Deuteronomy 1:39

37 Also the LORD was angry with me for your sakes, saying, Thou also shalt not go in thither.

38 But Joshua the son of Nun, which standeth before thee, he shall go in thither: encourage him: for he shall cause Israel to inherit it.

Moreover your little ones, which ye said should be a prey, and your children, which in that day had no knowledge between good and evil, they shall go in thither, and unto them will I give it, and they shall possess it.

40 But as for you, turn you, and take your journey into the wilderness by the way of the Red sea.

41 Then ye answered and said unto me, We have sinned against the LORD, we will go up and fight, according to all that the LORD our God commanded us. And when ye had girded on every man his weapons of war, ye were ready to go up into the hill.

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
And the little ones you said would become captives—your children who on that day did not know good from evil—will enter the land that I will give them, and they will possess it.
KJV
Moreover your little ones, which ye said should be a prey, and your children, which in that day had no knowledge between good and evil, they shall go in thither, and unto them will I give it, and they shall possess it.
WEB
Moreover your little ones, whom you said would be captured or killed, your children, who today have no knowledge of good or evil, shall go in there. I will give it to them, and they shall possess it.
ASV
Moreover your little ones, that ye said should be a prey, and your children, that this day have no knowledge of good or evil, they shall go in thither, and unto them will I give it, and they shall possess it.
DARBY
And your little ones, of whom ye said, They shall be a prey, and your children, who this day know neither good nor evil, they shall go in thither, and unto them will I give it, and they shall possess it.
BLB
And your⁺ little ones, whom you⁺ said would be for plunder, and your⁺ sons, who have no knowledge today of good and evil, they shall go in there, and to them I will give it, and they shall possess it.
ÅB
Og deres barn, som dere sa ville bli til rov, og deres sønner, som enda ikke kan skille godt fra ondt, de skal komme der inn, dem vil jeg gi det, og de skal ta det i eie.
OTB
Dessuten, deres små barn som dere sa ville bli tatt til fange, deres barn som ennå ikke kjenner godt fra ondt, de skal gå inn i landet. Jeg vil gi det til dem, og de skal ta det i eie.
B1930
Og eders barn, som I sa vilde bli til rov, og eders sønner, som ennu ikke kan skille godt fra ondt, de skal komme der inn, dem vil jeg gi det, og de skal ta det i eie.

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

Cross references

  • Isaiah 7:15–16

    Butter and honey shall he eat, that he may know to refuse the evil, and choose the good.

    Read in context
  • Numbers 14:3

    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?

    Read in context
  • Romans 9:11

    (For the children being not yet born, neither having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of him that calleth;)

    Read in context
  • Numbers 14:31

    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
  • Jonah 4:11

    And should not I spare Nineveh, that great city, wherein are more than sixscore thousand persons that cannot discern between their right hand and their left hand; and also much cattle?

    Read in context
  • Ephesians 2:3

    Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.

    Read in context