Numbers 27:18
New International Version
So the LORD said to Moses, “Take Joshua son of Nun, a man in whom is the spirit of leadership, and lay your hand on him.

New Living Translation
The LORD replied, “Take Joshua son of Nun, who has the Spirit in him, and lay your hands on him.

English Standard Version
So the LORD said to Moses, “Take Joshua the son of Nun, a man in whom is the Spirit, and lay your hand on him.

Berean Standard Bible
And the LORD replied to Moses, “Take Joshua son of Nun, a man with the Spirit in him, and lay your hands on him.

King James Bible
And the LORD said unto Moses, Take thee Joshua the son of Nun, a man in whom is the spirit, and lay thine hand upon him;

New King James Version
And the LORD said to Moses: “Take Joshua the son of Nun with you, a man in whom is the Spirit, and lay your hand on him;

New American Standard Bible
So the LORD said to Moses, “Take Joshua the son of Nun, a man in whom is the Spirit, and lay your hand on him;

NASB 1995
So the LORD said to Moses, “Take Joshua the son of Nun, a man in whom is the Spirit, and lay your hand on him;

NASB 1977
So the LORD said to Moses, “Take Joshua the son of Nun, a man in whom is the Spirit, and lay your hand on him;

Legacy Standard Bible
So Yahweh said to Moses, “Take Joshua the son of Nun, a man in whom is the Spirit, and lay your hand on him;

Amplified Bible
The LORD said to Moses, “Take Joshua the son of Nun, a man in whom is the Spirit, and lay your hand on him;

Christian Standard Bible
The LORD replied to Moses, “Take Joshua son of Nun, a man who has the Spirit in him, and lay your hands on him.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
The LORD replied to Moses, “Take Joshua son of Nun, a man who has the Spirit in him, and lay your hands on him.

American Standard Version
And Jehovah said unto Moses, Take thee Joshua the son of Nun, a man in whom is the Spirit, and lay thy hand upon him;

Contemporary English Version
The LORD answered, "Joshua son of Nun can do the job. Place your hands on him to show that he is the one to take your place.

English Revised Version
And the LORD said unto Moses, Take thee Joshua the son of Nun, a man in whom is the spirit, and lay thine hand upon him;

GOD'S WORD® Translation
So the LORD said to Moses, "Take Joshua, son of Nun, a man who has the Spirit, and place your hand on him.

Good News Translation
The LORD said to Moses, "Take Joshua son of Nun, a capable man, and place your hands on his head.

International Standard Version
"Select Nun's son Joshua. The Spirit is in that man," the LORD answered Moses. "You are to lay your hand on him

Majority Standard Bible
And the LORD replied to Moses, ?Take Joshua son of Nun, a man with the Spirit in him, and lay your hands on him.

NET Bible
The LORD replied to Moses, "Take Joshua son of Nun, a man in whom is such a spirit, and lay your hand on him;

New Heart English Bible
The LORD said to Moses, "Take Joshua the son of Nun, a man in whom is the Spirit, and lay your hand on him;

Webster's Bible Translation
And the LORD said to Moses, Take to thee Joshua the son of Nun, a man in whom is the spirit, and lay thy hand upon him;

World English Bible
Yahweh said to Moses, “Take Joshua the son of Nun, a man in whom is the Spirit, and lay your hand on him.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
And YHWH says to Moses, “Take Joshua son of Nun to yourself, a man in whom [is] the Spirit, and you have laid your hand on him,

Young's Literal Translation
And Jehovah saith unto Moses, 'Take to thee Joshua son of Nun, a man in whom is the Spirit, and thou hast laid thine hand upon him,

Smith's Literal Translation
And Jehovah will say to Moses, Take to thee Joshua, son of Nun, a man in whom the spirit in him, and place thy hand upon him;
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
And the Lord said to him: Take Josue the son of Nun, a man in whom is the Spirit, and put thy hand upon him.

Catholic Public Domain Version
And the Lord said to him: “Take Joshua, the son of Nun, a man in whom the Spirit is, and place your hand upon him.

New American Bible
And the LORD replied to Moses: Take Joshua, son of Nun, a man of spirit, and lay your hand upon him.

