Numbers 14:3
New International Version
Why is the LORD bringing us to this land only to let us fall by the sword? Our wives and children will be taken as plunder. Wouldn’t it be better for us to go back to Egypt?”

New Living Translation
“Why is the LORD taking us to this country only to have us die in battle? Our wives and our little ones will be carried off as plunder! Wouldn’t it be better for us to return to Egypt?”

English Standard Version
Why is the LORD bringing us into this land, to fall by the sword? Our wives and our little ones will become a prey. Would it not be better for us to go back to Egypt?”

Berean Standard Bible
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?”

King James Bible
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?

New King James Version
Why has the LORD 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?”

New American Standard Bible
So why is the LORD bringing us into this land to fall by the sword? Our wives and our little ones will become plunder! Would it not be better for us to return to Egypt?”

NASB 1995
“Why is the LORD bringing us into this land, to fall by the sword? Our wives and our little ones will become plunder; would it not be better for us to return to Egypt?”

NASB 1977
“And why is the LORD bringing us into this land, to fall by the sword? Our wives and our little ones will become plunder; would it not be better for us to return to Egypt?”

Legacy Standard Bible
And why is Yahweh bringing us into this land, to fall by the sword? Our wives and our little ones will become plunder; would it not be better for us to return to Egypt?”

Amplified Bible
Why is the LORD bringing us to this land [of Canaan], to fall by the sword? Our wives and children will become plunder. Would it not be better for us to return to Egypt?”

Christian Standard Bible
Why is the LORD bringing us into this land to die by the sword? Our wives and children will become plunder. Wouldn’t it be better for us to go back to Egypt? ”

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Why is the LORD bringing us into this land to die by the sword? Our wives and little children will become plunder. Wouldn’t it be better for us to go back to Egypt?”

American Standard Version
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?

Contemporary English Version
Is the LORD leading us into Canaan, just to have us killed and our women and children captured? We'd be better off in Egypt."

English Revised Version
And wherefore doth the LORD bring us unto this land, to fall by the sword? Our wives and our little ones shall be a prey: were it not better for us to return into Egypt?

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Why is the LORD bringing us to this land-just to have us die in battle? Our wives and children will be taken as prisoners of war! Wouldn't it be better for us to go back to Egypt?"

Good News Translation
Why is the LORD taking us into that land? We will be killed in battle, and our wives and children will be captured. Wouldn't it be better to go back to Egypt?"

International Standard Version
What's the point in the LORD bringing us to this land? To die by the sword so our wives and children would become war victims? Wouldn't it be better for us to return to Egypt?"

Majority Standard Bible
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??

NET Bible
Why has the LORD brought us into this land only to be killed by the sword, that our wives and our children should become plunder? Wouldn't it be better for us to return to Egypt?"

New Heart English Bible
Why does the LORD bring us to this land, to fall by the sword? Our wives and our little ones will be a prey: wouldn't it be better for us to return into Egypt?"

Webster's Bible Translation
And why hath the LORD brought us to 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?

World English Bible
Why does Yahweh 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?”
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
And why is YHWH bringing us to this land to fall by the sword, [that] our wives and our infants become a prey? Is it not good for us to return to Egypt?”

Young's Literal Translation
and why is Jehovah bringing us in unto this land to fall by the sword? our wives and our infants are become a prey; is it not good for us to turn back to Egypt?'

Smith's Literal Translation
And wherefore does Jehovah bring us to this land to fall by the sword? our wives and our little ones shall be for a prey. Would it not be good for us to turn back to Egypt?
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
Would God that we had died in Egypt and would God we may die in this vast wilderness, and that the Lord may not bring us into this land, lest we fall by the sword, and our wives and children be led away captives. Is it not better to return into Egypt?

Catholic Public Domain Version
“If only we had died in Egypt,” and, “If only we would perish in this vast wilderness,” and, “May the Lord not lead us into this land, lest we fall by the sword, and our wives, as well as our children, be led away as captives. Is it not better to return to Egypt?”

New American Bible
Why is the LORD bringing us into this land only to have us fall by the sword? Our wives and little ones will be taken as spoil. Would it not be better for us to return to Egypt?”

New Revised Standard Version
Why is the LORD bringing us into this land to fall by the sword? Our wives and our little ones will become booty; would it not be better for us to go back to Egypt?”
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
Why has the LORD brought us into this land, to fall by the sword, that our wives and children should be a prey? We were better off when we dwelt in Egypt.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
Why does LORD JEHOVAH bring us into this land that we shall fall by a sword, and our women and our little ones shall be prey? It was better for us when we were dwelling in Egypt!”
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
And wherefore doth the LORD 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?'

