Numbers 14:42
New International Version
Do not go up, because the LORD is not with you. You will be defeated by your enemies,

New Living Translation
Do not go up into the land now. You will only be crushed by your enemies because the LORD is not with you.

English Standard Version
Do not go up, for the LORD is not among you, lest you be struck down before your enemies.

Berean Standard Bible
Do not go up, lest you be struck down by your enemies, because the LORD is not among you.

King James Bible
Go not up, for the LORD is not among you; that ye be not smitten before your enemies.

New King James Version
Do not go up, lest you be defeated by your enemies, for the LORD is not among you.

New American Standard Bible
Do not go up, for the LORD is not among you, to prevent you from being defeated by your enemies.

NASB 1995
“Do not go up, or you will be struck down before your enemies, for the LORD is not among you.

NASB 1977
“Do not go up, lest you be struck down before your enemies, for the LORD is not among you.

Legacy Standard Bible
Do not go up, for Yahweh is not among you, so that you are not defeated before your enemies.

Amplified Bible
Do not go up, or you will be struck down before your enemies, for the LORD is not among you.

Christian Standard Bible
Don’t go, because the LORD is not among you and you will be defeated by your enemies.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Don’t go, because the LORD is not among you and you will be defeated by your enemies.

American Standard Version
Go not up, for Jehovah is not among you; that ye be not smitten down before your enemies.

English Revised Version
Go not up, for the LORD is not among you; that ye be not smitten down before your enemies.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Don't go! You will be defeated by your enemies because the LORD is not with you.

Good News Translation
Don't go. The LORD is not with you, and your enemies will defeat you.

International Standard Version
Don't go up, since you know that the LORD is no longer with you. You'll be attacked right in front of your own enemies.

Majority Standard Bible
Do not go up, lest you be struck down by your enemies, because the LORD is not among you.

NET Bible
Do not go up, for the LORD is not among you, and you will be defeated before your enemies.

New Heart English Bible
Do not go up, for the LORD isn't among you; that you not be struck down before your enemies.

Webster's Bible Translation
Go not up, for the LORD is not among you; that ye be not smitten before your enemies.

World English Bible
Don’t go up, for Yahweh isn’t among you; that way you won’t be struck down before your enemies.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
do not go up, for YHWH is not in your midst, and you are not struck before your enemies;

Young's Literal Translation
go not up, for Jehovah is not in your midst, and ye are not smitten before your enemies;

Smith's Literal Translation
Ye shall not go up, for Jehovah is not in the midst of you; and shall ye not be struck before your enemies?
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
Go not up, for the Lord is not with you: lest you fall before your enemies.

Catholic Public Domain Version
Do not ascend, for the Lord is not with you, lest you be overthrown before your enemies.

New American Bible
Do not go up, because the LORD is not in your midst; do not allow yourself to be struck down by your enemies.

New Revised Standard Version
Do not go up, for the LORD is not with you; do not let yourselves be struck down before your enemies.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
Do not go up, for the LORD is not with you; lest you be defeated before your enemies.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
Do not go up, because LORD JEHOVAH is not with you, so that you will not be broken before your enemies.
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
Go not up, for the LORD is not among you; that ye be not smitten down before your enemies.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
Go not up, for the Lord is not with you; so shall ye fall before the face of your enemies.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Defeat by the Amalekites and Canaanites
41But Moses said, “Why are you transgressing the commandment of the LORD? This will not succeed! 42Do not go up, lest you be struck down by your enemies, because the LORD is not among you. 43For there the Amalekites and Canaanites will face you, and you will fall by the sword. Because you have turned away from the LORD, He will not be with you.”…

Cross References
Deuteronomy 1:42
But the LORD said to me, “Tell them not to go up and fight, for I am not with you to keep you from defeat by your enemies.”

Joshua 7:12
This is why the Israelites cannot stand against their enemies. They will turn their backs and run from their enemies, because they themselves have been set apart for destruction. I will no longer be with you unless you remove from among you whatever is devoted to destruction.

1 Samuel 4:3
When the troops returned to the camp, the elders of Israel asked, “Why has the LORD brought defeat on us before the Philistines today? Let us bring the ark of the covenant of the LORD from Shiloh, so that it may go with us to save us from the hand of our enemies.”

1 Samuel 28:6
He inquired of the LORD, but the LORD did not answer him by dreams or Urim or prophets.

Isaiah 30:1-2
“Woe to the rebellious children,” declares the LORD, “to those who carry out a plan that is not Mine, who form an alliance, but against My will, heaping up sin upon sin. / They set out to go down to Egypt without asking My advice, to seek shelter under Pharaoh’s protection and take refuge in Egypt’s shade.

Isaiah 31:1
Woe to those who go down to Egypt for help, who rely on horses, who trust in their abundance of chariots and in their multitude of horsemen. They do not look to the Holy One of Israel; they do not seek the LORD.

Jeremiah 2:37
Moreover, you will leave that place with your hands on your head, for the LORD has rejected those you trust; you will not prosper by their help.”

Jeremiah 17:5
This is what the LORD says: “Cursed is the man who trusts in mankind, who makes mere flesh his strength and turns his heart from the LORD.

Lamentations 4:17
All the while our eyes were failing as we looked in vain for help. We watched from our towers for a nation that could not save us.

Hosea 5:6
They go with their flocks and herds to seek the LORD, but they do not find Him; He has withdrawn Himself from them.

Matthew 28:20
and teaching them to obey all that I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

John 15:5
I am the vine and you are the branches. The one who remains in Me, and I in him, will bear much fruit. For apart from Me you can do nothing.

