God’s Word Translation
Numbers 27:16
16“Lord, you are the God who gives the breath of life to everyone. Please appoint someone over the community
Numbers 27:16 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Let the Lord, the God of the spirits of all flesh, set a man over the congregation,
- New International Version (NIV)“May the Lord, the God who gives breath to all living things, appoint someone over this community
- English Standard Version (ESV)"Let the Lord, the God of the spirits of all flesh, appoint a man over the congregation
- New King James Version (NKJV)“Let the Lord, the God of the spirits of all flesh, set a man over the congregation,
Context of Numbers 27:16
14You both rebelled against my command in the Desert of Zin. You didn’t show the people how holy I am when they were complaining at the oasis.” (This was the oasis of Meribah at Kadesh in the Desert of Zin.) 15Moses said to the Lord, “Lord, you are the God who gives the breath of life to everyone. Please appoint someone over the community 17who will lead them in and out ⌞of battle⌟ so that the Lord’s community will not be like sheep without a shepherd.” 18So the Lord said to Moses, “Take Joshua, son of Nun, a man who has the Spirit, and place your hand on him.
Read all of Numbers 27Numbers 27:16 word by word
יִפְקֹ֣ד יְהוָ֔ה אֱלֹהֵ֥י הָרוּחֹ֖ת לְכָל־בָּשָׂ֑ר אִ֖ישׁ עַל־הָעֵדָֽה׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
Cross-references for Numbers 27:16
- Deuteronomy 31:2“I’m 120 years old now, and I’m not able to lead you anymore. Besides, the Lord has told me that I cannot cross the Jordan River.
- 1 Samuel 8:20Then we, too, will be like all the other nations. Our king will judge us, lead us out ⌞to war⌟, and fight our battles.”
- 1 Samuel 18:13So he kept David away. He made David captain of a regiment. David led the troops out ⌞to battle⌟ and back again.
- 2 Samuel 5:2“Even in the past when Saul ruled us, you were the one who led Israel in battle. The Lord has said to you, ‘You will be shepherd of my people Israel, the leader of Israel.’ ”
- 1 Kings 3:7“Lord my God, although I’m young and inexperienced, you’ve made me king in place of my father David.
- 2 Chronicles 1:10Give me wisdom and knowledge so that I may lead these people. After all, who can judge this great people of yours?”
- John 10:3The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep respond to his voice. He calls his sheep by name and leads them out of the pen.
- 1 Kings 22:17So Micaiah said, “I saw Israel’s troops scattered in the hills like sheep without a shepherd. The Lord said, ‘These ⌞sheep⌟ have no master. Let each one go home in peace.’ ”
- 2 Chronicles 18:16So Micaiah said, “I saw Israel’s troops scattered in the hills like sheep without a shepherd. The Lord said, ‘These sheep have no master. Let each one go home in peace.’ ”
- Ezekiel 34:5So they were scattered because there was no shepherd. When they were scattered, they became food for every wild animal.
- Zechariah 10:2The idols speak lies. The fortunetellers see false visions. They speak about false dreams. They give useless comfort. That is why people wander around like sheep. They are troubled because there is no shepherd.
- Zechariah 13:7“Arise, sword, against my shepherd, against the man who is my friend,” declares the Lord of Armies. “Strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered. Then I will turn my hand against the little ones.”
- Matthew 9:36When he saw the crowds, he felt sorry for them. They were troubled and helpless like sheep without a shepherd.
- Matthew 10:6Instead, go to the lost sheep of the nation of Israel.
- Matthew 15:24Jesus responded, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the nation of Israel.”
- Mark 6:34When Jesus got out of the boat, he saw a large crowd and felt sorry for them. They were like sheep without a shepherd. So he spent a lot of time teaching them.
Commentaries on Numbers 27:16
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 16The Lord, the God of the spirits of all flesh - See the notes on Numbers 16:22.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 16The God of the spirits of all flesh - An acknowledgment that man, who is but flesh (compare Genesis 6:3), is of himself helpless; and “lives and moves and has his being” in God Acts 17:28. The words are suitably employed here to introduce an entreaty that God would not leave the congregation without a guide and leader, and in Numbers 16:22 as a preface to an intercession that the whole people should not suffer for the sin of a, few.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. 1616. God of the spirits of all flesh, set a man over the congregation--The request was most suitably made to God in this character, as the Author of all the intellectual gifts and moral graces with which men are endowed, and who can raise up qualified persons for the most arduous duties and the most difficult situations.Read the comment
Topics related to Numbers 27:16
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
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