Numbers 33:11 — Word Study
WLCוַיִּסְע֖וּ מִיַּם־ ס֑וּף וַֽיַּחֲנ֖וּ בְּמִדְבַּר־ סִֽין׃
BSAThey set outnâçaʻ▸ [journeyed, departed] from the Redçûwph Seayâm [the sea of reeds, a large body of water] and campedchânâh▸ [encamped, pitched their tents] in the Desertmidbâr [wilderness, open field] of SinÇîyn [an Egyptian town and its adjoining desert, Pelusium]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| וַיִּסְע֖וּ | and they set out | Verb, Qal, sequential imperfect third person masculine plural |
| מִיַּם־ | from [the] sea of | Preposition, noun common masculine singular construct |
| ס֑וּף | reed[s] | Noun |
| וַֽיַּחֲנ֖וּ | and they encamped | Verb, Qal, sequential imperfect third person masculine plural |
| בְּמִדְבַּר־ | in [the] wilderness of | Preposition, noun common masculine singular construct |
| סִֽין׃ | Sin | Noun proper |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | They set out from the Red Sea and camped in the Desert of Sin. |
| KJV | And they removed from the Red sea, and encamped in the wilderness of Sin. |
| ASV | And they journeyed from the Red Sea, and encamped in the wilderness of Sin. |
| YLT | And they journey from the Red Sea, and encamp in the wilderness of Sin; |
| WEB | They traveled from the Red Sea, and encamped in the wilderness of Sin. |
| BBE | Then from the Red Sea they went on and put up their tents in the waste land of Sin. |
Where they part company is חָנָה — see How Translations Differ.
Two main actions are presented: setting out and camping, with prepositional phrases providing context for each action.
4 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, AdamClarke, Whedon & more — read them ›
clause
verbנָסַע
The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
Every word here is used elsewhere in the Old Testament.
Bars are logarithmic — אֵת, the commonest word in the Hebrew Bible, stands about 11,000 times, so a linear scale would leave everything else invisible. Click a row to open that word.
Deep Study — Numbers 33:11
Sections marked generated are written from the data on this page rather than by a named author. Everything else — the lexicon entries, the cross references, the manuscript readings, the counts — is quoted from its source unchanged.
Context — The Journey of the Israelitesgenerated
Numbers 33:11 describes the Israelites' journey as they traveled from the Red Sea, a significant moment after their escape from Egypt. This verse is part of a larger narrative detailing their movements through the wilderness, emphasizing the challenges and transitions they faced on their way to the Promised Land.
Cross References
The Key Word — נָסַע, vai.yis.'Ugenerated
The verb נָסַע (naśā') means to set out or depart, particularly in the context of a journey. It captures the action of the Israelites as they leave one location and move toward another, embodying both physical movement and the broader theme of their exodus.
In this verse, the parsing indicates that it is a sequential imperfect verb in the third person masculine plural, showing that the action is ongoing and performed by a group. This emphasizes the collective journey of the Israelites as they follow God's leading.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
This study reads the verse in the Berean Standard Bible, so the BSB is the wording every comparison below is made against.
Sentence Structuregenerated
Two finite verbs govern the verse: נָסַע (set out) and חָנָה (encamped). The first verb indicates the action of departing, while the second describes the subsequent action of setting up camp. The structure reflects the sequence of events in the journey.
The Hebrew word order places emphasis on the actions of the Israelites, highlighting their movement from one significant location to another, which is crucial in the narrative of their exodus.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
The Septuagint translates נָסַע as ἀπῆραν (they departed), which conveys a similar sense of setting out on a journey. This choice aligns with the narrative of movement and transition.
The Greek word παρενέβαλον for חָנָה indicates a similar action of encamping, maintaining the focus on the Israelites' journey and their temporary dwellings.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Numbers 33:11 tells us that the Israelites set out from the Red Sea and camped in the Desert of Sin. This verse is part of their journey through the wilderness after leaving Egypt, highlighting their movements toward the Promised Land.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
It indicates the Israelites' departure from a significant point in their exodus, marking their transition into the wilderness.
The Desert of Sin is a geographical reference, indicating a specific location where the Israelites camped during their journey.
Their journey reflects themes of faith, obedience, and the challenges faced while following God's direction.
This verse is part of the ongoing account of the Israelites' travels as they move toward the Promised Land, illustrating their reliance on God.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- What does setting out from a familiar place symbolize in my own life?
- How can I relate to the Israelites' experience of camping in a new and unfamiliar environment?
