Numbers 33:17 — Word Study
WLCוַיִּסְע֖וּ מִקִּבְרֹ֣ת הַֽתַּאֲוָ֑ה וַֽיַּחֲנ֖וּ בַּחֲצֵרֹֽת׃
BSAThey set outnâçaʻ▸ [journeyed, departed] fromQibrôwth hat-Taʼă-vâh Kibroth-hattaavahQibrôwth hat-Taʼă-vâh [graves of lust, a place of desire] and campedchânâh▸ [encamped, pitched their tents] at HazerothChătsêrôwth [a settlement, an Israelite camp]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| וַיִּסְע֖וּ | and they set out | Verb, Qal, sequential imperfect third person masculine plural |
| מִקִּבְרֹ֣ת | from Kibroth | Preposition, noun proper |
| הַֽתַּאֲוָ֑ה | Hattaavah | Noun proper |
| וַֽיַּחֲנ֖וּ | and they encamped | Verb, Qal, sequential imperfect third person masculine plural |
| בַּחֲצֵרֹֽת׃ | at Hazeroth | Preposition, noun proper |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | They set out from Kibroth-hattaavah and camped at Hazeroth. |
| KJV | And they departed from Kibroth-hattaavah, and encamped at Hazeroth. |
| ASV | And they journeyed from Kibroth-hattaavah, and encamped in Hazeroth. |
| YLT | And they journey from Kibroth-Hattaavah, and encamp in Hazeroth; |
| WEB | They traveled from Kibroth Hattaavah, and encamped in Hazeroth. |
| BBE | And they went on from Kibroth-hattaavah, and put up their tents in Hazeroth. |
Where they part company is in the translation of וַיִּסְע֖וּ — see How Translations Differ.
Two main actions connected by 'and,' indicating a sequence of movement.
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 33:17
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 33:17 records the movement of the Israelites as they journeyed through the wilderness. After leaving the Wilderness of Sinai, they camped at Kibroth-hattaavah, a place associated with their desires. This verse marks their departure from that site and their arrival at Hazeroth, another significant location during their travels. The narrative illustrates the ongoing journey of the Israelites as they progress towards the Promised Land.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Numbers 11:35 | From Kibroth-hattaavah the people moved on to Hazeroth, where they remained for some time. |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 1 reference, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — וַיִּסְע֖וּ, vai.yis.'Ugenerated
The word וַיִּסְע֖וּ (vai.yis.'U) is a verb in the Qal form, indicating a sequential action taken by the subject, which in this case is the Israelites. It is derived from the root נָסַע (naca`), meaning 'to set out' or 'to journey.' This verb conveys the act of departing or starting a journey, emphasizing the movement of the Israelites through the wilderness.
In this context, the verb indicates a significant moment of transition, as the Israelites leave one campsite and begin their journey to another. The use of the imperfect tense suggests an ongoing action, highlighting the continuous nature of their travels.
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
The verse consists of two main actions connected by the conjunction וַ (and). The first action is represented by the verb וַיִּסְע֖וּ (they set out), which is followed by a prepositional phrase indicating the starting point, מִקִּבְרֹ֣ת (from Kibroth). The second action is described by the verb וַֽיַּחֲנ֖וּ (they encamped), which is followed by another prepositional phrase, בַּחֲצֵרֹֽת (at Hazeroth).
The structure emphasizes the sequence of actions: first departing from one location and then arriving at another. This flow mirrors the Israelites' journey through the wilderness, highlighting their movement and the significance of each campsite.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
The Septuagint translates וַיִּסְע֖וּ as ἀπῆραν (apēran), meaning 'they departed.' This choice reflects a straightforward rendering of the Hebrew verb, maintaining the sense of setting out on a journey.
The translation indicates a direct correspondence between the Hebrew and Greek, focusing on the action of leaving one place for another, which is central to the narrative of the Israelites' travels.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Numbers 33:17 tells us that the Israelites left Kibroth-hattaavah, which means 'graves of lust,' and camped at Hazeroth, a place where they set up their tents. This movement is part of their journey through the wilderness as they travel towards the Promised Land.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
Kibroth-hattaavah translates to 'graves of lust' and refers to a location where the Israelites camped during their journey in the wilderness.
