Exodus 16:3
Modern Translations
New International Version
The Israelites said to them, "If only we had died by the LORD's hand in Egypt! There we sat around pots of meat and ate all the food we wanted, but you have brought us out into this desert to starve this entire assembly to death."

New Living Translation
“If only the LORD had killed us back in Egypt,” they moaned. “There we sat around pots filled with meat and ate all the bread we wanted. But now you have brought us into this wilderness to starve us all to death.”

English Standard Version
and the people of Israel said to them, “Would that we had died by the hand of the LORD in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the meat pots and ate bread to the full, for you have brought us out into this wilderness to kill this whole assembly with hunger.”

Berean Study Bible
“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!”

New American Standard Bible
The sons of Israel said to them, “If only we had died by the LORD’S hand in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the pots of meat, when we ate bread until we were full; for you have brought us out into this wilderness to kill this entire assembly with hunger!”

NASB 1995
The sons of Israel said to them, "Would that we had died by the LORD'S hand in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the pots of meat, when we ate bread to the full; for you have brought us out into this wilderness to kill this whole assembly with hunger."

NASB 1977
And the sons of Israel said to them, “Would that we had died by the LORD’S hand in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the pots of meat, when we ate bread to the full; for you have brought us out into this wilderness to kill this whole assembly with hunger.”

Amplified Bible
and the Israelites said to them, “Would that we had died by the hand of the LORD in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the pots of meat and ate bread until we were full; for you have brought us out into this wilderness to kill this entire assembly with hunger.”

Christian Standard Bible
The Israelites said to them, “If only we had died by the LORD’s hand in the land of Egypt, when we sat by pots of meat and ate all the bread we wanted. Instead, you brought us into this wilderness to make this whole assembly die of hunger! ”

Holman Christian Standard Bible
The Israelites said to them, "If only we had died by the LORD's hand in the land of Egypt, when we sat by pots of meat and ate all the bread we wanted. Instead, you brought us into this wilderness to make this whole assembly die of hunger!"

Contemporary English Version
"We wish the LORD had killed us in Egypt. When we lived there, we could at least sit down and eat all the bread and meat we wanted. But you have brought us out here into this desert, where we are going to starve."

Good News Translation
and said to them, "We wish that the LORD had killed us in Egypt. There we could at least sit down and eat meat and as much other food as we wanted. But you have brought us out into this desert to starve us all to death."

GOD'S WORD® Translation
The Israelites said to them, "If only the LORD had let us die in Egypt! There we sat by our pots of meat and ate all the food we wanted! You brought us out into this desert to let us all starve to death!"

International Standard Version
The Israelis told them, "If only we had died by the LORD's hand in the land of Egypt when we sat by the cooking pots, when we ate bread until we were filled—because you brought us to this desert to kill this entire congregation with hunger."

NET Bible
The Israelites said to them, "If only we had died by the hand of the LORD in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the pots of meat, when we ate bread to the full, for you have brought us out into this desert to kill this whole assembly with hunger!"
Classic Translations
King James Bible
And the children of Israel said unto them, Would to God we had died by the hand of the LORD in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the flesh pots, and when we did eat bread to the full; for ye have brought us forth into this wilderness, to kill this whole assembly with hunger.

New King James Version
And the children of Israel said to them, “Oh, that we had died by the hand of the LORD in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the pots of meat and when we ate bread to the full! For you have brought us out into this wilderness to kill this whole assembly with hunger.”

King James 2000 Bible
And the children of Israel said unto them, Would to God we had died by the hand of the LORD in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the flesh pots, and when we did eat bread to the full; for you have brought us forth into this wilderness, to kill this whole assembly with hunger.

New Heart English Bible
and the children of Israel said to them, "We wish that we had died by the hand of the LORD in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the meat pots, when we ate our fill of bread, for you have brought us out into this wilderness, to kill this whole assembly with hunger."

World English Bible
and the children of Israel said to them, "We wish that we had died by the hand of Yahweh in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the meat pots, when we ate our fill of bread, for you have brought us out into this wilderness, to kill this whole assembly with hunger."

American King James Version
And the children of Israel said to them, Would to God we had died by the hand of the LORD in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the flesh pots, and when we did eat bread to the full; for you have brought us forth into this wilderness, to kill this whole assembly with hunger.

