Numbers 33:44 — Word Study
WLCוַיִּסְע֖וּ מֵאֹבֹ֑ת וַֽיַּחֲנ֛וּ בְּעִיֵּ֥י הָעֲבָרִ֖ים בִּגְב֥וּל מוֹאָֽב׃
BSAThey set outnâçaʻ▸ [journeyed, departed] from Obothʼôbôth [a place in the Desert, possibly near Moab] and campedchânâh▸ [encamped, pitched their tents] at Iye-abarimʻÎyêy hâ-ʻĂbârîym [a station in the wilderness, ruins] on the bordergᵉbûwl [boundary, edge] of MoabMôwʼâb [the land and descendants of the son of Lot]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| וַיִּסְע֖וּ | and they set out | Verb, Qal, sequential imperfect third person masculine plural |
| מֵאֹבֹ֑ת | from Oboth | Preposition, noun proper |
| וַֽיַּחֲנ֛וּ | and they encamped | Verb, Qal, sequential imperfect third person masculine plural |
| בְּעִיֵּ֥י | at Iye | Preposition, noun proper |
| הָעֲבָרִ֖ים | Abarim | Particle, noun proper |
| בִּגְב֥וּל | on [the] border of | Preposition, noun common masculine singular construct |
| מוֹאָֽב׃ | Moab | Noun proper |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | They set out from Oboth and camped at Iye-abarim on the border of Moab. |
| KJV | And they departed from Oboth, and pitched in Ije-abarim, in the border of Moab. |
| ASV | And they journeyed from Oboth, and encamped in Iye-abarim, in the border of Moab. |
| YLT | and they journey from Oboth, and encamp in Ije-Abarim, in the border of Moab. |
| WEB | They traveled from Oboth, and encamped in Iye Abarim, in the border of Moab. |
| BBE | And they went on from Oboth, and put up their tents in Iye-abarim at the edge of Moab. |
Where they part company is in the choice of verbs for the actions of the Israelites — see How Translations Differ.
The sentence consists of two main actions connected by 'and', detailing the journey and the subsequent encampment.
4 commentators on this verse
Jamieson, Ellicott, 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 33:44
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 33:44 recounts the movements of the Israelites as they traveled through the wilderness. After departing from Oboth, they camped at Iye-abarim, which is situated on the border of Moab. This journey is part of a larger narrative that details the Israelites' wanderings and encampments as they approached the Promised Land, reflecting their transition from slavery in Egypt to freedom and nationhood.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Numbers 21:11 | They journeyed from Oboth and camped at Iye-abarim in the wilderness opposite Moab to the east. |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 1 reference, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — נָסַע, vai.yis.'Ugenerated
The verb נָסַע (na.sa') is a Qal imperfect form, indicating an ongoing action of setting out or departing. It conveys the idea of beginning a journey, which is significant in the context of the Israelites' travels.
This word emphasizes movement and transition, as the Israelites are not only leaving a place but also embarking on a new phase of their journey toward the Promised Land. The term can also imply the physical act of pulling up stakes, highlighting the nomadic lifestyle of the Israelites during this period.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
This study reads the verse in the Berean Standard Bible, which uses set out and camped to convey the actions of the Israelites.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The verse contains two main verbs: וַיִּסְע֖וּ (and they set out) and וַֽיַּחֲנ֛וּ (and they encamped). The structure follows a sequential pattern, indicating the Israelites' actions in order.
The first clause introduces the departure from Oboth, while the second clause details their encampment at Iye-abarim. This sequential structure emphasizes the movement and progression of the Israelites as they journey through the wilderness.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
The Septuagint translates נָסַע as ἀπῆραν (they departed), which reflects a straightforward rendering of the Hebrew term. This choice maintains the focus on the action of setting out.
The translation of חָנָה is not directly matched in the Septuagint, indicating a possible interpretive choice in how the encampment is conveyed. The Greek text emphasizes the departure rather than the act of camping.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Numbers 33:44 tells us that the Israelites set out from a place called Oboth and camped at Iye-abarim, which is located on the border of Moab. This verse is part of the record of their travels in the wilderness as they moved toward the Promised Land.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
Oboth means 'water-skins' and refers to a location where the Israelites camped during their journey.
Iye-abarim is a station in the wilderness, and its name suggests 'ruins of the passers,' indicating a place where travelers have passed before.
The border of Moab is significant as it marks the territory of the Moabites, descendants of Lot, and represents a geographical boundary for the Israelites.
