Numbers 27:21

Num 27:21. Who shall ask counsel for him — When he requires him so to do, and in important and difficult matters. From this and similar passages, it appears that the authority of the judge, or chief magistrate in Israel, however great, was not arbitrary, since in great emergencies he was obliged to have recourse to the high-priest, who was to ask counsel for him at the oracle. And some weighty matters were proposed to the congregation and princes, or senate of Israel, for their consent or decision. After the judgment of Urim — It appears from several passages, particularly 1Sa 14:18; 1Sa 23:2; 1Sa 28:6; 1Sa 30:7; 2Sa 5:19, that the high-priest, in consulting the oracle, was clothed with the ephod, or the sacerdotal vestment, to which belonged the breast- plate, and the Urim and Thummim. Thus, when David wanted to consult the oracle, he said to the priest, Bring hither the ephod: see 1Sa 30:7. In this and other places God is said to have answered him, but in what manner we are not told, only it appears to have been by a voice, 1Sa 30:3. But who uttered that voice, is a question. Spencer is of opinion that it was God himself, or an angel acting by commission from God. Le Clerc again contends that it was the high-priest himself that pronounced the words, but that he spake by divine inspiration: see on Exo 28:30. At his word shall they go out, &c. — That is, at the word of the Lord, delivered by the mouth of the priest. This shows the nature of the Jewish government, and that it is not without reason called a theocracy, or divine government; since no enterprise of moment was to be undertaken without first consulting the oracle of God by the priest. However, this is to be understood principally of their going out, or not going out, to war; upon which occasion chiefly the oracle was consulted, especially to know the event of it: see Jdg 1:1; Jdg 20:18; 1Sa 14:18; 1Sa 28:6. We may observe, that though Joshua was greatly inferior to Moses in this respect, he generally consulted God by the high- priest; whereas Moses had immediate access to God himself, and spake with him face to face; (Deu 34:10;) yet God sometimes vouchsafed the same honour to Joshua, and spake to him without the mediation of the priest: see Jos 3:7; Jos 4:1; Jos 4:15; Jos 5:13.

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

According to his office: signifying that the civil magistrate could execute nothing but that which he knew to be the will of God.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain. Text via Bolls.life.

Verse 21. Eleazar the priest - shall ask counsel for him] Here was a remarkable difference between him and Moses. God talked with Moses face to face; but to Joshua only through the medium of the high priest.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

(21) After the judgment of Urim . . . —See Exo_28:30, and Note.

At his word . . . —i.e., Joshua and the children of Israel were to abide by the decision of the high priest, which was obtained by means of Urim and Thummim.

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

21. the Urim] The sacred lot by which the priests ascertained the will of God.

On the Urim and Tummim see the writer’s note on Exo_28:30.

This verse exemplifies the thought that Joshua’s dignity was to be less than that of Moses. Joshua must enquire of God’s will through the priest, whereas Moses always received commands straight from God Himself.

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 Moses did as the Lord commanded him,.... Being faithful and obedient to him in all things, though ever so contrary to his own private interest and to that of his family:

and he took Joshua and set him before Eleazar the priest, and before all the congregation; as his successor, whom God had named and appointed as such.

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

And he shall stand before Eleazar the priest ... - Joshua was thus to be inferior to what Moses had been. For Moses had enjoyed the privilege of unrestricted direct contact with God: Joshua, like all future rulers of Israel, was to ask counsel mediately, through the High Priest and those means of inquiring of God wherewith the high priest was entrusted. Such counsel Joshua seems to have omitted to seek when he concluded his hasty treaty with the Gibeonites (Jos 9:3 ff).

Judgment of Urim - See Exo 28:30 note.

