1Then 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 . 2And 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 , 3Our 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 . 4Why 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 .
Moses' Response and God's Instruction
5And Moses brought their cause before the LORD . 6And the LORD spake unto Moses , saying , 7The 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. 8And 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 . 9And if he have no daughter , then ye shall give his inheritance unto his brethren . 10And if he have no brethren , then ye shall give his inheritance unto his father’s brethren . 11And 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 .
The Inheritance Laws Established
12And 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 . 13And when thou hast seen it, thou also shalt be gathered unto thy people , as Aaron thy brother was gathered . 14For 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 . 15And Moses spake unto the LORD , saying , 16Let the LORD , the God of the spirits of all flesh , set a man over the congregation , 17Which 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 . 18And 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; 19And set him before Eleazar the priest , and before all the congregation ; and give him a charge in their sight . 20And thou shalt put some of thine honour upon him, that all the congregation of the children of Israel may be obedient . 21And 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 . 22And Moses did as the LORD commanded him: and he took Joshua , and set him before Eleazar the priest , and before all the congregation : 23And he laid his hands upon him, and gave him a charge , as the LORD commanded by the hand of Moses .