To encamp means to set up a temporary dwelling or pitch tents, which was a common practice for the Israelites during their travels.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- What does this journey from Oboth to Iye-abarim teach us about the importance of movement in our own lives?
- How can we recognize the 'borders' in our lives that signify new beginnings or transitions?
- What can we learn from the Israelites' experiences in the wilderness about patience and perseverance?
- In what ways can we prepare ourselves for the journeys we are called to undertake?
Commentators on this verse — 4 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Numbers 33:44 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryAnd they departed from Oboth, and pitched in Ijeabarim, in the border of Moab.
Read Robert Jamieson on Numbers 33 →Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers(43, 44) And pitched in Oboth . . . —See Numbers 21:10-11.
Read Charles John Ellicott on Numbers 33 →AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the BibleSTAT. XXXVII. Verse 44. IJE-ABARIM.] The heaps of Abarim. See Numbers 21:11. Situation uncertain. It is called Iim in the following verse. As the word signifies heaps or protuberances, it probably means tumuil or small hills near some of the fords of Jordan.
Read AdamClarke on Numbers 33 →Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the Bible44. Oboth,… Ije-abarim — Numbers 21:10-11, notes.
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 Oboth and camped at Iye-abarim on the border of Moab.
They traveled from Oboth, and encamped in Iye Abarim, in the border of Moab.
They set out from Oboth and camped at Iye-abarim on the border of Moab.
They traveled from Oboth and camped in Iye-abarim, on the border of Moab.
Tyndale line
And they departed from Oboth, and pitched in Ije-abarim, in the border of Moab.
And they journeyed from Oboth, and encamped in Iye-abarim, in the border of Moab.
And they journeyed from Oboth, and pitched in Iye-abarim, in the border of Moab.
And they departed from Oboth, and encamped in Ije-abarim, in the border of Moab.
And they departed from Oboth, and pitched in Iie-abarim, in the borders of Moab.
Strictly literal
And they removed from Oboth, and encamped in Ijim-Abarim, in the border of Moab.
and they journey from Oboth, and encamp in Ije-Abarim, in the border of Moab.
And they journey from Oboth and encamp in Ije-Abarim, in the border of Moab.
And they removed from Oboth, and encamped in 'Iye-ha'abarim, on the border of Moab.
They set out from Oboth and camped at Iye Abarim, on the border of Moab.
From the Latin
And from Oboth they came to Ijeabarim, which is in the borders of the Moabites.
Simplified
They moved on from Oboth and set up camp at Iye-abarim on the border of Moab.
And they went on from Oboth, and put up their tents in Iye-abarim at the edge of Moab.
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 states: וַיִּסְע֖וּ מֵאֹבֹ֑ת וַֽיַּחֲנ֛וּ בְּעִיֵּ֥י הָעֲבָרִ֖ים בִּגְב֥וּל מוֹאָֽב׃. The Septuagint matches four of the seven words but has its own word order and articles. The Samaritan Pentateuch differs in one word, using אבות (Oboth) instead of the Masoretic אֹבֹת.
וַיִּסְע֖וּ מֵאֹבֹ֑ת וַֽיַּחֲנ֛וּ בְּעִיֵּ֥י הָעֲבָרִ֖ים בִּגְב֥וּל מוֹאָֽב׃
4 of the 7 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 מאבות ויחנו בעיי העברים בגבול מואב
1 word differs from the Masoretic Text: אבות (Oboth)
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 33:44
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
אֹבֹת (oboth) refers to a plural form meaning 'water-skins' and also denotes a location, Oboth, which is identified as an Israelite camp in the wilderness. The exact site is uncertain, but it is suggested to be near the eastern boundary of Moab.
אֹבֹת n.pr.loc. (water-skins) station of Isr. in wildern.
base
H88 אֹבֹת
88 'oboth o-both'
plural of 178; water-skins; Oboth, a place in the
Desert:--Oboth.
see HEBREW for 0178
אֹבֹת (o.vot) — Oboth.
§ Oboth = "waterskins"
undetermined site of an Israelite camp in the wilderness (perhaps at east boundary of Moab)
Prep | N-proper — Preposition · noun properHR/Npl
o'-both, o'-both ('obhoth, "waterbags"): A desert camp of the Israelites, the 3rd after leaving Mt. Hor and close to the borders of Moab (Nu 21:10,11; 33:43,14).
