Números 10:31

31 —Por favor, no nos dejes —insistió Moisés—. Tú conoces bien los lugares del desierto donde debemos acampar. Tú serás nuestro guía.

Números 10:31 Meaning and Commentary

Numbers 10:31

And he said
That is, Moses, he replied to Hobab, unwilling to take him at his word and go without him:

leave us not, I pray thee;
or "not now"; as the Targums of Onkelos and Jonathan; at this present time, under our present difficulties, while we are in the wilderness; though Jarchi says the particle (an) signifies beseeching or supplication:

forasmuch as thou knowest how we are to encamp in the wilderness;
that this will be our case, that we shall be obliged, before we get to the promised land, to pitch our tents in the wilderness, in our passage through it; and thou knowest which are the best and most convenient places for that purpose, and therefore must entreat thee to go with us:

and thou mayest be to us instead of eyes;
not to show the way, as Aben Ezra notes, or guide and direct them in the road through the wilderness; for the cloud by day and the fire by night were of that use to them, as well as when it rested, it directed them when and where to pitch their tents; rather to assist with his advice in difficult matters, when they should be in pressing circumstances: the Targum of Jonathan is,

``thou hast been dear unto us, as the apple of our eyes, and therefore we cannot part with thee.''

Números 10:31 In-Context

29 Entonces Moisés le dijo al madianita Hobab hijo de Reuel, que era su suegro:—Estamos por partir hacia la tierra que el SEÑOR prometió darnos. Ven con nosotros. Seremos generosos contigo, ya que el SEÑOR ha prometido ser generoso con Israel.

30 —No, no iré —respondió Hobab—; quiero regresar a mi tierra y a mi familia.

31 —Por favor, no nos dejes —insistió Moisés—. Tú conoces bien los lugares del desierto donde debemos acampar. Tú serás nuestro guía.

32 Si vienes con nosotros, compartiremos contigo todo lo bueno que el SEÑOR nos dé.

33 Los israelitas partieron de la montaña del SEÑOR y anduvieron por espacio de tres días, durante los cuales el arca del pacto del SEÑOR marchaba al frente de ellos para buscarles un lugar donde acampar.