Christian Standard Bible
Numbers 27:16
16“May the Lord, the God who gives breath to all, appoint a man over the community
Numbers 27:16 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Let the Lord, the God of the spirits of all flesh, set a man over the congregation,
- New International Version (NIV)“May the Lord, the God who gives breath to all living things, appoint someone over this community
- English Standard Version (ESV)"Let the Lord, the God of the spirits of all flesh, appoint a man over the congregation
- New King James Version (NKJV)“Let the Lord, the God of the spirits of all flesh, set a man over the congregation,
Context of Numbers 27:16
14When the community quarreled in the Wilderness of Zin, both of you rebelled against my command to demonstrate my holiness in their sight at the waters.” Those were the Waters of Meribah-kadesh in the Wilderness of Zin. 15So Moses appealed to the Lord, “May the Lord, the God who gives breath to all, appoint a man over the community 17who will go out before them and come back in before them, and who will bring them out and bring them in, so that the Lord’s community won’t be like sheep without a shepherd.” 18The Lord replied to Moses, “Take Joshua son of Nun, a man who has the Spirit in him, and lay your hands on him.
Read all of Numbers 27Numbers 27:16 word by word
יִפְקֹ֣ד יְהוָ֔ה אֱלֹהֵ֥י הָרוּחֹ֖ת לְכָל־בָּשָׂ֑ר אִ֖ישׁ עַל־הָעֵדָֽה׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
Cross-references for Numbers 27:16
- Deuteronomy 31:2saying, “I am now 120 years old; I can no longer act as your leader. The Lord has told me, ‘You will not cross the Jordan.’
- 1 Samuel 8:20Then we’ll be like all the other nations: our king will judge us, go out before us, and fight our battles.”
- 1 Samuel 18:13Therefore, Saul sent David away from him and made him commander over a thousand men. David led the troops
- 2 Samuel 5:2Even while Saul was king over us, you were the one who led us out to battle and brought us back. The Lord also said to you, ‘You will shepherd my people Israel, and you will be ruler over Israel.’”
- 1 Kings 3:7“Lord my God, you have now made your servant king in my father David’s place. Yet I am just a youth with no experience in leadership.
- 2 Chronicles 1:10Now grant me wisdom and knowledge so that I may lead these people, for who can judge this great people of yours?”
- John 10:3The gatekeeper opens it for him, and the sheep hear his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.
- 1 Kings 22:17So Micaiah said: I saw all Israel scattered on the hills like sheep without a shepherd. And the Lord said, “They have no master; let everyone return home in peace.”
- 2 Chronicles 18:16So Micaiah said: I saw all Israel scattered on the hills like sheep without a shepherd. And the Lord said, “They have no master; let each return home in peace.”
- Ezekiel 34:5They were scattered for lack of a shepherd; they became food for all the wild animals when they were scattered.
- Zechariah 10:2For the idols speak falsehood, and the diviners see illusions; they relate empty dreams and offer empty comfort. Therefore the people wander like sheep; they suffer affliction because there is no shepherd.
- Zechariah 13:7Sword, awake against my shepherd, against the man who is my associate — this is the declaration of the Lord of Armies. Strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered; I will turn my hand against the little ones.
- Matthew 9:36When he saw the crowds, he felt compassion for them, because they were distressed and dejected, like sheep without a shepherd.
- Matthew 10:6Instead, go to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.
- Matthew 15:24He replied, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.”
- Mark 6:34When he went ashore, he saw a large crowd and had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. Then he began to teach them many things.
Commentaries on Numbers 27:16
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 16The Lord, the God of the spirits of all flesh - See the notes on Numbers 16:22.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 16The God of the spirits of all flesh - An acknowledgment that man, who is but flesh (compare Genesis 6:3), is of himself helpless; and “lives and moves and has his being” in God Acts 17:28. The words are suitably employed here to introduce an entreaty that God would not leave the congregation without a guide and leader, and in Numbers 16:22 as a preface to an intercession that the whole people should not suffer for the sin of a, few.Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 15-23Verses 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…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 15-17Israel was about to begin a long battle for Canaan. Moses did not want them to struggle without a leader or become lost like sheep without a shepherd (compare 1 Kings 22:17; Ezekiel 34:5; Matthew 9:36).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1616. God of the spirits of all flesh, set a man over the congregation--The request was most suitably made to God in this character, as the Author of all the intellectual gifts and moral graces with which men are endowed, and who can raise up qualified persons for the most arduous duties and the most difficult situations.Read the comment
Topics related to Numbers 27:16
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Numbers 27
- 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
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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