One day a petition was presented by the daughters of Zelophehad--Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah. Their father, Zelophehad, was the son of Hepher, son of Gilead, son of Makir, son of Manasseh, son of Joseph.
These women went and stood before Moses, Eleazar the priest, the tribal leaders, and the entire community at the entrance of the Tabernacle.
"Our father died in the wilderness without leaving any sons," they said. "But he was not among Korah's followers, who rebelled against the LORD. He died because of his own sin.
Why should the name of our father disappear just because he had no sons? Give us property along with the rest of our relatives."
So Moses brought their case before the LORD.
And the LORD replied to Moses,
"The daughters of Zelophehad are right. You must give them an inheritance of land along with their father's relatives. Assign them the property that would have been given to their father.
Moreover announce this to the people of Israel: `If a man dies and has no sons, then give his inheritance to his daughters.
And if he has no daughters, turn his inheritance over to his brothers.
If he has no brothers, give his inheritance to his father's brothers.
But if his father has no brothers, pass on his inheritance to the nearest relative in his clan. The Israelites must observe this as a general legal requirement, just as the LORD commanded Moses.'"
One day the LORD said to Moses, "Climb to the top of the mountains east of the river, and look out over the land I have given the people of Israel.
After you have seen it, you will die as Aaron your brother did,
for you both rebelled against my instructions in the wilderness of Zin. When the people of Israel rebelled, you failed to demonstrate my holiness to them at the waters." (These are the waters of Meribah at Kadesh in the wilderness of Zin.)
Then Moses said to the LORD,
"O LORD, the God of the spirits of all living things, please appoint a new leader for the community.
Give them someone who will lead them into battle, so the people of the LORD will not be like sheep without a shepherd."
The LORD replied, "Take Joshua son of Nun, who has the Spirit in him, and lay your hands on him.
Present him to Eleazar the priest before the whole community, and publicly commission him with the responsibility of leading the people.
Transfer your authority to him so the whole community of Israel will obey him.
When direction from the LORD is needed, Joshua will stand before Eleazar the priest, who will determine the LORD's will by means of sacred lots. This is how Joshua and the rest of the community of Israel will discover what they should do."
So Moses did as the LORD commanded and presented Joshua to Eleazar the priest and the whole community.
Moses laid his hands on him and commissioned him to his responsibilities, just as the LORD had commanded through Moses.