Numbers 27: The daughters of Zelophehad, and Joshua named to lead
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What happens?
The five daughters of Zelophehad ask Moses for land of their own, because their father died with no sons. Yahweh says they are right, and gives a rule for Israel: if a man dies with no son, his inheritance goes to his daughter, then to his brothers, his father's brothers, or his nearest relative. Yahweh tells Moses to look at the land from the mountains of Abarim before he dies, Moses asks for a leader for the people, and Yahweh names Joshua, whom Moses commissions before Eleazar and the whole community.
Who is speaking?
The narrator tells the story. God's own words are in 12 of the 23 verses: his answer to the daughters and his rule for inheritance in verses 7 to 11, his words to Moses about the mountain in verses 12 to 14, and his words about Joshua in verses 18 to 21. The daughters speak in verses 3 and 4, and Moses speaks to Yahweh in verses 16 and 17. The end of verse 14, in brackets, is the narrator's. God's own words are printed in gold, and those verses are marked God speaks
1Then 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 came near. These are the names of his daughters: Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah.
In plain English: Then the daughters of Zelophehad came near. Zelophehad was 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. His daughters' names were Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah.
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2They stood before Moses, before Eleazar the priest, and before the princes and all the congregation, at the door of the Tent of Meeting, saying,
In plain English: They stood before Moses, before Eleazar the priest, and before the leaders and the whole community, at the door of the Tent of Meeting, and said,
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3“Our father died in the wilderness. He was not among the company of those who gathered themselves together against Yahweh in the company of Korah, but he died in his own sin. He had no sons.
In plain English: "Our father died in the wilderness. He was not one of the company who gathered together against Yahweh in Korah's company, but he died in (or: for) his own sin. He had no sons.
Good to know: The text does not say what his sin was. Some readers take it as the sin of his whole generation, who were to die in the wilderness (). Others take it as a sin of his own. The daughters say only that he was not one of Korah's company, whose rebellion is told in chapter 16.
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4Why should the name of our father be taken away from among his family, because he had no son? Give to us a possession among the brothers of our father.”
In plain English: Why should our father's name be taken away (literally: withdrawn) from his family, because he had no son? Give us a possession (land of our own) among our father's brothers."
The Hebrew word: "Possession" is achuzzah, which the dictionary gives as "something seized, i.e. a possession (especially of land)".
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5Moses brought their cause before Yahweh.
In plain English: Moses brought their case before Yahweh.
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6Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying,
In plain English: Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying,
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7“The daughters of Zelophehad speak right. You shall surely give them a possession of an inheritance among their father’s brothers. You shall cause the inheritance of their father to pass to them.God speaks
In plain English: "The daughters of Zelophehad are right. You must give them a possession as an inheritance among their father's brothers. You are to pass their father's inheritance on to them.
Good to know: The daughters' case comes back in chapter 36. There Yahweh adds that they may marry whom they choose, but within the family of their father's tribe ( and ).
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8You shall speak to the children of Israel, saying, ‘If a man dies, and has no son, then you shall cause his inheritance to pass to his daughter.God speaks
In plain English: Speak to the Israelites and say, 'If a man dies and has no son, you are to pass his inheritance on to his daughter.
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9If he has no daughter, then you shall give his inheritance to his brothers.God speaks
In plain English: If he has no daughter, you are to give his inheritance to his brothers.
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10If he has no brothers, then you shall give his inheritance to his father’s brothers.God speaks
In plain English: If he has no brothers, you are to give his inheritance to his father's brothers.
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11If his father has no brothers, then you shall give his inheritance to his kinsman who is next to him of his family, and he shall possess it. This shall be a statute and ordinance for the children of Israel, as Yahweh commanded Moses.’”God speaks
In plain English: If his father has no brothers, you are to give his inheritance to his nearest relative in his family, and he will own it. This is to be a rule of law (literally: a statute of judgment) for the Israelites, as Yahweh commanded Moses.'"
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12Yahweh said to Moses, “Go up into this mountain of Abarim, and see the land which I have given to the children of Israel.God speaks
In plain English: Yahweh said to Moses, "Go up this mountain of Abarim, and see the land I have given to the Israelites.
Good to know: gives this command again and names the mountain: "this mountain of Abarim, to Mount Nebo". tells that Moses went up Mount Nebo and Yahweh showed him the land.