- In what ways do I see God guiding my journey, similar to how He guided the Israelites?
- What lessons can I learn from the Israelites' perseverance in the wilderness?
The early church on this verse — how the Fathers read it
The early Church Fathers have commented on this verse, interpreting the significance of the journey and the locations mentioned, particularly in relation to spiritual lessons drawn from the Israelites' experiences.
Sin means “bramble bush” or “temptation.” Thus the hope of good things now begins to smile upon you. What is the hope of good things? The Lord appeared from the bush and answered Moses;Early Church Fathers on Numbers 33 →
Commentators on this verse — 4 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Numbers 33:11 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleAnd they removed from the Red sea, and encamped in the wilderness of Sin. Sixteen miles from the Red sea, where they were last; see Exodus 16:1.
Read John Gill on Numbers 33 →Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryAnd they removed from the Red sea, and encamped in the wilderness of Sin. No JFB commentary on this verse.
Read Robert Jamieson on Numbers 33 →AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the BibleSTAT. VII. Verse 11. The wilderness of SIN.] This lies between Elim and Mount Sinai. Dr. Shaw and his companions traversed these plains in nine hours.
Read AdamClarke on Numbers 33 →Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the Bible11. The wilderness of Sin — This name applies to the whole sandy plain which runs along the shore of the Red Sea from Elim to the southern end of the Sinaitic peninsula. It is the modern El Markha. Exodus 16:1, note.
Read Daniel Denison Whedon on Numbers 33 →The verse in English, compared — 17 translations, and where they part company
Every translation on this page is a decision someone had to make and commit to. Read down a column and you see one translator's judgement; read across a row and you see the range the Greek actually allows. The BSB is the wording the rest of this page is measured against, so it is listed first.
Modern formal
They set out from the Red Sea and camped in the Desert of Sin.
They traveled from the Red Sea, and encamped in the wilderness of Sin.
They set out from the Red Sea and camped in the Desert of Sin.
They traveled from the Red Sea and camped in the wilderness of Zin.
Tyndale line
And they removed from the Red sea, and encamped in the wilderness of Sin.
And they journeyed from the Red Sea, and encamped in the wilderness of Sin.
And they journeyed from the Red Sea, and pitched in the wilderness of Sin.
And they removed from the Red sea, and encamped in the wilderness of Sin.
And they remoued from the red Sea, and lay in the wildernesse of Sin.
Strictly literal
And they removed from the Red sea, and encamped in the wilderness of Sin.
And they journey from the Red Sea, and encamp in the wilderness of Sin;
And they journey from the Red Sea and encamp in the wilderness of Sin.
And they removed from the Red Sea, and encamped in the wilderness of Sin.
They set out from the Sea of Reeds and camped in the wilderness of Sin.
From the Latin
They camped in the desert of Sin.
Simplified
They moved on from the Red Sea and set up camp in the Desert of Sin.
Then from the Red Sea they went on and put up their tents in the waste land of Sin.
Counted from the translations carried on this site, not from a survey of every English Bible. A rendering shared by many versions is usually inherited rather than independently arrived at — the Tyndale line in particular runs through most of them.
The sentence as the grammar sees it — from the MACULA Hebrew treebank
This is not our own analysis: it is the scholarly syntax tree for the verse, showing how the clause actually holds together.
Boxes are the grammarian's groupings — clause, noun phrase, prepositional phrase.
The four witnesses to this verse — Masoretic, Septuagint, Samaritan, Qumran
The Masoretic Text and the Septuagint agree closely, with all six words matched. The Samaritan Pentateuch differs by using the word מים (water) instead of the Masoretic's מִיַּם־ (from the sea), indicating a slight variation in wording but not in meaning.
וַיִּסְע֖וּ מִיַּם־ ס֑וּף וַֽיַּחֲנ֖וּ בְּמִדְבַּר־ סִֽין׃
6 of the 6 words are matched. This is the word-by-word correspondence, not the Septuagint's own sentence — its word order and its articles are its own.
ויסעו מים סוף ויחנו במדבר סין
1 word differs from the Masoretic Text: מים (water)
Four traditions, not one. “On the leather” means the letters physically survive on the scroll, as against letters an editor has supplied to fill a hole in it — a restoration is a scholar’s reading, not a reading of the manuscript. Words in [square brackets] are supplied; the notes count them apart from what survives.
