John Calvin Commentary Numbers 27:18

"And Jehovah said unto Moses, Take thee Joshua the son of Nun, a man in whom is the Spirit, and lay thy hand upon him;" — Numbers 27:18 (ASV)

And the Lord said to Moses. Here we see that Joshua was given in answer to the prayers of Moses, which is not stated elsewhere. But, so that he might obtain his dignity with the consent of all, he is honored with remarkable praise. For when God declares that the Spirit is in him, He does not merely imply that he has a soul, but that he excels in the necessary gifts, such as intelligence, judgment, magnanimity, and skill in war. And the word 'spirit' is used in a different sense from the one it has just above, signifying that eminent and rare grace which manifested itself in Joshua. For this metonymy ²³⁴ is a fairly common figure in Scripture.

The solemn rite of his consecration by the imposition of hands follows. I have written so fully about this elsewhere ²³⁵ that it is now unnecessary to say much about it.

This rite was in use before the giving of the Law, for in this way the holy patriarchs blessed their sons. We have seen that the priests were inaugurated into their office, and that victims were offered to God, with this ceremony. The apostles followed this custom in the appointment of pastors.

Moses, therefore, in order to testify publicly that Joshua was no longer his own master but was dedicated to God, and was no longer to be regarded as a private individual since he was called by God to the supreme command, laid his hands upon his head.

There was also another reason: namely, that according to the requirements of the office entrusted to him, God would increasingly enrich him (with His gifts; Added from Fr.). For there is nothing to prevent God from conferring richer endowments upon His servants according to the nature of their vocation, although they may have previously been eminent for spiritual gifts.

Thus, new grace was given to Timothy by the imposition of Paul's hands when he was appointed a pastor, although Timothy had previously attained considerable eminence (2 Timothy 1:6).

What follows is to the same effect: that Moses should put some of his glory ²³⁶ upon Joshua, as if resigning his own dignity. For by the word glory, not only external splendor but rather spiritual honor is signified, by which God commands reverence for His servants. This was not because Moses was stripped of his own virtues by transferring them to Joshua, but because, without diminishing his own gifts, Moses made the person who was about to be his successor his associate in their possession.

It was fitting that this should be done before all the people, so that all might willingly receive him as presented to them by God.

The charge given to Joshua served partly to confirm his authority and partly to bind him more solemnly to discharge his duties. For, since Moses commanded him what he was to do in the name of God, Moses exempted himself from all suspicion of rashness. And, on the other hand, through the introduction of this duly authorized commitment, Joshua must have been increasingly encouraged to faith and diligence.

²³⁴ “De mettre l’Esprit pour les dons qui en previennent;” to put the Spirit for the gifts which proceed from it. —for the gifts which proceed from it. — Fr.

²³⁵ See ante on on Leviticus 8:10, , vol. 3, p. 422..

²³⁶ A.V., “honor.”