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Another preparation for entering Canaan involved appointing a new leader to take Moses' place.
God foretold that Moses would die without entering the land (cf. 20:1-13). Graciously He allowed His servant to see the Promised Land from Mt. Nebo (Deut. 32:48-52). Nebo was one of the mountains of the Abarim range that runs north and south just east of the Jordan River and the Dead Sea in Moab's territory. Pisgah (21:20; Deut. 3:27; 34:1) is the name of the northern part of this mountain range. The plains of Moab sloped down from the Abarim mountains toward the Jordan River.
Moses' reaction to God's announcement of his death was admirable. He did not panic like King Saul (1 Sam. 28:20) or even pray for a few more years like King Hezekiah (2 Kings 20:1-3). Instead he prayed for the welfare of Israel, the nation that had caused him so much grief. Many leaders prefer to select their successor, but Moses asked God to make this crucial choice. In so doing he gave practical testimony to his acceptance of Yahweh's sovereignty over Israel.
Joshua was a likely choice since he had served Moses and worked closely with him for years. Most importantly, as one of the two loyal spies, he was a man of faith. Moses laid his hands on him (v. 18) symbolically imputing his authority to him.
"This spirit was not something that now came upon Joshua, or was temporary (such as the coming of the spirit on the elders in 11:17, 25-26); it already existed in Joshua and was the basis of God's choice of him. Deut. 34:9 applies the phrase full of the spirit of Wisdom' to Joshua, confirming the thought here."253
Joshua served as an associate leader of Israel with and under Moses from this time until Moses died (v. 20). When Joshua began sole leadership he functioned differently from Moses. Whereas God had given Moses directions for Israel "face to face"Joshua would normally receive his divine guidance through the high priest who would obtain this by using the Urim and Thummim. Only rarely did the Lord speak to Joshua directly.
Conflict for the leadership of Israel occurred frequently in the later history of the Northern Kingdom following the split between Judah and Israel. Moses wisely anticipated the problems that might arise if God removed him before the Lord had identified his successor. Therefore he interceded again, and again God granted his request by identifying Joshua at this time. This action by Moses was extremely important because it precluded countless problems for Israel that might have arisen when Moses died.
"The portrayal of Moses' passing his authority (splendor or majesty) over to Joshua and Joshua's reception of the Spirit is noticeably similar to the transition of prophetic office from Elijah to Elisha in 2 Kings 2:7-15. It appears that the writer of the book of Kings has intentionally worked some of these themes into his narrative to draw out the comparison. . . . The type of leadership exhibited by Moses and Joshua is the same as that of Elijah and Elisha. It is a leadership that is guided by the Spirit of God."254
