Numbers 10:31

New American Standard Bible

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.

Parallel Translations

Geneva Bible (1587)
Then he sayd, I pray thee, leaue vs not: for thou knowest our camping places in the wildernesse: therefore thou mayest be our guide.

George Lamsa Translation
And Moses said to him, Do not leave us, for you know how we are to encamp in the wilderness, and you will serve as a guide for us.

Hebrew Names Version
He said, Don't leave us, please; because you know how we are to encamp in the wilderness, and you shall be to us instead of eyes.

Easy-to-Read Version
Then Moses said, "Please don't leave us. You know more about the desert than we do. You can be our guide.

English Standard Version
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.

American Standard Version
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.

Bible in Basic English
And he said, Do not go from us; for you will be eyes for us, guiding us to the right places in the waste land to put up our tents.

Contemporary English Version
"Please go with us!" Moses said. "You can be our guide because you know the places to camp in the desert.

Complete Jewish Bible
Moshe continued, "Please don't leave us, because you know that we have to camp in the desert, and you can serve as our eyes.

JPS Old Testament (1917)
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.

King James Version (1611)
And he said, Leaue vs not, I pray thee, forasmuch as thou knowest how we are to encampe in the wilderuesse, and thou mayest bee to vs in stead of eyes.

Amplified Bible
Then Moses said, "Please do not leave us, for you know how we are to camp in the wilderness, and you will serve as eyes for us [as we make our trek through the desert].

Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And he said, Leave us not, because thou hast been with us in the wilderness, and thou shalt be an elder among us.

English Revised Version
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.

Berean Standard Bible
"Please do not leave us," Moses said, "since you know where we should camp in the wilderness, and you can serve as our eyes.

Lexham English Bible
He said, "Please, do not abandon us because you know our encampment in the desert, and you should be our guide.

Literal Translation
And he said, Please do not forsake us, because you know as to how we encamp in the wilderness, and you shall be to us for eyes.

New Century Version
But Moses said, "Please don't leave us. You know where we can camp in the desert, and you can be our guide.

New English Translation
Moses said, "Do not leave us, because you know places for us to camp in the wilderness, and you could be our guide.

New King James Version
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.

New Living Translation
"Please don't leave us," Moses pleaded. "You know the places in the wilderness where we should camp. Come, be our guide.

New Life Bible
Moses said, "I beg you, do not leave us. For you know where we should stay in the desert. You will be like eyes for us.

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Then said he: I beseech thee, do not forsake us, - for, on this account, hast thou come to know of our encamping in the desert, so shalt thou be unto us as eyes;

Douay-Rheims Bible
And he said: Do not leave us: for thou knowest in what places we should encamp in the wilderness, and thou shalt be our guide.

Revised Standard Version
And he said, "Do not leave us, I pray you, for you know how we are to encamp in the wilderness, and you will serve as eyes for us.

Good News Translation
"Please don't leave us," Moses said. "You know where we can camp in the wilderness, and you can be our guide.

King James Version
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.

Darby Translation
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.

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And Moises seide, Nyle thou forsake vs, for thou knowist in whiche places we owen to sette tentis, and thou schalt be oure ledere;

Young's Literal Translation
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;

World English Bible
He said, Don't leave us, please; because you know how we are to encamp in the wilderness, and you shall be to us instead of eyes.

Update Bible Version
And he said, Don't leave us, I pray you; since you know how we are to encamp in the wilderness, and you shall be to us instead of eyes.

Webster's Bible Translation
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.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
He said: Oh nay, leaue vs not, for thou knowest our mansions in the wyldernesse, and thou mayest be to vs in steade of eyes.

Christian Standard Bible®
“Please don’t leave us,” Moses said, “since you know where we should camp in the wilderness, and you can serve as our eyes.

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
He sayde: Oh nay, leaue vs not: for thou knowest where is best for vs to pytche in the wyldernesse, and thou shalt be oure eye.

THE MESSAGE
Moses countered, "Don't leave us. You know all the best places to camp in the wilderness. We need your eyes. If you come with us, we'll make sure that you share in all the good things God will do for us."

New Revised Standard
He said, "Do not leave us, for you know where we should camp in the wilderness, and you will serve as eyes for us.

New American Standard Bible (1995)
Then he said, "Please do not leave us, inasmuch as you know where we should camp in the wilderness, and you will be as eyes for us.

Legacy Standard Bible
Then he said, "Please do not leave us, inasmuch as you know where we should camp in the wilderness, and you will be as eyes for us.

