1The daughters of Zelophehad entreat for an inheritance. 6The law of inheritances. 12Moses is told of his death. 15He pleadeth for a successor. 18Joshua is appointed to succeed him.
1THEN came thea daughters of Zelophehad, the son of Hepher, the son of Gilead, the son of Machir, the son of Manasseh, of the 1families of Manasseh the son of Joseph: and these are the names of 2his daughters; Mahlah, Noah, and Hoglah, and Milcah, and Tirzah.
a Num. 26:33; 36:2; Joshua 17:3.
1 To whom pertaining, they appear among them before Moses, to request for their deceased father’s inheritance.
2 Namely, of Zelophehad.
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 diedb in the wilderness, andc he was 3not in the company of them that 4gathered themselves together against the LORD in the company of Korah; but died 5in his own sin, and had no sons.
b Num. 14:35; 26:64.
c Num. 16:1.
3 That is, they were not mingled with them, nor that he had any communion with their evil deed.
4 Namely, by the evil enterprise and mutiny, of which we read in Num. 16:1, 2, 3, etc.
5 Though he was not guilty of partaking in the conspiracy of Korah, yet he was not clear of the general murmuring of the people, for which God had threatened them that they would perish in the wilderness. See Numbers 14.
4Why should the name of our father be 6done away from among his family, because he hath no son? Give unto us therefore a possession among the brethren of our father.
6 Hebr. diminished.
5And Moses brought their 7cause before 8the LORD.
7 Hebr. the judgment, that is, verdict, difference of opinion, which had to be determined by the sentence of God. For, it was still doubtful whether the daughters would be admitted to inherit if there was no male successor, or, if they would then have to be separated out of the inheritance with a dowry.
8 That is, in the tent of the congregation where Moses heard the voice of the LORD speaking to him from above the mercyseat between the two cherubims. See Exod. 25:22; Num. 7:89. Or understand that Moses has learned the will of God by the means of the signs of the Urim and the Thummim, which were in the breastplate of the high priest. Compare verse 21.
6¶And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
7The daughters of Zelophehad speak right: thoud shalt 9surely give them a possession of an inheritance among their father's brethren; and thou shalt cause the inheritance of their father to pass unto them.
d Num. 36:2.
9 Hebr. giving give them, namely, the inheritance which would have fallen to their father’s share, if he had lived.
8And thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel, saying, If a man die, and have no son, then ye shall cause his inheritance to pass unto his daughter.
9And if he have no daughter, then ye shall give his inheritance unto his brethren.
10And if he have no brethren, then ye shall give his 10inheritance unto his father's brethren.
10 Namely, after the decease of him who has no daughters; and so also in the latter end of the next verse.
11And if his father have no brethren, then ye shall give his inheritance unto his kinsman that is next to him of 11his family, and he shall possess it: and it shall be unto the children of Israel a statute 12of judgment, as the LORD commanded Moses.
11 Namely, of his father, from whom the sons have their name.
12 That is, this shall be the rule in their courts of judgment to decide and determine the same cases.
12¶Ande the LORD said unto Moses, Get thee up into this mount 13Abarim, and see the land which I have given unto the children of Israel.
e Deut. 32:48, 49.
13 The LORD shows him a certain hill of mount Abarim. At this mount it was the one and fortieth (that is, the last, save one) resting place of the children of Israel in their journey towards the promised land, together with mount Nebo, on which Moses died, Deut. 32:49, 50; 34:1, 5.
13And when thou hast seen it, thou also shalt be gathered 14unto thy people, asf Aaron thy brother was gathered.
14 See Gen. 15 on verse 15 and Gen. 25 on verse 8.
f Num. 20:24.
14Forg ye rebelled against my commandment in the desert of 15Zin, in the strife of the congregation, toh16sanctify me at the water before their eyes: that is the water of 17Meribah in Kadesh in the wilderness of Zin.
g Num. 20:12.
15 Hebr. Tsin.
h Num. 20:12.
16 We sanctify God when we perceive aright His holiness and all His Divine virtues and deeds, and speak reverently of them, and by our works cause His Name to be praised and magnified, Lev. 22:2. Also Num. 20:12; Isa. 8:13; 29:23.
17 That is, contention, distinguished by the place from those waters of contention at Rephidim, where they (namely, Moses and Aaron) had not sinned against the LORD through unbelief, Exod. 17:7.
15¶And Moses spake unto the LORD, saying,
16Let the LORD, 18thei God of the spirits of all flesh, set a man over the congregation,
18 That is, He Who has created the souls of all people, and pours forth into the same such gifts of both nature and grace, which are needful to them unto the execution of their calling. See Num. 16 on verse 22.
i Num. 16:22; Heb. 12:9.
17Which may go out 19before them, and which may go in before them, and which may 20lead them out, and which may bring them in; thatj the congregation of the LORD be not as sheep which have no shepherd.
19 That is, such a one as may carefully observe and courageously perform the works of his calling, both at home and abroad, upon all occasions. See Deut. 28:6; 31:2 with the annotation.
20 That is, guide and command the congregation by his authority, prudence and discretion, and faithfully govern and protect them, so that everyone may discharge the duty of his calling, and enjoy both spiritual and temporal bliss and welfare.
j 1 Kings 22:17; Mat. 9:36; Mark 6:34.
18¶And the LORD said unto Moses, Takek thee Joshua the son of Nun, a man inl whom is 21the spirit, and 22lay thine hand upon him;
k Deut. 3:21.
l Deut. 34:9.
21 Such a measure and portion of the Spirit as is needful for him to manage so great a government, namely, the Spirit of the fear of the LORD, of wisdom, of power, of righteousness, of patience, of temperance; which gifts proceed from My Spirit.
22 He was to be consecrated and dedicated unto God by this ceremony to administer faithfully his office and to receive the necessary gifts for it. See of the various use of this ceremony, Gen. 48 on verse 14; Lev. 1 on verse 4; Num. 8 on verse 10.
19And set him before Eleazar the priest, and before all the congregation; and give him a 23charge in their sight.
23 Namely, of what he is to do or to forbear in the administration of his office.
20And thou shalt 24put some of thine 25honour upon him, that all the congregation of the children of Israel 26may be obedient.
24 Compare Num. 11:17 and the annotation there.
25 Understand hereby not only the outward luster of authority and respect, but especially the inward endowment and worthiness of the office.
26 Or, may hear him.
21And he shall stand before Eleazar the priest, who shall ask counsel for him afterm the judgment 27of Urim before the LORD: 28at 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.
m Exod. 28:30; Lev. 8:8.
27 See hereof Exod. 28 on verse 30; Lev. 8 on verse 8. By means hereof God’s counsel was asked extraordinarily in very doubtful and weighty cases. See the annotation on verse 5. But otherwise the rulers were to comply ordinarily with the written Word and the revealed will of God, Deut. 17:19; Joshua 1:7, 8.
28 That is, both he and they shall perform the duties of their calling according to the command and prescript of the LORD. Compare the annotation on verse 17.
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 29he laid his hands upon him, and gave him a charge, as the LORD commanded by 30the hand of Moses.
29 See above on verse 18.
30 Or, by the ministry. Hebr. by the hand.