Numbers 20:16

Verse

and when we cried out to the LORD, He heard our voice, sent an angel, and brought us out of Egypt. Now look, we are in Kadesh, a city on the edge of your territory.

American Standard Version (1901)

and when we cried unto Jehovah, he heard our voice, and sent an angel, and brought us forth out of Egypt: and, behold, we are in Kadesh, a city in the uttermost of thy border.

Bible in Basic English

And the Lord gave ear to the voice of our cry, and sent an angel and took us out of Egypt: and now we are in Kadesh, a town on the edge of your land;

Free Bible Version

so we called out to the Lord for help, and he heard our cries. He sent an angel and led us out of Egypt. Listen, now we are in Kadesh, a town on the border of your territory.

King James (Authorized) Version

And when we cried unto the LORD, he heard our voice, and sent an angel, and hath brought us forth out of Egypt: and, behold, we are in Kadesh, a city in the uttermost of thy border:

One Unity Resource Bible

When we cried to Adonai , he sh'ma ·heard obeyed· our voice, sent an angel, and brought us out of Egypt [Abode of slavery]. Behold, we are in Kadesh, a city in the edge of your border.

Translation for Translators

“But when they called out to Yahweh, he heard them and sent an angel who brought them out of Egypt. Now we have set up our tents here at Kadesh, a town at the border of your land.

Unlocked Literal Bible

When we called out to Yahweh, he heard our voice and sent an angel and brought us out of Egypt. Look, we are in Kadesh, a city on the border of your land.

Noah Webster Bible

And when we cried to the LORD, he heard our voice, and sent an angel, and hath brought us forth from Egypt: and behold, we are in Kadesh, a city in the uttermost of thy border:

World English Bible

When we cried to Yahweh, he heard our voice, sent an angel, and brought us out of Egypt. Behold, we are in Kadesh, a city in the edge of your border.

Young's Literal Translation

and we cry unto Jehovah, and He heareth our voice, and sendeth a messenger, and is bringing us out of Egypt; and lo, we [are] in Kadesh, a city [in] the extremity of thy border.

Context

Edom Refuses Passage

¹⁵how our fathers went down to Egypt, where we lived many years. The Egyptians mistreated us and our fathers, ¹⁶and when we cried out to the LORD, He heard our voice, sent an angel, and brought us out of Egypt. Now look, we are in Kadesh, a city on the edge of your territory.¹⁷Please let us pass through your land. We will not cut through any field or vineyard, or drink water from any well. We will stay on the King’s Highway; we will not turn to the right or to the left until we have passed through your territory.”

Summary

In Numbers 20:16, the Israelites sent messengers to the king of Edom, requesting safe passage through their land. This passage reflects the Israelites' desire to peacefully traverse Edom's territory on their journey to the Promised Land. It also demonstrates their willingness to seek diplomatic solutions and avoid conflict whenever possible. The interaction between the Israelites and the king of Edom serves as a reminder of the importance of communication, negotiation, and seeking peaceful resolutions in times of potential conflict.

Commentary

John Gill

John Gill Bible Commentary

Let us pass, I pray thee, through thy country,.... That being the nearest and shortest way to the land of Canaan, from the place where they now were: we will not pass through the fields, or through the vineyards; to harm them, and injure any man in his private property, by gathering the fruit of them, if the season of the year for it, or by trampling them down: neither will we drink of the water of the wells; which private persons had dug, for the watering of their fields and vineyards, and for other uses, at least without paying for it; or only of the waters of the rivers, common to all passengers; from hence it appears, that the country of Edom was not then such a barren country as in later times, and as travellers (c) now report it is; See Gill on Mal 1:3. we will go by the king's highway; not the way in which the king used to walk, or which he should order them to walk in, as Aben Ezra; but the public roads, common to all his subjects, and travellers to walk in by his allowance; and such roads are now called by us the king's highway: we will not turn to the right hand, or to the left; to do any injury to any person's property, but go straight forward: until we have passed thy borders; from one to another, and got quite through the country. (c) See Shaw's Travels, 4. 438. Ed. 2.