Contextual Overview

²⁹ Then Moses said to Hobab the son of Reuel the Midianite, Moses' father-in-law, "We are setting out to the place of which the LORD said, 'I will give it to you.' Come with us and we will do you good, for the LORD has promised good concerning Israel." ³⁰ But he said to him, "I will not come, but rather will go to my own land and relatives." ³¹ 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.³² "So it will be, if you go with us, that whatever good the LORD does for us, we will do for you." ³³ So they moved on from the mountain of the LORD three days' journey, with the ark of the covenant of the LORD going on in front of them for the three days, to seek out a resting place for them. ³⁴ And the cloud of the LORD was over them by day when they set out from the camp. ³⁵ Then it came about when the ark set out that Moses said, "Rise up, LORD! And may Your enemies be scattered, And those who hate You flee from Your presence." ³⁶ And when it came to rest, he said, "Return, LORD, To the myriad thousands of Israel."

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

forasmuch: As the Israelites were under the immediate direction of God himself, and were guided by the pillar of cloud and fire, it might be supposed that they had no need of Hobab. But it should be remembered, that the cloud directed only their general journeys, not their particular excursions. Parties took several journeys while the grand army lay still - Numbers 13:1, Numbers 20:1, Numbers 31:1, Numbers 32:1.

instead of eyes: Job 29:15, Psalms 32:8, 1 Corinthians 12:14-21, Galatians 6:2

Reciprocal: 1 Corinthians 12:21 - General

Cross-References

Genesis 10:5
From these the people of the coastlands of the nations were separated into their lands, every one according to his language, according to their families, into their nations.

Genesis 10:20
These are the sons of Ham, according to their families, according to their languages, by their lands, and by their nations.

Acts 17:26
and He made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined their appointed times and the boundaries of their habitation,

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And he said,.... That is, Moses, he replied to Hobab, unwilling to take him at his word and go without him:

leave us not, I pray thee; or "not now"; as the Targums of Onkelos and Jonathan; at this present time, under our present difficulties, while we are in the wilderness; though Jarchi says the particle נא signifies beseeching or supplication:

forasmuch as thou knowest how we are to encamp in the wilderness; that this will be our case, that we shall be obliged, before we get to the promised land, to pitch our tents in the wilderness, in our passage through it; and thou knowest which are the best and most convenient places for that purpose, and therefore must entreat thee to go with us:

and thou mayest be to us instead of eyes; not to show the way, as Aben Ezra notes, or guide and direct them in the road through the wilderness; for the cloud by day and the fire by night were of that use to them, as well as when it rested, it directed them when and where to pitch their tents; rather to assist with his advice in difficult matters, when they should be in pressing circumstances: the Targum of Jonathan is,

"thou hast been dear unto us, as the apple of our eyes, and therefore we cannot part with thee.''

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Thou mayest be to us instead of eyes - A proverbial expression still in use in the East. Hobab would indicate the spots where water, fuel, and pasture might be found, or warn them of the dangers from hurricanes, and point out localities infested by robbers.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Numbers 10:31. Thou mayest be to us instead of eyes. — But what need had they of Hobab, when they had the pillar and fire continually to point out their way? Answer: The cloud directed their general journeys, but not their particular excursions. Parties took several journeys while the grand army lay still. (See Numbers 13:0, Numbers 20:0, Numbers 31:0, Numbers 32:0, c.) They therefore needed such a person as Hobab, who was well acquainted with the desert, to direct these particular excursions to point them out watering places, and places where they might meet with fuel, c., c. What man cannot, under the direction of God's providence, do for himself, God will do in the way of especial mercy. He could have directed them to the fountains and to the places of fuel, but Hobab can do this, therefore let Hobab be employed and let Hobab know for his encouragement that, while he is serving others in the way of God's providence, he is securing his own best interests. On these grounds Hobab should be invited, and for this reason Hobab should go. Man cannot do God's work and God will not do the work which he has qualified and commanded man to perform. Thus then the Lord is ever seen, even while he is helping man by man. See some valuable observations on this subject in Harmer, vol. ii., 286. Instead of, And thou mayest be to us instead of eyes, the Septuagint translate the passage thus: Και εσῃ εν ἡμιν πρεσβυτης, And thou shalt be an elder among us. But Moses probably refers to Hobab's accurate knowledge of the wilderness, and to the assistance he could give them as a guide.