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Numbers 27

YHWH secures a family’s inheritance and appoints Israel’s next leader as Moses faces the consequences of his rebellion.

Zelophehad’s five daughters stand before Moses and Israel’s assembly to ask for their father’s inheritance, since he died without sons. Moses brings their case to YHWH, who upholds their claim and establishes an inheritance law. YHWH then tells Moses to view the promised land before his death, recalling his rebellion at Meribah. Moses asks for a leader to shepherd the congregation, and YHWH appoints Joshua, whom Moses commissions before Eleazar and the people.

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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.
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,
3“Our father died in the wilderness. He was not among the company of those who gathered themselves together against the LORD in the company of Korah, but he died in his own sin. He had no sons.
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.”
5Moses brought their cause before the LORD.
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.
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 the LORD commanded Moses.’”
12The LORD said to Moses, “Go up into this mountain of Abarim, and see the land which I have given to the children of Israel.
13When you have seen it, you also shall be gathered to your people, as Aaron your brother was gathered;
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.)
16“Let the LORD, the God of the spirits of all flesh, appoint a man over the congregation,
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 the LORD may not be as sheep which have no shepherd.”
18The LORD said to Moses, “Take Joshua the son of Nun, a man in whom is the Spirit, and lay your hand on him.
19Set him before Eleazar the priest, and before all the congregation; and commission him in their sight.
20You shall give authority to him, that all the congregation of the children of Israel may obey.
21He shall stand before Eleazar the priest, who shall inquire for him by the judgment of the Urim before the LORD. 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.”
23He laid his hands on him and commissioned him, as the LORD spoke by Moses.
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Key verses
Numbers 27:16Facing his own death, Moses asks the God who gives life to appoint the congregation’s next leader.
Numbers 27:17The image of sheep without a shepherd expresses Israel’s need for someone who will lead them under God’s authority.
Numbers 27:21Joshua’s commission includes seeking YHWH’s direction through Eleazar and the Urim, placing his leadership under divine guidance.
Where this chapter reaches

Joshua records the fulfillment of the daughters’ inheritance claim, while Deuteronomy also recounts Joshua’s appointment and Moses’ exclusion from the land. Exodus describes the Urim among the priest’s provisions for judgment, linking Eleazar’s role here with the priestly means of seeking YHWH’s direction.

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After reading the whole chapter

What stands out in the daughters’ appeal and the way Moses handles their case?

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What does Moses’ request for a successor reveal about leadership when a leader’s work is ending?

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Questions people ask about Numbers 27

Why did Zelophehad’s daughters ask Moses for an inheritance?

Their father had died without sons, and they feared his name would disappear from his family if no inheritance passed to them. YHWH upheld their claim. His ruling established that when a man died without a son, his daughter would receive his inheritance, with other relatives following if there was no daughter.

Why was Moses not allowed to enter the promised land?

YHWH says Moses rebelled against his word at the waters of Meribah in the wilderness of Zin and failed to honor him as holy before the congregation. Moses is told to view the land before dying. This chapter recalls the offense without retelling the full event.

What was the Urim in Numbers 27?

The Urim was a priestly means of seeking YHWH’s judgment. Joshua was to stand before Eleazar, who would inquire on his behalf concerning the people’s movements. Numbers 27 assigns this role to the priest but does not explain the Urim’s appearance or how it produced an answer.

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Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY). Scripture from the World English Bible (public domain). Arc diagram after Chris Harrison and Christoph Römhild (2007).