Numbers 27

There were five daughters, whose names too are recorded in Scripture, born of a certain Israelite named Zelophehad, who died in the desert leaving behind no male offspring. These daughters of Zelophehad therefore approach Moses and demand a share of their father's inheritance, saying: let not the name of their father be blotted out from the midst of his people, because no son was born to him. On this matter Moses refers the question to God. But the mercy of Almighty God does not spurn or despise a consultation offered by young women, and not only deigns to give an answer, but so approves and embraces their words that from them he establishes eternal laws for men, to be observed for all ages. For the Lord says, speaking to Moses: the daughters of Zelophehad have spoken rightly; you shall give them a possession in the midst of their father's brothers, and you shall give the inheritance of their father to them. And you shall speak to the children of Israel, saying: if a man dies and has no son, you shall give his inheritance to his daughters; but if he has no daughter, you shall give his inheritance to his brother; but if he has no brothers, you shall give his inheritance to his father's brother; but if his father has no brothers, you shall give the inheritance to the kinsman who is nearest to him from his own tribe, and he shall take his inheritance. And this shall be for the children of Israel a statute of judgment, as the Lord appointed to Moses. What force these things have according to the historical sense is plain to all who know that these laws are kept not only among the children of Israel, but among all men who live by laws at all. From which it appears that the freedom of the daughters of Zelophehad conferred an inheritance not only upon themselves, but also gave perpetual laws of living to the world. You see how great is the usefulness even of the historical account itself in the law of God. Who can ever dissolve these laws which the whole world employs? But nevertheless let us seek how we too may be edified spiritually. For it can happen that I have neither daughters according to the flesh nor any land whose inheritance could be received. What then? Will this law accomplish nothing in the case of such a person, and will what has been sanctioned by the divine voice be idle for anyone? Let us therefore inquire, even in the spiritual law, who these five daughters are, who, even if their father has died for some sin, may themselves receive an inheritance from the word of God. In earlier passages, when we were treating of spiritual sons, we taught that the virtues of the soul and the perceptions of the mind are called sons. It seems, without doubt, a consequence and fitting that daughters too should be understood as works, which are accomplished by the ministry of the body. And therefore too the number five is assigned to them; for there are five bodily senses, by which every work is accomplished in the body. These five daughters, then — that is, the perfection of works — even if they are bereaved of their father and remain orphans, are nevertheless not cast out from the inheritance nor excluded from the kingdom, but receive a portion of the inheritance in the midst of the people of God. But now let us see who is their father who is said to have died to them. Zelophehad, it says. Now Zelophehad is interpreted "a shadow in his mouth." The father of works is understanding. It often happens, then — and there are not a few among our brothers — in whom there is no higher or deeper understanding, but in whom the perception is dead, as is written of a certain man: and his heart died within him. This man, therefore, even if he has no taste for spiritual understanding, but is dead, nevertheless, if he begets daughters — that is, works of ministry, works of obedient service, works of the commandments of God — will obtain an inheritance in the land with the people of the Lord. He will not indeed be able to be numbered among those whose portion is the Lord, whose inheritance is God; he will not be able to be received into the number of the ministers and priests; yet in the order of the common people he will receive an inheritance of the land of promise: for many are called, but few are chosen. Yet the cause is also shown from the interpretation of the very name, why this Zelophehad could not beget sons but daughters; for it is interpreted, as we have said, "a shadow in his mouth." You see, then, that if anyone has the shadow of the law in his mouth and not the very image of the realities, this man, because he can perceive nothing spiritual, nothing of deep understanding, but there is only a shadow of the law in his mouth, cannot beget living and spiritual perceptions, yet can beget works and acts, which are the ministries of a simpler life. And therefore in these the mercy of God shows that the more innocent, even if they are deficient in understanding, yet have good works, are not excluded from the inheritance of the saints. Rightly, therefore, have the daughters of Zelophehad spoken.

