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 honour 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 that 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. 19Make him stand before Eleazar the priest and the entire assembly and commission him in their presence. 20Give him some of your authority so that the whole Israelite community will obey him. 21He is to stand before Eleazar the priest, who will obtain decisions for him by enquiring 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 made 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.
女儿的继承权
1西罗非哈是约瑟之子玛拿西的玄孙、玛吉的曾孙、基列的孙子、希弗的儿子。他的女儿是玛拉、挪阿、曷拉、密迦和得撒。她们前来， 2站在会幕门口对摩西、以利亚撒祭司、众首领和全体会众说： 3“我们的父亲死在旷野，他并没有跟可拉一伙一起反叛耶和华，而是因自己的罪而死，没有留下儿子。 4难道因为他没有儿子，他的名字就要从族中消失吗？请让我们在父亲的家族中分一份产业吧。” 5摩西就把她们的请求呈到耶和华面前。 6耶和华对摩西说： 7“西罗非哈的女儿说得有理。你要从她们父亲的家族中分一份产业给她们，让她们继承父亲的产业。 8你要告诉以色列人，‘人死后如果没有儿子，就由女儿继承产业； 9如果没有女儿，就由其兄弟继承； 10如果没有兄弟，就由其父的兄弟继承； 11如果其父没有兄弟，就由其族中最近的亲属继承。’”这是耶和华吩咐摩西颁布给以色列人的律例。
约书亚接替摩西做首领
12耶和华对摩西说：“你上亚巴琳山去眺望我赐给以色列人的土地。 13看了以后，你就要像你哥哥亚伦一样去祖先那里了。 14因为会众在荀旷野反叛我的时候，你们二人没有按照我的指示取水，没有在他们面前尊我为圣。”耶和华指的是米利巴泉事件，发生在荀旷野的加低斯。 15摩西对耶和华说： 16“耶和华啊，你是赐人生命的上帝，求你立一个人做会众的首领， 17带领他们或进或退，免得你的会众像没有牧人的羊群。” 18耶和华对摩西说：“嫩的儿子约书亚心里有圣灵，你把他召来，按手在他身上， 19让他站在以利亚撒祭司和全体会众面前，当着他们的面任命他做首领， 20把你的权柄赐给他，使以色列全体会众都听从他。 21遇到事情，他要去以利亚撒祭司那里，让祭司借着乌陵为他求问我。他和全体会众或进或出都要听从以利亚撒的指示。” 22摩西遵命而行，把约书亚召来，让他站在以利亚撒祭司和全体会众面前， 23然后照耶和华的吩咐按手在他的头上，任命他做首领。
