The chapter begins with the daughters of Zelophehad petitioning Moses for an inheritance, as their father died without sons. The Lord affirms their request, establishing a new law of inheritance allowing daughters to inherit in the absence of male heirs. Subsequently, the Lord informs Moses of his impending death and commands him to appoint Joshua as his successor, publicly transferring authority to him before the congregation and Eleazar.
¶ Then came 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: and these are the names of his daughters; Mahlah, Noah, and Hoglah, and Milcah, and Tirzah.
And they stood before Moses, and before Eleazar the priest, and before the princes and all the congregation, by the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, saying,
Our father died in the wilderness, and he was not in the company of them that gathered themselves together against the LORD in the company of Korah; but died in his own sin, and had no sons.
Why should the name of our father be done away from among his family, because he hath no son? Give unto us therefore a possession among the brethren of our father.
The daughters of Zelophehad speak right: thou shalt surely give them a possession of an inheritance among their father's brethren; and thou shalt cause the inheritance of their father to pass unto them.
And thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel, saying, If a man die, and have no son, then ye shall cause his inheritance to pass unto his daughter.
And if his father have no brethren, then ye shall give his inheritance unto his kinsman that is next to him of his family, and he shall possess it: and it shall be unto the children of Israel a statute of judgment, as the LORD commanded Moses.
For ye rebelled against my commandment in the desert of Zin, in the strife of the congregation, to sanctify me at the water before their eyes: that is the water of Meribah in Kadesh in the wilderness of Zin.
Which may go out before them, and which may go in before them, and which may lead them out, and which may bring them in; that the congregation of the LORD be not as sheep which have no shepherd.
And he shall stand before Eleazar the priest, who shall ask counsel for him after the judgment of Urim before the LORD: at his word shall they go out, and at his word they shall come in, both he, and all the children of Israel with him, even all the congregation.
And he laid his hands upon him, and gave him a charge, as the LORD commanded by the hand of Moses.
Study Notes for Numbers 27
Verse 1
These five sisters are named because their case establishes a crucial legal precedent regarding inheritance and property rights within the Israelite system.
Verse 3
They carefully distinguish their father’s death (due to natural causes or general wilderness mortality, 'his own sin') from the crimes of the rebels (like Korah), thereby affirming his eligibility for an inheritance in the Promised Land.
Verse 4
In ancient Israel, inheritance was tied to the preservation of the family name and tribal land allotment. If the name died out, the land would eventually pass to another clan, undermining the system of permanent tribal holdings.
Verse 5
Since the existing law did not cover this contingency, Moses acts as an intermediary judge, bringing the difficult case directly before the Lord for divine clarification and legal precedent.
Verse 7
God affirms their request, establishing a groundbreaking law that protected the rights of women to inherit property when no male heir existed, ensuring the continuity of the family line and the land allotment.
Verse 8
Verses 8–11 codify the new law of succession, creating a systematic hierarchy for inheritance (daughter, then brother, then uncle, then nearest kinsman) to keep property within the immediate family and tribe.
Verse 12
Mount Abarim is a mountain range in Moab, likely including Mount Nebo (Deut 34:1), from which Moses would get his final, restricted view of the Promised Land.
Verse 14
This refers to the incident at Meribah (Num 20:10-13) where Moses struck the rock instead of speaking to it, failing to properly sanctify God before the people and incurring the penalty of not entering Canaan.
Verse 16
Moses demonstrates selfless leadership by immediately prioritizing the welfare of the people over his own impending death. The title 'God of the spirits of all flesh' affirms God’s sovereignty over human life and destiny.
Verse 17
The imagery of ‘sheep which have no shepherd’ emphasizes the vital need for divinely sanctioned leadership to guide the challenging conquest and settlement of the Promised Land.
Verse 18
Joshua is chosen because he is a man 'in whom is the spirit' (Ruach), indicating divine empowerment, wisdom, and fitness for leadership, building on his previous faithfulness as Moses' servant.
Verse 20
To 'put some of thine honour' (Heb. *hod*) upon Joshua signifies the public and ceremonial transfer of Moses' authority and majesty, ensuring the congregation would respect and obey their new leader.
Verse 21
Joshua’s leadership is restricted; he must consult Eleazar, who uses the Urim (objects used for divine counsel via the High Priest’s breastplate). This makes the military and political leadership subordinate to God’s direct command.
Verse 23
The laying on of hands formalized the commissioning, transferring authority, and conferring blessing upon Joshua in the sight of the entire community, confirming him as the divinely chosen successor.
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The Calling of Disciples
19And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.
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