Daily Bread

Joshua to Succeed Moses

¹² Then the Lord said to Moses, “Go up this mountain^(A) in the Abarim Range^(B) and see the land^(C) I have given the Israelites.^{(D) 13} After you have seen it, you too will be gathered to your people,^(E) as your brother Aaron^(F) was, ¹⁴ for when the community rebelled at the waters in the Desert of Zin,^(G) both of you disobeyed my command to honor me as holy^(H) before their eyes.” (These were the waters of Meribah^(I) Kadesh, in the Desert of Zin.)

¹⁵ Moses said to the Lord, ¹⁶ “May the Lord, the God who gives breath to all living things,^(J) appoint someone over this community ¹⁷ to go out and come in before them, one who will lead them out and bring them in, so the Lord’s people will not be like sheep without a shepherd.”^(K)

¹⁸ So the Lord said to Moses, “Take Joshua son of Nun, a man in whom is the spirit of leadership,^[a](L) and lay your hand on him.^{(M) 19} Have him stand before Eleazar the priest and the entire assembly and commission him^(N) in their presence.^{(O) 20} Give him some of your authority so the whole Israelite community will obey him.^{(P) 21} He is to stand before Eleazar the priest, who will obtain decisions for him by inquiring^(Q) of the Urim^(R) before the Lord. At his command he and the entire community of the Israelites will go out, and at his command they will come in.”

²² Moses did as the Lord commanded him. He took Joshua and had him stand before Eleazar the priest and the whole assembly. ²³ Then he laid his hands on him and commissioned him,^(S) as the Lord instructed through Moses.