Numbers 27:17
27:17 who will go out before them, and who will come in before them, 1 and who will lead them out, and who will bring them in, so that 2 the community of the Lord may not be like sheep that have no shepherd.”
Numbers 27:21
27:21 And he will stand before Eleazar the priest, who 3 will seek counsel 4 for him before the Lord by the decision of the Urim. 5 At his command 6 they will go out, and at his command they will come in, he and all the Israelites with him, the whole community.”
1 sn This is probably technical terminology for a military leader (Josh 14:11; 1 Sam 18:13-16; 1 Kgs 3:7; 2 Kgs 11:9). The image of a shepherd can also be military in nature (1 Kgs 22:17).
2 tn The Hebrew text has the conjunction with the negated imperfect tense, “and it will not be.” This clause should be subordinated to the preceding to form a result clause, and the imperfect then function as a final imperfect.
3 tn The passage simply has “and he will ask,” but Eleazar is clearly the subject now.
4 tn Heb “ask.”
5 sn The new leader would not have the privilege that Moses had in speaking to God face to face. Rather, he would have to inquire of the Lord through the priest, and the priest would seek a decision by means of the Urim. The Urim and the Thummim were the sacred lots that the priest had in his pouch, the “breastplate” as it has traditionally been called. Since the Law had now been fully established, there would be fewer cases that the leader would need further rulings. Now it would simply be seeking the Lord’s word for matters such as whether to advance or not. The size, shape or substance of these objects is uncertain. See further C. Van Dam, The Urim and Thummim.
6 tn Heb “mouth,” meaning what he will say.