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The daughters of Zelophehad son of Hepher, the son of Gilead, the son of Makir,
the son of Manasseh, belonged to the clans of Manasseh sonof Joseph.
The names of the daughters were Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah and Tirzah.
They approached
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the entrance to the Tent of Meeting and stood before Moses, Eleazar the priest,
the leaders and the whole assembly, and said,
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"Our father died in the desert. He was not among Korah's followers, who banded
together against the LORD, but he dies for his own sin and left no sons.
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Why shoild our father's name disappear from his clan because he had no son?
Give us property among our father's relatives."
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So Moses brought their case before the LORD
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and the LORD said to him,
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"What Zelophehad's daughters are saying is right.
You must certainly give them property as an inheritance among their father's
relatives and turn their father's inheritance over to them.
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"Say to the Israelites, 'If a man dies and leaves no son, turn his inheritance
over to his daughter.
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If he has no daughter, give his inheritance to his brothers.
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If he has no brothers, give his inheritance to his father's brothers.
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If his father had no brothers, give his inheritance to the nearest relative
in his clan, that he may possess it. This is to be a legal requirement for
the Israelites, as the LORD commanded Moses.' "
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Then the LORD said to Moses, "Go up this mountain in the Abarim range
and see the land I have given the Israelites.
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After you have seen it, you too will be gathered to your people,
as your brother Aaron was.
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for when the community rebelled at the waters in the Desert of Zin,
both of you disobeyed my command to hinor me as holy before their eyes."
(There were the waters of Meribah Kadesh, in the Desert od Zin.)
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Moses said to the LORD,
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"May the LORD, the God of the spirits of all mankind, appoint a man over
this community
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to go out and come in before them, one who will lead them out and bring
them in, so the LORD's people will not be like sheep without a shepherd."
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So the LORD said to Moses, "Take Joshua son of Nun, a man in whom is
the spirit, and lay your hand on him.
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Have him stand before Eleazar the priest and the entire assembly and commission
him in their presence.
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Give him some of your authority so the whole Israelite community will obey him.
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He is to stand before Eleazar the priest, who will obtain decisions for him by
inquiring of the Urim before the LORD. At his command he and the entire
community of the Israelites will go out, and at his command they will come in."
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Moses did as the LORD commanded him. He took Joshua and had him stand
before Eleazar the priest and the whole assembly.
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Then he laid his hands on him and commissioned him, as the LORD instructed
through Moses.
