And he shall stand before Eleazar the priest, who shall ask counsel for him after the judgment of Urim before the LORD: at his word 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.

NUMBERS 27:21KJV
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Numbers 27:21 (KJV)

What does Numbers 27:21 mean?

Numbers 27:21 describes how Joshua, the new leader of Israel, must seek guidance from God through Eleazar the priest, who will use the Urim to receive God's decisions. The whole nation of Israel is to follow these instructions, going out or coming in according to what God reveals through Eleazar.

In this verse, God is speaking to Moses about how leadership will work after Moses is gone. Joshua will not make decisions on his own; instead, he will "stand before" Eleazar the priest, who will "ask counsel" for him using the Urim, a sacred object used to discern God's will. The phrase "at his word" means that Joshua and all Israel will act based on the answer God gives through Eleazar, showing a system where both priest and leader depend on God's guidance.

The Hebrew behind Numbers 27:21

  • אֶלְעָזָר (ʾElʿāzār, "Eleazar"): This is the name of the high priest who takes on a key role as the mediator between God and the people, highlighting the shift from Moses' direct communication with God to a priestly system.
  • אוּרִים (ʾUrim, "Urim"): The Urim was a sacred object used for seeking God's judgment or decision. Its mention shows that future guidance for Israel would come through established priestly means rather than direct revelation as with Moses.
  • מִשְׁפָּט (mishpat, "judgment"): This word often refers to a legal decision or verdict. Here, it underscores that the guidance Joshua receives is not just advice but a binding decision from God.
  • פִּי (pi, "word" or "mouth"): The phrase "at his word" (literally "by his mouth") means that the people will act strictly according to the answer given by God through the priest, emphasizing obedience to divine direction.

Why Numbers 27:21 matters

  • Numbers 27:21 clarifies that after Moses, Israel's leadership will not have the same direct access to God, but will rely on the priestly system and sacred objects like the Urim for guidance.
  • This verse shows a clear division of roles: Joshua leads, but Eleazar seeks God's will, and the whole community must follow the outcome, highlighting the importance of both spiritual and practical leadership.
  • The verse connects to the wider passage by showing how God provides for the continuity of leadership and guidance for Israel, even as the people prepare to enter the Promised Land without Moses.

Where else these words appear

“Urim” Hebrew H224 · used in 7 verses

  • Exodus 28:30 And thou shalt put in the breastplate of judgment the Urim and the Thummim; and they shall be upon Aaron's heart, when he goeth in before the LORD: and Aaron shall bear the judgment of the children of Israel upon his heart before the LORD continually.
  • Deuteronomy 33:8 And of Levi he said, Let thy Thummim and thy Urim be with thy holy one, whom thou didst prove at Massah, and with whom thou didst strive at the waters of Meribah;
  • Ezra 2:63 And the Tirshatha said unto them, that they should not eat of the most holy things, till there stood up a priest with Urim and with Thummim.

“Eleazar” Hebrew H499 · used in 70 verses

  • Exodus 6:23 And Aaron took him Elisheba, daughter of Amminadab, sister of Naashon, to wife; and she bare him Nadab, and Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar.
  • Numbers 27:2 And they stood before Moses, and before Eleazar the priest, and before the princes and all the congregation, by the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, saying,
  • Joshua 22:32 And Phinehas the son of Eleazar the priest, and the princes, returned from the children of Reuben, and from the children of Gad, out of the land of Gilead, unto the land of Canaan, to the children of Israel, and brought them word again.

“congregation” Hebrew H5712 · used in 140 verses

  • Exodus 12:3 Speak ye unto all the congregation of Israel, saying, In the tenth day of this month they shall take to them every man a lamb, according to the house of their fathers, a lamb for an house:
  • Numbers 15:24 Then it shall be, if ought be committed by ignorance without the knowledge of the congregation, that all the congregation shall offer one young bullock for a burnt offering, for a sweet savour unto the LORD, with his meat offering, and his drink offering, according to the manner, and one kid of the goats for a sin offering.
  • Numbers 31:16 Behold, these caused the children of Israel, through the counsel of Balaam, to commit trespass against the LORD in the matter of Peor, and there was a plague among the congregation of the LORD.