N
U M B E R S
CHAP. XXVII.
Here
is, I. The case of Zelophehad's daughters determined, ver. 1-11. II. Notice
given to Moses of his death approaching, ver. 12-14. III. Provision made of a
successor in the government, 1. By the prayer of Moses, ver. 15-17. 2. By the
appointment of God, ver. 18, &c.
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The
Daughters of Zelophehad.
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B.
C. 1452.
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1 Then came the daughters
of Zelophehad, 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.
2 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, saying, 3 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; but died in his own sin, and had no sons.
4 Why should the name of our father be done away from among his family,
because he hath no son? Give unto us therefore a possession among the
brethren of our father. 5 And Moses brought their cause before the
LORD.
6 And the LORD
spake unto Moses, saying, 7 The daughters of Zelophehad speak
right: thou shalt surely give them a possession of an inheritance among their
father's brethren; and thou shalt cause the inheritance of their father to
pass unto them. 8 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. 9 And if he have no
daughter, then ye shall give his inheritance unto his brethren. 10
And if he have no brethren, then ye shall give his inheritance unto his
father's brethren. 11 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, as the LORD
commanded Moses.
Mention is made of the case of these daughters of Zelophehad in the chapter
before, v. 33. It should seem, by the particular notice taken of it,
that it was a singular case, and that the like did not at this time occur in
all Israel, that the head of a family had no sons, but daughters only. Their
case is again debated (ch. xxxvi.) upon another article of it; and,
according to the judgments given in their case, we find them put in
possession, Josh. xvii. 3, 4. One would suppose that their personal character
was such as added weight to their case, and caused it to be so often taken
notice of.
Here is, I. Their case stated by themselves, and their petition upon it
presented to the highest court of judicature, which consisted of Moses as
king, the princes as lords, and the congregation, or elders of the people who
were chose their representatives, as the commons, v. 2. This august
assembly sat near the door of the tabernacle, that in difficult cases
they might consult the oracle. To them these young ladies made their
application; for it is the duty of magistrates to defend the fatherless,
Ps. lxxxii. 3. We find not that the had any advocate to speak for them, but
they managed their own cause ingeniously enough, which they could do the
better because it was plain and honest, and spoke for itself. Now observe,
1. What it is they petition for: That they might have a possession in the land
of Canaan, among the brethren of their father, v. 4. What God
had said to Moses (ch. xxvi. 53) he had faithfully made known to the
people, that the land of Canaan was to be divided among those that were now
numbered; these daughters knew that they were not numbered, and therefore by
this rule must expect no inheritance, and the family of their father must be
looked upon as extinct, and written childless, though he had all these
daughters: this they thought hard, and therefore prayed to be admitted heirs
to their father, and to have an inheritance in his right. If they had had a
brother, they would not have applied to Moses (as one did to Christ, Luke xii.
13) for an order to inherit with him. But, having no brother, they beg for a
possession. Herein they discovered, (1.) A strong faith in the power and
promise of God concerning the giving of the land of Canaan to Israel. Though
it was yet unconquered, untouched, and in the full possession of the natives,
yet they petition for their share in it as if it were all their own already.
See Ps. lx. 6, 7, God has spoken in his holiness, and the Gilead is
mine, Manasseh is mane. (2.) An earnest desire of a place and name in the
land of promise, which was a type of heaven; and if they had, as some think,
an eye to that, and by this claim laid hold on eternal life, they were five
wise virgins indeed; and their example should quicken us with all possible
diligence to make sure our title to the heavenly inheritance, in the disposal
of which, by the covenant of grace, no difference is made between male and
female, Gal. iii. 28. (3.) A true respect and honour for their father, whose
name was dear and precious to them now that he was gone, and they were
therefore solicitous that it should not be done away from among his family.
There is a debt which children owe to the memory of their parents, required by
the fifth commandment: Honour thy father and mother.
