Show Bible Commentary For A Bible Verse

Click here to show/hide instructions.

Selected Verse: Numbers 27:18 - Strong Concordance

Verse	Translation	Text
Nu 27:18	Strong Concordance	And the LORD [03068] said [0559] unto Moses [04872], Take [03947] thee Joshua [03091] the son [01121] of Nun [05126], a man [0376] in whom is the spirit [07307], and lay [05564] thine hand [03027] upon him;
	King James	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;

Summary Of Commentaries Associated With The Selected Verse

Open All | Close All Open All | Close All

A Commentary, Critical, Practical, and Explanatory on the Old and New Testaments, by Robert Jamieson, A.R. Fausset and David Brown [1882]
JOSHUA APPOINTED TO SUCCEED HIM. (Num 27:18-23) Take thee Joshua . . . a man in whom is the spirit, and lay thine hand upon him--A strong testimony is here borne to the personality of the divine Spirit--the imposition of hands was an ancient ceremony. (See Gen 48:14; Lev 1:4; Ti1 4:14).

A Commentary, Critical, Practical, and Explanatory on the Old and New Testaments, by Robert Jamieson, A.R. Fausset and David Brown [1882]

JOSHUA APPOINTED TO SUCCEED HIM. (Num 27:18-23)

Take thee Joshua . . . a man in whom is the spirit, and lay thine hand upon him--A strong testimony is here borne to the personality of the divine Spirit--the imposition of hands was an ancient ceremony. (See Gen 48:14; Lev 1:4; Ti1 4:14).

Notes on the Bible, by Albert Barnes, [1834]
In whom is the spirit Compare Gen 41:38. Joshua was endowed by God with the requisite spiritual qualifications for the office. Moses howerer, was to lay his hands upon him, both in order to confer formal and public appointment, and also (compare Deu 34:9) to confirm and strengthen the spiritual gifts already bestowed. The previous reception of the inner grace did not dispense with that of the outward sign; compare the case of Cornelius Act 10:44-48; and Paul's baptism after his miraculous conversion Act 9:18.

Commentary on the Old Testament, by Carl Friedrich Keil and Franz Delitzsch [1857-78]
The Lord then appointed Joshua to this office as a man "who had spirit." רוּה (spirit) does not mean "insight and wisdom" (Knobel), but the higher power inspired by God into the soul, which quickens the moral and religious life, and determines its development; in this case, therefore, it was the spiritual endowment requisite for the office he was called to fill. Moses was to consecrate him for entering upon this office by the laying on of hands, or, as is more fully explained in Num 27:19 and Num 27:20, he was to set him before Eleazar the high priest and the congregation, to command (צוּה) him, i.e., instruct him with regard to his office before their eyes, and to lay of his eminence (הוד) upon him, i.e., to transfer a portion of his own dignity and majesty to him by the imposition of hands, that the whole congregation might hearken to him, or trust to his guidance. The object to ישׁמעוּ (hearken) must be supplied from the context, viz., אליו (to him), as Deu 34:9 clearly shows. The מן (of) in Num 27:20 is partitive, as in Gen 4:4, etc. The eminence and authority of Moses were not to be entirely transferred to Joshua, for they were bound up with his own person alone (cf. Num 12:6-8), but only so much of it as he needed for the discharge of the duties of his office. Joshua was to be neither the lawgiver nor the absolute governor of Israel, but to be placed under the judgment of the Urim, with which Eleazar was entrusted, so far as the supreme decision of the affairs of Israel was concerned. This is the meaning of Num 27:21 : "Eleazar shall ask to him (for him) the judgment of the Urim before Jehovah." Urim is an abbreviation for Urim and Thummim (Exo 28:30), and denotes the means with which the high priest was entrusted of ascertaining the divine will and counsel in all the important business of the congregation. "After his mouth" (i.e., according to the decision of the high priest, by virtue of the right of Urim and Thummim entrusted to him), Joshua and the whole congregation were to go out and in, i.e., to regulate their conduct and decide upon their undertakings. "All the congregation," in distinction from 'all the children of Israel," denotes the whole body of heads of the people, or the college of elders, which represented the congregation and administered its affairs.

