God’s Word Translation
Numbers 14:3
3Why is the Lord bringing us to this land—just to have us die in battle? Our wives and children will be taken as prisoners of war! Wouldn’t it be better for us to go back to Egypt?”
Numbers 14:3 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And wherefore hath the Lord brought us unto this land, to fall by the sword, that our wives and our children should be a prey? were it not better for us to return into Egypt?
- New International Version (NIV)Why is the Lord bringing us to this land only to let us fall by the sword? Our wives and children will be taken as plunder. Wouldn’t it be better for us to go back to Egypt?”
- English Standard Version (ESV)Why is the Lord bringing us into this land, to fall by the sword? Our wives and our little ones will become a prey. Would it not be better for us to go back to Egypt?"
- New King James Version (NKJV)Why has the Lord brought us to this land to fall by the sword, that our wives and children should become victims? Would it not be better for us to return to Egypt?”
Context of Numbers 14:3
1Then all the people in the Israelite community raised their voices and cried out loud all that night. 2They complained to Moses and Aaron, “If only we had died in Egypt or this desert! Why is the Lord bringing us to this land—just to have us die in battle? Our wives and children will be taken as prisoners of war! Wouldn’t it be better for us to go back to Egypt?” 4They said to each other, “Let’s choose a leader and go back to Egypt.” 5Immediately, Moses and Aaron bowed with their faces touching the ground in front of the whole community of Israel assembled there.
Read all of Numbers 14Numbers 14:3 word by word
וְלָמָ֣ה יְ֠הוָה מֵבִ֨יא אֹתָ֜נוּ אֶל־הָאָ֤רֶץ הַזֹּאת֙ לִנְפֹּ֣ל בַּחֶ֔רֶב נָשֵׁ֥ינוּ וְטַפֵּ֖נוּ יִהְי֣וּ לָבַ֑ז הֲל֧וֹא ט֦וֹב לָ֖נוּ שׁ֥וּב מִצְרָֽיְמָה׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- And wherefore hath the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
- broughtבּוֹאbô' · to come (in): bringH935
- us unto this landאֶ֫רֶץ'erets · land: country/planetH776
- to fallנָפַלnâphal · to fall: killH5307
- by the swordחֶ֫רֶבchereb · swordH2719
- that our wivesאִשָּׁה'ishshâh nâshîym · woman: wifeH802
- and our childrenטַףţaph · childH2945
- should be a preyבַּזbaz · plunderH957
- were it not betterטוֹבţôb · pleasantH2896
- for us to returnשׁוּבshûb · to return: returnH7725
- into Egyptמִצְרַ֫יִםmitsrayim · EgyptH4714
Cross-references for Numbers 14:3
- Psalms 78:40How often they rebelled against him in the wilderness! How often they caused him grief in the desert!
- Jeremiah 9:3They use their tongues like bows that shoot arrows. Lies and dishonesty rule the land. They go from one evil thing to another, and they don’t know me,” declares the Lord.
- Numbers 14:31You said your children would be taken as prisoners of war. Instead, I will bring them into the land you rejected, and they will enjoy it.
Commentaries on Numbers 14:3
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 3-4The threats they complained about were real, but the Israelites should have trusted the Lord. In the ancient Near East, victors often took wives and children as plunder after battles. go back to Egypt: The Israelites quickly forgot their slavery and the difficulties of the wilderness (Exodus 2:23–24; Numbers 11:1).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2-42-4. Would God that we had died in Egypt--Such insolence to their generous leaders, and such base ingratitude to God, show the deep degradation of the Israelites, and the absolute necessity of the decree that debarred that generation from entering the promised land [Nu 14:29-35]. They were punished by their wishes being granted to die in that wilderness [He 3:17; Jude 5]. A leader to reconduct them to Egypt is spoken of (Ne 9:17) as actually nominated…Read the comment
Topics related to Numbers 14:3
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
Commentaries