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

For him. Hebrew adds, "according to the judgment of Urim." See Exodus xxviii. 30. Nothing better shews the theocracy of the Hebrews, as Josephus styles it, (contra Apion, 2,) than this order for the chief magistrate in civil affairs, to consult and be guided by God’s minister, and by the sentence which he should pronounce in his name. Till the reign of David, at least, we find few wars undertaken, without consulting God: (Calmet) and the Rabbins assert, that the kings could not declare any war of their own accord, without the consent of the high priest and Sanhedrim. (Selden, Syned. iii. 12.) Saul lost his crown and life for not complying with the injunctions of God, which were communicated to him by the prophet Samuel. (Haydock)

George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).

Who shall ask counsel for him, when he requires him to do so, and in important and difficult matters. See Jos 9:14; Jdg 1:1; 20:18; 1Sa 23:9.

After the judgment, or, by or from the judgment, i.e. by seeking and receiving and communicating to him the judgment or sentence thereby given: or, by the judgment is here put defectively for by the breastplate of judgment, as it is called Exo 28:30, as the testimony is oft put for the ark of the testimony. Or, concerning the judgment; or sentence, i.e. what the mind and will of God is in the matter. Or, after the manner or rite, for so the Hebrew word mishpat here used oft signifies.

Urim, understand, and of Thummim, for these two generally go together; only here, as also 1Sa 28:6, Urim is synecdochically, put for both Urim and Thummim. For the manner of this inquiry and answer, see on Exo 28:30.

Before the Lord; ordinarily in the tabernacle near the second veil, setting his face to the ark, or otherwise presenting himself as in God’s presence, as Abiathar did by David’s direction, 1Sa 23:9, when they were both banished from the ark.

At his word, i.e. the word of the Lord, last mentioned, delivered to him by the high priest.

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

He shall stand before Eleazar the priest. This points to the essential difference between Moses and Joshua, and all who came after until the "Prophet like unto" Moses was raised up. Moses was as much above the priests as he was above the tribe princes; but Joshua was only the civil and military head of the nation, and was as much subordinate to the high priest in one way as the high priest was subordinate to him in another. In after times no doubt the political headship quite overpowered and overshadowed the ecclesiastical, but this does not seem to have been so intended, or to have been the case in Eleazar"s lifetime. Who shall ask counsel for him after the judgment of Urim before the Lord. Rather, "who shall inquire for him in the judgment of Urim." fpvmiB.

Septuagint, thsin twn dhlwn . The Urim of this passage and of 1Sa_28:6 seems identical with the Urim and Thummim of Exo_28:30 Lev_8:8. What it actually was, and how it was used in con-suiting God, is not told us in Scripture, and has left no reliable trace in the tradition of the Jews; it must, therefore, remain for ever an insoluble mystery. It does not appear that Moses ever sought the judgment of Urim, for he possessed more direct means of ascertaining the will of God; nor does it seem ever to have been resorted to after the time of David, for the "more sure word of prophecy" superseded it. Its real use, therefore, belonged to the dark ages of Israel, after the light of Moses had set, and before the light of the prophets had arisen. At his word. Literally, after his mouth, i.e., according to the decision of Eleazar, given after consulting God by means of the Urim. (cf. Jos_9:14 Jud_1:1)

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

Who shall ask counsel for him - When he requires him to do so, and in important and difficult matters. Of Urim - Urim is put for both Urim and Thummim. Before the Lord - Ordinarily in the tabernacle near the second veil setting his face to the ark. At his word - The word of the Lord, delivered to him by the high priest.

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

after the

(See Scofield "Exo 28:30").

The Scofield Reference Bible (1917 edition), notes by C. I. Scofield — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

ולפני אלעזר הכהן יעמד AND HE SHALL STAND BEFORE ELEAZAR THE PRIEST — Here you have the request that you have made: that this honour should not depart from your father’s house, for Joshua, too, will need Eleazar (Midrash Tanchuma, Pinchas 11).

ושאל לו AND HE SHALL ASK OF HIM, whenever he finds it necessary to go forth to war (cf. Targum Jonathan on).

על פיו AT HIS WORD [SHALL THEY GO FORTH] — at Eleazar’s.

וכל העדה AND ALL THE CONGREGATION — the Sanhedrin (Sanhedrin 16a).

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.