Numbers 32:23
New International Version
“But if you fail to do this, you will be sinning against the LORD; and you may be sure that your sin will find you out.

New Living Translation
But if you fail to keep your word, then you will have sinned against the LORD, and you may be sure that your sin will find you out.

English Standard Version
But if you will not do so, behold, you have sinned against the LORD, and be sure your sin will find you out.

Berean Standard Bible
But if you do not do this, you will certainly sin against the LORD—and be assured that your sin will find you out.

King James Bible
But if ye will not do so, behold, ye have sinned against the LORD: and be sure your sin will find you out.

New King James Version
But if you do not do so, then take note, you have sinned against the LORD; and be sure your sin will find you out.

New American Standard Bible
But if you do not do so, behold, you have sinned against the LORD, and be sure that your sin will find you out.

NASB 1995
“But if you will not do so, behold, you have sinned against the LORD, and be sure your sin will find you out.

NASB 1977
“But if you will not do so, behold, you have sinned against the LORD, and be sure your sin will find you out.

Legacy Standard Bible
But if you will not do so, behold, you have sinned against Yahweh, and be sure your sin will find you out.

Amplified Bible
But if you do not do this, behold, you will have sinned against the LORD; and be sure that your sin will find you out.

Christian Standard Bible
But if you don’t do this, you will certainly sin against the LORD; be sure your sin will catch up with you.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
But if you don’t do this, you will certainly sin against the LORD; be sure your sin will catch up with you.

American Standard Version
But if ye will not do so, behold, ye have sinned against Jehovah; and be sure your sin will find you out.

Contemporary English Version
But if you don't keep your promise, you will sin against the LORD and be punished.

English Revised Version
But if ye will not do so, behold, ye have sinned against the LORD: and be sure your sin will find you out.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
"If you don't do all these things, you will be sinning against the LORD. You can be sure that you will be punished for your sin.

Good News Translation
But if you do not keep your promise, I warn you that you will be sinning against the LORD. Make no mistake about it; you will be punished for your sin.

International Standard Version
"But if you won't do so, look out! You will be sinning against the LORD. Be certain of this, that your sin will catch up to you!

Majority Standard Bible
But if you do not do this, you will certainly sin against the LORD?and be assured that your sin will find you out.

NET Bible
"But if you do not do this, then look, you will have sinned against the LORD. And know that your sin will find you out.

New Heart English Bible
"But if you will not do so, look, you have sinned against the LORD; and be sure your sin will find you out.

Webster's Bible Translation
But if ye will not do so, behold, ye have sinned against the LORD: and be sure your sin will find you out.

World English Bible
“But if you will not do so, behold, you have sinned against Yahweh; and be sure your sin will find you out.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
And if you do not do so, behold, you have sinned against YHWH, and know that your sin finds you;

Young's Literal Translation
'And if ye do not so, lo, ye have sinned against Jehovah, and know ye your sin, that it doth find you;

Smith's Literal Translation
And if ye shall not do this, behold, ye sinned to Jehovah: and know ye, your sin which shall find you.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
But if you do not what you say, no man can doubt but you sin against God: and know ye, that your sin shall overtake you.

Catholic Public Domain Version
But if you do not do what you have said, no one could doubt that you will have sinned against God. And know this: your sin shall overtake you.

New American Bible
But if you do not do this, you will have sinned against the LORD, and you can be sure that the consequences of your sin will overtake you.

New Revised Standard Version
But if you do not do this, you have sinned against the LORD; and be sure your sin will find you out.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
But if you will not do so, behold, you will he sinning against the LORD; and be sure your sins will overtake you.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And if you do not so, you sin against LORD JEHOVAH, and know that your sins track you down.
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
But if ye will not do so, behold, ye have sinned against the LORD; and know ye your sin which will find you.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
But if ye will not do so, ye will sin against the Lord; and ye shall know your sin, when afflictions shall come upon you.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
The Tribes East of the Jordan
22then when the land is subdued before the LORD, you may return and be free of obligation to the LORD and to Israel. And this land will belong to you as a possession before the LORD. 23But if you do not do this, you will certainly sin against the LORD— and be assured that your sin will find you out. 24Build cities for your little ones and folds for your flocks, but do what you have promised.”…

Cross References
Galatians 6:7
Do not be deceived: God is not to be mocked. Whatever a man sows, he will reap in return.

Proverbs 28:13
He who conceals his sins will not prosper, but whoever confesses and renounces them will find mercy.

Luke 12:2-3
There is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed, and nothing hidden that will not be made known. / What you have spoken in the dark will be heard in the daylight, and what you have whispered in the inner rooms will be proclaimed from the housetops.

Hebrews 4:13
Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight; everything is uncovered and exposed before the eyes of Him to whom we must give account.

Ecclesiastes 12:14
For God will bring every deed into judgment, along with every hidden thing, whether good or evil.

Romans 2:16
on the day when God will judge men’s secrets through Christ Jesus, as proclaimed by my gospel.

Job 34:22
There is no darkness or deep shadow where the workers of iniquity can hide.

1 Corinthians 4:5
Therefore judge nothing before the appointed time; wait until the Lord comes. He will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of men’s hearts. At that time each will receive his praise from God.

Psalm 90:8
You have set our iniquities before You, our secret sins in the light of Your presence.

Jeremiah 16:17
For My eyes are on all their ways. They are not hidden from My face, and their guilt is not concealed from My eyes.

Matthew 12:36
But I tell you that men will give an account on the day of judgment for every careless word they have spoken.

2 Corinthians 5:10
For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive his due for the things done in the body, whether good or bad.

