Numbers 27

1 And the daughters of Zelophehad son of Hepher, son of Gilead, son of Machir, of the tribe of Manasseh, of the sons of Joseph, came forward; and these were their names: Mahlah, and Noah, and Hoglah, and Milcah, and Tirzah. 2 And they stood in front of Moses and in front of Eleazar the priest and in front of the leaders and in front of the whole gathering, at the door of the tent of witness. They said, 3 “Our father died in the wilderness, and he was not among the company that banded together against the Lord in the company of Korah; he died for his own sin, and he had no sons. 4 Why should our father's name be blotted out from among his people, because he has no son? Give us a holding among our father's brothers.” 5 And Moses brought their case before the Lord. [a]

6 And the Lord spoke to Moses. He said, 7 “The daughters of Zelophehad have spoken rightly. You are certainly to give them a holding as their inheritance among their father's brothers, and you are to pass their father's inheritance over to them. 8 And you are to speak to the children of Israel and say: 8 If a man dies and has no son, you are to pass his inheritance over to his daughter. 9 And if he has no daughter, you are to give his inheritance to his brother. 10 And if he has no brothers, you are to give his inheritance to his father's brother. 11 And if his father has no brothers, you are to give the inheritance to the nearest relative of his tribe, to take his holding for his own. And this is to be a ruling of judgment for the children of Israel, as the Lord commanded Moses.”

12 And the Lord said to Moses, 12 “Go up the mountain that is in the country across the Jordan — this Mount Nebo — and look at the land of Canaan, which I am giving to the children of Israel to hold. 13 And you will see it, and you too will be gathered to your people, as Aaron your brother was gathered on Mount Hor — 14 because you went against my command in the wilderness of Zin, when the gathering stood against me and you refused to treat me as holy; you did not treat me as holy at the water, in front of them. This is the water of Strife at Kadesh in the wilderness of Zin.”

15 And Moses said to the Lord, 16 “Let the Lord, the God of the spirits and of all flesh, look out a man to set over this gathering, 17 who will go out ahead of them and come in ahead of them, who will lead them out and bring them in — so that the gathering of the Lord is not like sheep with no shepherd.” 18 And the Lord spoke to Moses. He said, 18 “Take Joshua son of Nun, a man who has the Spirit in him, and lay your hands on him. 19 And set him in front of Eleazar the priest, and give him his charge in front of the whole gathering, and give the charge about him in front of them. 20 And put some of your glory on him, so that the children of Israel will listen to him. 21 And he is to stand before Eleazar the priest, and they are to ask of him before the Lord by the judgment of the Manifestation. At his word they will go out, and at his word they will come in — he and the children of Israel with him, all of one mind, and the whole gathering.” [b] 22 And Moses did as the Lord had commanded him. He took Joshua and set him in front of Eleazar the priest and in front of the whole gathering, 23 and laid his hands on him and appointed him, as the Lord had ordered through Moses.