Numbers 27:19-20

27:19 set him ¹  before Eleazar the priest and before the whole community, and commission ²  him publicly. ³  27:20 Then you must delegate ⁴  some of your authority ⁵  to him, so that the whole community of the Israelites will be obedient. ⁶ 

[27:19]  ¹ tn This could be translated “position him,” or “have him stand,” since it is the causative stem of the verb “to stand.”

[27:19]  ² 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.

[27:19]  ³ tn Heb “in their eyes.”

[27:20]  ⁴ tn The verb is simply “give,” but in this context giving some of Moses’ honor to Joshua in the presence of the people is essentially passing the leadership to him, or delegating the authority to him with the result that people would follow him.

[27:20]  ⁵ tc The Greek, Syriac, and Vulgate read “glory” for this form that occurs only here in the Pentateuch. Elsewhere it is rendered “majesty, splendor” (see Ps 96:6). It could even be “vitality” here. The authority being transferred here is both spiritual and civil.

[27:20]  ⁶ tn Heb “hear.”