Psalm 139:11-12
If I say, “Surely the darkness will hide me, and the light become night around me”— / even the darkness is not dark to You, but the night shines like the day, for darkness is as light to You.

Isaiah 29:15
Woe to those who dig deep to hide their plans from the LORD. In darkness they do their works and say, “Who sees us, and who will know?”

1 John 1:9
If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.


Treasury of Scripture

But if you will not do so, behold, you have sinned against the LORD: and be sure your sin will find you out.

if ye will

Leviticus 26:14
But if ye will not hearken unto me, and will not do all these commandments;

Deuteronomy 28:15
But it shall come to pass, if thou wilt not hearken unto the voice of the LORD thy God, to observe to do all his commandments and his statutes which I command thee this day; that all these curses shall come upon thee, and overtake thee:

be sure your sin.

Genesis 4:7
If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? and if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door. And unto thee shall be his desire, and thou shalt rule over him.

Genesis 44:16
And Judah said, What shall we say unto my lord? what shall we speak? or how shall we clear ourselves? God hath found out the iniquity of thy servants: behold, we are my lord's servants, both we, and he also with whom the cup is found.

Psalm 90:8
Thou hast set our iniquities before thee, our secret sins in the light of thy countenance.

Jump to Previous
Reward Sin Sinned Sinners Sinning Sure
Jump to Next
Reward Sin Sinned Sinners Sinning Sure
Numbers 32
1. The Reubenites and Gadites ask for inheritance on the east side of Jordan
6. Moses reproves them
16. They offer him conditions with which he is content
33. Moses assigns them the land
39. They conquer it.














But if you do not do this
This phrase sets a conditional premise, indicating a choice and a responsibility. The context here is Moses speaking to the tribes of Reuben and Gad, who requested to settle on the east side of the Jordan River. The "this" refers to their promise to help the other Israelites conquer the land west of the Jordan. The Hebrew root for "do" (עָשָׂה, 'asah) implies action and fulfillment of duty. It emphasizes the importance of keeping one's commitments, especially those made before God.

you will certainly sin against the LORD
The phrase underscores the gravity of failing to fulfill one's promises. "Sin" (חָטָא, chata) in Hebrew means to miss the mark or fall short of God's standards. The use of "certainly" (אָשֵׁם, asham) intensifies the certainty of the consequence. Sinning "against the LORD" highlights the personal nature of sin as an offense not just against others, but directly against God Himself. This reflects the covenant relationship between God and His people, where obedience is a sign of faithfulness.

and you may be sure
This phrase serves as a solemn warning. The Hebrew word for "sure" (יָדַע, yada) means to know or to be aware. It implies an inevitable outcome, reinforcing the certainty of the consequences of sin. This is a call to self-awareness and accountability, urging the Israelites to consider the seriousness of their actions.

that your sin will find you out
The imagery here is vivid and personal. "Find you out" suggests that sin has a way of revealing itself and catching up with the sinner. The Hebrew concept here is that sin carries its own consequences, which are inescapable. This serves as a reminder of the omniscience and justice of God, who sees all actions and ensures that justice is served. It is a call to live righteously and with integrity, knowing that nothing is hidden from God.

Verse 23. - Be sure your sin will find you out. Or rather, "ye will know your sin" (וּדְעוּ חַטַּאתְכֶם) "which shall find you out" (for מָצָא cf. Genesis 44:16). So in effect the Septuagint: γνώσεσθε τὴν ἁμαρτίαν ὑῶν, ὅταν ὑμᾶς καταλάβῃ τὰ κακά. When they had cause to rue their folly, then they would recognize their sin.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
But if
וְאִם־ (wə·’im-)
Conjunctive waw | Conjunction
Strong's 518: Lo!, whether?, if, although, Oh that!, when, not

you do not
לֹ֤א (lō)
Adverb - Negative particle
Strong's 3808: Not, no

do
תַעֲשׂוּן֙ (ṯa·‘ă·śūn)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine plural | Paragogic nun
Strong's 6213: To do, make

this,
כֵּ֔ן (kên)
Adverb
Strong's 3651: So -- thus

you will certainly
הִנֵּ֥ה (hin·nêh)
Interjection
Strong's 2009: Lo! behold!

sin
חֲטָאתֶ֖ם (ḥă·ṭā·ṯem)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - second person masculine plural
Strong's 2398: To miss, to sin, to forfeit, lack, expiate, repent, lead astray, condemn

against the LORD;
לַיהוָ֑ה (Yah·weh)
Preposition-l | Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3068: LORD -- the proper name of the God of Israel

and you may be assured that
וּדְעוּ֙ (ū·ḏə·‘ū)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine plural
Strong's 3045: To know

your sin
חַטַּאתְכֶ֔ם (ḥaṭ·ṭaṯ·ḵem)
Noun - feminine singular construct | second person masculine plural
Strong's 2403: An offence, its penalty, occasion, sacrifice, expiation, an offender

will find you out.
תִּמְצָ֖א (tim·ṣā)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person feminine singular
Strong's 4672: To come forth to, appear, exist, to attain, find, acquire, to occur, meet, be present


Links
Numbers 32:23 NIV
Numbers 32:23 NLT
Numbers 32:23 ESV
Numbers 32:23 NASB
Numbers 32:23 KJV

Numbers 32:23 BibleApps.com
Numbers 32:23 Biblia Paralela
Numbers 32:23 Chinese Bible
Numbers 32:23 French Bible
Numbers 32:23 Catholic Bible

OT Law: Numbers 32:23 But if you will not do so (Nu Num.)
Numbers 32:22
Top of Page
Top of Page