After this the law of God concerning succession is set down, that first the son, second in place the daughter, third the brother, fourth the father's brother should succeed; but the fifth degree does not designate any definite person, but whoever is nearer out of the whole family, that he should succeed. In these things the sense of the history is so whole and perfect that it seems to require nothing from outside. Yet if anyone is well instructed in the spiritual laws and irradiated with the fuller light of knowledge, he can understand these various degrees of successions, and how the first degree of attaining the heavenly inheritance is by the merit of teaching and knowledge, which is the male son; the second by the prerogative of works, which is the daughter; the third of some compassion and imitation, on account of which he is named a brother. For there are some who indeed do nothing of their own accord and by their own understanding, yet placed among the brothers by imitation of the rest they seem to do the same things which those also do who are moved by their own understanding. To these also, therefore, is given a third degree of inheritance under the title of the fraternal name. But the fourth, whom he names the father's brother, can perhaps be understood as that order of men who, having heard things from the fathers and having received the narration of the ancients, endeavor to fulfill them, and, moved not so much by their own perceptions nor stirred by the admonitions of present teaching as instructed by the tradition or the custom alone of the ancients, nevertheless do something good. The last degree, then, is written as that man who by any means whatever has been nearest to these; as if he should say, whether by occasion or by the truth of teaching, if anyone has done something good, the reward of the good work will not perish, but by the Lord's bounty he will receive a place of inheritance. These things, indeed, may perhaps seem to have been boldly presumed by us and brought forward into the open; yet it will not be absurd if, setting forth spiritual things to the spiritual, we make them zealous and desirous of a more secret understanding.

After this a history is related, both marvelous in its narration and magnificent in its meaning. For it is set down how God said to Moses that he should go up onto the mountain, and there, when he had looked out from it and gazed upon the whole land of promise, there he should die. But he, who bore the care of the people more than of himself, prays to the Lord that he provide a man to rule the people: let not this congregation, he says, become like sheep which have no shepherd. See therefore, first of all, how he who is perfect and blessed dies not in a valley nor on any level of ground nor on some hill, but on a mountain — that is, in a high and steep place. For the consummation and perfection of his life was held in the height. And he is commanded also to behold with his eyes the whole land of promise, and diligently to survey all things from an eminent station. For it was fitting that to one about to attain the summit of perfection nothing should remain unknown, but that he should have knowledge of all things that are seen and heard; for this reason, I believe, that of all things which, placed in the flesh, he had grasped by bodily sight, being made in the spirit and with a bare mind, hastening to the audience-halls and discipleship of wisdom, he might swiftly attain their reasons and causes. For what usefulness would seem to appear in this, that to one departing from the world and about to receive forthwith the end of this life there should be shown lands and places of which he would neither undergo the labor nor receive the benefit? The saying which follows truly terrifies me and renders me timid and trembling to speak, in that concerning that great Moses, servant and friend of God, to whom God spoke face to face, through whom signs and wondrous powers were wrought, things so grave, so perilous are related. For what does God say to him? And you shall be gathered, he says, to your people, even you, as Aaron your brother was gathered on Mount Hor. And as though setting forth the cause of his death, he says: because you transgressed my word in the desert of Zin, when the congregation resisted, so that it did not sanctify me. You did not sanctify me at the water before them. Is then Moses too at fault? He too incurs the charge of transgression; he too was made under sin. For this reason, I believe, the Apostle said with confidence: death reigned from Adam until Moses; for it came even unto Moses and did not spare even him. And therefore, I think, he said: sin entered into this world, and through sin death, in that all sinned; and again: God has shut up all under sin, that he may have mercy on all. But thanks be to our Lord Jesus Christ, who freed us from the body of this death, so that, where sin abounded, grace might more abound. For how could Moses have freed anyone from sins, when it is said even to himself: you transgressed my word in the desert of Zin, and you did not sanctify me at the water before the children of Israel? — so that it may be manifest to all that he alone must be sought who alone did no sin, nor was guile found in his mouth.

But when the land of promise had at length been reached, [Moses] was called into the mountain and heard of the fault which he had committed eight and thirty years before, as I have said, in that he had doubted about drawing water from the rock. And for this reason he was told that he might not enter the land of promise. Herein it is for us to consider how formidable is the judgment of the almighty God, who did so many signs through that servant of his whose fault he still bore in remembrance for so long a time.

If Aaron and Moses (who seemed to waver at the waters of contradiction) did not deserve to enter the Promised Land, does it not stand to reason that we, bent under the burden of sin, shall be far less able to cross the river Jordan and reach Gilgal, the place of circumcision, if we shall cause one of these little ones to sin?

