Moses Sees the Land and Joshua Is Commissioned

27:12 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Go up this mountain of the Abarim range, and see the land I have given to the Israelites. 27:13 When you have seen it, you will be gathered to your ancestors, as Aaron your brother was gathered to his ancestors. 27:14 For in the wilderness of Zin when the community rebelled against me, you rebelled against my command to show me as holy before their eyes over the water – the water of Meribah in Kadesh in the wilderness of Zin.” 27:15 Then Moses spoke to the Lord: 27:16 “Let the Lord, the God of the spirits of all humankind, appoint a man over the community, 27:17 who will go out before them, and who will come in before them, and who will lead them out, and who will bring them in, so that the community of the Lord may not be like sheep that have no shepherd.” 27:18 The Lord replied to Moses, “Take Joshua son of Nun, a man in whom is such a spirit, and lay your hand on him; 27:19 set him before Eleazar the priest and before the whole community, and commission him publicly. 27:20 Then you must delegate some of your authority to him, so that the whole community of the Israelites will be obedient. 27:21 And he will stand before Eleazar the priest, who will seek counsel for him before the Lord by the decision of the Urim. At his command they will go out, and at his command they will come in, he and all the Israelites with him, the whole community.” 27:22 So Moses did as the Lord commanded him; he took Joshua and set him before Eleazar the priest and before the whole community. 27:23 He laid his hands on him and commissioned him, just as the Lord commanded, by the authority of Moses.

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The Lord tells Moses to go up the mountain, see the land, and then die because of his failure at Meribah. Moses asks the Lord to appoint a leader for Israel so the people will not be like sheep without a shepherd. The Lord names Joshua, and Moses publicly commissions him before Eleazar the priest and the whole community.

The Lord’s word to Moses is both judgment and mercy. Moses may see the land, but he will not enter it. His death is tied to his failure to honor the Lord as holy at Meribah. This shows that even Moses is accountable to God.

Moses responds with concern for the people. He asks the Lord to give Israel a new leader and uses shepherd language to describe their need. God’s people must not be left without guidance and order.

The Lord chooses Joshua son of Nun. Joshua is to be set before the priest and the whole community. Moses lays his hands on him and gives him some of his authority. This is a public and orderly transfer of leadership.

Joshua still remains under the Lord’s direction. He must stand before Eleazar the priest, who will seek counsel from the Lord by the Urim. So Joshua is a real leader, but not an independent one. The people will move at the Lord’s command. Moses then does exactly what the Lord told him to do.

• The Lord judged Moses for his failure at Meribah.
• Moses was allowed to see the land, but he would not enter it.
• Moses cared for Israel’s future and asked God to appoint a leader.
• Israel must not be like sheep without a shepherd.
• The Lord chose Joshua son of Nun for this task.
• Moses publicly commissioned Joshua before the priest and the whole community.
• Joshua received real authority, but he remained under the Lord’s guidance.
• The priest would seek the Lord’s counsel for Joshua by the Urim.

• Warning: Moses would die outside the land because of his rebellion at Meribah.
• Warning: the people must not be left without shepherd-like leadership.
• Command: Moses was to go up the mountain and see the land.
• Command: Moses was to commission Joshua publicly.
• Promise: the Lord provided a new leader for Israel.
• Promise: Joshua would lead the people forward under God’s direction.

This passage closes the wilderness period and prepares Israel to enter the promised land. Moses, the covenant mediator of the wilderness era, is judged and will not cross over. Yet God does not leave his people leaderless. He provides Joshua so the nation can continue toward the land under his command and priestly oversight.

God’s people should value orderly, God-given leadership. Leaders should care about the next generation, not only their own work. Even faithful servants can be corrected by God, so humility matters. True leadership is shown by obedience to the Lord.

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