1 Then came the daughters of Zelophehad, the sonne of Hepher, the sonne of Gilead, the sonne of Machir, the sonne of Manasseh, of the families of Manasseh, the sonne of Ioseph; and these are the names of his daughters: Mahlah, Noah, and Hoglah, and Milcah, and Tirzah.
2 And they stood before Moses, and before Eleazar the Priest, and before the Princes, and all the Congregation, by the doore of the Tabernacle of the Congregation, saying,
3 Our father died in the wildernesse, and he was not in the company of them that gathered themselues together against the Lord in the company of Korah: but died in his owne sinne, and had no sonnes.
4 Why should the name of our father be done away from among his family, because he hath no sonne? Giue vnto vs therefore a possession among the brethren of our father.
5 And Moses brought their cause before the Lord.
6 ¶ And the Lord spake vnto Moses, saying,
7 The daughters of Zelophehad speake right: thou shalt surely giue them a possession of an inheritance among their fathers brethren, and thou shalt cause the inheritance of their father to passe vnto them.
8 And thou shalt speake vnto the children of Israel, saying, If a man die, and haue no sonne, then yee shall cause his inheritance to passe vnto his daughter.
9 And if he haue no daughter, then yee shall giue his inheritance vnto his brethren.
10 And if he haue no brethren, then yee shall giue his inheritance vnto his fathers brethren.
11 And if his father haue no brethren, then ye shall giue his inheritance vnto his kinseman that is next to him of his family, and hee shall possesse it: And it shall be vnto the children of Israel a statute of iudgement, as the Lord commanded Moses.
12 ¶ And the Lord saide vnto Moses, Get thee vp into this mount Abarim, and see the land which I haue giuen vnto the children of Israel.
13 And when thou hast seene it, thou also shalt be gathered vnto thy people, as Aaron thy brother was gathered.
14 For ye rebelled against my Commandement (in the desart 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 in the wildernesse of Zin.
15 ¶ And Moses spake vnto the Lord, saying,
16 Let the Lord, the God of the spirits of all flesh, set a man ouer the Congregation,
17 Which may goe out before them, and which may goe in before them, and which may lead them out, and which may bring them in, that the Congregation of the Lord bee not as sheepe which haue no shepheard.
18 ¶ And the Lord saide vnto Moses, Take thee Ioshua the sonne of Nun, a man in whom is the spirit, and lay thine hand vpon him.
19 And set him before Eleazar the Priest, and before all the Congregation: and giue him a charge in their sight.
20 And thou shalt put some of thine honour vpon him, that all the Congregation of the children of Israel may be obedient.
21 And he shall stand before Eleazar the Priest, who shall aske counsell for him, after the iudgement of Urim before the Lord: at his word shal they goe out, and at his word they shal come in, both he, and al the children of Israel with him, euen all the Congregation.
22 And Moses did as the Lord commanded him: and he tooke Ioshua and set him before Eleazar the Priest, and before all the Congregation.
23 And hee layd his handes vpon him, and gaue him a charge, as the Lord commaunded by the hand of Moses.
The daughters of Zelophehad apply for an inheritance, The law of inheritances. (1-11) Moses warned of his death. (12-14) Joshua appointed to succeed Moses. (15-23)1-11 The five daughters of Zelophehad considered themselves as left destitute, having neither father nor brother to inherit any land. Their believing expectation that the word of the Lord would be performed in due season, and their desire of an interest in the promised inheritance; and the modest, candid manner in which they asked, without secret murmurs or discontents, are a good example. They ask for a possession in the land of Canaan. Herein they discovered, 1. Strong faith in the power and promise of God, concerning the giving of the land of Canaan to Israel. 2. And earnest desire of a place and name in the land of promise, which was a type of heaven. 3. Respect and honour for their father, whose name was dear to them now he was gone. He never had done any thing that might bar his children's claim. It is a comfort to parents when they come to die, if though they have smarted for their own sin, yet they are not conscious of any of those iniquities which God will visit on their children. God himself gives judgment. He takes notice of the affairs, not only of nations, but of private families, and orders them according to his will. The petition is granted. Those who seek an inheritance in the land of promise, shall have what they seek for, and other things shall be added to them.
12-14 Moses must die, but he shall have the satisfaction of seeing the land of promise. This sight of Canaan signified his believing prospect of the better country, that is, the heavenly. Moses must die, but death does not cut him off; it only brings him to rest with the holy patriarchs. It is but to die as they died, having lived as they lived; and as their end was peace, why should we fear any evil in the passage of that dark valley?
15-23 Envious spirits do not love their successors; but Moses was not one of these. We should concern ourselves, both in our prayers and in our endeavours, for the rising generation, that religion may be maintained and advanced, when we are in our graves. God appoints a successor, even Joshua; who had signalized himself by his courage in fighting Amalek, his humility in ministering to Moses, and his faith and sincerity in witnessing against the report of the evil spies. This man God appoints to succeed Moses; a man in whom is the Spirit, the Spirit of grace. He is a good man, fearing God and hating covetousness, and acting from principle. He has the spirit of government; he is fit to do the work and discharge the trusts of his place. He has a spirit of conduct and courage; he had also the Spirit of prophecy. That man is not fully qualified for any service in the church of Christ, who is destitute of the graces and gifts of the Holy Spirit, whatever human abilities he may possess. And in Joshua's succession we are reminded "that the law was given by Moses," who by reason of our transgression could not bring us to heaven; but "grace and truth came by Jesus Christ," for the salvation of every believer.
Commentary by Matthew Henry, 1710.