Numbers 27

Verses 1-5

1. “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.
2. 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,
3. 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.
4. 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.
5. And Moses brought their cause before the LORD.”

The inheritance rules were now questioned. Normally, the direct children of a man are his immediate heirs; usually, but not always, the eldest son received all that his father possessed. This is why the Jews are very specific about their ancestry, and why Moses upheld the system of inheritance. But, now and then, queries arose, and Moses had to find the right solution… a solution he always sought from Jehovah and not from his own finite mind. The living descendants of Joseph, through Manasseh, had a problem and went to see Moses. Their earthly father, Zelophehad (‘first born’), died in the wilderness without having a male heir. The people emphasised that their father was not a rebel as was Korah, and that he died without male heirs, but had five daughters.

(Note: Noah, ‘motion’, in this context is a proper feminine noun. The name ‘Noah’, ‘rest’, in the Flood account, is a proper masculine noun).

The daughters asked Moses why their father’s line should disappear because of a lack of male heirs. Was there some kind of new rule to cover such a thing? As usual, Moses listened and then went to the Tabernacle to ask Jehovah for His holy answer. Today, too many who think they are ‘something’, lead others by their own ideas and thoughts, instead of seeking what God says and staying in the background. The churches are awash with human thoughts and invented rules! Akin to junk-food.

Verses 6-11

6. “And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
7. 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.
8. 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.
9. And if he have no daughter, then ye shall give his inheritance unto his brethren.
10. And if he have no brethren, then ye shall give his inheritance unto his father’s brethren.
11. 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.”

Alone with God, Moses repeated the request of the daughters to receive the inheritance of their father, because there were no sons. God said the daughters’ request was a rightful one, and they could have the inheritance in the absence of sons. God went farther – if there were no sons OR daughters, then the inheritance must go to close family (brothers, sisters, etc). If none where available then the family of their grandfather, But, if none of these existed and are not alive, then the inheritance must go to the family clan closest to the deceased man (so still within the same family and tribe). This, said the Lord, was to be a new law of Israel. Moses related all this to the daughters, and to all of Israel to whom it applied, then and in perpetuity.

Verses 12-14

12. “And the LORD said unto Moses, Get thee up into this mount Abarim, and see the land which I have given unto the children of Israel.
13. And when thou hast seen it, thou also shalt be gathered unto thy people, as Aaron thy brother was gathered.
14. 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.”

After this brief legal statement God told Moses to climb to the top of mount Abarim (‘regions beyond’, located to the east of Jordan in Moab. It was close to Jericho and part of the same range of mountains containing mount Nebo). From there he would see the lands given to Israel by God. This was God’s mercy giving Moses at least a view of what he would not himself enter. Moses was told that when he had seen the land he would die. He was reminded of the reason for not being allowed into Canaan – not doing exactly as God demanded, when He gave the people water. It was only an earthly penalty, for God still loved Moses, as He does every person born again and yet sins. So, it did not prevent Moses from being one of the elect, soon to enter Heaven.

Verses 15-23

15. “And Moses spake unto the LORD, saying,
16. Let the LORD, the God of the spirits of all flesh, set a man over the congregation,
17. 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.
18. And the LORD said unto Moses, Take thee Joshua the son of Nun, a man in whom is the spirit, and lay thine hand upon him;
19. And set him before Eleazar the priest, and before all the congregation; and give him a charge in their sight.
20. And thou shalt put some of thine honour upon him, that all the congregation of the children of Israel may be obedient.
21. 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.
22. And Moses did as the LORD commanded him: and he took Joshua, and set him before Eleazar the priest, and before all the congregation:
23. And he laid his hands upon him, and gave him a charge, as the LORD commanded by the hand of Moses.”

Moses replied to God whilst still at the base of the mountain. He asked God to appoint another man to lead the people into Canaan, so that they were not left without guidance. This implied an holy man, under God. God told Moses to take Joshua to stand before the high priest, Eleazar, and before the elders of the people. Moses would then tell everyone that Joshua was his successor, chosen by Jehovah. Joshua would have the same status as Moses had, thus demanding the obedience of the people, and would take command after Moses climbed the mountain.

Eleazar would seek the direct judgment of God by using the Urim (‘lights’: Eleazar kept special stones in a pouch in the breastplate of his robes. They were used to receive God’s choice when asked questions). He checked with God that Joshua was to lead the people. Moses took Joshua to the high priest, and laid hands on Joshua, pronouncing God’s command to hand over leadership. In this way, the mighty Moses passed-on the solemn role of future leader, though God still had more for him to do before climbing the mountain.

© 23November 2024

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