Numbers 33:42 — Word Study
WLCוַיִּסְע֖וּ מִצַּלְמֹנָ֑ה וַֽיַּחֲנ֖וּ בְּפוּנֹֽן׃
BSAThey set outnâçaʻ▸ [journeyed, departed] from ZalmonahTsalmônâh [a place in the desert] and campedchânâh▸ [encamped, pitched their tents] at PunonPûwnôn [a stopping point in the wilderness]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| וַיִּסְע֖וּ | and they set out | Verb, Qal, sequential imperfect third person masculine plural |
| מִצַּלְמֹנָ֑ה | from Zalmonah | Preposition, noun proper |
| וַֽיַּחֲנ֖וּ | and they encamped | Verb, Qal, sequential imperfect third person masculine plural |
| בְּפוּנֹֽן׃ | at Punan | Preposition, noun proper |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | They set out from Zalmonah and camped at Punon. |
| KJV | And they departed from Zalmonah, and pitched in Punon. |
| ASV | And they journeyed from Zalmonah, and encamped in Punon. |
| YLT | and they journey from Zalmonah, and encamp in Punon. |
| WEB | They traveled from Zalmonah, and encamped in Punon. |
| BBE | And they went on from Zalmonah, and put up their tents in Punon. |
Where they part company is in the translation of the locations, particularly Zalmonah and Punon.
The structure of the sentence shows the main action followed by details about the starting point and the subsequent action.
3 commentators on this verse
Jamieson, AdamClarke, Whedon & more — read them ›
clause
verbנָסַע
The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
Every word here is used elsewhere in the Old Testament.
Bars are logarithmic — אֵת, the commonest word in the Hebrew Bible, stands about 11,000 times, so a linear scale would leave everything else invisible. Click a row to open that word.
Deep Study — Numbers 33:42
Sections marked generated are written from the data on this page rather than by a named author. Everything else — the lexicon entries, the cross references, the manuscript readings, the counts — is quoted from its source unchanged.
Context — The Journey of the Israelitesgenerated
Numbers 33:42 describes the movement of the Israelites as they traveled through the wilderness. This verse highlights their departure from Zalmonah and their encampment at Punon, continuing the narrative of their journey after leaving Mount Hor, as seen in the preceding verses. The Israelites' travels are significant as they reflect their experiences and challenges during their time in the desert.
Cross References
The Key Word — נָסַע, vai.yis.'Ugenerated
The verb נָסַע (nasá) means to set out or depart, particularly in the context of a journey. It conveys the action of the Israelites moving from one location to another, emphasizing their ongoing travels through the wilderness.
This word is in the sequential imperfect tense, indicating an ongoing action of setting out. It captures the essence of the Israelites' journey as they continually moved forward in their quest for the Promised Land.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
This study reads the verse in the Berean Standard Bible, so the BSB is the wording every comparison below is made against.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The main verb וַיִּסְע֖וּ (and they set out) governs the sentence, with a prepositional phrase indicating the starting point and another clause indicating the action of camping. The structure reflects the sequential nature of the Israelites' journey.
The sentence flows from the action of departing to the action of encamping, illustrating the movement and settlement of the Israelites in their travels.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
In the Septuagint, the Hebrew verb נָסַע is rendered as ἀπῆραν (they departed), which maintains the meaning of setting out on a journey. This choice aligns with the narrative of the Israelites' travels.
The translation choice reflects a direct correspondence to the Hebrew, emphasizing the act of departure as a significant moment in the journey.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Numbers 33:42 tells us that the Israelites set out from Zalmonah and camped at Punon. This verse is part of a larger account of their journey through the wilderness, where they moved from one campsite to another as they traveled toward the Promised Land.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
It indicates that they were continuing their journey through the wilderness, moving from one location to another as they sought the Promised Land.
Punon represents another stop in their journey, highlighting the various places where the Israelites rested during their travels.
This verse is part of a sequence of movements that detail the Israelites' travels through the wilderness, showing their progress and experiences along the way.
We see their continuous movement and reliance on God as they navigate through the wilderness, stopping at various locations for rest.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- What does this verse teach us about the importance of movement and progress in our own lives?
- How can we relate the journey of the Israelites to our own spiritual journeys?
- What does it mean to 'set out' in faith, just as the Israelites did?
- How can we find significance in the places we stop along our own journeys?
The early church on this verse — how the Fathers read it
Origen of Alexandria comments on this journey, interpreting the significance of Punon in relation to spiritual contemplation.
