Numbers 10:31

Numbers 10:31 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And he said, Leave us not, I pray thee; forasmuch as thou knowest how we are to encamp in the wilderness, and thou mayest be to us instead of eyes.
• New International Version (NIV)But Moses said, “Please do not leave us. You know where we should camp in the wilderness, and you can be our eyes.
• English Standard Version (ESV)And he said, "Please do not leave us, for you know where we should camp in the wilderness, and you will serve as eyes for us.
• New King James Version (NKJV)So Moses said, “Please do not leave, inasmuch as you know how we are to camp in the wilderness, and you can be our eyes.

Context of Numbers 10:31

29Moses said to his brother-in-law Hobab, son of Reuel the Midianite, “We are going to the place the Lord promised to give us. Come with us. We will be good to you, because the Lord has promised good things to Israel.” 30Hobab answered, “No, I won’t go. I want to go back to my own country where my relatives are.” But Moses said, “Please don’t leave us. You know where we can set up camp in the desert, and you could be our guide. 32If you come with us, we will share with you all the good things the Lord gives us.” 33So they left the mountain of the Lord and traveled for three days. The ark of the Lord’s promise went ahead of them a distance of three days’ journey to find them a place to rest.

Numbers 10:31 word by word

וַיֹּ֕אמֶר אַל־נָ֖א תַּעֲזֹ֣ב אֹתָ֑נוּ כִּ֣י׀ עַל־כֵּ֣ן יָדַ֗עְתָּ חֲנֹתֵ֙נוּ֙ בַּמִּדְבָּ֔ר וְהָיִ֥יתָ לָּ֖נוּ לְעֵינָֽיִם׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• And he saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• Leaveעָזַב‛âzab · to leave: forsakeH5800
• us not, I pray thee; forasmuch as thou knowestיָדַעyâda‛ · to knowH3045
• us not, I pray thee; forasmuch as thou knowest[כִּי עַל] כֵּןkên · sinceH3651
• how we are to encampחָנָהchânâh · to campH2583
• in the wildernessמִדְבָּרmidbâr · wildernessH4057
• and thou mayest be to us instead of eyesעַ֫יִן‛ayin · eyeH5869

Cross-references for Numbers 10:31

• Numbers 13:1The Lord said to Moses,
• Numbers 20:1In the first month the whole community of Israel came into the Desert of Zin, and they stayed at Kadesh. Miriam died and was buried there.
• Numbers 31:1The Lord said to Moses,
• Numbers 32:1The tribes of Reuben and Gad had a large number of livestock. They saw that the regions of Jazer and Gilead were a good place for livestock.
• Job 29:15I was eyes for the blind person. I was feet for the lame person.
• Psalms 32:8⌞The Lord says,⌟ “I will instruct you. I will teach you the way that you should go. I will advise you as my eyes watch over you.
• 1 Corinthians 12:14As you know, the human body is not made up of only one part, but of many parts.
• Galatians 6:2Help carry each other’s burdens. In this way you will follow Christ’s teachings.

Commentaries on Numbers 10:31

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 31Thou mayest be to us instead of eyes - But what need had they of Hobab, when they had the pillar and fire continually to point out their way? Answer: The cloud directed their general journeys, but not their particular excursions. Parties took several journeys while the grand army lay still. (See Numbers 13, 20, 31, 32, etc). They therefore needed such a person as Hobab, who was well acquainted with the desert, to direct these particular excursions; to…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 31Thou mayest be to us instead of eyes - A proverbial expression still in use in the East. Hobab would indicate the spots where water, fuel, and pasture might be found, or warn them of the dangers from hurricanes, and point out localities infested by robbers.Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 29-32Verses 29-32 Moses invites his kindred to go to Canaan. Those that are bound for the heavenly Canaan, should ask and encourage their friends to go with them: we shall have none the less of the joys of heaven, for others coming to share with us. It is good having fellowship with those who have fellowship with God. But the things of this world, which are seen, draw strongly from the pursuit of the things of the other world, which are not seen. Moses urges…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 29-32After the journey toward Paran began, Moses asked his brother-in-law, Hobab, to guide the Israelites (literally and you will serve for us for eyes) (compare Judges 4:11). In this way, Hobab would share in their promised blessings. As a Midianite shepherd, Hobab knew the routes and possible sources of food and water in the Sinai Peninsula. Reuel the Midianite: See “Jethro (Reuel)” Profile. my own land and my own people: Midian was probably in northwestern…Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 3131. Leave us not, I pray thee ... and thou mayest be to us instead of eyes--The earnest importunity of Moses to secure the attendance of this man, when he enjoyed the benefit of the directing cloud, has surprised many. But it should be recollected that the guidance of the cloud, though it showed the general route to be taken through the trackless desert, would not be so special and minute as to point out the places where pasture, shade, and water were to…Read the comment

Topics related to Numbers 10:31

• Israel

In the dictionaries

• Concerning
• Depart
• Exodus
• Ordinance
• Set
• Sinai
• Agrapha
• Apocrypha
• Chronicles, Books of
• Exodus, the Book of

Commentaries on Numbers 10

• 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