Numbers 14:16

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

14Now if you destroy them, the Egyptians will send a report to the inhabitants of this land, who have already heard that you live among your people. They know, Lord, that you have appeared to your people face to face and that your pillar of cloud hovers over them. They know that you go before them in the pillar of cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night. 15Now if you slaughter all these people with a single blow, the nations that have heard of your fame will say, ‘The Lord was not able to bring them into the land he swore to give them, so he killed them in the wilderness.’ 17“Please, Lord, prove that your power is as great as you have claimed. For you said, 18‘The Lord is slow to anger and filled with unfailing love, forgiving every kind of sin and rebellion. But he does not excuse the guilty. He lays the sins of the parents upon their children; the entire family is affected—even children in the third and fourth generations.’

Numbers 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 9:28If you destroy these people, the Egyptians will say, “The Israelites died because the Lord wasn’t able to bring them to the land he had promised to give them.” Or they might say, “He destroyed them because he hated them; he deliberately took them into the wilderness to slaughter them.”
• Deuteronomy 32:26I would have annihilated them, wiping out even the memory of them.
• Joshua 7:9For when the Canaanites and all the other people living in the land hear about it, they will surround us and wipe our name off the face of the earth. And then what will happen to the honor of your great name?”

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

• Intercession
• Israel
• Moses
• Prayer
• Unselfishness

In the dictionaries

• Caleb
• Exodus
• Mercy
• Tell
• Waste
• Agrapha
• Chronicles, Books of
• Exodus, the Book of
• Genealogy
• Intercession

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