Numbers 27
OGCNumbers 27:1-11
**G. THE PLEA OF ZELOPHEHAD’S DAUGHTERS, AND GOD’S ANSWER (Numbers 27:1-11)
TEXT**
Numbers 27:1. Then 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. 2. And 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, 3. Our 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. 4. Why should the name of our father be done away from among his family, because he hath no son? Give unto us therefore a possession among the brethren of our father. 5. And Moses brought their cause before the Lord.
- And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, 7. The daughters of Zelophehad speak right: thou shalt surely 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. 8. And 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. 9. And if he have no daughter, then ye shall give his inheritance unto his brethren. 10. And if he have no brethren, then ye shall give his inheritance unto his father’s brethren. 11. And if his father have no brethren, then ye shall give his inheritance unto his kinsman that is next to him of his family, and he shall possess it: and it shall be unto the children of Israel a statute of judgment, as the Lord commanded Moses.
PARAPHRASE
Numbers 27:1. Then 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 the daughters: Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah and Tirzah. 2. And they stood before Moses and Eleazar the priest, and before the leaders and all the assembly, at the doorway of the Tent of Meeting, saying, 3. Our father died in the wilderness, although he was not in the company of those who gathered themselves together against the Lord in the company of Korah; but he died in his own sin, and had no sons. 4. Why should the name of our father be lost to his family because he had no son? Give us a possession among the brothers of our father. 5. And Moses brought their case before the Lord.
- Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 7. The daughters of Zelophehad speak properly. You shall surely give them a possession as an inheritance among the brothers of their father, and you shall transfer their father’s inheritance to them. 8. Also, you shall speak to the children of Israel and say, -If a man dies having no son, then you shall transfer his inheritance to his daughter. 9. -And if he has no daughter, then you shall give his inheritance to his brothers. 10. And if he has no brothers, then you shall give his inheritance to his father’s brothers. 11. -And if his father has no brothers, then you shall give his inheritance to his nearest relative in his own family, and he shall possess it; and it shall be a law of judgment to the children of Israel, just as the Lord commanded Moses.-'
COMMENTARY
A very real problem presents itself in the situation before us. Zelophehad died without male issue, which would have ended the chain of inheritance to his family. What should be done? Ought the situation end here, and the land be divided otherwise among near relatives? Was there some method by which the family name and inheritance could be preserved? Only God could give an adequate answer, so He is consulted via Moses. The five daughters of Zelophehad petition to have the land given them rather than have it lost to the family, and God honors their request. In other nations in the ancient world, women seldom had any rights of inheritance: but it would not be so among God’s people, if there were no male heir. Presumably, the women married and, upon so doing, they lost their original family identity; their children inherited from the father’s household. But in this instance, with no brothers to preserve their father’s name and estate, the daughters accept both the inheritance and the responsibilities which accompany the inheritance; clearly, the first-born son of the oldest will establish the primary line of lineage. The law would secure the ancient principle: land is not to be permanently given up by that family to which it has been allocated. Would the decision have been different if Zelophehad had been involved in the extraordinary sins and rebellious conduct for which severe punishment had been meted out? We have only inferences to draw from silence, but the fact is that there is no record of an inheritance which was ever denied to the child of a rebellious father on this basis alone. God’s judgment upon the offending Israelites had already been pronounced and exacted: they would die outside of the Promised Land. The situation and decision anticipate the immediate future, when Israel will actually occupy the land toward which they have been led.
QUESTIONS AND RESEARCH ITEMS
Why should there have been any question whether or not Zelophehad’s daughters might inherit their father’s land?
Is it important that Zelophehad had not been among those who had rebelled against the Lord?
Show what the consequences would have been if the inheritance had not been passed through the daughters.
In what manner was Zelophehad’s name to have been preserved?
Why is it relevant to settle this question even before the Israelites had entered into the land of Canaan?
Can you think of any nation or circumstances where the details of inheritance resemble those given in God’s instructions to Moses?
Numbers 27:12-14
H. MOSES TO VIEW THE LAND OF PROMISE vv. 12-14 TEXT
Numbers 27:12. The Lord said to Moses, Get thee up into this mount Abarim, and see the land which I have given unto the children of Israel. 13. And when thou hast seen it, thou also shalt be gathered unto thy people, as Aaron thy brother was gathered. 14. For ye 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.
PARAPHRASE
Numbers 27:12. Then the Lord said to Moses, Go up to this mountain Abarim, and see the land which I have given unto the children of Israel. 13. And when you have seen it, you shall also be gathered unto your people, as Aaron your brother was; 14. for you rebelled against my commandment in the desert of Zin, in the strife of the assembly, to sanctify me at the water before their eyes: that is, the waters of Meribah in Kadesh, in the wildernss of Zin.
COMMENTARY
The Abarim, those on the other side, are mountains east of the Jordan near the northern tip of the Dead Sea. Moses was led here for the purpose of examining the land into which the people, but not he, would enter. The peak from which Moses looked is referred to as Pisgah or Nebo (Numbers 21:20, and Deuteronomy 34:1 ff.). From any of several such peaks in the areaand the exact identification of the individual peak is impossiblea commanding view may be had of the Jordan valley to the north, of the depression and environment of the Dead Sea to the south, and across the Jordan into the Judean hills.
Because of his part in the sin at Kadesh (here called a rebellion), Moses will not be permitted to cross the Jordan. He had been previously informed of this judgment (Numbers 20:12); it is here reaffirmed. God’s authority and integrity must stand, therefore the punishment could not have been rescinded. Whereas we might wish some concession to have been made to Moses because of his greatness, or his usually adamant resistance to evil and to the enemies of God, or his splendid and heartwarming intercessory prayers for the people, the view is quite different from God’s perspective: as leader of the people he had a primary obligation to adhere rigidly to the divine instructions under all circumstances, and punishment must be sure, fair and consistent upon the occasion of his disobedience. God could do nothing other than that which He did and be fair.