Brenton Septuagint Translation
Would we had died in the land of Egypt! or in this wilderness, would we had died! and why does the Lord bring us into this land to fall in war? our wives and our children shall be for a prey: now then it is better to return into Egypt.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
The People Rebel
2All the Israelites grumbled against Moses and Aaron, and the whole congregation said to them, “If only we had died in the land of Egypt, or if only we had died in this wilderness! 3Why 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?” 4So they said to one another, “Let us appoint a leader and return to Egypt.”…

Cross References
Exodus 16:3
“If only we had died by the LORD’s hand in the land of Egypt!” they said. “There we sat by pots of meat and ate our fill of bread, but you have brought us into this desert to starve this whole assembly to death!”

Exodus 17:3
But the people thirsted for water there, and they grumbled against Moses: “Why have you brought us out of Egypt—to make us and our children and livestock die of thirst?”

Deuteronomy 1:27
You grumbled in your tents and said, “Because the LORD hates us, He has brought us out of the land of Egypt to deliver us into the hand of the Amorites to be annihilated.

Deuteronomy 1:28
Where can we go? Our brothers have made our hearts melt, saying: ‘The people are larger and taller than we are; the cities are large, with walls up to the heavens. We even saw the descendants of the Anakim there.’”

Deuteronomy 9:28
Otherwise, those in the land from which You brought us out will say, ‘Because the LORD was not able to bring them into the land He had promised them, and because He hated them, He has brought them out to kill them in the wilderness.’

Joshua 7:7
“O, Lord GOD,” Joshua said, “why did You ever bring this people across the Jordan to deliver us into the hand of the Amorites to be destroyed? If only we had been content to stay on the other side of the Jordan!

Nehemiah 9:17
They refused to listen and failed to remember the wonders You performed among them. They stiffened their necks and appointed a leader to return them to their bondage in Egypt. But You are a forgiving God, gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and rich in loving devotion, and You did not forsake them.

Psalm 106:24-25
They despised the pleasant land; they did not believe His promise. / They grumbled in their tents and did not listen to the voice of the LORD.

Isaiah 63:10
But they rebelled and grieved His Holy Spirit. So He turned and became their enemy, and He Himself fought against them.

Ezekiel 20:13
Yet the house of Israel rebelled against Me in the wilderness. They did not follow My statutes and they rejected My ordinances—though the man who does these things will live by them—and they utterly profaned My Sabbaths. Then I resolved to pour out My wrath upon them and put an end to them in the wilderness.

Ezekiel 20:15
Moreover, with an uplifted hand I swore to them in the wilderness that I would not bring them into the land that I had given them—a land flowing with milk and honey, the glory of all lands—

Acts 7:39
But our fathers refused to obey him. Instead, they rejected him and in their hearts turned back to Egypt.

Hebrews 3:8-10
do not harden your hearts, as you did in the rebellion, in the day of testing in the wilderness, / where your fathers tested and tried Me, and for forty years saw My works. / Therefore I was angry with that generation, and I said, ‘Their hearts are always going astray, and they have not known My ways.’

Hebrews 3:16-19
For who were the ones who heard and rebelled? Were they not all those Moses led out of Egypt? / And with whom was God angry for forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, whose bodies fell in the wilderness? / And to whom did He swear that they would never enter His rest? Was it not to those who disobeyed? ...

Hebrews 4:1
Therefore, while the promise of entering His rest still stands, let us be careful that none of you be deemed to have fallen short of it.


Treasury of Scripture

And why has the LORD brought us to 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?

the Lord

Psalm 78:40
How oft did they provoke him in the wilderness, and grieve him in the desert!

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.

our wives

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…

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Better Children Death Egypt Prey Strange Sword Wherefore Wives Wouldn't
Numbers 14
1. The people murmur at the news
6. Joshua and Caleb labor to still them
11. God threatens them
13. Moses intercedes with God, and obtains pardon
26. The Murmurers are debarred from entering into the land
36. The men who raised the evil report die by a plague
40. The people that would invade the land against the will of God are smitten














Why is the LORD bringing us into this land
This phrase reflects the Israelites' doubt and fear, questioning God's intentions. The Hebrew word for "LORD" is "Yahweh," the covenant name of God, emphasizing His faithfulness and sovereignty. Historically, this moment comes after the Israelites have witnessed numerous miracles, yet they struggle with trust. The "land" refers to Canaan, the Promised Land, a place of fulfillment and divine promise. This question reveals a crisis of faith, where the Israelites are challenged to trust in God's plan despite apparent obstacles.

to fall by the sword?
The phrase "to fall by the sword" indicates a fear of death and defeat. The Hebrew root for "fall" (נָפַל, naphal) often implies a sudden or violent downfall. This reflects the Israelites' anxiety about the military strength of the Canaanites. Historically, the fear of warfare was significant, as the Israelites were not trained soldiers. This fear contrasts with God's promises of protection and victory, highlighting a lack of faith in His power and provision.

