And if thou deal thus with me, kill me, I pray thee, out of hand, if I have found favour in thy sight; and let me not see my wretchedness.
Parallel translations
- WEB If you treat me this way, please kill me right now, if I have found favor in your sight; and don’t let me see my wretchedness.”
- BSB If this is how You are going to treat me, please kill me right now—if I have found favor in Your eyes—and let me not see my own wretchedness.”
- NKJV If You treat me like this, please kill me here and now—if I have found favor in Your sight—and do not let me see my wretchedness!”
- NASB So if You are going to deal with me this way, please kill me now, if I have found favor in Your sight, and do not let me see my misery.”
- NLT If this is how you intend to treat me, just go ahead and kill me. Do me a favor and spare me this misery!”
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
In anguish Moses asks God to take his life rather than face such misery. His despair shows the real cost of faithful service.
Overview
Moses would rather die than continue bearing the people alone. Like Elijah and Jonah, a faithful servant reaches the depths of discouragement. God does not rebuke him but answers with mercy and practical help, showing tender care for his exhausted servants.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 12
- Jonah 4:3Therefore now, O LORD, take, I beseech thee, my life from me; for it is better for me to die than to live.
- 1 Kgs 19:4But he himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a juniper tree: and he requested for himself that he might die; and said, It is enough; now, O LORD, take away my life; for I am not better than my fathers.
- Jonah 4:8–9And it came to pass, when the sun did arise, that God prepared a vehement east wind; and the sun beat upon the head of Jonah, that he fainted, and wished in himself to die, and said, It is better for me to die than to live.
- Jer 20:18Wherefore came I forth out of the womb to see labour and sorrow, that my days should be consumed with shame?
- Phil 1:20–24According to my earnest expectation and my hope, that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but that with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether it be by life, or by death.
- Zeph 3:15The LORD hath taken away thy judgments, he hath cast out thine enemy: the king of Israel, even the LORD, is in the midst of thee: thou shalt not see evil any more.
- Exod 32:32Yet now, if thou wilt forgive their sin--; and if not, blot me, I pray thee, out of thy book which thou hast written.
- Job 7:15So that my soul chooseth strangling, and death rather than my life.
- Job 6:8–10Oh that I might have my request; and that God would grant me the thing that I long for!
- Jer 15:18Why is my pain perpetual, and my wound incurable, which refuseth to be healed? wilt thou be altogether unto me as a liar, and as waters that fail?
- Job 3:20–22Wherefore is light given to him that is in misery, and life unto the bitter in soul;
- Jas 1:4But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Commentaries & study tools
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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 11:15 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.