Paul Kretzmann Commentary - Numbers 27:18 - 27:23

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Paul Kretzmann Commentary - Numbers 27:18 - 27:23


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Joshua appointed leader of the people

v. 18. And the Lord said unto Moses, Take thee Joshua, the son of Nun, a man in whom is the Spirit,
he had shown the intelligence, the executive ability, and the spirituality needed for the difficult office, and lay thine hand upon him;

v. 19. and set him before Eleazar, the priest, and before all the congregation,
in a form of ordination or consecration for his work; and give him a charge in their sight, formally transmit the office of leader to him.

v. 20. And thou shall put some of thine honor upon him,
as much as Joshua needed for the effective administration of his leadership, that all the congregation of the children of Israel may be obedient, giving him the same deference in word and deed which they had owed and usually showed to Moses.

v. 21. And he shall stand before Eleazar, the priest, who shall ask counsel for him after the judgment of Urim before the Lord;
he was dependent upon the counsel of the high priest as given by means of the mysterious Urim, for he had no direct access to God, as Moses had, Exo_28:30. At his word, in accordance with the utterance which the high priest would make by means of the Urim and Thummim entrusted to him, 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.

v. 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,
Deu_31:7-8;

v. 23. and he laid his hands upon him, and gave him a charge, as the Lord commanded by the hand of Moses.
That was the formal installation and induction of Joshua into the duties of his high office. Although we have no command of God to that effect, we also install the officers of the church with due solemnity, in order to remind them of the great responsibility resting upon them.