Commentary on the Old Testament, by Carl Friedrich Keil and Franz Delitzsch [1857-78]

The Lord then appointed Joshua to this office as a man "who had spirit." רוּה (spirit) does not mean "insight and wisdom" (Knobel), but the higher power inspired by God into the soul, which quickens the moral and religious life, and determines its development; in this case, therefore, it was the spiritual endowment requisite for the office he was called to fill. Moses was to consecrate him for entering upon this office by the laying on of hands, or, as is more fully explained in Num 27:19 and Num 27:20, he was to set him before Eleazar the high priest and the congregation, to command (צוּה) him, i.e., instruct him with regard to his office before their eyes, and to lay of his eminence (הוד) upon him, i.e., to transfer a portion of his own dignity and majesty to him by the imposition of hands, that the whole congregation might hearken to him, or trust to his guidance. The object to ישׁמעוּ (hearken) must be supplied from the context, viz., אליו (to him), as Deu 34:9 clearly shows. The מן (of) in Num 27:20 is partitive, as in Gen 4:4, etc. The eminence and authority of Moses were not to be entirely transferred to Joshua, for they were bound up with his own person alone (cf. Num 12:6-8), but only so much of it as he needed for the discharge of the duties of his office. Joshua was to be neither the lawgiver nor the absolute governor of Israel, but to be placed under the judgment of the Urim, with which Eleazar was entrusted, so far as the supreme decision of the affairs of Israel was concerned. This is the meaning of Num 27:21 : "Eleazar shall ask to him (for him) the judgment of the Urim before Jehovah." Urim is an abbreviation for Urim and Thummim (Exo 28:30), and denotes the means with which the high priest was entrusted of ascertaining the divine will and counsel in all the important business of the congregation. "After his mouth" (i.e., according to the decision of the high priest, by virtue of the right of Urim and Thummim entrusted to him), Joshua and the whole congregation were to go out and in, i.e., to regulate their conduct and decide upon their undertakings. "All the congregation," in distinction from 'all the children of Israel," denotes the whole body of heads of the people, or the college of elders, which represented the congregation and administered its affairs.

Explanatory Notes on the Whole Bible, by John Wesley [1754-65]
The spirit - The spirit of government, of wisdom, and of the fear of the Lord. Lay thy hand - By which ceremony Moses did both design the person and confer the power, and by his prayers, which accompanied that rite, obtain from God all the spiritual gifts and graces necessary for his future employment.

Adam Clarke Commentary on the Whole Bible - Published 1810-1826
In whom is the spirit - This must certainly mean the Spirit of God; and because he was endued with this Spirit, therefore he was capable of leading the people. How miserably qualified is that man for the work of God who is not guided and influenced by the Holy Ghost! God never chooses a man to accomplish his designs but that one whom he himself has qualified for the work.

Top

¹⁴ Neglect [272] not [3361] the gift [5486] that is in [1722] thee [4671], which [3739] was given [1325] thee [4671] by [1223] prophecy [4394], with [3326] the laying on [1936] of the hands [5495] of the presbytery [4244].

⁴ And he shall put [05564] his hand [03027] upon the head [07218] of the burnt offering [05930]; and it shall be accepted [07521] for him to make atonement [03722] for him.

¹⁴ And Israel [03478] stretched out [07971] his right hand [03225], and laid [07896] it upon Ephraim's [0669] head [07218], who was the younger [06810], and his left hand [08040] upon Manasseh's [04519] head [07218], guiding [07919] his hands [03027] wittingly [07919]; for Manasseh [04519] was the firstborn [01060].

¹⁸ And the LORD [03068] said [0559] unto Moses [04872], Take [03947] thee Joshua [03091] the son [01121] of Nun [05126], a man [0376] in whom is the spirit [07307], and lay [05564] thine hand [03027] upon him;
¹⁹ And set [05975] him before [06440] Eleazar [0499] the priest [03548], and before [06440] all the congregation [05712]; and give him a charge [06680] in their sight [05869].
²⁰ And thou shalt put [05414] some of thine honour [01935] upon him, that all the congregation [05712] of the children [01121] of Israel [03478] may be obedient [08085].
²¹ And he shall stand [05975] before [06440] Eleazar [0499] the priest [03548], who shall ask [07592] counsel for him after the judgment [04941] of Urim [0224] before [06440] the LORD [03068]: at his word [06310] shall they go out [03318], and at his word [06310] they shall come in [0935], both he, and all the children [01121] of Israel [03478] with him, even all the congregation [05712].
²² And Moses [04872] did [06213] as the LORD [03068] commanded [06680] him: and he took [03947] Joshua [03091], and set [05975] him before [06440] Eleazar [0499] the priest [03548], and before [06440] all the congregation [05712]:
²³ And he laid [05564] his hands [03027] upon him, and gave him a charge [06680], as the LORD [03068] commanded [01696] by the hand [03027] of Moses [04872].

