Числа 27:15

Consecration of Joshua as the Successor of Moses. - Num 27:15-17. The announcement thus made to Moses led him to entreat the Lord to appoint a leader of His people, that the congregation might not be like a flock without a shepherd. As "God of the spirits of all flesh," i.e., as the giver of life and breath to all creatures (see at Num 16:22), he asks Jehovah to appoint a man over the congregation, who should go out and in before them, and should lead them out and in, i.e., preside over and direct them in all their affairs. ובוא צאת ("go out," and "go in") is a description of the conduct of men in every-day life (Deu 28:6; Deu 31:2; Jos 14:11). והביא הוציא ("lead out," and "bring in") signifies the superintendence of the affairs of the nation, and is founded upon the figure of a shepherd.

Here, I. Moses prays for a successor. When God had told him that he must die, though it appears elsewhere that he solicited for a reprieve for himself (Deu 3:24, Deu 3:25), yet, when this could not be obtained, he begged earnestly that the work of God might be carried on, though he might not have the honour of finishing it. Envious spirits do not love their successors, but Moses was not one of these. We should concern ourselves, both in our prayers and in our endeavours, for the rising generation, that religion may flourish, and the interests of God's kingdom among men may be maintained and advanced, when we are in our graves. In this prayer Moses expresses, 1. A tender concern for the people of Israel: That the congregation of the Lord be not as sheep which have no shepherd. Our Saviour uses this comparison in his compassions for the people when they wanted good ministers, Mat 9:36. Magistrates and ministers are the shepherds of a people; if these be wanting, or be not as they should be, people are apt to wander and be scattered abroad, are exposed to enemies, and in danger of wanting food and of hurting one another, as sheep having no shepherd. 2. A believing dependence upon God, as the God of the spirits of all flesh. He is both the former and the searcher of spirits, and therefore can either find men fit or make them fit to serve his purposes, for the good of his church. Moses prays to God, not to send an angel, but to set a man over the congregation, that is, to nominate and appoint one whom he would qualify and own as ruler of his people Israel. Before God gave this blessing to Israel, he stirred up Moses to pray for it: thus Christ, before he sent forth his apostles, called to those about him to pray the Lord of the harvest that he would send forth labourers into…

27:15-17 Israel was on the threshold of a long battle for Canaan; Moses did not want them to flounder without a leader or lose their way like sheep without a shepherd (cp. 1 Kgs 22:17; Ezek 34:5; Matt 9:36).