The Meaning of Numbers 27:18 Explained

Numbers 27:18

KJV: 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;

YLT: And Jehovah saith unto Moses, 'Take to thee Joshua son of Nun, a man in whom is the Spirit, and thou hast laid thine hand upon him,

Darby: And Jehovah said to Moses, Take Joshua the son of Nun, a man in whom is the Spirit, and thou shalt lay thy hand upon him;

ASV: And Jehovah said unto Moses, Take thee Joshua the son of Nun, a man in whom is the Spirit, and lay thy hand upon him;

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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; 

What does Numbers 27:18 Mean?

Context Summary

Numbers 27:1-23 - Joshua Appointed Moses' Successor
Up to the last Moses was faithful as a servant to Him that had appointed him in all his house, Hebrews 3:2. Notice that he did not attempt to legislate for these young girls, who pleaded for a possession in their father's right; but he brought their case before God. It was ever "as the Lord commanded Moses," Numbers 27:11; Numbers 22:1-41. And when he was bidden to ascend the mountain and die his main anxiety was to secure a successor to shepherd the people. Notice that expressive phrase, "the God of the spirits of all flesh!" See Hebrews 12:9.
The great Lawgiver may bring the people to the borders of the land of rest, but there he must resign his charge. The law, with its demands for an obedience which we cannot give, cannot bring the soul to rest. That is the prerogative of Joshua-Jesus, Hebrews 4:8. [source]

Chapter Summary: Numbers 27

1  The daughters of Zelophehad ask for an inheritance
6  The law of inheritances
12  Moses, being told of his death, asks for a successor
18  Joshua is appointed to succeed him

What do the individual words in Numbers 27:18 mean?

And said Yahweh to Moses take you with Joshua son of Nun a man whom the Spirit [is] in and lay - your hand on him
וַיֹּ֨אמֶר יְהוָ֜ה אֶל־ מֹשֶׁ֗ה קַח־ לְךָ֙ אֶת־ יְהוֹשֻׁ֣עַ בִּן־ נ֔וּן אִ֖ישׁ אֲשֶׁר־ ר֣וּחַ בּ֑וֹ וְסָמַכְתָּ֥ אֶת־ יָדְךָ֖ עָלָֽיו

וַיֹּ֨אמֶר  And  said 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
יְהוָ֜ה  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
מֹשֶׁ֗ה  Moses 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: מֹשֶׁה  
Sense: the prophet and lawgiver, leader of the exodus.
קַח־  take 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperative, masculine singular
Root: יָקַח 
Sense: to take, get, fetch, lay hold of, seize, receive, acquire, buy, bring, marry, take a wife, snatch, take away.
יְהוֹשֻׁ֣עַ  Joshua 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יְהֹושֻׁעַ  
Sense: son of Nun of the tribe of Ephraim and successor to Moses as the leader of the children of Israel; led the conquest of Canaan.
בִּן־  son 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: בֵּן 
Sense: son, grandson, child, member of a group.
נ֔וּן  of  Nun 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: נוּן  
Sense: father of Joshua the successor of Moses.
אִ֖ישׁ  a  man 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: אִישׁ 
Sense: man.
אֲשֶׁר־  whom 
Parse: Pronoun, relative
Root: אֲשֶׁר 
Sense: (relative part.).
ר֣וּחַ  the  Spirit 
Parse: Noun, common singular
Root: רוּחַ  
Sense: wind, breath, mind, spirit.
בּ֑וֹ  [is]  in 
Parse: Preposition, third person masculine singular
וְסָמַכְתָּ֥  and  lay 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, second person masculine singular
Root: סָמַךְ  
Sense: to lean, lay, rest, support, put, uphold, lean upon.
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
יָדְךָ֖  your  hand 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct, second person masculine singular
Root: יָד  
Sense: hand.
עָלָֽיו  on  him 
Parse: Preposition, third person masculine singular
Root: עַל 
Sense: upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against.