¹⁸ And [2532] immediately [2112] there fell [634] from [575] his [846] eyes [3788] as [5616] it had been scales [3013]: and he received sight [308] forthwith [3916], and [5037] arose [450], and [2532] was baptized [907].

⁴⁴ While Peter [4074] yet [2089] spake [2980] these [5023] words [4487], the Holy [40] Ghost [4151] fell [1968] on [1909] all [3956] them which heard [191] the word [3056].
⁴⁵ And [2532] they of [1537] the circumcision [4061] which believed [4103] were astonished [1839], as many as [3745] came with [4905] Peter [4074], because [3754] that on [1909] the Gentiles [1484] also [2532] was poured out [1632] the gift [1431] of the Holy [40] Ghost [4151].
⁴⁶ For [1063] they heard [191] them [846] speak with [2980] tongues [1100], and [2532] magnify [3170] God [2316]. Then [5119] answered [611] Peter [4074],
⁴⁷ Can [3385] [1410] any man [5100] forbid [2967] water [5204], that these [5128] should [907] not [3361] be baptized [907], which [3748] have received [2983] the Holy [40] Ghost [4151] as [2532] well as [2531] we [2249]?
⁴⁸ And [5037] he commanded [4367] them [846] to be baptized [907] in [1722] the name [3686] of the Lord [2962]. Then [5119] prayed they [2065] him [846] to tarry [1961] certain [5100] days [2250].

⁹ And Joshua [03091] the son [01121] of Nun [05126] was full [04392] of the spirit [07307] of wisdom [02451]; for Moses [04872] had laid [05564] his hands [03027] upon him: and the children [01121] of Israel [03478] hearkened [08085] unto him, and did [06213] as the LORD [03068] commanded [06680] Moses [04872].

³⁸ And Pharaoh [06547] said [0559] unto his servants [05650], Can we find [04672] such a one as this [02088] is, a man [0376] in whom [0834] the Spirit [07307] of God [0430] is?

³⁰ And thou shalt put [05414] in the breastplate [02833] of judgment [04941] the Urim [0224] and the Thummim [08550]; and they shall be upon Aaron's [0175] heart [03820], when he goeth [0935] in before [06440] the LORD [03068]: and Aaron [0175] shall bear [05375] the judgment [04941] of the children [01121] of Israel [03478] upon his heart [03820] before [06440] the LORD [03068] continually [08548].

²¹ And he shall stand [05975] before [06440] Eleazar [0499] the priest [03548], who shall ask [07592] counsel for him after the judgment [04941] of Urim [0224] before [06440] the LORD [03068]: at his word [06310] shall they go out [03318], and at his word [06310] they shall come in [0935], both he, and all the children [01121] of Israel [03478] with him, even all the congregation [05712].

⁶ And he said [0559], Hear [08085] now my words [01697]: If there be a prophet [05030] among you, I the LORD [03068] will make myself known [03045] unto him in a vision [04759], and will speak [01696] unto him in a dream [02472].
⁷ My servant [05650] Moses [04872] is not so, who is faithful [0539] in all mine house [01004].
⁸ With him will I speak [01696] mouth [06310] to mouth [06310], even apparently [04758], and not in dark speeches [02420]; and the similitude [08544] of the LORD [03068] shall he behold [05027]: wherefore then were ye not afraid [03372] to speak [01696] against my servant [05650] Moses [04872]?

⁴ And Abel [01893], he [01931] also brought [0935] of the firstlings [01062] of his flock [06629] and of the fat [02459] thereof. And the LORD [03068] had respect [08159] unto Abel [01893] and to his offering [04503]:

²⁰ And thou shalt put [05414] some of thine honour [01935] upon him, that all the congregation [05712] of the children [01121] of Israel [03478] may be obedient [08085].

¹⁹ And set [05975] him before [06440] Eleazar [0499] the priest [03548], and before [06440] all the congregation [05712]; and give him a charge [06680] in their sight [05869].