Numbers 10:31

Numbers 10:31 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And he said, Leave us not, I pray thee; forasmuch as thou knowest how we are to encamp in the wilderness, and thou mayest be to us instead of eyes.
• New International Version (NIV)But Moses said, “Please do not leave us. You know where we should camp in the wilderness, and you can be our eyes.
• English Standard Version (ESV)And he said, "Please do not leave us, for you know where we should camp in the wilderness, and you will serve as eyes for us.
• New King James Version (NKJV)So Moses said, “Please do not leave, inasmuch as you know how we are to camp in the wilderness, and you can be our eyes.

Context of Numbers 10:31

29Moses said to Hobab son of Reuel the Midianite, Moses’ father-in-law, “We are setting out to the place about which Adonai said, ‘I will give it to you.’ Come with us and we will do good to you, because Adonai has spoken goodness to Israel.” 30But he said to him, “I will not go, because I would rather go to my own country and to my own people.” But he said, “Do not leave us now, because you know where we should camp in the wilderness. You can be like eyes to us. 32If you come with us, we will share with you whatever good Adonai gives to us.” 33So they advanced from the mountain of Adonai, a trip of three days, the Ark of the covenant of Adonai going ahead of them for those three days to seek out a resting place for them.

Numbers 10:31 word by word

וַיֹּ֕אמֶר אַל־נָ֖א תַּעֲזֹ֣ב אֹתָ֑נוּ כִּ֣י׀ עַל־כֵּ֣ן יָדַ֗עְתָּ חֲנֹתֵ֙נוּ֙ בַּמִּדְבָּ֔ר וְהָיִ֥יתָ לָּ֖נוּ לְעֵינָֽיִם׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• And he saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• Leaveעָזַב‛âzab · to leave: forsakeH5800
• us not, I pray thee; forasmuch as thou knowestיָדַעyâda‛ · to knowH3045
• us not, I pray thee; forasmuch as thou knowest[כִּי עַל] כֵּןkên · sinceH3651
• how we are to encampחָנָהchânâh · to campH2583
• in the wildernessמִדְבָּרmidbâr · wildernessH4057
• and thou mayest be to us instead of eyesעַ֫יִן‛ayin · eyeH5869

Cross-references for Numbers 10:31

• Numbers 13:1Adonai spoke to Moses saying,
• Numbers 20:1In the first month, the entire community of Bnei-Yisrael arrived at the wilderness of Zin. The people stayed at Kadesh. There Miriam died and was buried.
• Numbers 31:1Adonai spoke to Moses saying,
• Numbers 32:1The sons of Reuben and Gad had very large herds and flocks, and, they saw that the territory of Jazer and Gilead were ideal for livestock.
• Job 29:15I was eyes for the blind and feet for the lame;
• Psalms 32:8“I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go. I will give counsel—My eye is on you.
• 1 Corinthians 12:14For the body is not one part, but many.
• Galatians 6:2Bear one another’s burdens, and in this way you fulfill the Torah of Messiah.

Commentaries on Numbers 10:31

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 31Thou mayest be to us instead of eyes - But what need had they of Hobab, when they had the pillar and fire continually to point out their way? Answer: The cloud directed their general journeys, but not their particular excursions. Parties took several journeys while the grand army lay still. (See Numbers 13, 20, 31, 32, etc). They therefore needed such a person as Hobab, who was well acquainted with the desert, to direct these particular excursions; to…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 31Thou mayest be to us instead of eyes - A proverbial expression still in use in the East. Hobab would indicate the spots where water, fuel, and pasture might be found, or warn them of the dangers from hurricanes, and point out localities infested by robbers.Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 29-32Verses 29-32 Moses invites his kindred to go to Canaan. Those that are bound for the heavenly Canaan, should ask and encourage their friends to go with them: we shall have none the less of the joys of heaven, for others coming to share with us. It is good having fellowship with those who have fellowship with God. But the things of this world, which are seen, draw strongly from the pursuit of the things of the other world, which are not seen. Moses urges…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 29-32After the journey toward Paran began, Moses asked his brother-in-law, Hobab, to guide the Israelites (literally and you will serve for us for eyes) (compare Judges 4:11). In this way, Hobab would share in their promised blessings. As a Midianite shepherd, Hobab knew the routes and possible sources of food and water in the Sinai Peninsula. Reuel the Midianite: See “Jethro (Reuel)” Profile. my own land and my own people: Midian was probably in northwestern…Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 3131. Leave us not, I pray thee ... and thou mayest be to us instead of eyes--The earnest importunity of Moses to secure the attendance of this man, when he enjoyed the benefit of the directing cloud, has surprised many. But it should be recollected that the guidance of the cloud, though it showed the general route to be taken through the trackless desert, would not be so special and minute as to point out the places where pasture, shade, and water were to…Read the comment

Topics related to Numbers 10:31

• Israel

In the dictionaries

• Concerning
• Depart
• Exodus
• Ordinance
• Set
• Sinai
• Agrapha
• Apocrypha
• Chronicles, Books of
• Exodus, the Book of

Commentaries on Numbers 10

• 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