12 And Jehovah saith unto Moses, 'Go up unto this mount Abarim, and see the land which I have given to the sons of Israel; 13 and thou hast seen it, and thou hast been gathered unto thy people, also thou, as Aaron thy brother hath been gathered, 14 because ye provoked My mouth in the wilderness of Zin, in the strife of the company—to sanctify Me at the waters before their eyes;' they 'are' waters of Meribah, in Kadesh, in the wilderness of Zin.
15 And Moses speaketh unto Jehovah, saying, 16 'Jehovah—God of the spirits of all flesh—appoint a man over the company, 17 who goeth out before them, and who cometh in before them, and who taketh them out, and who bringeth them in, and the company of Jehovah is not as sheep which have no shepherd.'
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Numbers 27:12-17
Commentary on Numbers 27:12-14
(Read Numbers 27:12-14)
Moses must die, but he shall have the satisfaction of seeing the land of promise. This sight of Canaan signified his believing prospect of the better country, that is, the heavenly. Moses must die, but death does not cut him off; it only brings him to rest with the holy patriarchs. It is but to die as they died, having lived as they lived; and as their end was peace, why should we fear any evil in the passage of that dark valley?
Commentary on Numbers 27:15-23
(Read Numbers 27:15-23)
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 be maintained and advanced, when we are in our graves. God appoints a successor, even Joshua; who had signalized himself by his courage in fighting Amalek, his humility in ministering to Moses, and his faith and sincerity in witnessing against the report of the evil spies. This man God appoints to succeed Moses; a man in whom is the Spirit, the Spirit of grace. He is a good man, fearing God and hating covetousness, and acting from principle. He has the spirit of government; he is fit to do the work and discharge the trusts of his place. He has a spirit of conduct and courage; he had also the Spirit of prophecy. That man is not fully qualified for any service in the church of Christ, who is destitute of the graces and gifts of the Holy Spirit, whatever human abilities he may possess. And in Joshua's succession we are reminded "that the law was given by Moses," who by reason of our transgression could not bring us to heaven; but "grace and truth came by Jesus Christ," for the salvation of every believer.