Hazeroth was one of the designated stops for the Israelites as they traveled through the wilderness, providing a place for them to rest and set up temporary dwellings.
This journey reflects the Israelites' transition from slavery in Egypt to freedom, as they move towards the Promised Land under God's guidance.
This verse is part of a larger account detailing the various locations where the Israelites camped during their travels, illustrating their experiences and challenges in the wilderness.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- What can we learn from the Israelites' journey about following God's guidance in our own lives?
- How does the meaning of Kibroth-hattaavah challenge us to consider our own desires?
- In what ways can we prepare for the journeys we face in our lives, just as the Israelites did?
- How can we support others in their journeys, similar to how the Israelites traveled together?
The early church on this verse — how the Fathers read it
The early church father Origen comments on the journey of the Israelites, interpreting the significance of their movements as they traveled through the wilderness.
Next they come to Aseroth [Hazeroth]. This means “perfect halls” or “blessedness.”Consider quite carefully, each of you wanderers, what the order of progress is.Early Church Fathers on Numbers 33 →
Commentators on this verse — 4 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Numbers 33:17 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleAnd they departed from Kibrothhattaavah, and encamped at Hazeroth. Eight miles from Kibrothhattaavah, where Miriam was smote with leprosy, Numbers 12:1.
Read John Gill on Numbers 33 →Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryAnd they removed from the desert of Sinai, and pitched at Kibroth-hatta'avah. Kibroth-hattaavah - the graves of lust .
Read Robert Jamieson on Numbers 33 →AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the BibleSTAT. XIII. Verse 17. HAZEROTH.] This place Dr. Shaw computes to have been about thirty miles distant from Mount Sinai.
Read AdamClarke on Numbers 33 →Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the Bible17. Hazeroth — Enclosure. The meaning of Hazeroth “is one of the strongest arguments for identifying it with Hudhera. It lies on the most natural route from Sinai to the great valley of the ‘Arabah.
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 Kibroth-hattaavah and camped at Hazeroth.
They traveled from Kibroth Hattaavah, and encamped in Hazeroth.
They set out from Kibroth-hattaavah and camped at Hazeroth.
They traveled from Kibroth Hattaavah and camped at Hazeroth.
Tyndale line
And they departed from Kibroth-hattaavah, and encamped at Hazeroth.
And they journeyed from Kibroth-hattaavah, and encamped in Hazeroth.
And they journeyed from Kibroth-hattaavah, and pitched in Hazeroth.
And they departed from Kibroth-hattaavah, and encamped at Hazeroth.
And they departed from Kibroth Hattaauah, and lay at Hazeroth.
Strictly literal
And they removed from Kibroth-hattaavah, and encamped at Hazeroth.
And they journey from Kibroth-Hattaavah, and encamp in Hazeroth;
And they journey from Kibroth-Hattaavah and encamp in Hazeroth.
And they removed from Kibroth-hattaavah, and encamped in Chazeroth.
They set out from Kibroth Hattaavah and camped at Hazeroth.
From the Latin
And departing from the graves of lust, they camped in Haseroth.
Simplified
They moved on from Kibroth-hattaavah and set up camp at Hazeroth.
And they went on from Kibroth-hattaavah, and put up their tents in Hazeroth.
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 reads: וַיִּסְע֖וּ מִקִּבְרֹ֣ת הַֽתַּאֲוָ֑ה וַֽיַּחֲנ֖וּ בַּחֲצֵרֹֽת׃. The Septuagint matches only one of the five words, while the Samaritan Pentateuch differs in two words, using קברות התאוה (Kibroth Hattaavah) and חצרות (Hazeroth). This indicates minor variations in the text but maintains the overall narrative of the Israelites' journey.
וַיִּסְע֖וּ מִקִּבְרֹ֣ת הַֽתַּאֲוָ֑ה וַֽיַּחֲנ֖וּ בַּחֲצֵרֹֽת׃
1 of the 5 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 מקברות התאוה ויחנו בחצרות
2 words differ from the Masoretic Text: קברות התאוה (Kibroth Hattaavah), חצרות (Hazeroth)
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 33:17
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
קִבְרוֹת הַתַּאֲוָה refers to a location in the wilderness known as Kibroth-hattaavah, which translates to 'graves of desire' or 'graves of lust.' It is derived from the feminine plural of two Hebrew roots, indicating a place associated with longing. This site is mentioned as a station of the Israelites, located three campsites away from Sinai.