2. What their plea is: That their father did not die under any attainder which
might be thought to have corrupted his blood and forfeited his estate, but he died
in his own sin (v. 3), not engaged in any mutiny or rebellion
against Moses, particularly not in that of Korah and his company, nor in any
way concerned in the sins of others, but chargeable only with the common
iniquities of mankind, for which to his own Master he was to stand or fall,
but laid not himself open to any judicial process before Moses and the
princes. He was never convicted of any thing that might be a bar to his
children's claim. It is a comfort to parents, when they come to die, if,
though they smart themselves for their own sin, yet they are not conscious to
themselves of any of those iniquities which God visits upon the children.
II. Their case determined by the divine oracle. Moses did not presume to give
judgment himself, because, though their pretensions seemed just and
reasonable, yet his express orders were to divide the land among those that
were numbered, who were the males only; he therefore brings their cause
before the Lord, and waits for his decision (v. 5), and God himself
gives the judgment upon it. He takes cognizance of the affairs, not only of
nations, but of private families, and orders them in judgment, according to
the counsel of his own will. 1. The petition is granted (v. 7): They
speak right, give them a possession. Those that seek an inheritance in the
land of promise shall have what they seek, and other things shall be added to
them. These are claims which God will countenance and crown. 2. The point is
settled for all future occasions. These daughters of Zelophehad consulted, not
only their own comfort and the credit of their family, but the honour and
happiness of their sex likewise; for on this particular occasion a general law
was made that, in case a man had no son, his estate should go to his daughters
(v. 8); not to the eldest, as the eldest son, but to them all in
copartnership, share and share alike. Those that in such a case deprive their
daughters of their right, purely to keep up the name of their family, unless a
valuable consideration be allowed them, may make the entail of their lands
surer than the entail of a blessing with them. Further directions are given
for the disposal of inheritances, v. 9-11. "If a man have no issue
at all, his estate shall go to his brethren; if no brethren, then to his
father's brethren; and, if there be no such, then to his next kinsman."
With this the rules of our law exactly agree: and though the Jewish doctors
here will have it understood that if a man have no children his estate shall
go to his father, if living, before his brethren, yet there is nothing of that
in the law, and our common law has an express rule against it, That an estate
cannot ascend lineally; so that if a person purchase lands in fee-simple, and
die without issue in the life-time of his father, his father cannot be his
heir. See how God makes heirs, and in his disposal we must acquiesce.
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Moses
Warned of His Death.
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B.
C. 1452.
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12 And the LORD
said unto Moses, Get thee up into this mount Abarim, and see the land which I
have given unto the children of Israel. 13 And when thou hast seen
it, thou also shalt be gathered unto thy people, as Aaron thy brother was
gathered. 14 For ye rebelled against my commandment in the desert
of Zin, in the strife of the congregation, to sanctify me at the water before
their eyes: that is the water of Meribah in Kadesh in the wilderness of
Zin.
Here, 1. God tells Moses of his fault, his speaking unadvisedly with his lips
at the waters of strife, where he did not express, so carefully as he ought to
have done, a regard to the honour both of God and Israel, v. 14. Though
Moses was a servant of the Lord, a faithful servant, yet once he rebelled
against God's commandment, and failed in his duty; and though a very
honourable servant, and highly favoured, yet he shall hear of his miscarriage,
and all the world shall hear of it too, again and again; for God will show his
displeasure against sin, even in those that are nearest and dearest to him.
Those that are in reputation for wisdom and honour have need to be
constantly careful of their words and ways, lest at any time they say or do
that which may be a diminution to their comfort, or to their credit, or both,
a great while after. 2. He tells Moses of his death. His death was the
punishment of his sin, and yet notice is given him of it in such a manner as
might best serve to sweeten and mollify the sentence, and reconcile him to it.
