Numbers 27:1-23
Joshua Will Lead
1Now the daughters of Zelophehad son of Hepher, the son of Gilead, the son of Machir, the son of Manasseh, belonged to the clans of Manasseh son of Joseph. These were the names of his daughters: Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah. They approached
2the entrance to the Tent of Meeting, stood before Moses, Eleazar the priest, the leaders, and the whole congregation, and said,
3“Our father died in the wilderness, but he was not among the followers of Korah who gathered together against the LORD. Instead, he died because of his own sin, and he had no sons.
4Why should the name of our father disappear from his clan because he had no sons? Give us property among our father’s brothers.”
5So Moses brought their case before the LORD,
6and the LORD answered him,
7“The daughters of Zelophehad speak correctly. You certainly must give them property as an inheritance among their father’s brothers and transfer their father’s inheritance to them.
8Furthermore, you shall say to the Israelites, ‘If a man dies and leaves no son, you are to transfer his inheritance to his daughter.
9If he has no daughter, give his inheritance to his brothers.
10If he has no brothers, give his inheritance to his father’s brothers.
11And if his father has no brothers, give his inheritance to the next of kin from his clan, that he may take possession of it. This is to be a statutory ordinance for the Israelites, as the LORD has commanded Moses.’”
12Then the LORD said to Moses, “Go up this mountain of the Abarim range and see the land that I have given the Israelites.
13After you have seen it, you too will be gathered to your people, as your brother Aaron was;
14for when the congregation contended in the Wilderness of Zin, both of you rebelled against My command to show My holiness in their sight regarding the waters.” Those were the waters of Meribah in Kadesh, in the Wilderness of Zin.
15So Moses appealed to the LORD,
16“May the LORD, the God of the spirits of all flesh, appoint a man over the congregation
17who will go out and come in before them, and who will lead them out and bring them in, so that the congregation of the LORD will not be like sheep without a shepherd.”
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.
20Confer on him some of your authority, so that the whole congregation of Israel will obey him.
21He shall stand before Eleazar the priest, who will seek counsel for him before the LORD by the judgment of the Urim. At his command, he and all the Israelites with him—the entire congregation—will go out and come in.”
22Moses did as the LORD had commanded him. He took Joshua, had him stand before Eleazar the priest and the whole congregation,
23and laid his hands on him and commissioned him, as the LORD had instructed through Moses.
Berean Standard Bible
The daughters of Zelophehad—Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah—come before Moses, Eleazar, the leaders, and the whole assembly. Their father died in the wilderness without a son, and they ask why his name should disappear from his clan. They appeal to the inheritance God is preparing, not to personal power.
Moses brings their case before the LORD. God says they are right and establishes a rule that a man's inheritance passes to his daughter when he has no son, then to other close relatives in order. The community's law is clarified because five women spoke clearly about an injustice the existing pattern had not addressed.
The LORD then tells Moses to climb Mount Abarim and see the land because he will not enter it. Moses asks God to appoint a leader who will go out and come in before the people, so the congregation will not be like sheep without a shepherd.
Joshua is appointed before Eleazar and the assembly. Moses lays his hands on him and gives him some of his authority. The transition is public, and the people are not left to guess who will lead after Moses. A leader's greatness is shown partly by preparing others to continue the journey.
Questions
1 What did Zelophehad's daughters ask?
AnswerThey asked why their father's name should disappear and requested the inheritance due to his family.
2 What judgment did the LORD give?
AnswerHe said the daughters were right and established an order of inheritance beginning with daughters when no son existed.
3 What did Moses ask for Israel?
AnswerHe asked God to appoint a leader so the people would not be like sheep without a shepherd.
4 How was Joshua appointed?
AnswerMoses laid hands on Joshua before Eleazar and the assembly and gave him some of his authority.
What This Means for Us
The ruling shows law responding to a real case rather than protecting an unfair silence. The women are heard, the LORD confirms their claim, and the community learns a better way to preserve family inheritance.
Make room for people whose loss has exposed a gap in your household's rules. Also prepare successors before a transition becomes a crisis; leadership is stewardship when it equips others to serve.
Prayer
God of justice, help us hear people whose needs have been overlooked. Give leaders humility to seek Your wisdom, and make us faithful to prepare those who will carry responsibility after us. Amen.