Numbers 27

The daughters of Zelophehad son of Hepher, son of Gilead, son of Machir, son of Manasseh, from the clans of Manasseh son of Joseph, came forward. These were the names of his daughters: Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah. They stood before Moses, before Eleazar the priest, and before the leaders and the whole congregation at the entrance of the Tent of Meeting, saying, “Our father died in the wilderness. He was not among the congregation that gathered against the LORD in Korah’s congregation, but he died for his own sin and had no sons. Why should our father’s name be removed from his clan because he had no son? Give us a possession among our father’s brothers.” Moses brought their case before the LORD. The LORD spoke to Moses, saying, “The daughters of Zelophehad are right in what they say. You shall surely give them a possession as an inheritance among their father’s brothers and transfer their father’s inheritance to them. You shall speak to the Israelites, saying, ‘If a man dies and has no son, you shall transfer his inheritance to his daughter. If he has no daughter, you shall give his inheritance to his brothers. If he has no brothers, you shall give his inheritance to his father’s brothers. If his father has no brothers, you shall give his inheritance to his nearest relative in his clan, and he shall inherit it.’ This shall be a statute of judgment for the Israelites, as the LORD commanded Moses.” The LORD said to Moses, “Go up this mountain of Abarim and see the land I have given the Israelites. When you have seen it, you too shall be gathered to your people, as your brother Aaron was gathered, because you rebelled against my command in the wilderness of Zin when the congregation quarreled, instead of upholding my holiness at the waters before their eyes.” These are the waters of Meribah of Kadesh in the wilderness of Zin. Moses spoke to the LORD, saying, “Let the LORD, the God of the spirits of all flesh, appoint a man over the congregation, who will go out before them and come in before them, who will lead them out and bring them in, so that the LORD’s congregation may not be like sheep without a shepherd.” The LORD said to Moses, “Take Joshua son of Nun, a man in whom there is spirit, and lay your hand on him. Have him stand before Eleazar the priest and before the whole congregation, and commission him before their eyes. Put some of your honor upon him, so that the whole congregation of the Israelites may obey. He shall stand before Eleazar the priest, who shall inquire for him through the judgment of the Urim before the LORD. At his command they shall go out, and at his command they shall come in, he and all the Israelites with him, the whole congregation.” Moses did as the LORD commanded him. He took Joshua and had him stand before Eleazar the priest and before the whole congregation. He laid his hands on him and commissioned him, as the LORD had spoken through Moses.

Rights and attribution