Numbers 27:19

Num 27:19. Before all the congregation — That they may be witnesses of the whole action, and may acknowledge him for their supreme ruler. Give him charge — Thou shalt give him counsels and instructions for the right management of that great trust.

Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

(19) And give him a charge . . . —Comp. Deu_31:23, “And he gave Joshua the son of Nun a charge, and said, Be strong and of a good courage.”

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

19. and give him a charge] and thou shalt command him; i.e. declare to him solemnly the way in which he is to govern.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

And thou shalt put some of thine honour upon him,.... Meaning not the Spirit that was on Moses, and the gifts of the Spirit; for to do this was the work of the Lord, and not Moses, see Num 11:17, but of the honour of civil government; suggesting that he should give him a share in it, and use him not as a minister and servant, as he had been, but as his colleague and partner; and let him have some of the ensigns of power and authority, and some exercise of it; not only to inure him to government, but to make him respectable among the people:

that all the congregation of Israel may be obedient; to him as their ruler and governor, hearken to his words, and obey his commands.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

That they may be witnesses of the whole action, and may acknowledge him for their supreme ruler.

Give him a charge: thou shalt command him in my name to undertake the government of my people, which otherwise he will be afraid and unwilling to do, and thou shalt give him counsels and instructions for the right management of that great trust.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

19. Eleazar the priest — The high priest. In the Pentateuch the definite article the sufficiently designated the high priest, except in Num_35:25, and Lev_21:10, where the adjective gadhol, great, is used.

Give him a charge — Literally, command or instruct him in regard to this high office in the sight of the congregation.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Give him a charge. htyWxi. Septuagint, entelh autw . Command or instruct him as to his duties.

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Before all the congregation - That they may be witnesses of the whole action, and may acknowledge him for their supreme ruler. Give him charge - Thou shalt give him counsels and instructions for the right management of that great trust.

John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.

וצויתה אתו AND GIVE HIM A CHARGE concerning Israel; say to him, “Know that they are troublesome, that they are refractory — accept your office having in mind that you will have to take upon yourself all this (cf. Sifrei Bamidbar 92 on 11:16).

Rashi on the Tanakh — English translations: “The Judaica Press complete Tanach with Rashi, translated by A. J. Rosenberg” (CC BY 4.0); “Pentateuch with Rashi's commentary by M. Rosenbaum and A.M. Silbermann, 1929-1934” (public domain); “The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J” (CC BY 4.0); and “The Book of Joshua, Metsudah Publications, 1997” (CC BY 4.0). Text via Sefaria.

AND THOU SHALT COMMAND HIM [Joshua] — “concerning Israel, [saying to him]: ‘Know that they are troublesome, that they are stubborn. [Accept this position of leadership over them with full awareness of this and] on condition that you take upon yourself [all this].’” This is the language of Rashi. But it is not correct in my opinion, because it says [and thou shalt command him] before their eyes [and Moses would not have told Joshua to say such words in their presence], for this matter ought rather to have been told to him [Joshua] between the two of them [Moses and Joshua]; for if he would say it in their presence, it would [only] have caused them to break off all restraint. And it would have been more fitting that he [Moses] should chastise the people, warning them separately [and not in Joshua’s presence] not to be troublesome and stubborn any more [rather than to tell Joshua, in their presence, that they were a troublesome and stubborn people]! But [the meaning of] and thou shalt command him before their eyes is that you should instruct him in the duties of a prince and judge, since it was because he [Joshua] was to be their leader that he entrusted them to his care. [Therefore] he should [indeed] have warned him to exert himself exceedingly on their behalf, and to fight the battles of the Eternal, and that he should be the one to go out before them [in battle] and to bring them in, and that he should be careful in matters of judgment. These [instructions] indeed ought to be said in their presence, in order that they should trust him and listen to him, for they would then know that he will treat their affairs in a truthful manner, since his master had so commanded him. And this is what Moses [actually] did, as it is said there, And Moses called unto Joshua, and said unto him in the sight of all Israel: ‘Be strong and of good courage etc. fear not, neither be dismayed.’ And in the Sifre [we find the following text]: “And command Joshua — concerning instruction [learning and teaching Torah]. And encourage ‘him,’ and strengthen ‘him.’ This teaches us that there cannot be two leaders in one generation.” Now these are duties of the prince, to be firm and not to be afraid of the people.In my opinion the plain meaning of Scripture is that the explanation of [the expression] ‘v’tzav’ (and thou shalt command) him before their eyes is [that it refers to] appointing [him officially as their leader], for Moses was to appoint Joshua in the presence of the people to be the ruler over them. This is similar to [the expression], from the time ‘tzivah othi’ (I was appointed) to be their governor etc. So also: ‘vayetzaveihu’ (and the Eternal hath appointed him) to be the prince over His people. Similarly, Even from the day that ‘tzivithi’(‘I commanded’) judges to be over My people Israel, which means “I appointed” [and likewise all these expressions of ‘tzav,’ which literally mean “command,” here mean “appoint”].

Ramban (Nachmanides) on the Tanakh — English translation: “Commentary on the Torah by Ramban (Nachmanides). Translated and annotated by Charles B. Chavel. New York, Shilo Pub. House, 1971-1976” (CC BY 4.0). Text via Sefaria.