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Wednesday, April 8th, 2026
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Read the Bible

King James Version (1611 Edition)

Numbers 20:4

And why haue yee brought vp the Congregation of the Lord into this wildernesse, that we and our cattell should die there?

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Israel;   Moses;   Murmuring;   Trouble;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Desert, Journey of Israel through the;   Rocks;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Kadesh or Kadesh-Barnea;   Zin;   Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Kadesh-barnea;   Charles Buck Theological Dictionary - Mourning;   Easton Bible Dictionary - Beast;   Meribah;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Aaron;   Kadesh Barnea;   Levi;   Meribah;   Numbers, the Book of;   Wilderness of the Wanderings;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Cattle;   Kadesh-Meribah;   Prophecy, Prophets;   Provocation;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Aaron;   Congregation, Assembly;   Jephthah;   Massah and Meribah;   Moses;   Numbers, Book of;   Zin;   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Kadesh, Kadeshbarnea ;   Wanderings of the Israelites;   The Hawker's Poor Man's Concordance And Dictionary - Balaam;   Kadesh-barnea;   Levi;   Rebels;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - Journeyings of israel from egypt to canaan;   Kadesh;   Meribali;   Watson's Biblical & Theological Dictionary - Moses;  

Encyclopedias:

- Condensed Biblical Cyclopedia - On to Canaan;   Moses, the Man of God;   International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Criticism (the Graf-Wellhausen Hypothesis);   Massah and Meribah;   Moses;   Pentateuch;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Exodus, Book of;   Kadesh;   Water;  

Parallel Translations

Hebrew Names Version
Why have you brought the assembly of the LORD into this wilderness, that we should die there, we and our animals?
King James Version
And why have ye brought up the congregation of the Lord into this wilderness, that we and our cattle should die there?
Lexham English Bible
Why have you brought the assembly of Yahweh, us and our livestock, into this desert to die here?
English Standard Version
Why have you brought the assembly of the Lord into this wilderness, that we should die here, both we and our cattle?
New Century Version
Why did you bring the Lord 's people into this desert? Are we and our animals to die here?
New English Translation
Why have you brought up the Lord 's community into this wilderness? So that we and our cattle should die here?
Amplified Bible
"Why have you brought up the assembly of the LORD into this wilderness to die here, we and our livestock?
New American Standard Bible
"Why then have you brought the LORD'S assembly into this wilderness, for us and our livestock to die here?
Geneva Bible (1587)
Why haue ye thus brought the Congregation of the Lorde vnto his wildernesse, that both we, and our cattell should die there?
Legacy Standard Bible
Why then have you brought the assembly of Yahweh into this wilderness, for us and our beasts to die here?
Contemporary English Version
You brought us into this desert, and now we and our livestock are going to die!
Complete Jewish Bible
Why did you bring Adonai 's community into this desert? To die there, we and our livestock?
Darby Translation
And why have ye brought the congregation of Jehovah into this wilderness, that we should die there, we and our beasts?
Easy-to-Read Version
Why did you bring the Lord 's people into this desert? Do you want us and our animals to die here?
George Lamsa Translation
Why have you brought the congregation of the LORD into this wilderness, that we and our cattle should die here?
Good News Translation
Why have you brought us out into this wilderness? Just so that we can die here with our animals?
Christian Standard Bible®
Why have you brought the Lord’s assembly into this wilderness for us and our livestock to die here?
Literal Translation
And, why have you brought the assembly of Jehovah to this wilderness to die there, we and our animals?
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Wherfore haue ye brought the congregacion of the LORDE in to this wildernesse, yt we shulde dye here with oure catell?
American Standard Version
And why have ye brought the assembly of Jehovah into this wilderness, that we should die there, we and our beasts?
Bible in Basic English
Why have you taken the Lord's people into this waste, for death to come to us and to our cattle there?
Bishop's Bible (1568)
Why haue ye brought the congregation of the Lorde into this wildernesse, that both we and our cattell shoulde dye in it?
JPS Old Testament (1917)
And why have ye brought the assembly of the LORD into this wilderness, to die there, we and our cattle?
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And wherefore have ye brought up the congregation of the Lord into this wilderness, to kill us and our cattle?
English Revised Version
And why have ye brought the assembly of the LORD into this wilderness, that we should die there, we and our cattle?
Berean Standard Bible
Why have you brought the LORD's assembly into this wilderness for us and our livestock to die here?
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Whi han ye led out the chirche of the Lord in to wildirnesse, that bothe we and oure beestis die?
Young's Literal Translation
and why have ye brought in the assembly of Jehovah unto this wilderness to die there, we and our beasts?
Update Bible Version
And why have you brought the assembly of Yahweh into this wilderness, that we should die there, we and our beasts?
Webster's Bible Translation
And why have ye brought the congregation of the LORD into this wilderness, that we and our cattle should die there?
World English Bible
Why have you brought the assembly of Yahweh into this wilderness, that we should die there, we and our animals?
New King James Version
Why have you brought up the assembly of the LORD into this wilderness, that we and our animals should die here?
New Living Translation
Why have you brought the congregation of the Lord 's people into this wilderness to die, along with all our livestock?
New Life Bible
Why have you brought the Lord's people into this desert, for us and our animals to die here?
New Revised Standard
Why have you brought the assembly of the Lord into this wilderness for us and our livestock to die here?
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Wherefore then hast thou brought the convocation of Yahweh into this desert, - to die there, we, and our cattle?
Douay-Rheims Bible
Why have you brought out the church of the Lord into the wilderness, that both we and our cattle should die?
Revised Standard Version
Why have you brought the assembly of the LORD into this wilderness, that we should die here, both we and our cattle?
New American Standard Bible (1995)
"Why then have you brought the LORD'S assembly into this wilderness, for us and our beasts to die here?

