Numbers 15:18
Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When ye come into the land whither I bring you,
Original Language Analysis
דַּבֵּר֙
Speak
H1696
דַּבֵּר֙
Speak
Strong's:
H1696
Word #:
1 of 14
perhaps properly, to arrange; but used figuratively (of words), to speak; rarely (in a destructive sense) to subdue
בְּנֵ֣י
unto the children
H1121
בְּנֵ֣י
unto the children
Strong's:
H1121
Word #:
3 of 14
a son (as a builder of the family name), in the widest sense (of literal and figurative relationship, including grandson, subject, nation, quality or
יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל
of Israel
H3478
יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל
of Israel
Strong's:
H3478
Word #:
4 of 14
he will rule as god; jisral, a symbolical name of jacob; also (typically) of his posterity
מֵבִ֥יא
unto them When ye come
H935
מֵבִ֥יא
unto them When ye come
Strong's:
H935
Word #:
7 of 14
to go or come (in a wide variety of applications)
אֲשֶׁ֥ר
H834
אֲשֶׁ֥ר
Strong's:
H834
Word #:
10 of 14
who, which, what, that; also (as an adverb and a conjunction) when, where, how, because, in order that, etc
מֵבִ֥יא
unto them When ye come
H935
מֵבִ֥יא
unto them When ye come
Strong's:
H935
Word #:
12 of 14
to go or come (in a wide variety of applications)
Historical Context
Spoken approximately 1444 BC after the Kadesh-barnea rebellion, this promise gave hope to the younger generation who would actually enter Canaan 38 years later. The phrase "the land whither I bring you" connects to Abrahamic covenant promises (Genesis 12:1-3, 15:18-21). Archaeological evidence shows Canaan in the Late Bronze Age (1550-1200 BC) was a land of fortified Canaanite city-states, making divine assistance essential for conquest.
Questions for Reflection
- How does God's certainty about Israel's future encourage you when facing consequences of past failures?
- What do these forward-looking promises teach about the relationship between divine sovereignty and human responsibility?
- How does this pattern of judgment-then-restoration prefigure the gospel message?
Related Resources
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Analysis & Commentary
When ye come into the land whither I bring you—the emphasis on divine agency ("I bring you") reminds Israel that Canaan entry depends on God's power, not their merit. The verb "bring" (bo, בּוֹא) implies God as the active agent leading them into the land. Despite their recent rebellion and forty-year judgment, God still speaks with certainty: not "if" but "when" you enter.
This forward-looking promise follows immediately after the wilderness wandering sentence (ch. 14), demonstrating that God's purposes cannot be thwarted by human failure. The next generation will inherit what the rebellious generation forfeited. This pattern anticipates the new covenant: Israel's unfaithfulness doesn't nullify God's faithfulness (Romans 3:3-4).