Now from here they come to Phinon [Punon], which we think means “frugality of the mouth.” For the person who can contemplate the mystery of Christ and of the Holy Spirit, if he sees or hears what it is not right for men to speak,Early Church Fathers on Numbers 33 →
Commentators on this verse — 3 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Numbers 33:42 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryAnd they departed from Zalmonah, and pitched in Punon. Punon - in the rocky ravines of Mount Hor, and famous for the mines and quarries in its vicinity, as well as for its fruit-trees-now Tafyle, on
Read Robert Jamieson on Numbers 33 →AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the BibleSTAT. XXXV. Verse 42. PUNON.] A place in Idumea. Nowhere else mentioned.
Read AdamClarke on Numbers 33 →Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the Bible42. Zalmonah — Probably Wady Ithm, which runs into the Arabah close to where Elath anciently stood. Punon is conjecturally identified with Phenan, a ruined castle on the caravan road east of Mount Seir.
Read Daniel Denison Whedon on Numbers 33 →The verse in English, compared — 17 translations, and where they part company
Every translation on this page is a decision someone had to make and commit to. Read down a column and you see one translator's judgement; read across a row and you see the range the Greek actually allows. The BSB is the wording the rest of this page is measured against, so it is listed first.
Modern formal
They set out from Zalmonah and camped at Punon.
They traveled from Zalmonah, and encamped in Punon.
They set out from Zalmonah and camped at Punon.
They traveled from Zalmonah and camped in Punon.
Tyndale line
And they departed from Zalmonah, and pitched in Punon.
And they journeyed from Zalmonah, and encamped in Punon.
And they journeyed from Zalmonah, and pitched in Punon.
And they departed from Zalmonah, and encamped in Punon.
And they departed from Zalmonah, and pitched in Punon.
Strictly literal
And they removed from Zalmonah, and encamped in Punon.
and they journey from Zalmonah, and encamp in Punon.
And they journey from Zalmonah and encamp in Punon.
And they removed from Zalmonah, and encamped in Punon.
They set out from Zalmonah and camped at Punon.
From the Latin
From whence they removed and came to Phunon.
Simplified
They moved on from Zalmonah and set up camp at Punon.
And they went on from Zalmonah, and put up their tents in Punon.
Counted from the translations carried on this site, not from a survey of every English Bible. A rendering shared by many versions is usually inherited rather than independently arrived at — the Tyndale line in particular runs through most of them.
The sentence as the grammar sees it — from the MACULA Hebrew treebank
This is not our own analysis: it is the scholarly syntax tree for the verse, showing how the clause actually holds together.
Boxes are the grammarian's groupings — clause, noun phrase, prepositional phrase.
The four witnesses to this verse — Masoretic, Septuagint, Samaritan, Qumran
The Masoretic Text and the Septuagint agree on the wording of this verse, with all four words matched in their respective translations. The Samaritan Pentateuch differs slightly in the names of the locations, using צלמונה (Zalmonah) and פינן (Punon) instead.
וַיִּסְע֖וּ מִצַּלְמֹנָ֑ה וַֽיַּחֲנ֖וּ בְּפוּנֹֽן׃
4 of the 4 words are matched. This is the word-by-word correspondence, not the Septuagint's own sentence — its word order and its articles are its own.
ויסעו מצלמונה ויחנו בפינן
2 words differ from the Masoretic Text: צלמונה (Zalmonah), פינן (Punon)
Four traditions, not one. “On the leather” means the letters physically survive on the scroll, as against letters an editor has supplied to fill a hole in it — a restoration is a scholar’s reading, not a reading of the manuscript. Words in [square brackets] are supplied; the notes count them apart from what survives.
The map of this verse — what each word keeps company with
This is a map of two things, both counted rather than judged. Company kept: which words stand within three words of each of these, anywhere in the Hebrew Bible — the thicker the line, the more often the pair meet compared with chance. Built from: the words a word is made out of, taken from its own Strong’s entry. It is not a map of meaning: nothing here claims two words mean the same thing. Click any circle to see the numbers behind it.
Lexicons — every word in Numbers 33:42
One dossier per word, with every reference work grouped by kind — Hebrew lexicons, morphology, Bible dictionaries, topical chains and the English of the translators themselves. The verse sits at the head of each block with the word under study lit, so you never lose your place. The panel above gives the short answer; this is the long one, and it is the part of the page worth indexing.
Every entry below is the lexicographer's own text. On the Hebrew: Brown-Driver-Briggs entire and its gloss set, Strong's Hebrew Dictionary, and Tyndale House's Translators Brief lexicon. Where a cell says a work has no entry, that work genuinely has none for this word.
נָסַע (naca`) means to pull out or up, particularly in the context of setting out on a journey. It encompasses actions like departing, marching, and removing, with nuances related to both physical movement and the wind. The word can also imply causing someone or something to set out or be led away.
