God’s Word Translation
Numbers 20:5
5Why did you make us leave Egypt and bring us into this terrible place? This is no place to plant crops. Even figs, grapes, and pomegranates won’t grow here. And there’s no water to drink!”
Numbers 20:5 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And wherefore have ye made us to come up out of Egypt, to bring us in unto this evil place? it is no place of seed, or of figs, or of vines, or of pomegranates; neither is there any water to drink.
- New International Version (NIV)Why did you bring us up out of Egypt to this terrible place? It has no grain or figs, grapevines or pomegranates. And there is no water to drink!”
- English Standard Version (ESV)And why have you made us come up out of Egypt to bring us to this evil place? It is no place for grain or figs or vines or pomegranates, and there is no water to drink."
- New King James Version (NKJV)And why have you made us come up out of Egypt, to bring us to this evil place? It is not a place of grain or figs or vines or pomegranates; nor is there any water to drink.”
Context of Numbers 20:5
3The people complained to Moses and said, “If only we had died when the other Israelites died in the Lord’s presence! 4Did you bring the Lord’s assembly into this desert just to have us and our animals die here? Why did you make us leave Egypt and bring us into this terrible place? This is no place to plant crops. Even figs, grapes, and pomegranates won’t grow here. And there’s no water to drink!” 6Moses and Aaron went from the assembly to the entrance of the tent of meeting. Immediately, they bowed with their faces touching the ground, and the glory of the Lord appeared to them. 7The Lord said to Moses,
Read all of Numbers 20Numbers 20:5 word by word
וְלָמָ֤ה הֶֽעֱלִיתֻ֙נוּ֙ מִמִּצְרַ֔יִם לְהָבִ֣יא אֹתָ֔נוּ אֶל־הַמָּק֥וֹם הָרָ֖ע הַזֶּ֑ה לֹ֣א׀ מְק֣וֹם זֶ֗רַע וּתְאֵנָ֤ה וְגֶ֙פֶן֙ וְרִמּ֔וֹן וּמַ֥יִם אַ֖יִן לִשְׁתּֽוֹת׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- And wherefore have ye made us to come upעָלָה‛âlâh · to ascend: riseH5927
- out of Egyptמִצְרַ֫יִםmitsrayim · EgyptH4714
- to bringבּוֹאbô' · to come (in): bringH935
- us in unto this evilרַעra‛ râ‛âh · bad: evilH7451
- placeמָקוֹםmâqôm mâqôm meqômâh meqômâh · placeH4725
- of seedזֶ֫רַעzera‛ · seedH2233
- or of figsתְּאֵנָהte'ên te'ênâh · figH8384
- or of vinesגֶּ֫פֶןgephen · vineH1612
- or of pomegranatesרִמּוֹןrimmôn rimmôn · pomegranateH7416
- there any waterמַיmayim · waterH4325
- to drinkשָׁתָהshâthâh · to drinkH8354
Cross-references for Numbers 20:5
- Numbers 16:14Certainly you haven’t brought us into a land flowing with milk and honey or given us any fields and vineyards to own. Do you think you can still pull the wool over our eyes? We won’t come.”
- Deuteronomy 8:15He was the one who led you through that vast and dangerous desert—a thirsty and arid land, with poisonous snakes and scorpions. He was the one who made water come out of solid rock for you.
- Nehemiah 9:21You provided for them in the desert for 40 years, and they had everything they needed. Their clothes didn’t wear out, and their feet didn’t swell.
- Jeremiah 2:2“Go and announce to Jerusalem, ‘This is what the Lord says: I remember the unfailing loyalty of your youth, the love you had for me as a bride. I remember how you followed me into the desert, into a land that couldn’t be farmed.
- Ezekiel 20:36I will put you on trial as I put your ancestors on trial in the desert of Egypt, declares the Almighty Lord.
Commentaries on Numbers 20:5
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 2-6Verses 2-6 The language of the murmurers is noteworthy. It has the air of a traditional remonstrance handed down from the last generation. Compare marginal references.Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 2-13The people of Israel complained again about not having water and food (compare 11:4–35; 21:4–5; Exodus 15:22–25). So, Moses and Aaron disobeyed the Lord. As a result, they lost the privilege of entering the promised land.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2-132-13. there was no water for the congregation--There was at Kadesh a fountain, En-Mishpat (Ge 14:7), and at the first encampment of the Israelites there was no want of water. It was then either partially dried up by the heat of the season, or had been exhausted by the demands of so vast a multitude.Read the comment
Topics related to Numbers 20:5
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Numbers 20
- 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
God’s Word Translation — © 1995 God’s Word to the Nations Bible Society
Commentaries