zin,^x both of you disobeyed my command to honor me as holy^y before their eyes.” (These were the waters of Meribah^z Kadesh, in the Desert of Zin.)

¹⁵Moses said to the Lord, ¹⁶“May the Lord, the God who gives breath to all living things,^a appoint someone over this community ¹⁷to 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.”^b

¹⁸So the Lord said to Moses, “Take Joshua son of Nun, a man in whom is the spirit of leadership,^ac and lay your hand on him.^{d 19}Have him stand before Eleazar the priest and the entire assembly and commission him^e in their presence.^{f 20}Give him some of your authority so the whole Israelite community will obey him.^{g 21}He is to stand before Eleazar the priest, who will obtain decisions for him by inquiring^h of the Urimⁱ 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.”

²²Moses did as the Lord commanded him. He took Joshua and had him stand before Eleazar the priest and the whole assembly. ²³Then he laid his hands on him and commissioned him,^j as the Lord instructed through Moses.