Numbers 20:19
◄  Numbers 20:19  ►
New International Version (©2011)
The Israelites replied: "We will go along the main road, and if we or our livestock drink any of your water, we will pay for it. We only want to pass through on foot--nothing else."

New Living Translation (©2007)
The Israelites answered, "We will stay on the main road. If our livestock drink your water, we will pay for it. Just let us pass through your country. That's all we ask."

English Standard Version (©2001)
And the people of Israel said to him, “We will go up by the highway, and if we drink of your water, I and my livestock, then I will pay for it. Let me only pass through on foot, nothing more.”

New American Standard Bible (©1995)
Again, the sons of Israel said to him, "We will go up by the highway, and if I and my livestock do drink any of your water, then I will pay its price. Let me only pass through on my feet, nothing else."

King James Bible (Cambridge Ed.)
And the children of Israel said unto him, We will go by the high way: and if I and my cattle drink of thy water, then I will pay for it: I will only, without doing any thing else, go through on my feet.

Holman Christian Standard Bible (©2009)
We will go on the main road," the Israelites replied to them, "and if we or our herds drink your water, we will pay its price. There will be no problem; only let us travel through on foot."

International Standard Version (©2012)
Then the Israelis replied, "Permit us to travel on the highway. If we and our cattle drink your water, we'll pay the price you ask. Only please let us walk through, and nothing more."

NET Bible (©2006)
Then the Israelites said to him, "We will go along the highway, and if we or our cattle drink any of your water, we will pay for it. We will only pass through on our feet, without doing anything else."

GOD'S WORD® Translation (©1995)
The Israelites replied, "We'll stay on the main road, and if we or our livestock drink any of your water, we'll pay for it. We want to pass through on foot. That's all."

King James 2000 Bible (©2003)
And the children of Israel said unto him, We will go by the highway: and if I and my cattle drink of your water, then I will pay for it: I will only, without doing anything else, go through on my feet.

American King James Version
And the children of Israel said to him, We will go by the high way: and if I and my cattle drink of your water, then I will pay for it: I will only, without doing anything else, go through on my feet.

American Standard Version
And the children of Israel said unto him, We will go up by the highway; and if we drink of thy water, I and my cattle, then will I give the price thereof: let me only, without doing anything else , pass through on my feet.

Douay-Rheims Bible
And the children of Israel said: We will go by the beaten way: and if we and our cattle drink of thy waters, we will give thee what is just: there shall be no difficulty in the price, only let us pass speedily.

Darby Bible Translation
And the children of Israel said to him, We will go by the high way; and if we drink of thy water, I and my cattle, then I will pay for it: I will only, without anything else, go through on my feet.

English Revised Version
And the children of Israel said unto him, We will go up by the highway: and if we drink of thy water, I and my cattle, then will I give the price thereof: let me only, without doing any thing else, pass through on my feet.

Webster's Bible Translation
And the children of Israel said to him, We will go by the highway: and if I and my cattle drink of thy water, then I will pay for it: I will only, without doing any thing else, go through on my feet.

World English Bible
The children of Israel said to him, "We will go up by the highway; and if we drink of your water, I and my livestock, then will I give its price: let me only, without [doing] anything [else], pass through on my feet."

Young's Literal Translation
And the sons of Israel say unto him, 'In the highway we go, and if of thy waters we drink -- I and my cattle -- then I have given their price; only (it is nothing) on my feet I pass over.'

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

20:14-21 The nearest way to Canaan from the place where Israel encamped, was through the country of Edom. The ambassadors who were sent returned with a denial. The Edomites feared to receive damage by the Israelites. And had this numerous army been under any other discipline than that of the righteous God himself, there might have been cause for this jealousy. But Esau hated Jacob because of the blessing; and now the hatred revived, when the blessing was about to be inherited. We must not think it strange, if reasonable requests be denied by unreasonable men, and if those whom God favours be affronted by men.

