The Meaning of Numbers 33:4 Explained

Numbers 33:4

KJV: For the Egyptians buried all their firstborn, which the LORD had smitten among them: upon their gods also the LORD executed judgments.

YLT: and the Egyptians are burying those whom Jehovah hath smitten among them, every first-born, and on their gods hath Jehovah done judgments --

Darby: And the Egyptians buried those whom Jehovah had smitten among them, all the firstborn; and upon their gods Jehovah executed judgments.

ASV: while the Egyptians were burying all their first-born, whom Jehovah had smitten among them: upon their gods also Jehovah executed judgments.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

For the Egyptians  buried  all [their] firstborn,  which the LORD  had smitten  among them: upon their gods  also the LORD  executed  judgments. 

What does Numbers 33:4 Mean?

Context Summary

Numbers 33:1-37 - The Itinerary Of The Wanderings
This record of ineffectual marches is full of pathetic interest and warning. If these halting-places had been in the straight line of march for the Land of Promise there had been little room for regret. But they were not. They recall journeys that need never to have been taken. The tribes crossed and re-crossed the desert, marking time while the bodies of the murmurers fell in the Wilderness and were wrapped about with the desert sands.
Such is the doom of unbelief. To effect nothing, to miss the rest of God, and to perish on the threshold of achievement-such is the experience of the soul described in James 1:6. God has given us in Christ the promise of rest, victory and satisfaction; let us enter upon our inheritance! [source]

Chapter Summary: Numbers 33

1  The forty-two journeys of the Israelites
50  The Canaanites are to be destroyed

What do the individual words in Numbers 33:4 mean?

For Egypt were burying - whom had killed Yahweh among them all [their] firstborn and on their gods had executed judgments
וּמִצְרַ֣יִם מְקַבְּרִ֗ים אֵת֩ אֲשֶׁ֨ר הִכָּ֧ה יְהוָ֛ה בָּהֶ֖ם כָּל־ בְּכ֑וֹר וּבֵאלֹ֣הֵיהֶ֔ם עָשָׂ֥ה שְׁפָטִֽים

וּמִצְרַ֣יִם  For  Egypt 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: מִצְרִי  
Sense: Egyptian—an inhabitant or citizen of Egypt.
מְקַבְּרִ֗ים  were  burying 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Participle, masculine plural
Root: קָבַר  
Sense: to bury.
אֵת֩  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
אֲשֶׁ֨ר  whom 
Parse: Pronoun, relative
Root: אֲשֶׁר 
Sense: (relative part.).
הִכָּ֧ה  had  killed 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: נָכָה  
Sense: to strike, smite, hit, beat, slay, kill.
יְהוָ֛ה  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
בָּהֶ֖ם  among  them 
Parse: Preposition, third person masculine plural
בְּכ֑וֹר  [their]  firstborn 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: בְּכֹר  
Sense: firstborn, firstling.
וּבֵאלֹ֣הֵיהֶ֔ם  and  on  their  gods 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b, Noun, masculine plural construct, third person masculine plural
Root: אֱלֹהִים  
Sense: (plural).
עָשָׂ֥ה  had  executed 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: עָשָׂה 
Sense: to do, fashion, accomplish, make.
שְׁפָטִֽים  judgments 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural
Root: שֶׁפֶט  
Sense: judgment, act of judgment.