Numbers 27:15–23

¹⁵Moses spoke to the Lord, saying, ¹⁶“Let the Lord, the God of the spirits of all flesh, appoint someone over the congregation^{* 17}who shall go out before them and come in before them, who shall lead them out and bring them in, so that the congregation of the Lord may 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, and lay your hand upon him;^{* 19}have him stand before Eleazar the priest and all the congregation and commission him in their sight.^{* 20}You shall give him some of your authority, so that all the congregation of the Israelites may obey.^{* 21}But he shall stand before Eleazar the priest, who shall inquire for him by the decision of the Urim before the Lord; at his word they shall go out, and at his word they shall come in, both he and all the Israelites with him, the whole congregation.”^{* 22}So Moses did as the Lord commanded him. He took Joshua and had him stand before Eleazar the priest and the whole congregation; ²³he laid his hands on him and commissioned him, as the Lord had directed through Moses.