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 19. - And the children of Israel said, i.e., probably, the messengers sent by Moses. By the highway. בַּמְסִלָּה. The Septuagint translates παρὰ τὸ ὄρος, but no doubt the word means a "high road" in the original sense of a raised causeway (cf. Isaiah 57:14). Such a road is still called Derb es Sultan - Emperor-road. I will only, without doing anything else, go through on my feet. Rather, "It is nothing;" (רַק אֵין־דָּבָר. Septuagint, ἀλλὰ τὸ πρᾶγμα οὐδέν ἐστι) "I will go through on my feet." They meant, "We do not ask for anything of value, only leave to pass through."

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

And the children of Israel said unto him,.... The messengers sent by the children of Israel made answer to the king of Edom:

we will go by the highway; we desire no other favour but that of the public road; we propose not to go through any part of the country that is enclosed and cultivated, to do any damage to it:

if I and my cattle drink of thy water, then I will pay for it; as it was usual, and still is, to buy water in those countries near the Red sea, where it is scarce. We are told (d), that at Suess, a city on the extremity of the Red sea, there is no water nearer than six or seven hours journey towards the north east, which is brought from thence on camels; and a small vessel of it is sold for three or four medinas, and a larger vessel for eight or ten, according to the demand for it; a medina is an Egyptian piece of money, worth about three halfpence of our English money:

I will only (without doing anything else) go through on my feet; as fast as I can, without saying anything to the inhabitants to terrify and distress them, and without doing them any injury. Some render it, I will only go "with my footmen" (e); foot soldiers, an army on foot, as Israel were.

(d) See a Journal from Cairo to Mount Sinai, p. 10, 11. Ed. 2.((e) "cum meo exercitu pedestri"; so some in Fagius & Vatablus.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

19. if I and my cattle drink of thy water, then I will pay for it—From the scarcity of water in the warm climates of the East, the practice of levying a tax for the use of the wells is universal; and the jealousy of the natives, in guarding the collected treasures of rain, is often so great that water cannot be procured for money.

Numbers 20:19 Parallel Commentaries

Numbers 20:19 NIV
Numbers 20:19 NLT
Numbers 20:19 ESV
Numbers 20:19 NASB
Numbers 20:19 KJV

Bible Hub: Online Parallel Bible


Edom Refuses Passage
…18And Edom said to him, You shall not pass by me, lest I come out against you with the sword. 19And the children of Israel said to him, We will go by the high way: and if I and my cattle drink of your water, then I will pay for it: I will only, without doing anything else, go through on my feet. 20And he said, You shall not go through. And Edom came out against him with much people, and with a strong hand.

Exodus 12:38 Many other people went up with them, and also large droves of livestock, both flocks and herds.
Deuteronomy 2:6 You are to pay them in silver for the food you eat and the water you drink.'"
Deuteronomy 2:28 Sell us food to eat and water to drink for their price in silver. Only let us pass through on foot--
1 Samuel 6:12 Then the cows went straight up toward Beth Shemesh, keeping on the road and lowing all the way; they did not turn to the right or to the left. The rulers of the Philistines followed them as far as the border of Beth Shemesh.

Cattle Children Drink High Highway Hurt Israel Israelites Livestock Main Pay Price Road Thereof Water Way

Numbers Chapter 20 Verse 19

Alphabetical: Again along and any by do drink else feet foot for go highway him I if Israel Israelites it its Let livestock main me my nothing of on only or our pass pay price replied road said sons The then through to up want water We will your

OT Law: Numbers 20:19 The children of Israel said to him (Nu Num.) Christian Bible Study Resources, Dictionary, Concordance and Search Tools

Numbers 20:19 Bible Apps
Numbers 20:19 Bible Suite
Numbers 20:19 Biblia Paralela
Numbers 20:19 Chinese Bible
Numbers 20:19 French Bible
Numbers 20:19 German Bible