53 lines
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53 lines
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<title>Blue Letter Bible: Text Commentaries</title>
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<h2><a onclick="return mV('Num',27,'all');">Num 27</a> - Inheritance and the Next Leader</h2>
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<p>A. The case of Zelophehad's daughters.</p>
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<p class="c1">1. (<a onclick="return mV('Num',27,'1-5');">1-5</a>) <span>The</span> request of Zelophehad's daughters.</p>
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<p class="c2">Then came the daughters of Zelophehad the son of Hepher, the son of Gilead, the son of Machir, the son of Manasseh, from the families of Manasseh the son of Joseph; and these <i>were</i> the names of his daughters: Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah. And they stood before Moses, before Eleazar the priest, and before the leaders and all the congregation, <i>by</i> the doorway of the tabernacle of meeting, saying: "Our father died in the wilderness; but he was not in the company of those who gathered together against the <span class="c6">Lord</span>, in company with Korah, but he died in his own sin; and he had no sons. Why should the name of our father be removed from among his family because he had no son? Give us a possession among our father's brothers." So Moses brought their case before the <span class="c6">Lord</span>.</p>
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<p class="c4">a. <b><span class="c3">Then <span>came</span> the daughters of Zelophehad</span></b>: Normally, the land inheritance should be passed from a father to his sons in Israel, not to the daughters. What then in the case of Zelophehad's daughters, whose father had no sons? Will their father's inheritance simply be assumed by someone else, or will his name live on through his inheritance?</p>
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<p class="c5">i. In generally, the system was not completely unfair to women. A woman received a dowry from her father as a wedding present. Typically, the father required his potential son-in-law to provide much if not all of the dowry. A dowry might consist of clothes, jewelry, money, furniture or more, and it was thought that the dowry could help provide for the woman if her husband left her or unexpectedly died.</p>
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<p class="c4">b. <b><span class="c3">So Moses brought their case before the <span class="c6">Lord</span></span></b>: Moses did what he should when faced with a new situation: He sought God.</p>
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<p class="c1">2. (<a onclick="return mV('Num',27,'6-11');">6-11</a>) <span>The</span> settlement.</p>
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<p class="c2">And the <span class="c6">Lord</span> spoke to Moses, saying: "The daughters of Zelophehad speak <i>what is</i> right; you shall surely give them a possession of inheritance among their father's brothers, and cause the inheritance of their father to pass to them. And you shall speak to the children of Israel, saying: 'If a man dies and has no son, then you shall cause his inheritance to pass to his daughter. If he has no daughter, then you shall give his inheritance to his brothers. If he has no brothers, then you shall give his inheritance to his father's brothers. And if his father has no brothers, then you shall give his inheritance to the relative closest him in his family, and he shall possess it.' <span>" And</span> it shall be to the children of Israel a statute of judgment, just as the <span class="c6">Lord</span> commanded Moses.</p>
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<p class="c4">a. <b><span class="c3">The daughters of Zelophehad speak what is right</span></b>: God seemed pleased that the daughters of Zelophehad brought this issue before Moses. God declared that if a father had no sons, the inheritance then could go to the daughters.</p>
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<p class="c5">i. "Allowing daughters to inherit, where there were no sons in the family, created another problem though. When they married, they would take the family land with them, thus destroying the father's estate. To deal with this, chapter 36 brings in additional rules governing the marriage of heiresses." (Wenham)</p>
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<p class="c4">b. <b><span class="c3">If he has no daughter, then you shall give his inheritance to his brothers</span></b>: However, if there were no daughters, the inheritance then went to the father's brothers. If there were no brothers, the inheritance went to the next of kin.</p>
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<p class="c4">c. <b><span class="c3">And it shall be to the children of Israel a statute of judgment</span></b>: The remarkable thing about these laws is that they were all made in anticipation - in faith - of coming into the inheritance of land in the Canaan. This was a real issue - at this time - for the daughters of Zelophehad shows they were real women of faith, concerned about dividing up what they did not yet have in their hands, but knew they would possess by faith.</p>
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<p>B. The passing of Moses and the appointment of a new leader.</p>
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<p class="c1">1. (<a onclick="return mV('Num',27,'12-14');">12-14</a>) God tells Moses of his coming death.</p>