נָסַע 147 vb. pull out or up, set out, journey
Qal 137
pull out or up
hence (from pulling up tent-pegs),
set out
depart
journey, march (by stages)
of wind
Niph. be pulled up, removed
Hiph.
cause to set out, lead out
remove
base
H5265 נָסַע pull out or up, set out, journey .. pull out or up
. hence (from pulling up tent-pegs), . set out
. depart
. journey, march (by stages)
. of wind
. be pulled up, removed
. . cause to set out, lead out
. remove
5265 naca` naw-sah'
a primitive root; properly, to pull up, especially the
tent-pins, i.e. start on a journey:--cause to blow, bring,
get, (make to) go (away, forth, forward, onward, out), (take)
journey, march, remove, set aside (forward), X still, be on
his (go their) way.
נָסַע (na.sa) — to set out.
1) to pull out, pull up, set out, journey, remove, set forward, depart
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to pull out or up
1a2) to set out, depart
1a3) to journey, march
1a4) to set forth (of wind)
1b) (Niphal) to be pulled up, be removed, be plucked up
1c) (Hiphil)
1c1) to cause to set out, lead out, cause to spring up
1c2) to remove, quarry
Conj | V-Qal-ConsecImperf-3mp — Verb · Qal · sequential imperfect third person masculine pluralHc/Vqw3mp
צַלְמֹנָה (tsalmonah) refers to a location known as Zalmonah, described as a station for the Israelites during their wanderings in the wilderness. The name is derived from a root meaning 'shadiness.' It is mentioned in the context of the Israelites' journey, specifically on the east side of Edom.
צַלְמֹנָה n.pr.loc. station of Isr. in wilderness
base
H6758 צַלְמֹנָה
6758 Tsalmonah tsal-mo-naw'
feminine of 6757; shadiness; Tsalmonah, a place in the
Desert:--Zalmonah.
see HEBREW for 06757
צַלְמֹנָה (tsal.mo.nah) — Zalmonah.
§ Zalmonah = "shady"
a station of Israel during the wilderness wanderings located on the east side of Edom
Prep | N-proper — Preposition · noun properHR/Npl
zal-mo'na (tsalmonah, "gloomy"): A desert camp of the Israelites, the first after Mt. Hor (Nu 33:41,42). The name "suggests some gloomy valley leading up to the Edomite plateau."
See WANDERINGS OF ISRAEL.
Zalmonah
Shady, one of the stations of the Israelites in the wilderness (Num. 33:41, 42).
(shady), a desert station of the Israelites, (Numbers 33:41) lies on the east side of Edom.
the shade; the sound of the number; his image
חָנָה (chanah) is a Hebrew verb meaning to decline, bend down, or encamp. It conveys the idea of inclining or settling, particularly in the context of pitching a tent or establishing a temporary dwelling. The word appears in various forms, including the act of encamping or laying siege. It is associated with the imagery of the evening's slanting rays and the conclusion of a day's journey.
חָנָה 143 vb. decline, bend down, encamp
Qal
decline, of day drawing to its close
encamp (prop. verge toward, incline to, settle at, of goal of day’s march)
base
H2583 חָנָה decline, bend down, encamp
2583 chanah khaw-naw'
a primitive root (compare 2603); properly, to incline; by
implication, to decline (of the slanting rays of evening);
specifically, to pitch a tent; gen. to encamp (for abode or
siege):--abide (in tents), camp, dwell, encamp, grow to an
end, lie, pitch (tent), rest in tent.
see HEBREW for 02603
חָנָה (cha.nah) — to camp.
1) to decline, incline, encamp, bend down, lay siege against
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to decline
1a2) to encamp
Conj | V-Qal-ConsecImperf-3mp — Verb · Qal · sequential imperfect third person masculine pluralHc/Vqw3mp
פּוּנֹן (Puwnon) refers to a location mentioned in the context of the Israelites' wilderness wanderings. It is identified as the second station after Hor, situated between Petra and Zoar, and is associated with darkness and perplexity. The entries indicate that it is notable for its mines.
פּוּנֹן n.pr.loc. 2nd station of Isr. fr. Hor; betw. Petra and Zoar, famous for mines
base
H6325 פּוּנֹן
6325 Puwnon poo-none'
from 6323; perplexity; Punon, a place in the Desert:--Punon.
see HEBREW for 06323
פּוּנֹן (pu.non) — Punon.
§ Punon = "darkness"
a station of Israel in their wilderness wanderings
Prep | N-proper — Preposition · noun properHR/Npl