What is the meaning of Numbers 27:20?
Confer on him
- The action is personal and public. Moses is told to lay his hands on Joshua (Numbers 27:18) and “commission him in their sight” (Numbers 27:19).
- Laying on of hands symbolizes the visible transfer of leadership, echoed later when Moses “laid his hands on him and commissioned him” (Numbers 27:23).
- Similar moments appear with Jacob blessing Ephraim and Manasseh (Genesis 48:14) and with the early church sending out workers (Acts 13:3). Each instance shows God working through human touch to affirm His chosen servant.
Some of your authority- God does not strip Moses of all authority; instead He shares a measured portion with Joshua. Moses will still lead until his death, but Joshua begins to stand beside him.
- Delegation protects continuity. When Moses ascends Mount Nebo (Deuteronomy 34:1–5), Israel will not be leaderless because authority has already been extended.
-Deuteronomy 34:9 underscores the result: “Joshua son of Nun was filled with the spirit of wisdom, because Moses had laid his hands on him.”
- This balance of shared authority also pictures Christ’s delegation to the apostles inLuke 9:1: “He called the twelve together and gave them power and authority over all demons and to cure diseases.”
So that- God states the purpose outright. The transfer is not ceremonial fluff; it is functional, “so that” Israel will recognize Joshua’s God-given right to lead.
- Purpose clauses like this appear elsewhere: “So that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins” (Mark 2:10). Each one explains why an action is necessary for God’s plan.
The whole congregation of Israel- No tribe or clan is exempt. From elders (Numbers 11:16) to ordinary families (Exodus 12:3), everyone must acknowledge Joshua.
-Deuteronomy 31:7 shows Moses addressing “all Israel” as he installs Joshua: this leadership transition touches every household, ensuring national unity.
- The phrase also protects against factionalism later recorded inJudges 2:10–11; obeying God’s appointed leader guards against each person “doing what was right in his own eyes” (Judges 21:25).
Will obey him- Obedience to Joshua equals obedience to God, since God Himself appoints Joshua (Numbers 27:18). The chain of command is clear.
- The people keep this pledge inJoshua 1:16–17: “Everything you have commanded us we will do… just as we fully obeyed Moses, so we will obey you.”
-Hebrews 13:17 extends the principle: “Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they keep watch over your souls,” reminding believers that God-given authority still matters today.
summaryNumbers 27:20 teaches that leadership transition in God’s community is intentional, visible, and tied to divine authority. By laying hands on Joshua, Moses publicly shares his God-given authority so the entire nation will recognize and obey the new leader. The passage stresses continuity, unity, and obedience—showing that when God appoints a servant, His people are called to follow with the same seriousness they gave the previous shepherd.
