English Standard Version
Numbers 27:17
17who shall go out before them and come in before them, who shall lead them out and bring them in, that the congregation of the Lord may not be as sheep that have no shepherd."
Numbers 27:17 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Which may go out before them, and which may go in before them, and which may lead them out, and which may bring them in; that the congregation of the Lord be not as sheep which have no shepherd.
- New International Version (NIV)to go out and come in before them, one who will lead them out and bring them in, so the Lord’s people will not be like sheep without a shepherd.”
- New King James Version (NKJV)who may go out before them and go in before them, who may lead them out and bring them in, that the congregation of the Lord may not be like sheep which have no shepherd.”
- New Living Translation (NLT)Give them someone who will guide them wherever they go and will lead them into battle, so the community of the Lord will not be like sheep without a shepherd.”
Context of Numbers 27:17
15Moses spoke to the Lord, saying, 16"Let the Lord, the God of the spirits of all flesh, appoint a man over the congregation who shall go out before them and come in before them, who shall lead them out and bring them in, that the congregation of the Lord may not be as sheep that have no shepherd." 18So the Lord said to Moses, "Take Joshua the son of Nun, a man in whom is the Spirit, and lay your hand on him. 19Make him stand before Eleazar the priest and all the congregation, and you shall commission him in their sight.
Read all of Numbers 27Numbers 27:17 word by word
אֲשֶׁר־יֵצֵ֣א לִפְנֵיהֶ֗ם וַאֲשֶׁ֤ר יָבֹא֙ לִפְנֵיהֶ֔ם וַאֲשֶׁ֥ר יוֹצִיאֵ֖ם וַאֲשֶׁ֣ר יְבִיאֵ֑ם וְלֹ֤א תִהְיֶה֙ עֲדַ֣ת יְהוָ֔ה כַּצֹּ֕אן אֲשֶׁ֥ר אֵין־לָהֶ֖ם רֹעֶֽה׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Which may go outיָצָאyâtsâ' · to come out: comeH3318
- beforeפָּנֶהpânîym · face: beforeH6440
- them, and which may go inבּוֹאbô' · to come (in): comeH935
- them, and which may lead them outיָצָאyâtsâ' · to come out: sendH3318
- and which may bring them inבּוֹאbô' · to come (in): bringH935
- that the congregationעֵדָה‛êdâh · congregationH5712
- of the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
- be not as sheepצֹאןtsô'n tse'ôn · flockH6629
- which have no shepherdרָעָהrâ‛âh · to pastureH7462
Cross-references for Numbers 27:17
- Numbers 11:28And Joshua the son of Nun, the assistant of Moses from his youth, said, "My lord Moses, stop them."
- Numbers 13:8from the tribe of Ephraim, Hoshea the son of Nun;
- Exodus 17:9So Moses said to Joshua, "Choose for us men, and go out and fight with Amalek. Tomorrow I will stand on the top of the hill with the staff of God in my hand."
- Deuteronomy 3:28But charge Joshua, and encourage and strengthen him, for he shall go over at the head of this people, and he shall put them in possession of the land that you shall see.'
- Deuteronomy 31:7Then Moses summoned Joshua and said to him in the sight of all Israel, "Be strong and courageous, for you shall go with this people into the land that the Lord has sworn to their fathers to give them, and you shall put them in possession of it.
- Deuteronomy 34:9And Joshua the son of Nun was full of the spirit of wisdom, for Moses had laid his hands on him. So the people of Israel obeyed him and did as the Lord had commanded Moses.
- Numbers 11:17And I will come down and talk with you there. And I will take some of the Spirit that is on you and put it on them, and they shall bear the burden of the people with you, so that you may not bear it yourself alone.
- Genesis 41:38And Pharaoh said to his servants, "Can we find a man like this, in whom is the Spirit of God?"
- Judges 3:10The Spirit of the Lord was upon him, and he judged Israel. He went out to war, and the Lord gave Cushan-rishathaim king of Mesopotamia into his hand. And his hand prevailed over Cushan-rishathaim.
- Judges 11:29Then the Spirit of the Lord was upon Jephthah, and he passed through Gilead and Manasseh and passed on to Mizpah of Gilead, and from Mizpah of Gilead he passed on to the Ammonites.
- 1 Samuel 16:13Then Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the midst of his brothers. And the Spirit of the Lord rushed upon David from that day forward. And Samuel rose up and went to Ramah.
- Daniel 5:14I have heard of you that the spirit of the gods is in you, and that light and understanding and excellent wisdom are found in you.
- John 3:34For he whom God has sent utters the words of God, for he gives the Spirit without measure.
- Acts 6:3Therefore, brothers, pick out from among you seven men of good repute, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we will appoint to this duty.
- 1 Corinthians 12:4Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit;
- Numbers 27:23and he laid his hands on him and commissioned him as the Lord directed through Moses.
Commentaries on Numbers 27:17
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 17That the congregation of the Lord be not as sheep which have no shepherd - This is a beautiful expression, and shows us in what light Moses viewed himself among his people. He was their shepherd; he sought no higher place; he fed and guided the flock of God under the direction of the Divine Spirit, and was faithful in all his Master's house. To this saying of Moses our Lord alludes, Matthew 9:36.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. 12-1712. The Lord said unto Moses, Get thee up into this mount Abarim, and see the land--Although the Israelites were now on the confines of the promised land, Moses was not privileged to cross the Jordan, but died on one of the Moabitic range of mountains, to which the general name of Abarim was given (Nu 33:47). The privation of this great honor was owing to the unhappy conduct he had manifested in the striking of the rock at Meribah [Nu 20:12]; and while…Read the comment
Topics related to Numbers 27:17
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
English Standard Version — © 2001 Crossway Bibles
Commentaries