God’s Word Translation
Numbers 14:16
16‘The Lord wasn’t able to bring these people into the land he promised them, so he slaughtered them in the desert.’
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
14What if the Egyptians tell the people who live in this land? Lord, they have already heard that you are with these people, that they have seen you with their own eyes, that your column of smoke stays over them, and that you go ahead of them in a column of smoke by day and in a column of fire by night. 15But if you kill all these people at the same time, then the nations who have heard these reports about you will say, ‘The Lord wasn’t able to bring these people into the land he promised them, so he slaughtered them in the desert.’ 17“Lord, let your power be as great as when you said, 18‘The Lord … patient, forever loving…. He forgives wrongdoing and disobedience…. He never lets the guilty go unpunished, punishing children … for their parents’ sins to the third and fourth generation….’
Read all of Numbers 14Numbers 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 9:28Otherwise, the country we left will say, “The Lord wasn’t able to bring them to the land he promised them. He hated them. That’s why he brought them out—to let them die in the desert.”
- Deuteronomy 32:26I said that I would cut them in pieces and erase everyone’s memory of them.
- Joshua 7:9When the Canaanites and everyone who lives in the land hears about it, they will surround us and remove every memory of us from the earth. What will you do then so that your great name ⌞will be remembered⌟?”
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
In the dictionaries
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
God’s Word Translation — © 1995 God’s Word to the Nations Bible Society
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