קִבְרוֹת הַתַּאֲוָה n.pr.loc. a station in wilderness (the graves of desire)
base
H6914 קִבְרוֹת הַתַּאֲוָה a station in wilderness (the graves of desire)
6914 Qibrowth hat-Ta'a-vah kib-roth' hat-tah-av-aw'
from the feminine plural of 6913 and 8378 with the article
interposed; graves of the longing; Kibroth-hat-Taavh, a place
in the Desert:--Kibroth-hattaavah.
see HEBREW for 06913
see HEBREW for 08378
קִבְרוֹת הַתַּאֲוָה (qiv.rot hat.ta.a.vah) — Kibroth-hattaavah.
§ Kibroth-hattaavah = "graves of lust"
a station of Israel in the wilderness 3 campsites away from Sinai near the gulf of Akabah
Prep | N-proper — Preposition · noun properHR/Npl
קִבְרוֹת הַתַּאֲוָה refers to a location in the wilderness known as Kibroth-hattaavah, which translates to 'graves of desire' or 'graves of lust.' It is derived from the feminine plural of two Hebrew roots, indicating a place associated with longing. This site is mentioned as a station of the Israelites, located three campsites away from Sinai.
קִבְרוֹת הַתַּאֲוָה n.pr.loc. a station in wilderness (the graves of desire)
base
H6914 קִבְרוֹת הַתַּאֲוָה a station in wilderness (the graves of desire)
6914 Qibrowth hat-Ta'a-vah kib-roth' hat-tah-av-aw'
from the feminine plural of 6913 and 8378 with the article
interposed; graves of the longing; Kibroth-hat-Taavh, a place
in the Desert:--Kibroth-hattaavah.
see HEBREW for 06913
see HEBREW for 08378
קִבְרוֹת הַתַּאֲוָה (qiv.rot hat.ta.a.vah) — Kibroth-hattaavah.
§ Kibroth-hattaavah = "graves of lust"
a station of Israel in the wilderness 3 campsites away from Sinai near the gulf of Akabah
N-proper — Noun properHNpl
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
חֲצֵרוֹת (Chatserowth) refers to a location in the wilderness where the Israelites camped, known as Hazeroth. It is a feminine plural form derived from another Hebrew word meaning 'yards.' The entries consistently identify it as a settlement or station in the wilderness, with no significant disagreement among the lexicons.
חֲצֵרוֹת, חֲצֵרֹת n.pr.loc. a station of Isr. in wilderness
base
H2698 חֲצֵרוֹת, חֲצֵרֹת a station of Isr. in wilderness
2698 Chatserowth khats-ay-roth'
feminine plural of 2691; yards; Chatseroth, a place in
Palestine:--Hazeroth.
see HEBREW for 02691
חֲצֵרוֹת (cha.tse.rot) — Hazeroth.
§ Hazeroth = "settlement"
an Israelite camp in the wilderness
Prep | N-proper — Preposition · noun properHR/Npl
Hazeroth
Fenced enclosures consisting of “a low wall of stones in which thick bundles of thorny acacia are inserted, the tangled branches and long needle-like spikes forming a perfectly impenetrable hedge around the encampment” of tents and cattle which they sheltered. Such like enclosures abound in the wilderness of Paran, which the Israelites entered after leaving Sinai (Num. 11:35; 12:16; 33:17, 18). This third encampment of the Israelites has been identified with the modern ‘Ain el-Hudhera, some 40 miles north-east of Sinai. Here Miriam (q.v.), being displeased that Moses had married a Cushite wife (Num. 12:1), induced Aaron to join with her in rebelling against Moses. God vindicated the authority of his “servant Moses,” and Miriam was smitten with leprosy. Moses interceded…
(villages), (Numbers 11:35; 12:16; 33:17; 1:1) a station of the Israelites in the desert, and perhaps recognizable in the Arabic Ain Hudhera , forty miles northeast of Sinai.
A station of the Israelites, about five days’ journey from mount Sinai, Nu 11:35. Here they remained a week or more, Nu 12:1- 16; and their next station recorded was near Kades-barnea, on the borders of Canaan, Nu 12:16 13:26 De 1:19-21.