“Please do not leave us,” Moses said, “since you know where we should camp in the wilderness, and you can serve as our eyes.
Parallel translations
- WEB He said, “Don’t leave us, please; because you know how we are to encamp in the wilderness, and you can be our eyes.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- NASB Then he said, “Please do not leave us, since you know where we should camp in the wilderness, and you will be as eyes for us.
- NLT “Please don’t leave us,” Moses pleaded. “You know the places in the wilderness where we should camp. Come, be our guide.
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Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Moses pleads with Hobab to stay, since his wilderness knowledge could guide them. He values Hobab's help even amid God's own guidance.
Overview
Moses urges Hobab not to leave, valuing his experience of the desert to serve as their eyes. There is no contradiction with following the cloud: God's guidance and the wise use of human means work together, teaching that trusting the Lord does not exclude employing the help He provides.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 4
- Job 29:15I served as eyes to the blind and as feet to the lame.
- Gal 6:2Carry one another’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.
- 1 Cor 12:14–21For the body does not consist of one part, but of many.
- Ps 32:8I will instruct you and teach you the way you should go; I will give you counsel and watch over you.
Resources, by level
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Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.
Christ at the center
In the wilderness Christ is the water from the rock, the bronze serpent lifted up that the dying might look and live (John 3:14), and the star and scepter that Balaam saw rising out of Jacob.
How Numbers 10:31 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.