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13When you have seen it, you also shall be gathered to your people, as Aaron your brother was gathered;God speaks
In plain English: When you have seen it, you too will be gathered to your people, as your brother Aaron was gathered,
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14because in the strife of the congregation, you rebelled against my word in the wilderness of Zin, to honor me as holy at the waters before their eyes.” (These are the waters of Meribah of Kadesh in the wilderness of Zin.)God speaks
In plain English: because in the quarrel of the community in the wilderness of Zin, you rebelled against my word (literally: my mouth), when you were to honor me as holy at the waters before their eyes." (These are the waters of Meribah of Kadesh, in the wilderness of Zin.)
Good to know: The quarrel at the waters of Meribah is told in to . When Aaron is to die, Yahweh uses the same words in : "you rebelled against my word". The text does not spell out exactly what the wrong was, and readers differ.
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15Moses spoke to Yahweh, saying,
In plain English: Moses spoke to Yahweh, saying,
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16“Let Yahweh, the God of the spirits of all flesh, appoint a man over the congregation,
In plain English: "Let Yahweh, the God of the spirits of all flesh (of all living beings), appoint a man over the community,
Good to know: The name "the God of the spirits of all flesh" is in only one other verse, , where Moses and Aaron fall on their faces and plead for the whole community during Korah's rebellion.
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17who may go out before them, and who may come in before them, and who may lead them out, and who may bring them in, that the congregation of Yahweh may not be as sheep which have no shepherd.”
In plain English: who will go out before them and come in before them, and who will lead them out and bring them in, so that Yahweh's community will not be like sheep that have no shepherd."
Good to know: "Sheep that have no shepherd" comes again in and . The Gospels say the crowds Jesus saw were "like sheep without a shepherd", in and .
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18Yahweh said to Moses, “Take Joshua the son of Nun, a man in whom is the Spirit, and lay your hand on him.God speaks
In plain English: Yahweh said to Moses, "Take Joshua the son of Nun, a man in whom is the Spirit (or: a spirit), and lay your hand on him.
The Hebrew word: "Spirit" is ruach, which the dictionary gives as "wind; by resemblance breath", and also "spirit". The Hebrew has no word for "the" here: "a man in whom is spirit".
What changes: Read as "the Spirit", it is the Spirit of God in Joshua. Read as "a spirit", it can be a spirit in the man himself, such as wisdom or courage. says Joshua was "full of the spirit of wisdom", because Moses had laid his hands on him.
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19Set him before Eleazar the priest, and before all the congregation; and commission him in their sight.God speaks
In plain English: Have him stand before Eleazar the priest and before the whole community, and commission him (give him his charge) in their sight.
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20You shall give authority to him, that all the congregation of the children of Israel may obey.God speaks
In plain English: Put some of your authority (literally: your majesty, or: your honor) on him, so that the whole community of Israel will obey (literally: listen).
The Hebrew word: "Authority" is hod, which the dictionary gives as "grandeur (i.e. an imposing form and appearance)".
How it is translated: Of its 24 verses, this Bible says "authority" only here. Most often it says "majesty" (in 11), "honor" (in 9) or "glory" (in 8).
What changes: Read as "majesty" or "honor", Moses is to put some of his own honor on Joshua, not only the right to give orders.
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21He shall stand before Eleazar the priest, who shall inquire for him by the judgment of the Urim before Yahweh. At his word they shall go out, and at his word they shall come in, both he and all the children of Israel with him, even all the congregation.”God speaks
In plain English: He is to stand before Eleazar the priest, who will ask for him by the judgment of the Urim before Yahweh. At his word (the Hebrew says only "his mouth": Eleazar's, or Joshua's) they will go out, and at his word they will come in: he and all the Israelites with him, the whole community."
Good to know: The Urim are put in the breastplate that Aaron wears, with the Thummim (). The word is in 7 verses of the Bible, and the text does not say how the Urim were used to ask Yahweh.
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22Moses did as Yahweh commanded him. He took Joshua, and set him before Eleazar the priest and before all the congregation.
In plain English: Moses did as Yahweh commanded him. He took Joshua and had him stand before Eleazar the priest and before the whole community.
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23He laid his hands on him and commissioned him, as Yahweh spoke by Moses.
In plain English: He laid his hands on him and commissioned him, as Yahweh had spoken through Moses (literally: by the hand of Moses).
Good to know: In Yahweh says "your hand", and here Moses lays both "his hands" on Joshua. also says "his hands".
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