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<p class="c2">Now the <span class="c6">Lord</span> said to Moses: "Go up into this Mount Abarim, and see the land which I have given to the children of Israel. And when you have seen it, you also shall be gathered to your people, as Aaron your brother was gathered. For in the Wilderness of Zin, during the strife of the congregation, you rebelled against <span>My</span> command to hallow Me at the waters before their eyes." (These <i>are</i> the waters of Meribah, at Kadesh in the Wilderness of Zin.)</p>
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<p class="c4">a. <b><span class="c3">You also shall be gathered to your people</span></b>: Moses was first told he would die before coming to the Promised Land in <a onclick="return mV('Num',20,'all');">Num 20</a>. It was still many months until Moses would climb to the top of the mountain, able to see the Promised Land but not able enter it, and die there (<a onclick="return mV('Deu',34,'all');">Deu 34</a>). Yet God told him of it here, so as to prepare his heart for the right time.</p>
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<p class="c1">2. (<a onclick="return mV('Num',27,'15-17');">15-17</a>) Moses' response to God's announcement.</p>
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<p class="c2">Then Moses spoke to the <span class="c6">Lord</span>, saying: "Let the <span class="c6">Lord</span>, the God of the spirits of all flesh, set a man over the congregation, who may go out before them and go in before them, who may lead them out and bring them in, that the congregation of the <span class="c6">Lord</span> may not be like sheep which have no shepherd."</p>
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<p class="c4">a. <b><span class="c3">Let the <span class="c6">Lord</span>...set a man over the congregation</span></b>: After hearing of his coming fate, Moses does not try to talk God out of it, or complain - his only concern seems to be for the congregation, for the people, not for himself.</p>
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<p class="c4">b. <b><span class="c3">That the congregation of the <span class="c6">Lord</span> may not be like sheep which have no shepherd</span></b>: Sheep without a shepherd are in constant danger; they face slim provisions of food and water, and they are never led to where they should be. God still wants His sheep to have a shepherd!</p>
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<p class="c5">i. In the ultimate sense, this is fulfilled by Jesus Christ, who is the Good Shepherd, as was prophesied in the Old Testament (<a onclick="return mV('Mic',5,'2-4');">Mic 5:2-4</a>), and revealed in the New Testament: <i>I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep.</i> (<a onclick="return mV('Jhn',10,11);">Jhn 10:11</a>)</p>
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<p class="c5">ii. In an additional sense, this is also fulfilled by the New Testament office of <i>pastor-teacher</i> - because the Greek word for <i>pastor</i> is the word for <i>shepherd</i> (<a onclick="return mV('Act',20,28);">Act 20:28</a>; <a onclick="return mV('1Pe',5,2);">1Pe 5:2</a>). As <a onclick="return mV('1Pe',5,4);">1Pe 5:4</a> puts it, Jesus is the Chief Shepherd, and pastors are under-shepherds.</p>
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<p class="c5">iii. The job of shepherds is simple: To feed (<a onclick="return mV('Jhn',21,'15-17');">Jhn 21:15-17</a>), and to lead; to <i>lead them out and bring them in</i>, that is, to give guidance and direction for the sheep to follow.</p>
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<p class="c5">iv. Jesus was also moved with compassion when He saw the people as sheep without a shepherd (<a onclick="return mV('Mar',6,34);">Mar 6:34</a>); Moses is showing the nature of Jesus by his concern.</p>
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<p class="c1">3. (<a onclick="return mV('Num',27,'18-23');">18-23</a>) Joshua chosen and given authority.</p>
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<p class="c2">And the <span class="c6">Lord</span> said to Moses: "Take Joshua the son of Nun with you, a man in whom <i>is</i> the Spirit, and lay your hand on him; set him before Eleazar the priest and before <span>all the</span> congregation, and inaugurate him in their sight. And you shall give <i>some</i> of your authority to him, that all the congregation of the children of Israel may be obedient. He shall stand before Eleazar the priest, who shall inquire before the <span class="c6">Lord</span> for him by the judgment of the Urim. At his word they shall go out, and at his word they shall come in, he and all the children of Israel with him; <span>all the</span> congregation." So Moses did as the <span class="c6">Lord</span> commanded him. He took Joshua and set him before Eleazar the priest and before <span>all the</span> congregation. And he laid his hands on him and inaugurated him, just as the <span class="c6">Lord</span> commanded by the hand of Moses.</p>
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<p class="c4">a. <b><span class="c3">Take Joshua the son of Nun with you, a man in whom is the Spirit, and <span>lay</span> your hand on him</span></b>: Up to this point, Joshua was mostly known by his servant-like association with Moses (<a onclick="return mV('Exd',24,13);">Exd 24:13</a>). That time as Moses' humble servant prepared him to take the leadership he was now called to.</p>
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<p class="c4">b. <b><span class="c3">And he laid his hands on him and inaugurated him</span></b>: This public presentation and <span>laying</span> of hands on Joshua was important. It let the whole nation know that Joshua was now the leader and the nation should expect to follow him.</p>
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