SEV Biblia, Chapter 10:31
Y él le dijo: Te ruego que no nos dejes; porque tú sabes nuestros campamentos en el desierto, y nos serás en lugar de ojos.
Clarke's Bible Commentary - Numbers 10:31
Verse 31. Thou mayest be to us instead of eyes.] But what need had they of Hobab, when they had the pillar and fire continually to point out their way? Answer: The cloud directed their general journeys, but not their particular excursions. Parties took several journeys while the grand army lay still. (See chap. 13., 20., 31., 32., &c.) They therefore needed such a person as Hobab, who was well acquainted with the desert, to direct these particular excursions; to point them out watering places, and places where they might meet with fuel, &c., &c. What man cannot, under the direction of God's providence, do for himself, God will do in the way of especial mercy. He could have directed them to the fountains and to the places of fuel, but Hobab can do this, therefore let Hobab be employed; and let Hobab know for his encouragement that, while he is serving others in the way of God's providence, he is securing his own best interests. On these grounds Hobab should be invited, and for this reason Hobab should go. Man cannot do God's work; and God will not do the work which he has qualified and commanded man to perform. Thus then the Lord is ever seen, even while he is helping man by man. See some valuable observations on this subject in Harmer, vol. ii., 286. Instead of, And thou mayest be to us instead of eyes, the Septuagint translate the passage thus: kai esh en presburhv, And thou shalt be an elder among us. But Moses probably refers to Hobab's accurate knowledge of the wilderness, and to the assistance he could give them as a guide.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 31. And he said , etc.] 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.”
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 29-32 - Moses invites his kindred to go to Canaan. Those that are bound for the heavenly Canaan, should ask and encourage their friends to go with them: we shall have none the less of the joys of heaven, for other coming to share with us. It is good having fellowship with those wh have fellowship with God. But the things of this world, which are seen draw strongly from the pursuit of the things of the other world, whic are not seen. Moses urges that Hobab might be serviceable to them. No to show where they must encamp, nor what way they must march, the clou was to direct that; but to show the conveniences of the place the marched through, and encamped in. It well consists with our trust in God's providence, to use the help of our friends.
Original Hebrew
ויאמר 559 אל 408 נא 4994 תעזב 5800 אתנו 853 כי 3588 על 5921 כן 3651 ידעת 3045 חנתנו 2583 במדבר 4057 והיית 1961 לנו לעינים׃ 5869
