The daughters of Zelophehad approach Moses, Eleazar the priest, the leaders, and the congregation at the Tent of Meeting to request property among their father's brothers since their father died without sons. Moses brings their case before the LORD, who rules in favor of the daughters and establishes a general inheritance law for situations involving deceased men without sons, brothers, or uncles. Afterward, the LORD tells Moses to view the land of Canaan from the Abarim mountains and informs him that he will be gathered to his people because of the rebellion at the waters of Meribah in the Wilderness of Zin. Moses then asks the LORD to appoint a leader over the congregation so they will not be like sheep without a shepherd. In response, the LORD instructs Moses to commission Joshua son of Nun by laying hands on him before Eleazar the priest and the entire congregation, conferring authority upon him. Moses obeys these instructions and commissions Joshua as his successor.
Summary automatically generated from the Bible text.
1Now the daughters of Zelophehad son of Hepher, the son of Gilead, the son of Machir, the son of Manasseh, belonged to the clans of Manasseh son of Joseph. These were the names of his daughters: Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah. They approached2the entrance to the Tent of Meeting, stood before Moses, Eleazar the priest, the leaders, and the whole congregation, and said,3“Our father died in the wilderness, but he was not among the followers of Korah who gathered together against the LORD. Instead, he died because of his own sin, and he had no sons.4Why should the name of our father disappear from his clan because he had no sons? Give us property among our father’s brothers.”5So Moses brought their case before the LORD,6and the LORD answered him,7“The daughters of Zelophehad speak correctly. You certainly must give them property as an inheritance among their father’s brothers and transfer their father’s inheritance to them.8Furthermore, you shall say to the Israelites, ‘If a man dies and leaves no son, you are to transfer his inheritance to his daughter.9If he has no daughter, give his inheritance to his brothers.10If he has no brothers, give his inheritance to his father’s brothers.11And if his father has no brothers, give his inheritance to the next of kin from his clan, that he may take possession of it. This is to be a statutory ordinance for the Israelites, as the LORD has commanded Moses.’”12Then the LORD said to Moses, “Go up this mountain of the Abarim range and see the land that I have given the Israelites.13After you have seen it, you too will be gathered to your people, as your brother Aaron was;14for when the congregation contended in the Wilderness of Zin, both of you rebelled against My command to show My holiness in their sight regarding the waters.” Those were the waters of Meribah in Kadesh, in the Wilderness of Zin.15So Moses appealed to the LORD,16“May the LORD, the God of the spirits of all flesh, appoint a man over the congregation17who will go out and come in before them, and who will lead them out and bring them in, so that the congregation of the LORD will not be like sheep without a shepherd.”18And the LORD replied to Moses, “Take Joshua son of Nun, a man with the Spirit in him, and lay your hands on him.19Have him stand before Eleazar the priest and the whole congregation, and commission him in their sight.20Confer on him some of your authority, so that the whole congregation of Israel will obey him.21He shall stand before Eleazar the priest, who will seek counsel for him before the LORD by the judgment of the Urim. At his command, he and all the Israelites with him—the entire congregation—will go out and come in.”22Moses did as the LORD had commanded him. He took Joshua, had him stand before Eleazar the priest and the whole congregation,23and laid his hands on him and commissioned him, as the LORD had instructed through Moses.