Contextual Overview

1 Then came the children of Israel, euen the whole Congregation, into the desert of Zin, in the first moneth: and the people abode in Kadesh, and Miriam died there, and was buried there. 2 And there was no water for the Congregation: and they gathered themselues together against Moses and against Aaron. 3 And the people chode with Moses, and spake, saying, Would God that we had died when our brethren died before the Lord. 4 And why haue yee brought vp the Congregation of the Lord into this wildernesse, that we and our cattell should die there? 5 And wherefore haue ye made vs to come vp out of Egypt, to bring vs in vnto this euil place? it is no place of seed, or of figges, or vines, or of pomegranates, neither is there any water to drinke. 6 And Moses and Aaron went from the presence of the assembly, vnto the doore of the Tabernacle of the congregation, and they fell vpon their faces: and the glory of the Lord appeared vnto them. 7 And the Lord spake vnto Moses, saying, 8 Take the rodde, and gather thou the assembly together, thou and Aaron thy brother, and speake yee vnto the rocke before their eyes, and it shall giue foorth his water, and thou shalt bring foorth to them, water out of the rocke: so thou shalt giue the Congregation, and their beasts drinke. 9 And Moses tooke the rod from before the Lord, as he commanded him. 10 And Moses and Aaron gathered the Congregation together before the rocke, and hee said vnto them, Heare now, ye rebels; must we fetch you water out of this rocke?

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

why: Numbers 11:5, Exodus 5:21, Exodus 17:3, Psalms 106:21, Acts 7:35, Acts 7:39, Acts 7:40

that we: Numbers 16:13, Numbers 16:14, Numbers 16:41, Exodus 14:11, Exodus 14:12, Exodus 16:3

Reciprocal: Deuteronomy 6:16 - tempted him Joshua 7:7 - to deliver 2 Kings 3:9 - no water

Cross-References

Genesis 19:24
Then the LORD rained vpon Sodome & vpon Gomorrah, brimstone and fire, from the LORD out of heauen.
Genesis 20:6
And God saide vnto him in a dreame, Yea, I know that thou didst this in the integritie of thy heart: for I also withheld thee from sinning against mee, therefore suffered I thee not to touch her.
Genesis 20:17
So Abraham prayed vnto God: and God healed Abimelech, and his wife, and his maid-seruants, and they bare children.
Genesis 20:18
For the LORD had fast closed vp all the wombes of the house of Abimelech, because of Sarah Abrahams wife.
2 Samuel 4:11
How much more, when wicked men haue slaine a righteous person, in his owne house, vpon his bed? Shall I not therefore now require his blood of your hand, and take you away from the earth?
1 Chronicles 21:17
And Dauid said vnto God, Is it not I that commanded the people to be numbred? euen I it is that haue sinned, and done euill indeed, but as for these sheepe, what haue they done? Let thine hand, I pray thee, O Lord my God, be on me, and on my fathers house, but not on thy people, that they should bee plagued.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And why have ye brought up the congregation of the Lord into this wilderness,.... The wilderness of Zin, whither by various marches and journeys, and through different stations, they were at length come:

that we and our cattle should die there? with thirst; they seem to represent it, as if this was the end, design, and intention of Moses and Aaron in bringing them thither; their language is much the same with their fathers on a like occasion; which shows the bad influence of example, and how careful parents should be of their words and actions, that their posterity be not harmed by them; see Exodus 17:3.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

The language of the murmurers is noteworthy. It has the air of a traditional remonstrance handed down from the last generation. Compare marginal references.


 
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