The daughters of Zelophehad get their father's land
1The daughters of Zelophehad were descendants of Manasseh. Zelophehad was the son of Hepher, son of Gilead, son of Makir, son of Manasseh, son of Joseph. The names of the daughters were Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milkah and Tirzah. They came 2to the entrance of the tent of the Lord and they stood in front of Moses and the priest Eleazar, the leaders and the people and they said: 3‘Our father died in this desert, but he was not one of the group who rebelled_against the Lord with Korah. He died because he did something else. He did not have sons who could get his land. 4Why must our father's name disappear from his family? Please give us land among our father's brothers.’
5Moses asked the Lord if the daughters were right 6and the Lord said to him:
7‘What the daughters of Zelophehad have said is right. You must give each of them her own land among their father's brothers. You must give them the land that you would have given to their father.
8And you must tell the Israelites: “If a man dies and he does not have a son, then you must give his land to his daughters. 9If he does not have a daughter, then you must give his land to his brothers. 10If he has no brothers, then you must give it to his father's brothers. 11And if his father had no brothers, you must give his land to the person who is his closest relative.” ’ This is a law that the Lord gave Moses.
Joshua becomes leader of the Israelites
12The Lord said to Moses: ‘You must climb up the Abarim Mountains and look at the land that I gave the Israelites. 13After you have looked at the land, you will die like your brother Aaron died 14because you made Me angry near the town of Kadesh, in the Zin Desert. When the people accused Me at the water of Meribah, you did not honour Me and show the people that I am the holy God.’
15Moses said to the Lord: 16‘Lord God, You are the One who gives life to everyone and who knows what people are thinking. You must choose someone to be the leader of your people, 17someone who will lead the people so that the people of God will not be like sheep and goats without a shepherd.’
18The Lord said to Moses: ‘You must take Joshua, son of Nun, and put your hands on him. My Spirit will lead him. 19Make him stand in front of the priest Eleazar and the people, and tell him what he must do. They must all listen to what you say. 20You must tell the Israelites to listen to Joshua as they have listened to you. 21And when Joshua wants to know if he must do something or not, he must tell the priest Eleazar to ask Me with the urim what he must do. Joshua and all the Israelite people must always do what the Lord says.’
22Moses did what the Lord said. He told Joshua to stand in front of the priest Eleazar and all the people. 23Moses put his hands on Joshua and told him what to do. Moses did what the Lord told him to do.
