1Then came 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. 2And they stood before Moses and before Eleazar the priest, and before the leaders and all the congregation, by the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, saying, 3"Our father died in the wilderness, and he was not in the company of those who gathered themselves against the LORD in the company of Korah, but died in his own sin and had no sons. 4Why should the name of our father be taken away from among his family because he has no son? Therefore give us a possession among the brothers of our father." 5And Moses brought their cause before the LORD.

6And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, 7"It is right what the daughters of Zelophehad speak. You shall surely give them a possession of an inheritance among their father's brothers. And you shall cause the inheritance of their father to pass to them. 8And you shall speak to the children of Israel, saying, 'When a man dies and has no son, then you shall cause his inheritance to pass to his daughter. 9And if he has no daughter, then you shall give his inheritance to his brothers. 10And if he has no brothers, then you shall give his inheritance to his father's brothers. 11And if his father has no brothers, then you shall give his inheritance to his nearest relative of his family, and he shall possess it. And it shall be to the children of Israel a statute of judgment as the LORD commanded Moses. ' "

12And the LORD said to Moses, "Get up into this Mount Abarim and see the land which I have given to the children of Israel. 13And after you have seen it, you also shall be gathered to your people as Aaron your brother was gathered. 14For you rebelled against My command in the desert of Zin, in the strife of the congregation, to sanctify Me at the water before their eyes; they were the Waters of Strife in Kadesh in the wilderness of Zin."

15And Moses spoke to the LORD, saying, 16"Let the LORD, the God of the spirits of all flesh, set a man over the congregation, 17Who may go out before them, and who may go in before them, and who may lead them out, and who may bring them in, so that the congregation of the LORD may not be as sheep which have no shepherd."

18And the LORD said to Moses, "Take Joshua the son of Nun, a man in whom is the Spirit, and lay your hand upon him. 19And set him before Eleazar the priest, and before all the congregation, and you shall commission him in their sight. 20And you shall put of your honor on him, so that all the congregation of the children of Israel may be obedient. 21And he shall stand before Eleazar the priest, who shall ask for him according to the judgment of Urim before the LORD. At his word they shall go out, and at his word they shall come in, he and all the children of Israel with him, even all the congregation." 22And Moses did as the LORD commanded him. And he took Joshua and set him before Eleazar the priest and before all the congregation. 23And he laid his hands upon him and commissioned him, even as the LORD commanded by the hand of Moses.