The map of this verse — what each word keeps company with
This is a map of two things, both counted rather than judged. Company kept: which words stand within three words of each of these, anywhere in the Hebrew Bible — the thicker the line, the more often the pair meet compared with chance. Built from: the words a word is made out of, taken from its own Strong’s entry. It is not a map of meaning: nothing here claims two words mean the same thing. Click any circle to see the numbers behind it.
Lexicons — every word in Numbers 33:11
One dossier per word, with every reference work grouped by kind — Hebrew lexicons, morphology, Bible dictionaries, topical chains and the English of the translators themselves. The verse sits at the head of each block with the word under study lit, so you never lose your place. The panel above gives the short answer; this is the long one, and it is the part of the page worth indexing.
Every entry below is the lexicographer's own text. On the Hebrew: Brown-Driver-Briggs entire and its gloss set, Strong's Hebrew Dictionary, and Tyndale House's Translators Brief lexicon. Where a cell says a work has no entry, that work genuinely has none for this word.
נָסַע (naca`) means to pull out or up, particularly in the context of setting out on a journey. It encompasses actions like departing, marching, and removing, with nuances related to both physical movement and the wind. The word can also imply causing someone or something to set out or be led away.
נָסַע 147 vb. pull out or up, set out, journey
Qal 137
pull out or up
hence (from pulling up tent-pegs),
set out
depart
journey, march (by stages)
of wind
Niph. be pulled up, removed
Hiph.
cause to set out, lead out
remove
base
H5265 נָסַע pull out or up, set out, journey .. pull out or up
. hence (from pulling up tent-pegs), . set out
. depart
. journey, march (by stages)
. of wind
. be pulled up, removed
. . cause to set out, lead out
. remove
5265 naca` naw-sah'
a primitive root; properly, to pull up, especially the
tent-pins, i.e. start on a journey:--cause to blow, bring,
get, (make to) go (away, forth, forward, onward, out), (take)
journey, march, remove, set aside (forward), X still, be on
his (go their) way.
נָסַע (na.sa) — to set out.
1) to pull out, pull up, set out, journey, remove, set forward, depart
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to pull out or up
1a2) to set out, depart
1a3) to journey, march
1a4) to set forth (of wind)
1b) (Niphal) to be pulled up, be removed, be plucked up
1c) (Hiphil)
1c1) to cause to set out, lead out, cause to spring up
1c2) to remove, quarry
Conj | V-Qal-ConsecImperf-3mp — Verb · Qal · sequential imperfect third person masculine pluralHc/Vqw3mp
יָם (yam) means 'sea' and refers to various large bodies of water, including the Mediterranean, Red, and Dead Seas, as well as the Sea of Galilee. It can also denote a mighty river like the Nile and has geographical implications, indicating directions such as west or south. The term is derived from a root meaning to roar, suggesting the noise of breaking surf.
יָם 390 n.m. sea
base
H3220 יָם sea
3220 yam yawm
from an unused root meaning to roar; a sea (as breaking in
noisy surf) or large body of water; specifically (with the
article), the Mediterranean Sea; sometimes a large river, or
an artifical basin; locally, the west, or (rarely) the
south:--sea (X -faring man, (-shore)), south, west (-ern,
side, -ward).
יָם (yam) — sea.
: sea
1) sea
1a) Mediterranean Sea
1b) Red Sea
1c) Dead Sea
1d) Sea of Galilee
1e) sea (general)
1f) mighty river (Nile)
1g) the sea (the great basin in the temple court)
1h) seaward, west, westward
יָם (yam) — sea: west.
: west
1) sea
1a) Mediterranean Sea
1b) Red Sea
1c) Dead Sea
1d) Sea of Galilee
1e) sea (general)
1f) mighty river (Nile)
1g) the sea (the great basin in the temple court)
1h) seaward, west, westward
יָם (yam) — (Mt. Ephron in the) West.
This name means sea, seaward, westward
Another name of eph.ron (עֶפְרוֹן "(Mount )Ephron" H6085H)
Prep | N-ms — Preposition · noun common masculine singular constructHR/Ncmsc
ov:
(1) In Anglo-Saxon, had the meaning "from," "away from" (as the strengthened form "off" has still), and was not used for genitive or possessive relations, these being expressed by special case-forms. In the Norman period, however, "of" was taken to represent the French de (a use well developed by the time of Chaucer), and in the Elizabethan period both senses of "of" were in common use. But after about 1600 the later force of the word became predominant, and in the earlier sense (which is now practically obsolete) it was replaced by other prepositions. In consequence the King James Version (and in some cases the Revised Version (British and American)) contains many uses of "of" that are no longer familiar--most of them, to be sure, causing no difficulty, but there still being a few responsible for real obscurities.
