1 Then the daughters of Zelophehad, the son of Hepher, the son of Gilead, the son of Machir, the son of Manasseh, of the families of Manasseh the son of Joseph came near. These are the names of his daughters: Mahlah, Noah, and Hoglah, and Milcah, and Tirzah. 2 They stood before Moses, and before Eleazar the priest, and before the princes and all the congregation, at the door of the Tent of Meeting, saying, 3 “Our father died in the backcountry. He was not among the company of those who gathered themselves together against Yehovah in the company of Korah, but he died in his own sin. He had no sons. 4 Why should the name of our father be taken away from among his family, because he had no son? Give to us a possession among the brothers of our father.”
5 Moses brought their cause before Yehovah. 6 Yehovah spoke to Moses, saying, 7 “The daughters of Zelophehad speak right. You shall surely give them a possession of an inheritance among their father’s brothers. You shall cause the inheritance of their father to pass to them. 8 You shall speak to the children of Israel, saying, ‘If a man dies, and has no son, then you shall cause his inheritance to pass to his daughter. 9 If he has no daughter, then you shall give his inheritance to his brothers. 10 If he has no brothers, then you shall give his inheritance to his father’s brothers. 11 If his father has no brothers, then you shall give his inheritance to his kinsman who is next to him of his family, and he shall possess it. This shall be an edict of judgment for the children of Israel, as Yehovah commanded Moses.’”
12 Yehovah said to Moses, “Go up into this mountain of Abarim, and see the land which I have given to the children of Israel. 13 When you have seen it, you also shall be gathered to your people, as Aaron your brother was gathered; 14 because in the strife of the congregation, you rebelled against my word in the backcountry of Zin, to honor me as holy at the waters before their eyes.” (These are the waters of Meribah of Kadesh in the backcountry of Zin.)
15 Moses spoke to Yehovah, saying, 16 “Let Yehovah, the God of the spirits of all flesh, appoint a man over the congregation, 17 who may go out before them, and who may come in before them, and who may lead them out, and who may bring them in; that the congregation of Yehovah may not be as sheep which have no shepherd.”
18 Yehovah said to Moses, “Take Joshua the son of Nun, a man in whom is the spirit, and lay your hand on him. 19 Set him before Eleazar the priest, and before all the congregation; and commission him in their sight. 20 You shall give authority to him, that all the congregation of the children of Israel may obey. 21 He shall stand before Eleazar the priest, who shall inquire for him by the judgment of the Urim before Yehovah. At his word they shall go out, and at his word they shall come in, both he, and all the children of Israel with him, even all the congregation.”
22 Moses did as Yehovah commanded him. He took Joshua, and set him before Eleazar the priest, and before all the congregation. 23 He laid his hands on him, and commissioned him, as Yehovah spoke by Moses.