Zelophehad’s Daughters
1The daughters of Zelophehad son of Hepher, the son of Gilead, the son of Makir, the son of Manasseh, belonged to the clans of Manasseh son of Joseph. The names of the daughters were Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milkah and Tirzah. They came forward 2and stood before Moses, Eleazar the priest, the leaders and the whole assembly at the entrance to the tent of meeting and said, 3“Our father died in the wilderness. He was not among Korah’s followers, who banded together against the Lord, but he died for his own sin and left no sons. 4Why should our father’s name disappear from his clan because he had no son? Give us property among our father’s relatives.”
5So Moses brought their case before the Lord, 6and the Lord said to him, 7“What Zelophehad’s daughters are saying is right. You must certainly give them property as an inheritance among their father’s relatives and give their father’s inheritance to them.
8“Say to the Israelites, ‘If a man dies and leaves no son, give 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. 11If his father had no brothers, give his inheritance to the nearest relative in his clan, that he may possess it. This is to have the force of law for the Israelites, as the Lord commanded Moses.’ ”
Joshua to Succeed Moses
12Then the Lord said to Moses, “Go up this mountain in the Abarim Range and see the land 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 community rebelled at the waters in the Desert of Zin, both of you disobeyed my command to honor me as holy before their eyes.” (These were the waters of Meribah Kadesh, in the Desert of Zin.)
15Moses said to the Lord, 16“May the Lord, the God who gives breath to all living things, appoint someone over this community 17to go out and come in before them, one who will lead them out and bring them in, so the Lord’s people will not be like sheep without a shepherd.”
18So the Lord said to Moses, “Take Joshua son of Nun, a man in whom is the spirit of leadership,27:18 Or the Spirit and lay your hand on him. 19Have him stand before Eleazar the priest and the entire assembly and commission him in their presence. 20Give him some of your authority so the whole Israelite community will obey him. 21He is to stand before Eleazar the priest, who will obtain decisions for him by inquiring of the Urim before the Lord. At his command he and the entire community of the Israelites will go out, and at his command they will come in.”
22Moses did as the Lord commanded him. He took Joshua and had him stand before Eleazar the priest and the whole assembly. 23Then he laid his hands on him and commissioned him, as the Lord instructed through Moses.
1-2En dag, hvor israelitterne og deres ledere var forsamlet ved åbenbaringsteltets indgang, kom Zelofhads døtre med en forespørgsel til Moses, Eleazar, og stammelederne. Disse fem søstre hed Mala, Noa, Hogla, Milka og Tirtza, og de hørte til Manasses, Josefs søns, stamme. Deres far, Zelofhad, var fra heferitternes slægt. Hefer var søn af Gilead, som var søn af Makir, en af Manasses sønner.
3„Vores far døde i ørkenen,” sagde de, „men han var ikke iblandt dem, der sammen med Kora gjorde oprør imod Herren. Han døde en naturlig død, men uden at efterlade sig nogen sønner. 4Kan det være rigtigt, at vores fars navn skal gå i glemmebogen, bare fordi han ikke opnåede at få nogen sønner? Bør vi døtre ikke få tildelt et jordstykke på lige fod med vores fars brødre?”
5Moses gik til Herren for at få klarhed i denne sag, 6og Herren sagde til ham:
7„Zelofhads døtre har ret. De bør få tildelt jord på lige fod med deres farbrødre. Giv dem det jordstykke, deres far ville have fået, hvis han stadig havde været i live. 8Sig til israelitterne: Hvis en mand dør uden at efterlade sig nogen sønner, skal hans døtre overtage faderens jord. 9Hvis han slet ingen børn har, tilfalder jorden hans brødre. 10Hvis han ikke har nogen brødre, tilfalder jorden hans farbrødre, 11og hvis han heller ikke har nogen farbrødre, skal den overdrages til nærmeste slægtning.”
Josva indsættes som folkets leder efter Moses
12En dag sagde Herren til Moses: „Gå op på Abarimbjerget og se over på den anden side af Jordanfloden ind i det land, jeg har lovet at give til Israels folk. 13Efter at du har set ind i landet, er tiden kommet til, at du skal dø, ligesom Aron allerede er død. 14I var jo ulydige imod mig i Zins ørken, dengang folket gjorde oprør. I skaffede folket vand, men gav ikke mig æren for det.” Hermed refererede Herren til episoden ved Meriba i Kadesh i Zins ørken.
15Da sagde Moses til Herren: 16„Herre, du som er livets ophav, jeg beder dig om først at udvælge en ny leder for folket, 17en mand, som kan være deres anfører i krigene og gå foran dem, hvor de end drager hen, så dit folk ikke skal være som en flok får uden hyrde.”
18-20Herren svarede: „Gå hen og hent Josva, Nuns søn. Han er en mand af den rette støbning. Ham skal du tage med hen til præsten Eleazar, og i folkets påsyn skal du lægge hænderne på ham og dermed indsætte ham som leder for dem, så de herefter skal adlyde ham. 21Han skal søge råd hos præsten Eleazar, og Eleazar skal ved hjælp af Urim rådspørge mig. Så vil jeg give Eleazar svar, hvorefter han skal give svaret videre til Josva. På den måde vil jeg lede dem.”
22Moses adlød Herren og førte Josva til præsten Eleazar, og i folkets påsyn 23lagde Moses sine hænder på ham og indviede ham til den ledertjeneste, som Herren havde udvalgt ham til.
