27:18 The Lord replied 5 to Moses, “Take Joshua son of Nun, a man in whom is such a spirit, 6 and lay your hand on him; 7 27:19 set him 8 before Eleazar the priest and before the whole community, and commission 9 him publicly. 10
1 tn Heb “flesh”; cf. NAB, NIV “all mankind”; NCV “all people”; NLT “all living things.”
2 tn This is the same verb פָּקַד (paqad) that is used throughout the book for the aspect of “numbering” the people.
3 sn This is probably technical terminology for a military leader (Josh 14:11; 1 Sam 18:13-16; 1 Kgs 3:7; 2 Kgs 11:9). The image of a shepherd can also be military in nature (1 Kgs 22:17).
4 tn The Hebrew text has the conjunction with the negated imperfect tense, “and it will not be.” This clause should be subordinated to the preceding to form a result clause, and the imperfect then function as a final imperfect.
5 tn Or “said.”
6 sn The word “spirit” probably refers to the Holy Spirit, in which case it would be rendered “in whom is the Spirit.” This would likely be a permanent endowment for Joshua. But it is also possible to take it to refer to a proper spirit to do all the things required of such a leader (which ultimately is a gift from the Spirit of God). The Hebrew text simply says “in whom is a spirit.”
7 sn This symbolic act would indicate the transfer of leadership to Joshua.
8 tn This could be translated “position him,” or “have him stand,” since it is the causative stem of the verb “to stand.”
9 tn The verb is the Piel perfect of צִוָּה (tsivvah, literally “to command”). The verb has a wide range of meanings, and so here in this context the idea of instructing gives way to a more general sense of commissioning for duty. The verb in sequence is equal to the imperfect of instruction.
10 tn Heb “in their eyes.”