(1.) Moses must die, but he shall first have the satisfaction of seeing the
land of promise, v. 12. God did not intend with this sight of Canaan to
tantalize him, or upbraid him with his folly in doing that which cut him short
of it, nor had it any impression of that kind upon him, but God appointed it
and Moses accepted it as a favour, his sight (we have reason to think) being
wonderfully strengthened and enlarged to take such a full and distinct view of
it as did abundantly gratify his innocent curiosity. This sight of Canaan
signified his believing prospect of the better country, that is, the heavenly,
which is very comfortable to dying saints. (2.) Moses must die, but death does
not cut him off; it only gathers him to his people, brings him to rest
with the holy patriarchs that had gone before him. Abraham, and Isaac, and
Jacob, were his people, the people of his choice and love, and to them
death gathered him. (3.) Moses must die, but only as Aaron died before him, v.
13. And Moses had seen how easily and cheerfully Aaron had put off the
priesthood first and then the body; let not Moses therefore be afraid of
dying; it was but to be gathered to his people, as Aaron was gathered.
Thus the death of our near and dear relations should be improved by us, [1.]
As an engagement to us to think often of dying. We are not better than our
fathers or brethren; if they are gone, we are going; if they are gathered
already, we must be gathered very shortly. [2.] As an encouragement to us to
think of death without terror, and even to please ourselves with the thoughts
of it. It is but to die as such and such died, if we live as they lived; and
their end was peace, they finished their course with joy; why then
should we fear any evil in that melancholy valley?
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Joshua
Named as Moses's Successor.
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B.
C. 1452.
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15 And Moses spake unto
the LORD,
saying, 16 Let the LORD,
the God of the spirits of all flesh, set a man over the congregation,
17 Which may go out before them, and which may go in before them, 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. 18 And the LORD
said unto Moses, Take thee Joshua the son of Nun, a man in whom is the
spirit, and lay thine hand upon him; 19 And set him before Eleazar
the priest, and before all the congregation; and give him a charge in their
sight. 20 And thou shalt put some of thine honour upon him,
that all the congregation of the children of Israel may be obedient.
21 And he shall stand before Eleazar the priest, who shall ask counsel
for him after the judgment of Urim before the LORD:
at his word 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.
22 And Moses did as the LORD
commanded him: and he took Joshua, and set him before Eleazar the priest, and
before all the congregation: 23 And he laid his hands upon him,
and gave him a charge, as the LORD
commanded by the hand of Moses.
Here, I. Moses prays for a successor. When God had told him that he must die,
though it appears elsewhere that he solicited for a reprieve for himself
(Deut. iii. 24, 25), yet, when this could not be obtained, he begged earnestly
that the work of God might be carried on, though he might not have the honour
of finishing it. 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 flourish, and the
interests of God's kingdom among men may be maintained and advanced, when we
are in our graves. In this prayer Moses expresses, 1. A tender concern for the
people of Israel: That the congregation of the Lord be not as sheep which
have no shepherd. Our Saviour uses this comparison in his compassions for
the people when they wanted good ministers, Matt. ix. 36. Magistrates and
ministers are the shepherds of a people; if these be wanting, or be not as
they should be, people are apt to wander and be scattered abroad, are exposed
to enemies, and in danger of wanting food and of hurting one another, as
sheep having no shepherd. 2. A believing dependence upon God, as the God
of the spirits of all flesh. He is both the former and the searcher of
spirits, and therefore can either find men fit or make them fit to serve his
purposes, for the good of his church. Moses prays to God, not to send an
angel, but to set a man over the congregation, that is, to nominate and
appoint one whom he would qualify and own as ruler of his people Israel.
Before God gave this blessing to Israel, he stirred up Moses to pray for it:
thus Christ, before he sent forth his apostles, called to those about him to
pray the Lord of the harvest that he would send forth labourers into his
harvest, Matt. ix. 38.
