1Then to Moses came the daughters of Zelophehad son of Hepher son of Gilead son of Machir son of Manasseh, of the clans of Manasseh son of Joseph. These were the names of his daughters: Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milkah, and Tirzah.

2They stood before Moses, Eleazar the priest, the leaders, and before all the community at the entrance to the tent of meeting. They said,

3“Our father died in the wilderness. He was not among those who conspired against Yahweh in the company of Korah. He died for his own sin, and he had no sons.

4Why should our father's name be taken away from among his clan members because he had no son? Give us land among our father's relatives.”

5So Moses brought their case before Yahweh.

6Yahweh spoke to Moses and said,

7“Zelophehad's daughters are speaking correctly. You must certainly give them land as an inheritance among their father's relatives, and you must ensure that their father's inheritance passes on to them.

8You must speak to the people of Israel and say, 'If a man dies and has no son, then you must cause his inheritance to pass to his daughter.

9If he has no daughter, then you must give his inheritance to his brothers.

10If he has no brothers, then you must give his inheritance to his father's brothers.

11If his father has no brothers, then you must give his inheritance to his nearest relative in his clan, and he must take it for his own. This will be a law established by decree for the people of Israel, as Yahweh has commanded me.'”

12Yahweh said to Moses, “Go up the mountains of Abarim and look at the land that I have given to the people of Israel.

13After you have seen it, you, too, must be gathered to your people, like Aaron your brother.

14This will happen because you two rebelled against my command in the wilderness of Zin. There, when the water flowed from the rock, in your anger you failed to honor me as holy before the eyes of the whole community.” These are the waters of Meribah of Kadesh in the wilderness of Zin.

15Then Moses spoke to Yahweh and said,

16“May you, Yahweh, the God of the spirits of all humanity, appoint a man over the community,

17a man who may go out and come in before them and lead them out and bring them in, so that your community is not like sheep that have no shepherd.”

18Yahweh said to Moses, “Take Joshua son of Nun, a man in whom my Spirit lives, and lay your hand on him.

19Place him before Eleazar the priest and before all the community, and command him before their eyes to lead them.

20You must put some of your authority on him, so that all the community of the people of Israel may obey him.

21He will go before Eleazar the priest to seek my will for him by the decisions of the Urim. It will be at his command that the people will go out and come in, both he and all the people of Israel with him, the whole community.”

22So Moses did as Yahweh had commanded him. He took Joshua and placed him before Eleazar the priest and all the community.

23He laid his hands on him and commanded him to lead, as Yahweh had commanded him to do.