Numbers 27

THen came the daughters of Zelophehad Perceiving that the males only were numbred, and that the land was to be divided to them only, they put in their claim for a share in their fathers inheritance., 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 Nigh unto which it seems was the place where Moses and the chief rulers assembled for the administration of publick affairs, which also was very convenient, because they had frequent occasion of recourse to God for his assistance and direction therein., 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 Nor in any other rebellion of the people, which must be understood, because all of them are opposed to his own sin, in which alone he is said to die. But they mention this only either 1. because he might possibly be accused to be guilty of this: Or 2. because he being an eminent person might be thought guilty of that rather than of any other because the great and famous men were more concerned in that rebellion than others: Or 3. to gain the favour of Moses, against whom that rebellion was more particularly directed and more desperately prosecuted than any other. Or 4. because peradventure he died about that time, and therefore might be presumed guilty of that crime. Or, rather, 5. because that sin, and, as it may seem, that only of all the sins committed in the wilderness, was of such a flagitious nature, that God thought fit to extend the punishment not only to the persons of those rebels, but also to their children and families, Numb. 16. 27, 32. as was usual in like cases, as Deut. 13. 15. Ios. 7. 24. Whence it is noted as a singular priviledge granted to the children of Korah, that they died not, Numb. 26. 11. whereas the children of their confederates died with them. And this makes their argument here more proper and powerful, that he did not die in that sin for which his posterity were to be cut off and to lose either their lives or their inheritances, and therefore their claim was more just.: but died in his own sin Either 1. for that sin mentioned Numb. 14. which they call his own sin, in opposition not to the rest of the people, for it was a common sin, but to his children, i. e. the sin for which he alone was to suffer in his person and not in his posterity, as God had appointed, Numb. 14. 33. Or rather 2. for his own personal sins, for 1. these were more properly his own sins. 2. it was a truth, and that believed by the Iews that death was a punishment for mens own sins. 3. the punishment of that common sin was not directly and properly death, but exclusion from the land of Canaan, and death only by way of consequence upon that., and had no sons.

Why should the name of our father be done away As it will be, if it be not preserved by an inheritance given to us in his name and for his sake. Hence some gather, that the first son of each of these heiresses was called by their fathers name, by virtue of that law Deut. 25. 6. whereby the brothers first son was to bear the name of his elder brother whose widow he married. from among his family, because he has no son? give unto us therefore a possession In the land of Canaan upon the division of it, which, though not yet conquered, they concluded would certainly be so, and thereby gave glory to God by believing. among the brethren of our father.

And Moses brought their cause before the LORD (i. e.) Into the Tabernacle, where God was pleased to speak with Moses upon occasions, Exod. 25. 22. Numb. 7. 89. For it was an hard case, and though their plea seemed reasonable, yet Moses showed his humility and modesty, that he would not determine it himself without Gods particular direction..

And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,

The daughters of Zelophehad speak right: thou shalt surely give them In Hebrew it is of the masculine gender, to show that women in this case should enjoy the mans priviledge, and that the heavenly Canaan, whereof this was a type, did belong no less to women than to men, Gal. 3. 28. a possession of an inheritance among their fathers brethren, and thou shalt cause the inheritance of their fathers (i. e.) Which belonged to their fathers, in case they had lived. 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 Nor sisters, as appears from ver. 8., then ye shall give his inheritance unto his fathers 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 A statute or rule, by which the Magistrate shall give judgment in such cases., as the LORD commanded Moses.

And the LORD said unto Moses, Get thee up into this mount Abarim The whole tract of mountains was called Abarim, Numb. 33. 47. whereof one of the highest was called Nebo, Deut. 32. 49. and the top of that Pisgah, Deut. 34. 1., 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 Of which phrase see Gen. 15. 15. and 25. 8., as Aaron thy brother was gathered.

For ye rebelled against my commandment (in the desert of Zin, in the strife of the congregation) to sanctifie me at the water before their eyes: that is the water of Meribah in Kadesh This is added, to distinguish this miscarriage of Moses from that of the people in Rephidim, Exod. 17. 7. in the wilderness of Zin.

And Moses spake unto the LORD The words here following, and others too, which are recorded, Deut. 3. 23, 26., saying,

Let the LORD God of the spirits of all flesh (i. e.) Of all men: the searcher of spirits, that knowest who is fit for this great employment, the father and giver and governour of spirits, who canst raise and suit the spirits of men to the highest and hardest works, as thou didst those Numb. 11. 16, 17. See Numb. 16. 22., set a man over the congregation;

Which may go out before them, and which may go in before them (i. e.) Which may wisely conduct them in all their affairs, both when they go forth to war or upon other occasions, and when they return home and live in peace. A metaphor from shepherds, as it here follows, which in those places used not to go behind their sheep, as ours now do, but before them and to lead them forth to their pasture, and in due time to lead them home again. Of this phrase see Deut. 28. 6. Act. 1. 21., 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 The spirit of government, of wisdom and of the fear of the Lord, &c., and lay thine hand upon him By which ceremony Moses did both design the person and confer the power, and by his prayers, which accompanied that rite obtain from God all the spiritual gifts and graces necessary for his future employment, as appears from Deut. 34. 9. See of this custom Gen. 48. 14. Levit. 1. 4. Numb. 8. 10. 1 Tim. 4. 14..

And set him before Eleazar the priest, and before all the congregation That they may be witnesses of the whole action and may acknowledge him for their supream ruler.: and give him a charge Thou shalt command him in my name to undertake the government of my people, which otherwise he will be afraid and unwilling to do, and thou shalt give him counsels and instructions for the right management of that great trust. in their sight.

And thou shalt put some of thine honour upon him Thou shalt not now use him as a servant, as thou hast done, but as a brother and thy partner in the government, showing respect to him, and causing others to do so, and thou shalt impart to him the ensigns and evidences of thy own authority, whatsoever they be. Some understand this honour of those spiritual endowments which did adorn Moses, which Moses was now to confer upon him. But this Ioshua had before, for in him was the spirit, ver. 18. and he received a further measure of the spirit by Moses his laying on of hands, from both which this honour is distinguished, and, had he meant this, he would not have expressed it in so dark and doubtful a phrase, but have called it a putting not of honour, but of the spirit, upon him, as it is called, Numb. 11. 17. And seeing the word honour here may very well be properly understood, why should we run to figurative significations?, 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 When he requires him to do so, and in important and difficult matters. See Ios. 9. 14. Iudg. 1. 1. and 20. 18. 1 Sam. 23. 9., after the judgment Or, by or from the judgment, i. e. by seeking and receiving and communicating to him the judgment or sentence thereby given: or, by the judgment is here put defectively for, by the breast-plate of judgment, as it is called Exod. 28. 30. as the testimony is oft put for, the ark of the testimony. Or, concerning the judgment, or sentence, i. e. what the mind and will of God is in the matter. Or, after the manner or rite, for so the Hebrew word mishpat here used oft signifies. of Urim Understand, and of Thummim, for these two generally go together, only here, as also 1 Sam. 28. 6. Urim is synecdochically put for both Urim and Thummim. For the manner of this enquiry and answer see on Exod. 28. 30. before the LORD Ordinarily in the Tabernacle near the second vail setting his face to the Ark, or otherwise presenting himself as in Gods presence, as Abiathar did by Davids direction, 1 Sam. 23. 9. when they were both banished from the Ark.: at his word (i. e.) The word of the Lord, last mentioned, delivered to him by the High-priest. 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.