II. God, in answer to his prayer, appoints him a successor, even Joshua, who
had long since 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 is the man whom God pitches upon 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),
the spirit of government (he is fit to do the work and discharge the
trusts of his place), a spirit of conduct and courage; and he had also the spirit
of prophecy, for the Lord often spoke unto him, Josh. iv. 1; vi. 2;
vii. 10. Now here,
1. God directs Moses how to secure the succession to Joshua. (1.) He must
ordain him: Lay thy hand upon him, v. 18. This was done in token
of Moses' transferring the government to him, as the laying of hands on the
sacrifice put the offering in the place and stead of the offerer; also in
token of God's conferring the blessing of the Spirit upon him, which Moses
obtained by prayer. It is said (Deut. xxxiv. 9), Joshua was full of the
spirit of wisdom, for Moses had laid his hands on him. This rite of
imposing hands we find used in the New Testament in the setting apart of
gospel ministers, denoting a solemn designation of them to the office and an
earnest desire that God would qualify them for it and own them in it. It is
the offering of them to Christ and his church for living sacrifices. (2.) He
must present him to Eleazar and the people, set him before them, that they
might know him to be designed of God for this great trust and consent to that
designation. (3.) He must give him a charge, v. 19. He must be
charged with the people of Israel, who were delivered into his hand as sheep
into the hand of a shepherd, and for whom he must be accountable. He must be
strictly charged to do his duty to them; though they were under his command,
he was under God's command, and from him must receive charge. The highest must
know that there is a higher than they. This charge must be given him in
their sight, that it might be the more affecting to Joshua, and that the
people, seeing the work and care of their prince, might be the more engaged to
assist and encourage him. (4.) He must put some of his honour upon him,
v. 20. Joshua at the most had but some of the honour of Moses, and in
many instances came short of him; but this seems to be meant of his taking him
now, while he lived, into partnership with him in the government and admitting
him to act with authority as his assistant. It is an honour to be employed for
God and his church; some of this honour must be put upon Joshua, that the
people, being used to obey him while Moses lived, might the more cheerfully do
it afterwards. (5.) He must appoint Eleazar the high priest, with this
breast-plate of judgment, to be his privy-council (v. 21): He shall
stand before Eleazar, by him to consult the oracle, ready to receive and
observe all the instructions that should be given him by it. This was a
direction to Joshua. Though he was full of the Spirit, and had all this honour
put upon him, yet he must do nothing without asking counsel of God, not
leaning to his own understanding. It was also a great encouragement to him. To
govern Israel, and to conquer Canaan, were two hard tasks, but God assures him
that in both he should be under a divine conduct; and in every difficult case
God would advise him to that which should be for the best. Moses had recourse
to the oracle of God himself, but Joshua and the succeeding judges must use
the ministry of the high priest, and consult the judgment of urim, which, the
Jews say, might not be enquired of but by the king or the head of the
sanhedrim, or by the agent or representative of the people, for them, and in
their name. Thus the government of Israel was now purely divine, for both the
designation and direction of their princes were entirely so. At the word of
the priest, according to the judgment of urim, Joshua and all
Israel must go out and come in; and no doubt God, who thus guided, would
preserve both their going out and their coming in. Those are safe, and may be
easy, that follow God, and in all their ways acknowledge him.
2. Moses does according to these directions, v. 22, 23. He cheerfully
ordained Joshua, (1.) Though it was a present lessening to himself, and
amounted almost to a resignation of the government. He was very willing that
the people should look off from him, and gaze on the rising sun. (2.) Though
it might appear a perpetual slur upon his family. It would not have been so
much his praise if he had thus resigned his honour to a son of his own; but
with his own hands first to ordain Eleazar high priest, and then Joshua, one
of another tribe, chief ruler, while his own children had no preferment at
all, but were left in the rank of common Levites, this was such an instance of
self-denial and submission to the will of God as was more his glory than the
highest advancement of his family could have been; for it confirms his
character as the meekest man upon earth, and faithful to him that appointed
him in all his house. This (says the excellent bishop Patrick) shows him to
have had a principle which raised him above all other lawgivers, who always
took care to establish their families in some share of that greatness which
they themselves possessed; but hereby it appeared that Moses acted not from
himself, because he acted not for himself.
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