CONTEXT
PART
7A: Records & Laws
Ch.26:
[Records] The Second Census
•
on the Plains of Moab before
entering the Land
Ch.27:
[Law] All about Succession -
Zelophehad's Daughters
•
deprived daughters, new
laws and Moses' successor
Ch.28:
[Law] The Calendar of Remembrance Established
•
the daily, monthly and special
annual offerings
Ch.29:
[Law] Three Special Times
•
Trumpets, Atonement, Tabernacles
Ch.
30:
[Law]
Vows
•
dealing with different sorts
of vows
|
FRAMEWORKS:
Numbers 27: All about Succession
v.1-4
Zelophehad's Daughters petition Moses
v.5-11
The Lord lays down new decrees of Succession
v.12-14
The Lord warns Moses his time has come
v.15-17
Moses asks the Lord to appoint a successor to him
v.18-23
The Lord directs Joshua to lead Israel next
v.1-4
Zelophehad's Daughters petition Moses
v.1
The
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
v.2
and
stood before Moses, Eleazar the priest, the leaders and the whole
assembly at the entrance to the tent of meeting and said,
v.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.
v.4
Why
should our father's name disappear from his clan because he had
no son? Give us property among our father's relatives.”
[Notes:
These five women, belonging to the tribe of Manasseh,
who had presumably been under the age of twenty at the Kadesh
judgment, have lost their father who had been over twenty then
and has now died in the wilderness, and now make a plea to the
leadership that they should not lose out because they have no
father OR brothers.]
v.5-11
The Lord lays down new decrees of Succession
v.5
So
Moses brought their case before the Lord ,
v.6
and
the Lord said to him,
v.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.
v.8
“Say
to the Israelites, ‘If a man dies and leaves no son, give his
inheritance to his daughter.
v.9
If
he has no daughter, give his inheritance to his brothers.
v.10
If
he has no brothers, give his inheritance to his father's brothers.
v.11
If
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.'”
[Notes:
When Moses takes this to the Lord, the Lord confirms
the need and establishes a new law of succession so that daughters
can inherit land in the absence of males left in the family.]
v.12-14
The Lord warns Moses his time has come
v.12
Then
the Lord said to Moses, “Go up this mountain in the Abarim Range
and see the land I have given the Israelites.
v.13
After
you have seen it, you too will be gathered to your people, as
your brother Aaron was,
v.14
for
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.)
[Notes:
The time has come, the Lord tells Moses, so leave the
people and go into the mountains. There you will die as previously
stated.]
v.15-17
Moses asks the Lord to appoint a successor to him
v.15
Moses
said to the Lord ,
v.16
“May
the Lord, the God who gives breath to all living things, appoint
someone over this community
v.17
to
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.”
[Notes:
As a good leader, Moses asks that a successor be appointed
by the Lord.]
v.18-23
The Lord directs Joshua to lead Israel next
v.18
So
the Lord said to Moses, “Take Joshua son of Nun,
a man in whom is the spirit of leadership, and lay your hand on
him.
v.19
Have
him stand before Eleazar the priest and the entire assembly and
commission him in their presence.
v.20
Give
him some of your authority so the whole Israelite community will
obey him.
v.21
He
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.”
v.22
Moses
did as the Lord commanded him. He took Joshua and had him stand
before Eleazar the priest and the whole assembly.
v.23Then
he laid his hands on him and commissioned him, as the Lord instructed
through Moses.
[Notes:
The Lord instructs that Joshua, now one of the two oldest
who will be left when Moses goes, and who has been with Moses
so much of the time at the Tabernacle, is to take over the leadership.
This they do.]