Numbers 27:18
in Numbers 27And the LORD replied to Moses, “Take Joshua son of Nun, a man with the Spirit in him, and lay your hands on him.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And Jehovah said unto Moses, Take thee Joshua the son of Nun, a man in whom is the Spirit, and lay thy hand upon him;
KJV
And the Lord said unto Moses, Take thee Joshua the son of Nun, a man in whom is the spirit, and lay thine hand upon him;
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This verse in Numbers 27
Commentary
7 notes on this verseIn whom is the spirit - This must certainly mean the Spirit of God; and because he was endued with this Spirit, therefore he was capable of leading the people. How miserably qualified is that man for the work of God who is not guided and influenced by the Holy Ghost! God never chooses a man to accomplish his designs but that one whom he himself has qualified for the work.
This site's exposition
Take thee Joshua the son of Nun
on Numbers 27:18-19
The reason given for Joshua is a man in whom is the spirit, and it is the only qualification the verse names. Joshua had fought Amalek at Exodus 17:9, stayed in the tent when Moses left it at Exodus 33:11, and stood with Caleb against the ten spies at Numbers 14:6-9, so the camp had watched him for forty years. Moses lays his hand on him, and Deuteronomy 34:9 says Joshua was full of the spirit of wisdom because Moses had laid his hands upon him. The charge is given in their sight, so the congregation watches the transfer rather than hearing about it later.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
This was done in token of Moses' transferring the government to him, as the laying of hands on the sacrifice put the offering in the place and stead of the offerer; also in token of God's conferring the blessing of the Spirit upon him, which Moses obtained by prayer. It is said ( Deut. xxxiv. 9 ), Joshua was full of the spirit of wisdom, for Moses had laid his hands on him.
The spirit - The spirit of government, of wisdom, and of the fear of the Lord. Lay thy hand - By which ceremony Moses did both design the person and confer the power, and by his prayers, which accompanied that rite, obtain from God all the spiritual gifts and graces necessary for his future employment.
And the Lord said unto Moses,....
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
Thou shalt put some of thine honour upon him--In the whole history of Israel there arose no prophet or ruler in all respects like unto Moses till the Messiah appeared, whose glory eclipsed all. But Joshua was honored and qualified in an eminent degree, through the special service of the high priest, who asked counsel for him after the judgment of Urim before the Lord.
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
In whom is the spirit Compare Gen 41:38. Joshua was endowed by God with the requisite spiritual qualifications for the office. Moses howerer, was to lay his hands upon him, both in order to confer formal and public appointment, and also (compare Deu 34:9) to confirm and strengthen the spiritual gifts already bestowed. The previous reception of the inner grace did not dispense with that of the outward sign; compare the case of Cornelius Act 10:44-48; and Paul’s baptism after his miraculous conversion Act 9:18.
The words behind it
18 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וַיֹּ֨אמֶר | vaiyomer | and he said | H559 → | 5305 times |
| יְהוָ֜ה | yahweh | Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
| אֶל־ | ʾel- | to | H413 → | 5510 times |
| מֹשֶׁ֗ה | mosheh | Moses | H4872 → | 765 times |
| קַח־ | kach- | take | H3947 → | 966 times |
| לְךָ֙ | lekha | for <the> yourself | ||
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| יְהוֹשֻׁ֣עַ | yehoshua' | Joshua | H3091 → | 218 times |
| בִּן־ | bin- | [the] son of | H1121 → | 4930 times |
| נ֔וּן | nun | Nun | H5126 → | 30 times |
| אִ֖ישׁ | ʾish | a man | H376 → | 1663 times |
| אֲשֶׁר־ | ʾasher- | whom | H834 → | 5497 times |
| ר֣וּחַ | ruach | a spirit | H7307 → | 378 times |
| בּ֑וֹ | bo | [is] in <the> him | ||
| וְסָמַכְתָּ֥ | vesamakhta | and you will lay | H5564 → | 48 times |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| יָדְךָ֖ | yadekha | hand your | H3027 → | 1618 times |
| עָלָֽיו׃ | ʾalav | on him | H5921 → | 5755 times |
וַיֹּ֨אמֶרand he said
vaiyomerH559 →5305 times
יְהוָ֜הYahweh
yahwehH3068 →6520 times
אֶל־to
ʾel-H413 →5510 times
מֹשֶׁ֗הMoses
moshehH4872 →765 times
קַח־take
kach-H3947 →966 times
לְךָ֙for <the> yourself
lekha
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
יְהוֹשֻׁ֣עַJoshua
yehoshua'H3091 →218 times
בִּן־[the] son of
bin-H1121 →4930 times
נ֔וּןNun
nunH5126 →30 times
אִ֖ישׁa man
ʾishH376 →1663 times
אֲשֶׁר־whom
ʾasher-H834 →5497 times
ר֣וּחַa spirit
ruachH7307 →378 times
בּ֑וֹ[is] in <the> him
bo
וְסָמַכְתָּ֥and you will lay
vesamakhtaH5564 →48 times
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
יָדְךָ֖hand your
yadekhaH3027 →1618 times
עָלָֽיו׃on him
ʾalavH5921 →5755 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Genesis 41:38So Pharaoh asked them, “Can we find anyone like this man, in whom the Spirit of God abides?”
it leads to
- Job 32:8
But there is a spirit in a man, the breath of the Almighty, that gives him understanding.
- Daniel 5:14
I have heard that the spirit of the gods is in you, and that you have insight, intelligence, and extraordinary wisdom.
- Daniel 5:11
There is a man in your kingdom who has the spirit of the holy gods in him. In the days of your father he was found to have insight, intelligence, and wisdom like that…
- Daniel 4:18
This is the dream that I, King Nebuchadnezzar, saw. Now, Belteshazzar, tell me the interpretation, because none of the wise men of my kingdom can interpret it for me. But you are able, because…
- Job 32:8
Through
Deuteronomy 34:9Now Joshua son of Nun was filled with the spirit of wisdom because Moses had laid his hands on him. So the Israelites obeyed him and did as the LORD had commanded Moses.
it leads to
- Isaiah 11:2
The Spirit of the LORD will rest on Him—the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and strength, the Spirit of knowledge and fear of the LORD.
- Acts 8:17–19
Then Peter and John laid their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit.
- John 3:34
For the One whom God has sent speaks the words of God, for God gives the Spirit without limit.
- Daniel 6:3
Soon, by his extraordinary spirit, Daniel distinguished himself among the administrators and satraps. So the king planned to set him over the whole kingdom.
- Isaiah 11:2
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies1
About Numbers
Who and where
2 names in this verse with a page on the site.
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament; Keil and Delitzsch, Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament: The Pentateuch and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.