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.
And Moses brought their cause before the LORD.
And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
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 he have no daughter, then ye shall give his inheritance unto his brethren.
And if he have no brethren, then ye shall give his inheritance unto his father's brethren.
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.
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.
And when thou hast seen it, thou also shalt be gathered unto thy people, as Aaron thy brother was gathered.
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.
And Moses spake unto the LORD, saying,
Let the LORD, the God of the spirits of all flesh, set a man over the congregation,
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 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;
PREPARATION FOR PISGAH
‘Lay thine hand upon him.’
Numbers 27:18
I. Even a good man’s life may be shortened by his sin.—Note the solemn repetition of the statement that Moses’ death was due to his transgression. In government God is ever just and equal. His broken law has no respect for persons. Should zeal for the Kingdom, unbalanced by prudence, lead to transgression of the laws of health, those outraged laws will assert themselves, quite regardless of our high motives. Or, should that same zeal, unbalanced by faith, betray some generous spirit into a habit of anxiety for the work of the Lord, the serious consequences, bodily and spiritual, that always follow unbelief, will certainly be felt. So let us, warned in time, go out to live soberly, regarding with reverence every law and every commandment.
II. In His grace, God glorifies the very punishment which He, as King, must inflict.—Moses must die for his sins. True; but see what grace is given him to accept his bitter disappointment in perfect meekness, and, see, too, that absolute selflessness that thinks only of the people, and who is to lead them! Also, he is allowed to see the land; and, as he stands there on Pisgah, alone with God, in the peace of the forgiven, is he not satisfied? Yes, and when at last he enters the land—in glory and with Jesus Himself—is not the grace of God to him wide as the ocean, high and fathomless as the very heavens?
Illustration
(1) ‘As throughout the forty years the thought of Israel had been next Moses’ heart, so now his anxiety is still for the people whom he had loved so much, and had served so well. His prayer is for them. He entreats Jehovah, the God of the Spirits of all flesh, to set a man over the congregation, that they might not be as sheep without a shepherd. This request was answered by the command to take Joshua, and to set him apart as his successor before all the congregation, and before the high priest. Moses was to put on Joshua some of the honour he himself had won, that, after his departure, due obedience might be given to his successor. It was done with all solemnity, and the anxiety of Moses was so far at rest.’
(2) ‘How eager was Moses for a suitable successor! God honoured and answered his request, so that his work should not be dissipated. There was a distinction between himself and Joshua, who received his office from the hand of Moses, and sought counsel from Eleazar. God had honoured his faithful servant after a unique fashion. “Them that honour me I will honour,” is a maxim true of all dispensations. What a word is that, “God of the spirits of all flesh,” especially when compared with the assertion of our Lord, that the Father has delegated that power and authority to Him. The spirits of men can never find rest and satisfaction till they come to rest in God in Christ.’
(3) ‘Thus Moses drew his life work to a close. Behind him, a long and glorious life; before, the ministry and worship of the heavenly sanctuary. Here the shekinah; there, the unveiled face. Here, the tent and pilgrim march; there, the everlasting rest. Here, the promised land, beheld from afar, but not entered; there, the goodly land beyond Jordan entered and possessed. What though it was a wrench to pass away, with the crowning-stone not placed on the structure of his life; to depart and be with God was far better.’
And set him before Eleazar the priest, and before all the congregation; and give him a charge in their sight.
And thou shalt put some of thine honour upon him, that all the congregation of the children of Israel may be obedient.
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 Moses did as the LORD commanded him: and he took Joshua, and set him before Eleazar the priest, and before all the congregation:
And he laid his hands upon him, and gave him a charge, as the LORD commanded by the hand of Moses.
