UNROLL
Evening on the plains of Moab: a camp of black tents and the small white linen court of the tabernacle, with the long bare ridge of the Abarim mountains behind catching the last gold light.

The Book of

Numbers 27

Five sisters ask for their father’s land, and an old shepherd asks God for another shepherd.

23 verses≈ 4 min4 peopleBSB

Images are artistic interpretations.

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In this chapter

Where we are

  1. 1–10Ready at SinaiCounted and ordered
  2. 11–14GrumblingTo Kadesh and refusal
  3. 15–21Forty yearsRebellion and mercy
  4. 22–25BalaamA curse turned to blessing
  5. 26–36A new generationReady for the landChapter 27

The Daughters of Zelophehad

Now the daughters of Zelophehad son of Hepher, the son of Gilead, the son of Machir, the son of Manasseh, belonged to the clans of Manasseh son of Joseph. These were the names of his daughters: Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah.

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They approached the entrance to the Tent of Meeting, stood before Moses, Eleazar the priest, the leaders, and the whole congregation, and said,

The daughters of Zelophehad

“Our father died in the wilderness, but he was not among the followers of Korah who gathered together against the LORD. Instead, he died because of his own sin, and he had no sons. Why should the name of our father disappear from his clan because he had no sons? Give us property among our father’s brothers.”

So Moses brought their case before the LORD, and the LORD answered him,

“The daughters of Zelophehad speak correctly. You certainly must give them property as an inheritance among their father’s brothers and transfer their father’s inheritance to them.

Numbers 27:7

A rough upright boundary stone at the corner of a terraced field in the hill country, a low fieldstone wall running from it and young barley beside it in late light.

The law

When a man has no son

  1. Inheritance

    No son: to his daughter

    Furthermore, you shall say to the Israelites, ‘If a man dies and leaves no son, you are to transfer his inheritance to his daughter.

  2. No daughter: to his brothers

    If he has no daughter, give his inheritance to his brothers.

  3. No brothers: his father’s brothers

    If he has no brothers, give his inheritance to his father’s brothers.

  4. Then the nearest of his clan

    And if his father has no brothers, give his inheritance to the next of kin from his clan, that he may take possession of it.

  5. A statute for Israel

    This is to be a statutory ordinance for the Israelites, as the LORD has commanded Moses.’”

Reflect

Ask Him

Five sisters had a problem no law yet answered. They did not grumble or go behind anyone’s back. They came to the entrance of the Tent of Meeting and asked, and “Moses brought their case before the LORD”. God answered: “The daughters of Zelophehad speak correctly.” What hard question or need have you been carrying without bringing it to Him? Write it down as plainly as they did, and bring it to God today.

Moses Requests a Successor

The view west from high on the Abarim ridge at evening: steep brown slopes falling to the Jordan valley, the north end of the Salt Sea gleaming to the left, and the hills of Canaan in blue layers beyond.

Then the LORD said to Moses, “Go up this mountain of the Abarim range and see the land that I have given the Israelites. After you have seen it, you too will be gathered to your people, as your brother Aaron was; for when the congregation contended in the Wilderness of Zin, both of you rebelled against My command to show My holiness in their sight regarding the waters.” Those were the waters of Meribah in Kadesh, in the Wilderness of Zin.

0:26

Narrated by Bob Souer · BSB audio, public domain

So Moses appealed to the LORD, “May the LORD, the God of the spirits of all flesh, appoint a man over the congregation who will go out and come in before them, and who will lead them out and bring them in, so that the congregation of the LORD will not be like sheep without a shepherd.”

so that the congregation of the LORD will not be like sheep without a shepherd

Numbers 27:17

Question

Quick question

God told Moses to go up the Abarim range and see the land, but not to enter it.

Why could Moses not lead Israel into the land?

Joshua to Succeed Moses

God

Moses did as the LORD had commanded him.

He took Joshua, had him stand before Eleazar the priest and the whole congregation, and laid his hands on him and commissioned him, as the LORD had instructed through Moses.

Pray

For shepherds

Moses’ last request was not for himself but for the people: a leader, “so that the congregation of the LORD will not be like sheep without a shepherd.” Pray for those who lead and care for God’s people where you are, by name if you can: for the Spirit, for courage, and for faithfulness. Then thank God for Jesus, the Good Shepherd, who goes out and comes in before His sheep and will never leave them.

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Numbers 27

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A verse to carry with you

May the LORD, the God of the spirits of all flesh, appoint a man over the congregation who will go out and come in before them, and who will lead them out and bring them in, so that the congregation of the LORD will not be like sheep without a shepherd.

Numbers 27:16–17

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