The Meaning of Deuteronomy 1:33 Explained

Deuteronomy 1:33

KJV: Who went in the way before you, to search you out a place to pitch your tents in, in fire by night, to shew you by what way ye should go, and in a cloud by day.

YLT: who is going before you in the way to search out to you a place for your encamping, in fire by night, to shew you in the way in which ye go, and in a cloud by day.

Darby: who went in the way before you, to search you out a place for your encamping, in fire by night, to shew you by what way ye should go, and in the cloud by day.

ASV: who went before you in the way, to seek you out a place to pitch your tents in, in fire by night, to show you by what way ye should go, and in the cloud by day.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Who went  in the way  before  you, to search you out  a place  to pitch your tents  [in], in fire  by night,  to shew  you by what way  ye should go,  and in a cloud  by day. 

What does Deuteronomy 1:33 Mean?

Context Summary

Deuteronomy 1:19-40 - The Penalty Of Unbelief
There is little to distinguish Kadesh-barnea among the sand-dunes of the desert. It was situated on the frontier, where Canaan fades into the southern desert. But it is a notable place in the spiritual chart, and few are they that have not passed through some notable experience there. It was there that Israel thought more of their enemies and difficulties than of the right hand of the Most High. When we look at circumstances apart from God; when we account our temptations and inbred corruptions too masterful to be subdued; when giants bulk bigger than the ascended Christ, we also turn back from the Rest of God to the barren wanderings of the waste. God allows these difficulties as a foil to His power and grace and to train us to high attainments. [source]

Chapter Summary: Deuteronomy 1

1  Moses' speech in the end of the fortieth year
6  briefly rehearsing the history of God's sending them from Horeb
14  of giving them officers
19  of sending the spies to search the land
34  of his anger for their incredulity
41  and disobedience

What do the individual words in Deuteronomy 1:33 mean?

who went before you in the way to search out for you a place to pitch your tents in the fire by night to show you by the way which you should go in and the cloud day
הַהֹלֵ֨ךְ לִפְנֵיכֶ֜ם בַּדֶּ֗רֶךְ לָת֥וּר לָכֶ֛ם מָק֖וֹם לַֽחֲנֹֽתְכֶ֑ם בָּאֵ֣שׁ ׀ לַ֗יְלָה לַרְאֹֽתְכֶם֙ בַּדֶּ֙רֶךְ֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר תֵּֽלְכוּ־ בָ֔הּ וּבֶעָנָ֖ן יוֹמָֽם

הַהֹלֵ֨ךְ  who  went 
Parse: Article, Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine singular
Root: הָלַךְ  
Sense: to go, walk, come.
לִפְנֵיכֶ֜ם  before  you 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, masculine plural construct, second person masculine plural
Root: לִפְנֵי 
Sense: face.
בַּדֶּ֗רֶךְ  in  the  way 
Parse: Preposition-b, Article, Noun, common singular
Root: דֶּרֶךְ  
Sense: way, road, distance, journey, manner.
לָת֥וּר  to  search  out 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: תּוּר  
Sense: to seek, search out, spy out, explore.
לָכֶ֛ם  for  you 
Parse: Preposition, second person masculine plural
מָק֖וֹם  a  place 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: מָקֹום  
Sense: standing place, place.
לַֽחֲנֹֽתְכֶ֑ם  to  pitch  your  tents 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct, second person masculine plural
Root: חָנָה  
Sense: to decline, incline, encamp, bend down, lay siege against.
בָּאֵ֣שׁ ׀  in  the  fire 
Parse: Preposition-b, Article, Noun, common singular
Root: אֵשׁ  
Sense: fire.
לַ֗יְלָה  by  night 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: לַיִל 
Sense: night.
לַרְאֹֽתְכֶם֙  to  show  you 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Hifil, Infinitive construct, second person masculine plural
Root: רָאָה 
Sense: to see, look at, inspect, perceive, consider.
בַּדֶּ֙רֶךְ֙  by  the  way 
Parse: Preposition-b, Article, Noun, common singular
Root: דֶּרֶךְ  
Sense: way, road, distance, journey, manner.
תֵּֽלְכוּ־  you  should  go 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, second person masculine plural
Root: הָלַךְ  
Sense: to go, walk, come.
וּבֶעָנָ֖ן  and  the  cloud 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b, Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: עָנָן  
Sense: cloud, cloudy, cloud-mass.
יוֹמָֽם  day 
Parse: Adverb
Root: יׄומָם  
Sense: by day, in the daytime subst.