Numbers 27:18-23·~1 min

Joshua to Succeed Moses

The LORD chooses Joshua, a man with the Spirit, and tells Moses to present and commission him before Eleazar and the congregation. Joshua will receive authority from Moses and will seek the LORD’s counsel through Eleazar and the Urim.

A¹⁸nd the LORD replied to Moses, “Take Joshua son of Nun, a man with the Spirit in him, and lay your hands on him. ¹⁹Have him stand before Eleazar the priest and the whole congregation, and commission him in their sight. ²⁰Confer on him some of your authority, so that the whole congregation of Israel will obey him. ²¹He shall stand before Eleazar the priest, who will seek counsel for him before the LORD by the judgment of the Urim. At his command, he and all the Israelites with him— the entire congregation— will go out and come in.”

Moses carries out the command exactly as he was told. He presents Joshua publicly, lays hands on him, and commissions him before Israel.

²²Moses did as the LORD had commanded him. He took Joshua, had him stand before Eleazar the priest and the whole congregation, ²³and laid his hands on him and commissioned him, as the LORD had instructed through Moses.

Section summaryThe LORD names Joshua as Moses’ successor and sets out a public act of commissioning before priest and people. Moses obeys, laying his hands on Joshua and transferring authority in sight of the congregation.

Role in the chapterThis closing section answers Moses’ prayer and secures Israel’s transition in full public view. It shows leadership passing with both divine choice and communal recognition.