New Revised Standard Version
So the LORD said to Moses, “Take Joshua son of Nun, a man in whom is the spirit, and lay your hand upon him;
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
And the LORD said to Moses, Take Joshua the son of Nun, a man in whom is the spirit, and lay your hand upon him;

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And LORD JEHOVAH said to Moshe: “Take to yourself Yeshua, son of Nun, a man who has the Spirit in him and put your hand upon him.
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
And the LORD said unto Moses: 'Take thee Joshua the son of Nun, a man in whom is spirit, and lay thy hand upon him;

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, Take to thyself Joshua the son of Naue, a man who has the Spirit in him, and thou shalt lay thy hands upon him.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Joshua to Succeed Moses
18And the LORD replied to Moses, “Take Joshua son of Nun, a man with the Spirit in him, and lay your hands on him. 19Have him stand before Eleazar the priest and the whole congregation, and commission him in their sight.…

Cross References
Deuteronomy 34:9
Now Joshua son of Nun was filled with the spirit of wisdom because Moses had laid his hands on him. So the Israelites obeyed him and did as the LORD had commanded Moses.

Joshua 1:1-2
Now after the death of His servant Moses, the LORD spoke to Joshua son of Nun, Moses’ assistant, saying, / “Moses My servant is dead. Now therefore arise, you and all these people, and cross over the Jordan into the land that I am giving to the children of Israel.

Exodus 31:2-3
“See, I have called by name Bezalel son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah. / And I have filled him with the Spirit of God, with skill, ability, and knowledge in all kinds of craftsmanship,

1 Samuel 16:12-13
So Jesse sent for his youngest son and brought him in. He was ruddy, with beautiful eyes and a handsome appearance. And the LORD said, “Rise and anoint him, for he is the one.” / So Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the presence of his brothers, and the Spirit of the LORD rushed upon David from that day forward. Then Samuel set out and went to Ramah.

Acts 6:3
Therefore, brothers, select from among you seven men confirmed to be full of the Spirit and wisdom. We will assign this responsibility to them

1 Kings 19:16
You are also to anoint Jehu son of Nimshi as king over Israel and Elisha son of Shaphat from Abel-meholah to succeed you as prophet.

2 Kings 2:9-15
After they had crossed over, Elijah said to Elisha, “Tell me, what can I do for you before I am taken away from you?” “Please, let me inherit a double portion of your spirit,” Elisha replied. / “You have requested a difficult thing,” said Elijah. “Nevertheless, if you see me as I am taken from you, it will be yours. But if not, then it will not be so.” / As they were walking along and talking together, suddenly a chariot of fire with horses of fire appeared and separated the two of them, and Elijah went up into heaven in a whirlwind. ...

Acts 13:2-3
While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for Me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” / And after they had fasted and prayed, they laid their hands on them and sent them off.

1 Timothy 4:14
Do not neglect the gift that is in you, which was given you through the prophecy spoken over you at the laying on of the hands of the elders.

2 Timothy 1:6
For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands.

Exodus 18:25
So Moses chose capable men from all Israel and made them heads over the people as leaders of thousands, of hundreds, of fifties, and of tens.

1 Samuel 10:1
Then Samuel took a flask of oil, poured it on Saul’s head, kissed him, and said, “Has not the LORD anointed you ruler over His inheritance?

Acts 9:17
So Ananias went to the house, and when he arrived, he placed his hands on Saul. “Brother Saul,” he said, “the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you were coming here, has sent me so that you may see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit.”

Acts 11:24
Barnabas was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and faith, and a great number of people were brought to the Lord.

Acts 14:23
Paul and Barnabas appointed elders for them in each church, praying and fasting as they entrusted them to the Lord, in whom they had believed.


Treasury of Scripture

And 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;

give him

Deuteronomy 31:7
And Moses called unto Joshua, and said unto him in the sight of all Israel, Be strong and of a good courage: for thou must go with this people unto the land which the LORD hath sworn unto their fathers to give them; and thou shalt cause them to inherit it.

Luke 9:1-5
Then he called his twelve disciples together, and gave them power and authority over all devils, and to cure diseases…

Luke 10:2-11
Therefore said he unto them, The harvest truly is great, but the labourers are few: pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he would send forth labourers into his harvest…

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Numbers 27
1. The daughters of Zelophehad ask for an inheritance
6. The law of inheritances
12. Moses, being told of his death, asks for a successor
18. Joshua is appointed to succeed him














So the LORD said to Moses
This phrase underscores the direct communication between God and Moses, a hallmark of Moses' leadership. The Hebrew word for "LORD" here is "Yahweh," the covenant name of God, emphasizing His eternal and unchanging nature. This divine instruction highlights the theocratic leadership model where God directly guides His chosen leaders. Historically, this reflects the unique relationship Moses had with God, serving as a mediator for the Israelites.