But meanwhile let us see the greatness of Moses. About to depart from the world, he prays to God that he provide a leader for the people. What are you doing, O Moses? Have you not sons, Gershom and Eleazar? Or if you doubt anything about them, are there not the sons of your brother, a great and excellent man? Why do you not pray to God for them, that he may set them as leaders over the people? But let the princes of the churches learn to mark out for themselves as successors not those who are joined by blood-kinship, nor those who are allied by nearness of flesh, by testament, nor to hand down the headship of the church as an inheritance, but to refer it to the judgment of God, and not to choose him whom human affection commends, but to leave the whole matter of the successor's election to the judgment of God. Could not Moses have chosen a prince for the people, and chosen him by true judgment and by right and just verdict — Moses, to whom God had said: choose elders for the people, whom you yourself know to be elders, and he chose such men in whom the Spirit of God straightway rested, and they all prophesied? Who then could so choose a prince of the people as Moses could? But he does not do this, he does not choose, he does not dare. Why does he not dare? Lest he leave to posterity an example of presumption. But listen to what he says: let the Lord God of spirits and of all flesh provide, he says, a man over this congregation, who may go out before their face and who may go in, and who may lead them out and who may bring them back. If then so great and such a man as Moses does not entrust to his own judgment the choosing of a prince of the people, the appointing of a successor, who will there be who would dare — whether from the common people, who, often stirred by clamors to favor or perhaps to a price, are wont to be moved, or even from the priests themselves, who will there be who would judge himself fit for this — unless it be revealed by the Lord to one who prays and asks? As also God says to Moses: take to yourself Joshua the son of Nun, a man who has the Spirit of God in himself, and you shall lay your hands upon him; and you shall set him before Eleazar the priest, and give him commands in the sight of the whole congregation, and give charge concerning him before them; and you shall put your glory upon him, that the children of Israel may hear him. You hear the ordination of a prince of the people so plainly described that it scarcely needs exposition. Here there is no acclamation of the people, no reckoning of blood-kinship, no consideration of nearness of relation. To the near kinsmen let the inheritance of fields and estates be left; let the governance of the people be handed over to him whom God has chosen — namely, to such a man who has, as you have heard written, the Spirit of God in himself and the precepts of God are before his eyes, and who is well known and familiar to Moses — that is, in whom there is the brightness of the law and knowledge — that the children of Israel may be able to hear him. But since all things are filled with mysteries, we cannot omit the things that are more precious, even if these things which are commanded according to the letter seem necessary and useful. Let us consider, then, what is the death of Moses: the end, without doubt, of the law, but of that law which is spoken according to the letter. But what is its end? The interruption, namely, of the sacrifices and of the other things which are commanded with like observance in the law. When these things, then, receive their end, Jesus takes up the headship: for the end of the law is Christ unto righteousness to everyone who believes. And as it was said of those of old that: all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea, so let it also be said of Jesus that: all were baptized into Jesus in the Holy Spirit and water. For it is Jesus who crosses the waters of the Jordan, and in them, in a certain manner, even then baptizes the people; and it is he who divides the land of inheritance, the holy land, among all — not to the former people, but to the second; for the former people, on account of its transgression, fell in the desert. Of the times of Joshua it is said that: the land rested from wars, which could not be said of the time of Moses. But this is said of my Lord Jesus, not of that son of Nun. And would that my land might cease from wars! And it could cease, if I served faithfully as a soldier under Jesus my prince. For if I obey my Lord Jesus, my flesh will never rise up against my spirit, nor will my land be assailed by hostile nations — that is, by the various lusts — provoked against it. Let us pray, therefore, that Jesus may reign over us and that our land may cease from wars, may cease from the assaults of carnal desires; and when these things have ceased, then each one will rest under his own vine and under his own fig tree and under his own olive tree. For under the covering of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit will the soul rest which has recovered within itself the peace of flesh and spirit. To him, the eternal God, be glory unto the ages of ages. Amen

One is said to be superior to another either with respect to the origin of nature, or with respect to the dominion of power or presidency, or with respect to the governance of providence. The first superiority belongs to nature itself by reason of itself, because "nature is a force implanted in things, producing like from like"; the second by reason of vice, because, as Ambrose says, servitude is the punishment of sin; but the third belongs by reason of remedy, according to that passage in Numbers twenty-seven: Let the God of the spirits of all flesh provide a man who may be over this multitude, lest they be as sheep without a shepherd. To the first superiority is owed filial obedience, to the second servile obedience, and to the third jurisdictional obedience, which regards the dignity of prelacy.