Romans 8:31
What then shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?

1 Corinthians 10:12
So the one who thinks he is standing firm should be careful not to fall.

2 Corinthians 3:5
Not that we are competent in ourselves to claim that anything comes from us, but our competence comes from God.


Treasury of Scripture

Go not up, for the LORD is not among you; that you be not smitten before your enemies.

Deuteronomy 1:42
And the LORD said unto me, Say unto them, Go not up, neither fight; for I am not among you; lest ye be smitten before your enemies.

Joshua 7:8,12
O Lord, what shall I say, when Israel turneth their backs before their enemies! …

Psalm 44:1,2-11
To the chief Musician for the sons of Korah, Maschil. We have heard with our ears, O God, our fathers have told us, what work thou didst in their days, in the times of old…

Jump to Previous
Defeated Enemies Smitten Struck
Jump to Next
Defeated Enemies Smitten Struck
Numbers 14
1. The people murmur at the news
6. Joshua and Caleb labor to still them
11. God threatens them
13. Moses intercedes with God, and obtains pardon
26. The Murmurers are debarred from entering into the land
36. The men who raised the evil report die by a plague
40. The people that would invade the land against the will of God are smitten














Do not go up
This command is a direct warning to the Israelites, who were attempting to enter the Promised Land against God's directive. The context is the aftermath of the Israelites' refusal to trust God and enter Canaan when initially commanded. Their disobedience led to God's judgment that they would wander in the wilderness for 40 years. The phrase emphasizes the importance of obedience to God's timing and commands.

lest you be struck down by your enemies
The Israelites' enemies, the Canaanites and Amalekites, were formidable forces. Without God's protection, the Israelites would be vulnerable to defeat. This highlights the necessity of divine support in overcoming adversaries, a recurring theme in Israel's history. It serves as a reminder of the consequences of acting presumptuously without God's blessing.

because the LORD is not among you
This phrase underscores the critical importance of God's presence for success and protection. Throughout the Old Testament, God's presence is associated with victory and blessing. The absence of the LORD signifies a withdrawal of divine favor, often due to disobedience or lack of faith. This concept is echoed in other scriptures, such as when Samson loses his strength after the LORD departs from him (Judges 16:20). It also foreshadows the New Testament teaching that apart from Christ, believers can do nothing (John 15:5).

Persons / Places / Events
1. Moses
The leader of the Israelites, who intercedes for them and warns them against disobedience.

2. The Israelites
The people of God who are wandering in the wilderness after being delivered from Egypt. They are at a critical point of decision regarding entering the Promised Land.

3. The Amalekites and Canaanites
The enemies of Israel who inhabit the land they are attempting to enter without God's blessing.

4. The Promised Land
The land of Canaan, which God promised to the descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

5. The Wilderness
The place where the Israelites are currently wandering due to their lack of faith and disobedience.
Teaching Points
The Importance of God's Presence
Without God's presence, our efforts are in vain. The Israelites were warned that going into battle without God would lead to defeat. This teaches us to seek God's guidance and presence in all our endeavors.

Obedience Over Presumption
Presuming upon God's favor without obedience leads to failure. The Israelites' decision to go up against their enemies despite God's warning is a lesson in the dangers of presumption.

Consequences of Disobedience
Disobedience to God's commands can lead to dire consequences. The Israelites faced defeat because they did not heed God's warning, reminding us of the importance of aligning our actions with God's will.

Faith and Trust in God's Timing
Trusting in God's timing is crucial. The Israelites' impatience and lack of faith led them to act prematurely. We must learn to wait on God's perfect timing in our lives.

The Role of Leadership and Counsel
Moses' role as a leader and his counsel to the Israelites highlight the importance of godly leadership and heeding wise counsel. We should seek and listen to godly advice in our decision-making processes.(42) Go not up, for the Lord is not among you.--Moses had already received the command which is contained in Numbers 14:25. He knew, therefore, that the Israelites would not have the guidance of the cloud, the visible token of the Divine presence.



Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
Do not
אַֽל־ (’al-)
Adverb
Strong's 408: Not

go up,
תַּעֲל֔וּ (ta·‘ă·lū)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine plural
Strong's 5927: To ascend, in, actively

lest
וְלֹא֙ (wə·lō)
Conjunctive waw | Adverb - Negative particle
Strong's 3808: Not, no

you be struck down
תִּנָּ֣גְפ֔וּ (tin·nā·ḡə·p̄ū)
Verb - Nifal - Imperfect - second person masculine plural
Strong's 5062: To push, gore, defeat, stub, inflict

by
לִפְנֵ֖י (lip̄·nê)
Preposition-l | Noun - common plural construct
Strong's 6440: The face

your enemies,
אֹיְבֵיכֶֽם׃ (’ō·yə·ḇê·ḵem)
Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural construct | second person masculine plural
Strong's 341: Hating, an adversary

because
כִּ֛י (kî)
Conjunction
Strong's 3588: A relative conjunction

the LORD
יְהוָ֖ה (Yah·weh)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3068: LORD -- the proper name of the God of Israel

is not
אֵ֥ין (’ên)
Adverb
Strong's 369: A non-entity, a negative particle

among you.
בְּקִרְבְּכֶ֑ם (bə·qir·bə·ḵem)
Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct | second person masculine plural
Strong's 7130: The nearest part, the center


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OT Law: Numbers 14:42 Don't go up for Yahweh isn't among (Nu Num.)
Numbers 14:41
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