1 Then came the daughters of Zelophehad, the sonne of Hepher, the sonne of Gilead, the sonne of Machir, the sonne of Manasseh, of the familie of Manasseh, the sonne of Ioseph (and the names of his daughters were these, Mahlah, Noah and Hoglah, and Milcah, and Tirzah) 2 And stoode before Moses, and before Eleazar the Priest, and before the Princes, and all the assemblie, at the doore of the Tabernacle of the Congregation, saying, 3 Our father dyed in the wildernes, and he was not among the assemblie of them that were assembled against the Lord in the companie of Korah, but died in his sinne, and had no sonnes. 4 Wherefore should the name of our father be taken away from among his familie, because he hath no sonne? giue vs a possession among the brethren of our father. 5 Then Moses brought their cause before the Lord. 6 And the Lord spake vnto Moses, saying, 7 The daughters of Zelophehad speake right: thou shalt giue them a possession to inherite among their fathers brethren, and shalt turne the inheritance of their father vnto them. 8 Also thou shalt speake vnto the children of Israel, saying, If a man die and haue no sonne, then ye shall turne his inheritaunce vnto his daughter. 9 And if he haue no daughter, ye shall giue his inheritance vnto his brethren. 10 And if he haue no brethren, ye shall giue his inheritance vnto his fathers brethren. 11 And if his father haue no brethren, ye shall giue his inheritance vnto his next kinsman of his familie, and he shall possesse it: and this shall be vnto the children of Israel a law of iudgement, as the Lord hath commanded Moses. 12 Againe the Lord said vnto Moses, Go vp into this mount of Abarim, and behold ye lande which I haue giuen vnto the children of Israel. 13 And when thou hast seene it, thou shalt be gathered vnto thy people also, as Aaron thy brother was gathered. 14 For ye were disobedient vnto my worde in the desert of Zin, in the strife of the assemblie, to sanctifie me in the waters before their eyes. That is the water of Meribah in Kadesh in the wildernesse of Zin. 15 Then Moses spake vnto the Lord, saying, 16 Let the Lord God of the spirits of all flesh appoint a man ouer the Congregation, 17 Who may goe out and in before them, and leade them out and in, that the Congregation of the Lord be not as sheepe, which haue not a shepheard. 18 And the Lord said vnto Moses, Take thee Ioshua the sonne of Nun, in whom is the Spirite, and put thine handes vpon him, 19 And set him before Eleazar the Priest, and before all the Congregation, and giue him a charge in their sight. 20 And giue him of thy glory, that all the Congregation of ye children of Israel may obey. 21 And he shall stande before Eleazar the Priest, who shall aske counsell for him by the iudgement of Vrim before the Lord: at his worde they shall goe out, and at his worde they shall come in, both he, and all the children of Israel with him and all the Congregation. 22 So Moses did as the Lord had commanded him, and he tooke Ioshua, and set him before Eleazar the Priest, and before all the Congregation. 23 Then he put his handes vpon him, and gaue him a charge, as the Lord had spoken by the hand of Moses.
The Daughters of Zelophehad
1 Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah were the daughters of Zelophehad son of Hepher, son of Gilead, son of Machir, son of Manasseh, son of Joseph. 2 They went and stood before Moses, Eleazar the priest, the leaders, and the whole community at the entrance of the Tent of the Lord's presence and said, 3 “Our father died in the wilderness without leaving any sons. He was not among the followers of Korah, who rebelled against the Lord; he died because of his own sin. 4 Just because he had no sons, why should our father's name disappear from Israel? Give us property among our father's relatives.”
5 Moses presented their case to the Lord, 6 and the Lord said to him, 7 “What the daughters of Zelophehad request is right; give them property among their father's relatives. Let his inheritance pass on to them. 8 Tell the people of Israel that whenever a man dies without leaving a son, his daughter is to inherit his property. 9 If he has no daughter, his brothers are to inherit it. 10 If he has no brothers, his father's brothers are to inherit it. 11 If he has no brothers or uncles, then his nearest relative is to inherit it and hold it as his own property. The people of Israel are to observe this as a legal requirement, just as I, the Lord, have commanded you.”
Joshua Is Chosen as Successor to Moses
(Deuteronomy 31.1-8)12 The Lord said to Moses, “Go up the Abarim Mountains and look out over the land that I am giving to the Israelites. 13 After you have seen it, you will die, as your brother Aaron did, 14 because both of you rebelled against my command in the wilderness of Zin. When the whole community complained against me at Meribah, you refused to acknowledge my holy power before them.” (Meribah is the spring at Kadesh in the wilderness of Zin.)
15 Moses prayed, 16 “Lord God, source of all life, appoint, I pray, a man who can lead the people 17 and can command them in battle, so that your community will not be like sheep without a shepherd.”
18 The Lord said to Moses, “Take Joshua son of Nun, a capable man, and place your hands on his head. 19 Have him stand in front of Eleazar the priest and the whole community, and there before them all proclaim him as your successor. 20 Give him some of your own authority, so that the whole community of Israel will obey him. 21 He will depend on Eleazar the priest, who will learn my will by using the Urim and Thummim. In this way Eleazar will direct Joshua and the whole community of Israel in all their affairs.” 22 Moses did as the Lord had commanded him. He had Joshua stand before Eleazar the priest and the whole community. 23 As the Lord had commanded, Moses put his hands on Joshua's head and proclaimed him as his successor.