Numbers 14:16

Numbers 14:16 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Because the Lord was not able to bring this people into the land which he sware unto them, therefore he hath slain them in the wilderness.
• New International Version (NIV)‘The Lord was not able to bring these people into the land he promised them on oath, so he slaughtered them in the wilderness.’
• English Standard Version (ESV)'It is because the Lord was not able to bring this people into the land that he swore to give to them that he has killed them in the wilderness.'
• New King James Version (NKJV)‘Because the Lord was not able to bring this people to the land which He swore to give them, therefore He killed them in the wilderness.’

Context of Numbers 14:16

14and they will tell it to the inhabitants of this land. They have heard that You, Lord, are among these people [of Israel], that You, Lord, are seen face to face, while Your cloud stands over them; and that You go before them in a pillar of cloud by day and in a pillar of fire by night. 15Now if You kill these people as one man, then the nations (Gentiles) that have heard of Your fame will say, ‘Because the Lord was not able to bring these people into the land which He promised to give them, therefore He slaughtered them in the wilderness.’ 17But now, please, let the power of the Lord be great, just as You have declared, saying, 18‘The Lord is slow to anger, and abundant in lovingkindness, forgiving wickedness and transgression; but He will by no means clear the guilty, visiting (avenging) the wickedness and guilt of the fathers on the children, to the third and fourth generations [that is, calling the children to account for the sins of their fathers].’

Numbers 14:16 word by word

מִבִּלְתִּ֞י יְכֹ֣לֶת יְהוָ֗ה לְהָבִיא֙ אֶת־הָעָ֣ם הַזֶּ֔ה אֶל־הָאָ֖רֶץ אֲשֶׁר־נִשְׁבַּ֣ע לָהֶ֑ם וַיִּשְׁחָטֵ֖ם בַּמִּדְבָּֽר׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Because the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
• was notבִּלְתִּיbiltîy · lestH1115
• ableיָכֹלyâkôl yâkôl · be ableH3201
• to bringבּוֹאbô' · to come (in): bringH935
• this peopleעַם‛am · peopleH5971
• into the landאֶ֫רֶץ'erets · land: country/planetH776
• which he swareשָׁבַעshâba‛ · to swearH7650
• unto them, therefore he hath slainשָׁחַטshâchaţ · to slaughterH7819
• them in the wildernessמִדְבָּרmidbâr · wildernessH4057

Cross-references for Numbers 14:16

• Deuteronomy 9:28so that the [people of the] land from which You brought us will not say, “Because the Lord was not capable of bringing them into the land which He had promised them and because He hated them He has brought them out to the wilderness [in order] to kill them.”
• Deuteronomy 32:26I would have said, “I will cut them to pieces [scattering them far away], I will remove the memory of them from men,”
• Joshua 7:9For the Canaanites and all the inhabitants of the land will hear about it, and will surround us and cut off our name from the earth. And what will You do for Your great name [to keep it from dishonor]?”

Commentaries on Numbers 14:16

• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 13-17Verses 13-17 The syntax of these verses is singularly broken. As did Paul when deeply moved, so Moses presses his arguments one on the other without pausing to ascertain the grammatical finish of his expressions. He speaks here as if in momentary apprehension of an outbreak of God‘s wrath, unless he could perhaps arrest it by crowding in every topic of deprecation and intercession that he could mention on the instant.Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 11-19Verses 11-19 Moses made humble intercession for Israel. Herein he was a type of Christ, who prayed for those that despitefully used him. The pardon of a nation's sin, is the turning away the nation's punishment; and for that Moses is here so earnest. Moses argued that, consistently with God's character, in his abundant mercies, he could forgive them.Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 13-25Moses spoke to God on behalf of his people. He reminded God that his reputation related to Israel's. He pleaded for God to continue his faithfulness.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1-451. all the congregation lifted up their voice and cried--Not literally all, for there were some exceptions.Read the comment

Topics related to Numbers 14:16

• Intercession
• Israel
• Moses
• Prayer
• Unselfishness

In the dictionaries

• Caleb
• Exodus
• Mercy
• Tell
• Waste
• Agrapha
• Chronicles, Books of
• Exodus, the Book of
• Genealogy
• Intercession

Commentaries on Numbers 14

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings