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Numbers 14:3

Egypt
FearDoubtDiscouragement and depression

1 And all the congregation lifted up their voice, and cried; and the people wept that night.

2 And all the children of Israel murmured against Moses and against Aaron: and the whole congregation said unto them, Would God that we had died in the land of Egypt! or would God we had died in this wilderness!

And wherefore hath the LORD brought us unto this land, to fall by the sword, that our wives and our children should be a prey? were it not better for us to return into Egypt?

4 And they said one to another, Let us make a captain, and let us return into Egypt.

5 Then Moses and Aaron fell on their faces before all the assembly of the congregation of the children of Israel.

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Here the Bible tells a story about someone else. Ask yourself what it can say to us today. Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.

Compare

BSB
Why is the LORD bringing us into this land to fall by the sword? Our wives and children will become plunder. Would it not be better for us to go back to Egypt?”
KJV
And wherefore hath the LORD brought us unto this land, to fall by the sword, that our wives and our children should be a prey? were it not better for us to return into Egypt?
WEB
Why does the LORD bring us to this land, to fall by the sword? Our wives and our little ones will be captured or killed! Wouldn’t it be better for us to return into Egypt?”
ASV
And wherefore doth Jehovah bring us unto this land, to fall by the sword? Our wives and our little ones will be a prey: were it not better for us to return into Egypt?
DARBY
And why is Jehovah bringing us to this land that we may fall by the sword, that our wives and our little ones may become a prey? Is it not better for us to return to Egypt?
BLB
And why has YHWH brought us to this land to fall by the sword, that our wives and children should become victims? Would it not be better for us to return to Egypt?”
ÅB
Hvorfor fører Herren oss inn i dette land, så vi må falle for sverdet? Våre hustruer og våre barn vil bli til rov. Var det ikke bedre for oss å vende tilbake til Egypt?
OTB
Hvorfor fører Herren oss til dette landet for å falle for sverdet? Våre koner og barn vil bli tatt som bytte. Ville det ikke være bedre for oss å vende tilbake til Egypt?”
B1930
Hvorfor fører Herren oss inn i dette land, så vi må falle for sverdet? Våre hustruer og våre barn vil bli til rov. Var det ikke bedre for oss å vende tilbake til Egypten?

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

Cross references

  • Numbers 14:31–32

    But your little ones, which ye said should be a prey, them will I bring in, and they shall know the land which ye have despised.

    Read in context

  • Jeremiah 9:3

    And they bend their tongues like their bow for lies: but they are not valiant for the truth upon the earth; for they proceed from evil to evil, and they know not me, saith the LORD.

    Read in context

  • Psalms 78:40

    How oft did they provoke him in the wilderness, and grieve him in the desert!

    Read in context