Numbers 27:17 is Moses asking God to appoint a new leader who will guide Israel in and out of their daily life, so that the people will not be left like sheep without a shepherd. Moses speaks this prayer near the end of his life, when he knows he will not enter the Promised Land himself. He addresses the LORD directly, asking Him to choose a successor for the congregation.
Who may go out before them, and who may come in before them, and who may lead them out, and who may bring them in; that the congregation of the LORD may not be as sheep which have no shepherd.”
Numbers 27:17 (WEB)
What Numbers 27:17 Means
The verse begins with the request that someone “go out before them” and “come in before them.” These phrases describe a leader who goes ahead of the people, both in battle and in ordinary movement. A shepherd walks in front of the flock, and a leader in Israel’s camp would set the pace, choose the route and make the decisions that affected everyone.
The second pair, “lead them out” and “bring them in,” adds the idea of responsibility for the whole journey. Moses is picturing a leader who will take the people out of danger and bring them safely home again. The final clause gives the purpose: the congregation should not be “as sheep which have no shepherd.” Moses is worried less about the people’s numbers than about their direction and safety.
The verse does not promise that every future leader will be wise or faithful, and it does not describe a specific rescue. It expresses a prayer for a God-appointed guide and shows that Moses cares about what happens to Israel after he is gone.
The Context of Numbers 27:17
The book of Numbers is part of the Torah, traditionally attributed to Moses, and it records Israel’s wilderness years between Sinai and the edge of Canaan. The audience is the Israelite community preparing to enter the land, and the book shows both their failures and God’s continued provision for them.
Just before this verse, in verses 14 through 16, the LORD reminds Moses that he will not lead the people into the land because of the incident at the waters of Meribah. Moses responds by asking for a successor. Right after the verse, the LORD names Joshua, son of Nun, a man in whom the Spirit dwells, and tells Moses to commission him before Eleazar the priest and the whole congregation. Read this way, the verse is the hinge between Moses’ personal loss and God’s answer for the nation’s future.
Key Phrases in Numbers 27:17
Psalm 23:1
The LORD is my shepherd: I shall lack nothing.
(WEB)
This psalm describes the LORD as a shepherd who provides for every need. It deepens the picture in Numbers 27:17 by showing that the ultimate shepherd is God Himself, the one who never leaves His flock without care.
John 10:11
I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.
(WEB)
Jesus calls Himself the good shepherd who lays down His life for the sheep. Christians read this as the fulfillment of the longing in Numbers 27:17 for a leader who truly cares for the flock.
A Short Prayer From Numbers 27:17
Lord, You know the paths ahead of us better than we do. Please go before us in every decision we face, and show us the way that leads to safety and peace. Raise up people who will guide with wisdom and humility, and keep us from wandering like sheep without a shepherd. Give us trust to follow You even when we cannot see the whole road. Thank You that You never abandon the people You love. Amen.