OF, preposition ov. [Gr.]
1. From or out of; proceeding from, as the cause, source, means, author or agent bestowing.
I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered to you. 1 Corinthians 11:1.
For it was of the Lord to harden their hearts. Joshua 11:1.
It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed.
Lamentations 3:1.
The whole disposing thereof is of the Lord. Proverbs 16:1.
Go, inquire of the Lord for me. 2 Chronicles 34:2.
That holy thing that shall be born of thee. Luke 1:1.
Hence of is the sign of the genitive case, the case that denotes production; as the son of man, the son proceeding from man, produced from man. This is the primary sense, although we now say, produced by man. 'Part of these were slain; ' that is, a number separate, for part denotes a division; the sense then is, a number from or out of the whole were slain. So also, 'some of these were slain; ' that is…
סוּף (suph) refers to reeds or rushes, particularly associated with the Nile and the Red Sea. The term may have Egyptian origins and is used to describe both a type of water plant and the Red Sea itself. The entries indicate that it can denote the Gulf of Suez and the sea from the straits to the Gulf of Akaba.
סוּף n.m. reeds, rushes
rushes, in Nile
Red Sea
base
H5488 סוּף reeds, rushes . rushes, in Nile
. Red Sea
5488 cuwph soof
probably of Egyptian origin; a reed, especially the
papyrus:--flag, Red (sea), weed. Compare 5489.
see HEBREW for 05489
סוּף (suph) — Red (Sea).
1) of Red Sea
2) of Gulf of Suez
3) of sea from straits to Gulf of Akaba
Also named: eruthros (ἐρυθρός "Red( Sea)" G2063) as "Reed Sea"
סוּף (suph) — reed.
1) reed, rush, water plant
1a) rushes
1b) sea of rushes - used of Red Sea
N-ms — NounHNtmsa
חָנָה (chanah) is a Hebrew verb meaning to decline, bend down, or encamp. It conveys the idea of inclining or settling, particularly in the context of pitching a tent or establishing a temporary dwelling. The word appears in various forms, including the act of encamping or laying siege. It is associated with the imagery of the evening's slanting rays and the conclusion of a day's journey.
חָנָה 143 vb. decline, bend down, encamp
Qal
decline, of day drawing to its close
encamp (prop. verge toward, incline to, settle at, of goal of day’s march)
base
H2583 חָנָה decline, bend down, encamp
2583 chanah khaw-naw'
a primitive root (compare 2603); properly, to incline; by
implication, to decline (of the slanting rays of evening);
specifically, to pitch a tent; gen. to encamp (for abode or
siege):--abide (in tents), camp, dwell, encamp, grow to an
end, lie, pitch (tent), rest in tent.
see HEBREW for 02603
חָנָה (cha.nah) — to camp.
1) to decline, incline, encamp, bend down, lay siege against
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to decline
1a2) to encamp
Conj | V-Qal-ConsecImperf-3mp — Verb · Qal · sequential imperfect third person masculine pluralHc/Vqw3mp
מִדְבָּר (midbar) primarily means 'mouth' in the sense of an organ of speech, but it also refers to 'wilderness' or 'desert.' The word is derived from a root meaning to drive, suggesting open fields for pasturing cattle. It encompasses various forms of uninhabited land and is notably used in contexts related to the wilderness, such as the Wilderness of Sinai.
[מִדְבָּר] n.m. mouth, as organ of speech, Ct 4:3
ref
מִדְבָר 270 n.m. wilderness
tracts of land, used for the pasturage of flocks and herds
uninhabited land
large tracts of such land bearing various names, in certain districts of which there might be towns and cities
fig.
base
H4057a מִדְבָּר mouth, as organ of speech H4057b מִדְבָר wilderness
4057 midbar mid-bawr'
from 1696 in the sense of driving; a pasture (i.e. open
field, whither cattle are driven); by implication, a desert;
also speech (including its organs):--desert, south, speech,
wilderness.
see HEBREW for 01696
מִדְבָּר (mid.bar) — mouth.
1) mouth
1a) mouth (as organ of speech)
מִדְבָּר (mid.bar) — wilderness.
1) wilderness
1a) pasture
1b) uninhabited land, wilderness
1c) large tracts of wilderness (around cities)
1d) wilderness (fig.)
מִדְבָּר (mid.bar) — Wilderness (of Sinai).
