The Meaning of Numbers 10:31 Explained

Numbers 10:31

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.

YLT: And he saith, 'I pray thee, forsake us not, because thou hast known our encamping in the wilderness, and thou hast been to us for eyes;

Darby: And he said, Leave me not, I pray thee, because thou knowest where we are to encamp in the wilderness, and thou wilt be to us for eyes.

ASV: And he said, Leave us not, I pray thee; forasmuch as thou knowest how we are to encamp in the wilderness, and thou shalt be to us instead of eyes.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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. 

What does Numbers 10:31 Mean?

Study Notes

thou mayest
But see Exodus 13:21 ; Exodus 13:22 What need had Moses of Hobab's eyes? Cf. Jeremiah 17:5 .

Context Summary

Numbers 10:17-36 - "come Thou With Us"
The invitation of Moses to Hobab is one that we may all give to our friends: "We are journeying to the place of which the Lord hath spoken." "We should always be on the alert for those who are not formally united to the Church, and we can always promise that we can do them good. Only good awaits those who travel with their backs to Egypt and their faces toward the Heavenly City. God has prepared for those who love Him such good things as it is beyond words to declare. See 1 Corinthians 2:9.
And how much we may benefit by such companionships! Hobab was probably Moses' brother-in-law, and Jethro having returned to Midian, he was all the more needed to lead Israel to the best routes and the most suitable halting-places, where shade and water could be found. Such a guide would be invaluable. Ministers are such! For Hobab's reward see Judges 1:16; Judges 4:11. Who would not follow where the Ark of the Covenant leads, and rest where the cloud broods? John 10:4. [source]

Chapter Summary: Numbers 10

1  The use of the silver trumpets
11  The Israelites move from Sinai to Paran
14  The order of their march
29  Hobab is entreated by Moses not to leave them
33  The blessing of Moses at the removing and resting of the ark

What do the individual words in Numbers 10:31 mean?

So [Moses] said not please do leave - forasmuch upon inasmuch as you know how we are to camp in the wilderness and you can be our eyes
וַיֹּ֕אמֶר אַל־ נָ֖א תַּעֲזֹ֣ב אֹתָ֑נוּ כִּ֣י ׀ עַל־ כֵּ֣ן יָדַ֗עְתָּ חֲנֹתֵ֙נוּ֙ בַּמִּדְבָּ֔ר וְהָיִ֥יתָ לָּ֖נוּ לְעֵינָֽיִם

וַיֹּ֕אמֶר  So  [Moses]  said 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
נָ֖א  please 
Parse: Interjection
Root: נָא  
Sense: I (we) pray, now, please.
תַּעֲזֹ֣ב  do  leave 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, second person masculine singular
Root: עָזַב 
Sense: to leave, loose, forsake.
אֹתָ֑נוּ    - 
Parse: Direct object marker, first person common plural
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
כִּ֣י ׀  forasmuch 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: כִּי 
Sense: that, for, because, when, as though, as, because that, but, then, certainly, except, surely, since.
עַל־  upon 
Parse: Preposition
Root: עַל 
Sense: upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against.
כֵּ֣ן  inasmuch 
Parse: Adverb
Root: כֵּן 
Sense: so, therefore, thus.
יָדַ֗עְתָּ  as  you  know 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, second person masculine singular
Root: דָּעָה 
Sense: to know.
חֲנֹתֵ֙נוּ֙  how  we  are  to  camp 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct, first person common plural
Root: חָנָה  
Sense: to decline, incline, encamp, bend down, lay siege against.
בַּמִּדְבָּ֔ר  in  the  wilderness 
Parse: Preposition-b, Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: מִדְבָּר 
Sense: wilderness.
וְהָיִ֥יתָ  and  you  can  be 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, second person masculine singular
Root: אֶהְיֶה 
Sense: to be, become, come to pass, exist, happen, fall out.
לָּ֖נוּ  our 
Parse: Preposition, first person common plural
לְעֵינָֽיִם  eyes 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, cd
Root: עֹונָה 
Sense: eye.

What are the major concepts related to Numbers 10:31?

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