The Daughters of Zelophehad

(Numbers 36:1-13)

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 princes and all the congregation, by the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, saying, 3Our father died in the wilderness, and he was not in the company of them that gathered themselves together 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 done away from among his family, because he has no son? Give to us therefore a possession among the brothers of our father. 5And Moses brought their cause before the LORD.

The Law of Inheritances

6And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, 7The daughters of Zelophehad speak right: 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, If a man die, and have no son, then you shall cause his inheritance to pass to his daughter. 9And if he have no daughter, then you shall give his inheritance to his brothers. 10And if he have no brothers, then you shall give his inheritance to his father's brothers. 11And if his father have no brothers, then you shall give his inheritance to his kinsman that is next to him 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.

Moses Asks for a Successor

(Deuteronomy 3:23-29)

12And the LORD said to Moses, Get you up into this mount Abarim, and see the land which I have given to the children of Israel. 13And when you have seen it, you also shall be gathered to your people, as Aaron your brother was gathered. 14For you rebelled against my commandment in the desert of Zin, in the strife of the congregation, to sanctify me at the water before their eyes: that is the water of Meribah in Kadesh in the wilderness of Zin.

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

Joshua to Succeed Moses

(Deuteronomy 31:7-8)

18And the LORD said to Moses, Take you Joshua the son of Nun, a man in whom is the spirit, and lay your hand on him; 19And set him before Eleazar the priest, and before all the congregation; and give him a charge in their sight. 20And you shall put some of your honor on him, that all the congregation of the children of Israel may be obedient. 21And he shall stand before Eleazar the priest, who shall ask counsel for him after the judgment of Urim before the LORD: at his word shall they go out, and at his word they shall come in, both 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 on him, and gave him a charge, as the LORD commanded by the hand of Moses.