QUESTIONS AND RESEARCH ITEMS
Identify Abarim. Why was this an ideal point from which Moses could view the Promised Land?
In what sense could Moses-’ actions at Meribah be called a rebellion?
Explain why God did not revoke the punishment He had previously announced for Moses.
Is it fair that a special weight should be attached to the sin of Moses?
Numbers 27:15-23
I. JOSHUA APPOINTED TO SUCCEED MOSES vv. 15-23 TEXT
Numbers 27:15. And Moses spoke unto the Lord, saying, Let the Lord, the God of the spirits of all flesh, set a man over the congregation, 17. Which 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.
- 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; 19. And set him before Eleazar the priest, and before all the congregation; and give him a charge in their sight. 20. And thou shalt put some of thine honor upon him, that all the congregation of the children of Israel may be obedient. 21. And 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. 22. And Moses did as the Lord commanded him: and he took Joshua, and set him before Eleazar the priest, and before all the congregation: 23. And he laid his hands upon him, and gave him a charge, as the Lord commanded by the hand of Moses.
PARAPHRASE
Numbers 27:15. Then Moses spoke to the Lord, saying, 16. May the Lord, the God of the spirits of all flesh, set a man over the congregation, 17. who may go out before them and who may come in before them, and who may lead them out, and who may bring them in; in this way the congregation of the Lord will not be as sheep which have no shepherd.
- So the Lord said to Moses, Take Joshua, the son of Nun, a man in whom is the Spirit, and lay your hand upon him; 19. and have him stand before Eleazar the priest, and before all the congregation; and charge him in their sight. 20. And you shall invest him with some of your authority, so that all the congregation of Israel may be obedient unto him. 21. Furthermore, he shall stand before Eleazar the priest, who shall seek counsel for him according to the judgment of Urim before the Lord. Upon his word they shall go out, and upon his word they shall come in, both he and all the children of Israel with him, even all the congregation. 22. And Moses did as the Lord commanded him. He took Joshua, and set him before Eleazar the priest, and before all the assembly. 23. Then he placed his hands upon him and gave him the charge, as the Lord commanded through Moses.
COMMENTARY
In what we must consider a typical action, Moses shows more concern for the children of Israel than for his own welfare. He knows that his time on earth is very limited, and that he cannot lead his people across the Jordan. He knows also that they must not be left without competent leadership; so, without so much as a word to gainsay the verdict of God, he makes the simple request that a man be appointed by God as his successor. This is no small request. Moses has established such an imposing image of capable leadership that any man must suffer by comparison. It is also in Moses-’ favor that he does not ask for the privilege of naming this man, or that he does not claim, the position for his descendants by right of birth alone. God only can capably fill the position, and Moses will not interfere; it is a lesson God had to teach Samuel by direct revelation (see 1 Samuel 16:6 ff.). The next leader of Israel must handle the rigorous demands of daily business; he must be a military man to lead in driving out the Canaanites; he must be a man of great spiritual depth and intensity to stabilize a fickle people; he must be a patient man to endure their gainsaying and criticism; he must be a respectable man whose word they can believe and follow; he must be a man of moral integrity to set a proper example and to administer justice to those whose lives would seriously defy the righteous standards of God; he must be a meek man whose head will not be turned by the honor given him in his position; he must be courageous to resist the taunts and opposition of the enemy, as well as the indifference and grumbling of his own people. In short, he must be a man very much like Moses himself. Moses certainly would not have said it, but the circumstances and the facts require it.
God does not hesitate in rendering His decision: the man is Joshua. The son of Nun was a man filled with God’s own Spirit (Numbers 27:18), who had proved himself again and again under a variety of extreme circumstances. The choice is logical, and fully justified by history. Caleb, who might also have been considered for the position, is much less well known to us through the pages of Scripture, which may indicate lesser ability in some area, or lesser strength of character. But the choice cannot be criticized.
The laying on of hands in Scripture indicates the transfer of power inherent in an office being assumed. For his special work, Joshua will need a special dispensation of God’s grace. While Moses could not and did not transfer all of his traits or powers to Joshua, he is to command the respect and obedience of the people as Moses had. The ceremony doubtless was done publicly to let everyone know of the transfer. An essential difference between Moses and Joshua emerges when Joshua is told to stand before Eleazar in order to seek counsel in his work. Moses was of the priestly line himself, and stood above all priests, not excluding Aaron himself. Joshua’s leadership is civil and military, and he is under the religious heads of the nation just as any other individual was. Joshua was not a lawgiver: he was under the Law and its primary executives, the priests.
In serious national matters Eleazar himself was obligated to approach the Lord in behalf of Joshua via the Urim. While there is much we do not know of the Urim and the companion Thummim, they were uniquely worn and used by the high priest to determine the counsel of Jehovah for His people in matters of grave nature. These lights and perfections were stones of various kinds, set in the breastplate when the high priest entered into the divine Presence for the specific purpose of gaining God’s decision when it was required, (see Exodus 28:30; Leviticus 8:8).
QUESTIONS AND RESEARCH ITEMS
Show how Moses-’ conduct at this time reflects his great stature of spirit.
Why should the place of leadership of the people not be left to ancestral descent? to the choice of the people? to Moses himself?
List the singular qualifications which Joshua possessed for the office to which God chose him.
What special duties would fall to Moses-’ successor? With what we have already learned of Joshua, which of these duties seem appropriate to him?
What significance is attached to the laying on of hands here?
Why was this done publicly?
Is there significance in asking Joshua to come before Eleazar? Explain your answer.
Explain the Urim and Thummim. How do they relate to Joshua?