This name means wilderness, uninhabited land
Prep | N-ms — Preposition · noun common masculine singular constructHR/Ncmsc
ov:
(1) In Anglo-Saxon, had the meaning "from," "away from" (as the strengthened form "off" has still), and was not used for genitive or possessive relations, these being expressed by special case-forms. In the Norman period, however, "of" was taken to represent the French de (a use well developed by the time of Chaucer), and in the Elizabethan period both senses of "of" were in common use. But after about 1600 the later force of the word became predominant, and in the earlier sense (which is now practically obsolete) it was replaced by other prepositions. In consequence the King James Version (and in some cases the Revised Version (British and American)) contains many uses of "of" that are no longer familiar--most of them, to be sure, causing no difficulty, but there still being a few responsible for real obscurities.
OF, preposition ov. [Gr.]
1. From or out of; proceeding from, as the cause, source, means, author or agent bestowing.
I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered to you. 1 Corinthians 11:1.
For it was of the Lord to harden their hearts. Joshua 11:1.
It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed.
Lamentations 3:1.
The whole disposing thereof is of the Lord. Proverbs 16:1.
Go, inquire of the Lord for me. 2 Chronicles 34:2.
That holy thing that shall be born of thee. Luke 1:1.
Hence of is the sign of the genitive case, the case that denotes production; as the son of man, the son proceeding from man, produced from man. This is the primary sense, although we now say, produced by man. 'Part of these were slain; ' that is, a number separate, for part denotes a division; the sense then is, a number from or out of the whole were slain. So also, 'some of these were slain; ' that is…
סִין (Sin) refers to both an ancient Egyptian city, Pelusium, and a wilderness area located between Elim and Sinai. The name is thought to derive from terms meaning 'thorn' or 'clay.' The lexicons indicate that its exact derivation is uncertain, but they consistently identify its geographical significance.
סִין n.pr.loc. Sin, i.e. Pelusium, E. frontier city of Egypt (Egypt. ’Imt = clay, of which סין is transl.)
base
סִין n.pr.loc. wilderness between Elim and Sinai
base
H5512a סִין Sin, i.e. Pelusium, E. frontier city of Egypt (Egypt. ’Imt = clay, of which סין is transl.) H5512b סִין wilderness between Elim and Sinai
5512 Ciyn seen
of uncertain derivation; Sin the name of an Egyptian town and
(probably) desert adjoining:--Sin.
סִין (sin) — Pelusium.
§ Sin = "thorn" or "clay"
a town in eastern Egypt
סִין (sin) — Sin.
§ Sin = "thorn" or "clay" the tract of wilderness between Elim and Sinai
N-proper — Noun properHNpl
Sin
Is “any want of conformity unto or transgression of the law of God” (1 John 3:4; Rom. 4:15), in the inward state and habit of the soul, as well as in the outward conduct of the life, whether by omission or commission (Rom. 6:12-17; 7:5-24). It is “not a mere violation of the law of our constitution, nor of the system of things, but an offence against a personal lawgiver and moral governor who vindicates his law with penalties. The soul that sins is always conscious that his sin is (1) intrinsically vile and polluting, and (2) that it justly deserves punishment, and calls down the righteous wrath of God. Hence sin carries with it two inalienable characters, (1) ill-desert, guilt (reatus); and (2) pollution (macula).”, Hodge’s…
a city of Egypt, mentioned only by Ezekiel. (Ezekiel 30:15,16) The name is Hebrew, or at least Semitic, perhaps signifying clay . It is identified in the Vulgate with Pelusium, "the clayey or muddy" town. Its antiquity may perhaps be inferred from the mention of "the wilderness of Sin" in the journeys of the Israelites. (Exodus 16:1; Numbers 33:11) Ezekiel speaks of Sin as "Sin the strongholds of Egypt." (Ezekiel 30:15) This place was held by Egypt from that time until the period of the Romans. Herodotus relates that Sennacherib advanced against Pelusium, and that near Pelusium Cambyses defeated Psammenitus. In like manner the decisive battle in which Ochus defeated the…
1. Any thought, word, desire, action, or omission of action, contrary to the law of God, or defective when compared with it.
The origin of sin is a subject which baffles all investigation; and our inquiries are much better directed when we seek through Christ a release from its penalty and power, for ourselves and the world. Its entrance into the world, and infection of the whole human race, its nature, forms, and effects, and its fatal possession of every unregenerate soul, are fully described in the Bible, Ge 6:5 Ps 51:5 Mt 15:19 Ro 5:12 Jas 1:14,15.
bush