Numberschapter 27

23 verses · ASV

This chapter sends 160 cross-references outward and receives 155 — heaviest partner: Numbers.

Chapter summary

The daughters of Zelophehad and the commissioning of Joshua. Five daughters come before Moses and Eleazar with a request: their father died without sons; ‘give unto us therefore a possession among the brethren of our father’. Moses brings their cause before the LORD; they shall inherit. A statute of judgment for generations. Then Moses is told to go up Mount Abarim and see the land; he will not enter. He requests a successor — ‘a man over the congregation’. Joshua son of Nun is chosen, a man in whom the Spirit is; hands laid on him in the sight of Eleazar; he receives Moses' honour. The leadership transition is set in motion.

Drafted from Matthew Henry, Calvin, Gill, Clarke, JFB, and Barnes.

Context

Law · Moses — see the Numbers overview for the book's full setting.

1 Then drew near the daughters of Zelophehad, the son of Hepher, the son of Gilead, the son of Machir, the son of Manasseh, of the families of Manasseh the son of Joseph; and these are the names of his daughters: Mahlah, Noah, and Hoglah, and Milcah, and Tirzah.

2 And they stood before Moses, and before Eleazar the priest, and before the princes and all the congregation, at the door of the tent of meeting, saying,

3 Our father died in the wilderness, and he was not among the company of them that gathered themselves together against Jehovah in the company of Korah: but he died in his own sin; and he had no sons.

4 Why should the name of our father be taken away from among his family, because he had no son? Give unto us a possession among the brethren of our father.

5 And Moses brought their cause before Jehovah.

6 And Jehovah spake unto Moses, saying,

7 The daughters of Zelophehad speak right: thou shalt surely give them a possession of an inheritance among their father’s brethren; and thou shalt cause the inheritance of their father to pass unto them.

8 And thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel, saying, If a man die, and have no son, then ye shall cause his inheritance to pass unto his daughter.

9 And if he have no daughter, then ye shall give his inheritance unto his brethren.