Zelophehad's Daughters
Five sisters ask why their father's name should vanish for lack of a son, and our Father says they are right, changing inheritance law. Moses, told he will die outside the land, asks for a shepherd for the people; Joshua is commissioned before them all.
27 1The daughters of Zelophehad son of Hepher, son of Gilead, son of Machir, son of Manasseh, from the clans of Manasseh son of Joseph, came forward. His daughters' names: Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, Tirzah. 2They stood before Moses, before Eleazar the priest, before the leaders and the whole assembly, at the tent of meeting's entrance, and said: 3"Our father died in the wilderness. He was not among those who gathered against our Father with Korah's group; he died for his own sin, and had no sons. 4Why should our father's name disappear from his clan because he had no son? Give us property among our father's brothers."
5So Moses brought their case before our Father. 6And our Father said to Moses:
7"Zelophehad's daughters are right. Give them a hereditary portion among their father's brothers, and transfer their father's inheritance to them. 8Say to the Israelites: If a man dies without a son, transfer his inheritance to his daughter. 9If he has no daughter, you are to give his inheritance to his brothers. 10If he has no brothers, you are to give his inheritance to his father's brothers. 11If his father has no brothers, give his inheritance to his nearest relative in his clan, who is to possess it. This is a legal statute for the Israelites, as our Father commanded Moses."
Moses Sees the Land
12Then our Father said to Moses, "Go up Mount Abarim and see the land I've given the Israelites. 13When you see it, you too will be gathered to your people, as Aaron your brother was gathered, 14because you rebelled against my command in the wilderness of Zin, during the congregation's quarrel, to honor me as holy at the water before their eyes—the water of Meribah of Kadesh, wilderness of Zin."
15Moses spoke to our Father, saying: 16"May the Father of the spirits of all flesh appoint a man over the congregation, 17who goes out before them and comes in before them, who leads them out and brings them in, so our Father's assembly will not be like sheep without a shepherd."
18So our Father told Moses, "Take Joshua son of Nun, a man with the Spirit of our Father in him, and lay your hand on him. 19Have him stand before Eleazar the priest and the whole assembly, and commission him before their eyes. 20Give him some of your authority, so that the whole congregation of the Israelites will obey him. 21He will stand before Eleazar the priest, who will consult the Urim's judgment for him before our Father. At Eleazar's word they will go out, at his word come in—he, all the Israelites with him, the whole congregation."
22Moses obeyed our Father's command: he took Joshua and stood him before Eleazar the priest and the entire assembly. 23He laid his hands on him and commissioned him, as our Father had spoken through Moses.