American Standard Version
and the children of Israel said unto them, Would that we had died by the hand of Jehovah in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the flesh-pots, when we did eat bread to the full; for ye have brought us forth into this wilderness, to kill this whole assembly with hunger.

A Faithful Version
And the children of Israel said to them, "O that we had died by the hand of the LORD in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the fleshpots, when we ate bread to the full, for you have brought us forth into this wilderness to kill this whole assembly with hunger!"

Darby Bible Translation
And the children of Israel said to them, Would that we had died by the hand of Jehovah in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the flesh-pots, when we ate bread to the full; for ye have brought us out into this wilderness, to kill this whole congregation with hunger!

English Revised Version
and the children of Israel said unto them, Would that we had died by the hand of the LORD in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the flesh pots, when we did eat bread to the full; for ye have brought us forth into this wilderness, to kill this whole assembly with hunger.

Webster's Bible Translation
And the children of Israel said to them, O that we had died by the hand of the LORD in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the flesh-pots, and when we did eat bread to the full: for ye have brought us forth into this wilderness, to kill this whole assembly with hunger.

Early Modern
Geneva Bible of 1587
For the children of Israel sayde to them, Oh that we had dyed by the hand of the Lord in the land of Egypt, when wee sate by the flesh pots, when wee ate bread our bellies full: for yee haue brought vs out into this wildernesse, to kill this whole company with famine.

Bishops' Bible of 1568
And the chyldren of Israel sayde vnto them: Woulde to God we had dyed by the hande of the Lorde in the lande of Egypt, whe we sate by the fleshe pottes, and when we dyd eate bread our bellies full: for ye haue brought vs out into this wildernesse, to kyl this whole multitude with hunger.

Coverdale Bible of 1535
and saide vnto them: Wolde God we had dyed in the londe of Egipte by the hande of the LORDE, whan we sat by ye flesh pottes, and had bred ynough to eate: for ye haue brought vs out in to this wyldernes, to cause this whole multitude dye of honger.

Tyndale Bible of 1526
and sayde vnto them: wold to God we had dyed by the hande of the Lorde in the lande of Egipte, when we satt by the flessh pottes and ate bred oure belies full for ye haue broughte vs out in to this wildernesse to kyll this hole multitude for honger.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
and the sons of Israel say to them, “Oh that we had died by the hand of YHWH in the land of Egypt, in our sitting by the flesh-pot, in our eating bread to satiety—for you have brought us out to this wilderness to put all this assembly to death with hunger.”

Young's Literal Translation
and the sons of Israel say unto them, 'Oh that we had died by the hand of Jehovah in the land of Egypt, in our sitting by the flesh-pot, in our eating bread to satiety -- for ye have brought us out unto this wilderness to put all this assembly to death with hunger.'

Smith's Literal Translation
And the sons of Israel will say to them, Who will give to die by the hand of Jehovah in the land of Egypt in our sitting by the pot of flesh, in our eating bread to satiety? for ye brought us forth to this desert to kill all this convocation with hunger.

Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
And the children of Israel said to them: Would to God we had died by the hand of the Lord in the land of Egypt, when we sat over the flesh pots, and ate bread to the full. Why have you brought us into this desert, that you might destroy all the multitude with famine?

Catholic Public Domain Version
And the sons of Israel said to them: “If only we had died by the hand of the Lord in the land of Egypt, when we sat around bowls of meat and ate bread until filled. Why have you led us away, into this desert, so that you might kill the entire multitude with famine?”

Translations from Aramaic
Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And the children of Israel said to them: “We were wishing that we had died by the hand of LORD JEHOVAH in the land of Egypt when we were sitting by the pots of flesh and we were eating bread and were full, for you brought us to this wilderness to destroy the whole assembly of the children of Israel with hunger.”

Lamsa Bible
And the children of Israel said to them, Would that we had died by the hand of the LORD in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the pots of meat, and when we did eat bread to the full; for you have brought us forth into this wilderness to destroy the whole assembly of Israel with hunger.

OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
and the children of Israel said unto them: 'Would that we had died by the hand of the LORD in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the flesh-pots, when we did eat bread to the full; for ye have brought us forth into this wilderness, to kill this whole assembly with hunger.'

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And the children of Israel said to them, Would we had died smitten by the Lord in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the flesh-pots, and ate bread to satiety! for ye have brought us out into this wilderness, to slay all this congregation with hunger.
















Exodus 16:2
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