Numbers 27:12-23

Contemporary English Version

Joshua Is Appointed Israel's Leader

(Deuteronomy 31.1-8)

^12 (A) The Lord said to Moses, “One day you will go up into the Abarim Mountains, and from there you will see the land I am giving the Israelites. ¹³ After you have seen it, you will die,^[a] just like your brother Aaron, ¹⁴ because both of you disobeyed me at Meribah near the town of Kadesh in the Zin Desert. When the Israelites insulted me there, you didn't believe in my holy power.”^[b]

¹⁵ Moses replied, ¹⁶ “You are the Lord God, and you know what is in everyone's heart. So I ask you to appoint a leader for Israel. ^17 (B) Your people need someone to lead them into battle, or else they will be like sheep wandering around without a shepherd.”

^18 (C) The Lord answered, “Joshua son of Nun can do the job. Place your hands on him to show that he is the one to take your place. ¹⁹ Then go with him and tell him to stand in front of Eleazar the priest and the Israelites. Appoint Joshua as their new leader ²⁰ and tell them they must now obey him, just as they obey you. ^21 (D) But Joshua must depend on Eleazar to find out from me^[c] what I want him to do as he leads Israel into battle.”

²² Moses followed the Lord's instructions and took Joshua to Eleazar and the people, ^23 (E) then he placed his hands on Joshua and appointed him Israel's leader.