Inheritance Laws

27 Then came the daughters of aZelophehad the son of Hepher, the son of Gilead, the son of Machir, the son of Manasseh, from the families of Manasseh the son of Joseph; and these were the names of his daughters: Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah. 2 And they stood before Moses, before Eleazar the priest, and before the leaders and all the congregation, by the doorway of the tabernacle of meeting, saying: 3 “Our father bdied in the wilderness; but he was not in the company of those who gathered together against the Lord, cin company with Korah, but he died in his own sin; and he had no sons. 4 Why should the name of our father be dremoved 1from among his family because he had no son? eGive us a 2possession among our father’s brothers.”

5 So Moses fbrought their case before the Lord.

6 And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying: 7 “The daughters of Zelophehad speak what is right; gyou shall surely give them a possession of inheritance among their father’s brothers, and cause the inheritance of their father to pass to them. 8 And you shall speak to the children of Israel, saying: ‘If a man dies and has no son, then you shall cause his inheritance to pass to his daughter. 9 If he has no daughter, then you shall give his inheritance to his brothers. 10 If he has no brothers, then you shall give his inheritance to his father’s brothers. 11 And if his father has no brothers, then you shall give his inheritance to the relative closest to him in his family, and he shall possess it.’ ” And it shall be to the children of Israel ha statute of judgment, just as the Lord commanded Moses.

Joshua the Next Leader of Israel

12 Now the Lord said to Moses: i“Go up into this Mount Abarim, and see the land which I have given to the children of Israel. 13 And when you have seen it, you also jshall 3be gathered to your people, as Aaron your brother was gathered. 14 For in the Wilderness of Zin, during the strife of the congregation, you krebelled against My command to hallow Me at the waters before their eyes.” (These are the lwaters of Meribah, at Kadesh in the Wilderness of Zin.)

15 Then Moses spoke to the Lord, saying: 16 “Let the Lord, mthe God of the spirits of all flesh, set a man over the congregation, 17 nwho may go out before them and go in before them, who may lead them out and bring them in, that the congregation of the Lord may not be olike sheep which have no shepherd.”

18 And the Lord said to Moses: “Take Joshua the son of Nun with you, a man pin whom is the Spirit, and qlay your hand on him; 19 set him before Eleazar the priest and before all the congregation, and rinaugurate 4him in their sight. 20 And syou shall give some of your authority to him, that all the congregation of the children of Israel tmay be obedient. 21 uHe shall stand before Eleazar the priest, who shall inquire before the Lord for him vby the judgment of the Urim. wAt his word they shall go out, and at his word they shall come in, he and all the children of Israel with him—all the congregation.”

22 So Moses did as the Lord commanded him. He took Joshua and set him before Eleazar the priest and before all the congregation. 23 And he laid his hands on him xand 5inaugurated him, just as the Lord commanded by the hand of Moses.