A Law of Inheritance

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 forward; and these are the names of his daughters: Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah. 2They stood before Moses, before Eleazar the priest, before the leaders, and all the congregation at the entrance of the tent of meeting, saying, 3“Our father died in the wilderness, yet he was not among the group of those who gathered together against the LORD, in the group of Korah; but he died in his own sin, and he had no sons. 4Why should the name of our father be withdrawn from among his family simply because he had no son? Give us property among our father’s brothers.” 5So Moses brought their case before the LORD.

6Then the LORD said to [a]Moses, 7“The daughters of Zelophehad are right about their statements. You shall certainly give them hereditary property among their father’s brothers, and you shall transfer the inheritance of their father to them. 8Further, you shall speak to the sons of Israel, saying, ‘If a man dies and has no son, then you shall transfer his inheritance to his daughter. 9And if he has no daughter, then you shall give his inheritance to his brothers. 10If 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 in his own family, and he shall take possession of it; and it shall be a statutory ordinance to the sons of Israel, just as the LORD has commanded Moses.’”

12Then the LORD said to Moses, “Go up to this mountain of Abarim, and see the land which I have given to the sons of Israel. 13When you have seen it, you too will be gathered to your people, just as Aaron your brother [b]was; 14for in the wilderness of Zin, during the strife of the congregation, you rebelled against My [c]command to treat Me as holy before their eyes at the water.” (These are the waters of Meribah of Kadesh in the wilderness of Zin.)

Joshua to Succeed Moses

15Then Moses spoke to the LORD, saying, 16“May the LORD, the God of the spirits of [d]humanity, appoint a man over the congregation, 17who will go out [e]and come in before them, and lead them out and [f]bring them in, so that the congregation of the LORD will not be like sheep that have no shepherd.” 18So the LORD said to Moses, “[g]Take Joshua the son of Nun, a man in whom is the Spirit, and lay your hand on him; 19and have him stand before Eleazar the priest and before all the congregation, and commission him in their sight. 20And you shall put some of your [h]authority on him, so that all the congregation of the sons of Israel will obey him. 21Moreover, he shall stand before Eleazar the priest, who shall inquire for him by the judgment of the Urim before the LORD. At his [i]command they shall go out, and at his [j]command they shall come in, both he and all the sons of Israel with him, all the congregation.” 22Then Moses did just as the LORD commanded him; he took Joshua and had him stand before Eleazar the priest and before all the congregation. 23Then he laid his hands on him and commissioned him, just as the LORD had spoken [k]through Moses.