Take Joshua son of Nun
The name "Joshua" is derived from the Hebrew "Yehoshua," meaning "Yahweh is salvation." This is significant as Joshua is a type of Christ, prefiguring Jesus, whose name in Hebrew is the same. Joshua's lineage as the "son of Nun" roots him in the tribe of Ephraim, one of Joseph's sons, which is important for understanding the tribal dynamics and leadership roles within Israel. Joshua's selection is a divine appointment, not based on human merit but on God's sovereign choice.

a man in whom is the Spirit
This phrase indicates that Joshua is not only chosen by God but also empowered by the Holy Spirit. The Hebrew word for "Spirit" is "Ruach," which can mean breath, wind, or spirit, signifying life and divine empowerment. This is a critical point in understanding biblical leadership; it is not merely about human ability but about being filled with God's Spirit. This empowerment is essential for the task ahead, as Joshua will lead the Israelites into the Promised Land.

and lay your hand on him
The act of laying hands is a significant biblical gesture symbolizing the transfer of authority and blessing. In Hebrew culture, this act was often used in ordination and blessing, signifying the passing of responsibility and the conferring of God's grace and power. This physical act serves as a public endorsement of Joshua's new role, ensuring that the people recognize and accept his leadership. It also reflects the continuity of God's plan, as Moses' leadership is passed on to Joshua, ensuring that God's purposes for Israel continue unimpeded.

(18) In whom is the spirit . . . --The definite article is not used in the original. The word translated "spirit" appears to denote spiritual endowment and qualifications.

And lay thine hand upon him.--It is to be observed that the spiritual qualifications of Joshua did not supersede the necessity of an outward consecration to his office. Nay, more; it seems that special qualifications for the office were bestowed in connection with the imposition of the hands of Moses, for it is written in Deuteronomy 34:9 that "Joshua the son of Nun was full of the spirit of wisdom; for Moses had laid his hands upon him."

Verse 18. - Take thee Joshua. Joshua was now for the first time designated at the request of Moses as his successor; he had, however, been clearly marked out for that office by his position as one of the two favoured survivors of the elder generation, and as the "minister" and confidant of Moses. In regard of the first he had no equal but Caleb, in regard of the second he stood quite alone. A man in whom is the spirit. רוּחַ here, although without the definite article, can only mean the Holy Spirit, as in Numbers 11:25 sq. Lay thine hand upon him. According to Deuteronomy 34:9 this was to be done in order that Joshua might receive with the imposition of hands a spiritual gift (charisma) of wisdom for the discharge of his high office. It would appear also from the next paragraph that it was done as an outward and public token of the committal of authority to Joshua as the successor of Moses.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
And the LORD
יְהוָ֜ה (Yah·weh)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3068: LORD -- the proper name of the God of Israel

replied
וַיֹּ֨אמֶר (way·yō·mer)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 559: To utter, say

to
אֶל־ (’el-)
Preposition
Strong's 413: Near, with, among, to

Moses,
מֹשֶׁ֗ה (mō·šeh)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 4872: Moses -- a great Israelite leader, prophet and lawgiver

“Take
קַח־ (qaḥ-)
Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singular
Strong's 3947: To take

Joshua
יְהוֹשֻׁ֣עַ (yə·hō·wō·šu·a‘)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3091: Joshua -- 'the LORD is salvation', Moses' successor, also the name of a number of Israelites

son
בִּן־ (bin-)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 1121: A son

of Nun,
נ֔וּן (nūn)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 5126: Nun -- father of Joshua

a man with
אִ֖ישׁ (’îš)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 376: A man as an individual, a male person

the Spirit in him,
ר֣וּחַ (rū·aḥ)
Noun - common singular
Strong's 7307: Wind, breath, exhalation, life, anger, unsubstantiality, a region of the sky, spirit

and lay
וְסָמַכְתָּ֥ (wə·sā·maḵ·tā)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine singular
Strong's 5564: To prop, to lean upon, take hold of

your hands
יָדְךָ֖ (yā·ḏə·ḵā)
Noun - feminine singular construct | second person masculine singular
Strong's 3027: A hand

on him.
עָלָֽיו׃ (‘ā·lāw)
Preposition | third person masculine singular
Strong's 5921: Above, over, upon, against


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OT Law: Numbers 27:18 Yahweh said to Moses Take Joshua (Nu Num.)
Numbers 27:17
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