Our wives and children will become plunder
This statement expresses a deep concern for the safety and future of their families. The term "plunder" (בַּז, baz) in Hebrew suggests being taken as spoils of war, a common fate for the defeated in ancient times. This fear underscores the Israelites' vulnerability and the perceived threat to their legacy and continuity. It also reflects a failure to remember God's past deliverance and His promises to protect and prosper them.

Would it not be better for us to go back to Egypt?
This rhetorical question reveals a longing for the past, despite the harsh realities of slavery in Egypt. The Hebrew word for "better" (טוֹב, tov) implies a perceived goodness or benefit, showing how fear can distort perception. Egypt symbolizes bondage and oppression, yet in their fear, the Israelites romanticize it as a place of safety. This reflects a common human tendency to retreat to familiar, albeit unhealthy, situations when faced with uncertainty. It challenges believers to trust in God's promises and His ability to lead them into a future of freedom and blessing, rather than reverting to past enslavements.

(3) And wherefore hath the Lord brought us unto this land . . .?--Better, And wherefore doth the Lord bring us into this land?--i.e., the land of Canaan, as clearly appears from the words which follow (comp. Numbers 15:18, where the same Hiphil participle is used). The destruction which the Israelites apprehended at this time was not a destruction by famine or drought, but by the sword of the Amorites and of the children of the Anakim. (Comp. Deuteronomy 1:27-28.)

That our wives and our children should be a prey--i.e., should fall into the hands of the enemy after their entrance into the land of Canaan. (Comp. Exodus 15:14-17.) It is possible, however, that the land through which the Israelites were passing may be included here and in Numbers 14:14.

Verse 3. - Wherefore hath the Lord brought us. Rather, "wherefore doth the Lord bring us." מֵבִיא. Septuagint, εἰσάγει. They were not actually in the land yet, but only on the threshold.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
Why
וְלָמָ֣ה (wə·lā·māh)
Conjunctive waw | Interrogative
Strong's 4100: What?, what!, indefinitely what

is the LORD
יְ֠הוָה (Yah·weh)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3068: LORD -- the proper name of the God of Israel

bringing
מֵבִ֨יא (mê·ḇî)
Verb - Hifil - Participle - masculine singular
Strong's 935: To come in, come, go in, go

us into
אֶל־ (’el-)
Preposition
Strong's 413: Near, with, among, to

this
הַזֹּאת֙ (haz·zōṯ)
Article | Pronoun - feminine singular
Strong's 2063: Hereby in it, likewise, the one other, same, she, so much, such deed, that,

land
הָאָ֤רֶץ (hā·’ā·reṣ)
Article | Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 776: Earth, land

to fall
לִנְפֹּ֣ל (lin·pōl)
Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct
Strong's 5307: To fall, lie

by the sword?
בַּחֶ֔רֶב (ba·ḥe·reḇ)
Preposition-b, Article | Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 2719: Drought, a cutting instrument, as a, knife, sword

Our wives
נָשֵׁ֥ינוּ (nā·šê·nū)
Noun - feminine plural construct | first person common plural
Strong's 802: Woman, wife, female

and children
וְטַפֵּ֖נוּ (wə·ṭap·pê·nū)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common plural
Strong's 2945: A family

will become
יִהְי֣וּ (yih·yū)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural
Strong's 1961: To fall out, come to pass, become, be

plunder.
לָבַ֑ז (lā·ḇaz)
Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 957: Spoiling, robbery, spoil, booty

Would it not
הֲל֧וֹא (hă·lō·w)
Adverb - Negative particle
Strong's 3808: Not, no

be better
ט֦וֹב (ṭō·wḇ)
Adjective - masculine singular
Strong's 2896: Pleasant, agreeable, good

for us to go back
שׁ֥וּב (šūḇ)
Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct
Strong's 7725: To turn back, in, to retreat, again

to Egypt?”
מִצְרָֽיְמָה׃ (miṣ·rā·yə·māh)
Noun - proper - feminine singular | third person feminine singular
Strong's 4714: Egypt -- a son of Ham, also his descendants and their country in Northwest Africa


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OT Law: Numbers 14:3 Why does Yahweh bring us to this (Nu Num.)
Numbers 14:2
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