See WANDERINGS OF ISRAEL.
Oboth
Bottles, an encampment of the Israelites during the wanderings in the wilderness (Num. 33:43), the first after the setting up of the brazen serpent.
(bottles), one of the encampments of the Israelites, east of Moab. (Numbers 21:10; 33:43) Its exact site is unknown but it was probably south of the Dead Sea, on the boundary between Moab and Edom. --ED).
dragons; fathers; desires
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
עִיִּים n.pr.loc.
station of Isr. on E. border of Moab = עִיֵּי הָעֲבָרִים
city in Judah
base
H5863 עִיִּים, עִיֵּי הָעֲבָרִים
5863 `Iyey ha-`Abariym ee-yay' haw-ab-aw-reem'
from the plural of 5856 and the plural of the active
participle of 5674 with the article interposed; ruins of the
passers; Ije-ha-Abarim, a place near Palestine:--Ije-abarim.
see HEBREW for 05856
see HEBREW for 05674
עִיֵּי הָעֲבָרִים (iy.ye ha.a.va.rim) — Iye-abarim.
§ Ije-abarim = "ruins of Abarim"
a station of Israel in the wilderness on the southeast side of Moab
N-proper — Preposition · noun properHR/Npl
עִיִּים n.pr.loc.
station of Isr. on E. border of Moab = עִיֵּי הָעֲבָרִים
city in Judah
base
H5863 עִיִּים, עִיֵּי הָעֲבָרִים
5863 `Iyey ha-`Abariym ee-yay' haw-ab-aw-reem'
from the plural of 5856 and the plural of the active
participle of 5674 with the article interposed; ruins of the
passers; Ije-ha-Abarim, a place near Palestine:--Ije-abarim.
see HEBREW for 05856
see HEBREW for 05674
עִיֵּי הָעֲבָרִים (iy.ye ha.a.va.rim) — Iye-abarim.
§ Ije-abarim = "ruins of Abarim"
a station of Israel in the wilderness on the southeast side of Moab
HTd/Npl — Particle · noun properHTd/Npl
ab'-a-rim, a-ba'-rim (`abharim): The stem idea is that of going across a space or a dividing line, or for example a river. It is the same stem that appears in the familiar phrase "beyond Jordan," used to denote the region East of the Jordan, and Hellenized in the name Peraea. This fact affords the most natural explanation of the phrases `the mountains of the Abarim' (Nu 33:47,48); `this mountain-country of the Abarim' (Nu 27:12; De 32:49); Iye-abarim, which means "Heaps of the Abarim," or "Mounds of the Abarim" (Nu 21:11; 33:44). In Nu 33:45 this station is called simply Iyim, "Mounds." It is to be distinguished from…
Abarim
Regions beyond; i.e., on the east of Jordan, a mountain, or rather a mountain-chain, over against Jericho, to the east and south-east of the Dead Sea, in the land of Moab. From “the top of Pisgah”, i.e., Mount Nebo (q.v.), one of its summits, Moses surveyed the Promised Land (Deut. 3:27; 32:49), and there he died (34:1,5). The Israelites had one of their encampments in the mountains of Abarim (Num. 33:47,48) after crossing the Arnon.
(regions beyond), a mountain or range of highlands on the east of the Jordan, in the land of Moab, facing Jericho, and forming the eastern wall of the Jordan valley at that part. Its most elevated spot was "the Mount Nebo, ’head’ of ’the’ Pisgah," from which Moses viewed the Promised Land before his death. These mountains are mentioned in (Numbers 27:12; 33:47,48) and Deuteronomy 32:49
Mountains east of the Dead Sea and the lower Jordan, "over against Jericho," within the territory of Moab and the tribe of Reuben. It is impossible to define exactly their extent. The mountains Nebe, Pisgah, and Peor were in the Abarim, Nu 27:12; 33:47,48; De 32:49; 34:1. Ije-abarim, Nu 21:11, seems to denote the southern part of the same chain.
גְּבוּל (gbuwl) refers to a border or boundary, often implying a defined territory. It can denote a physical limit, such as a coast or landmark, and can also have figurative uses, like a region of darkness. The word is derived from a root meaning 'cord' and encompasses various meanings related to boundaries and territories.
גְּבוּל 240 n.m. border, boundary, territory
border, boundary
territory (enclosed within boundary)
base
H1366 גְּבוּל border, boundary, territory
1366 gbuwl gheb-ool'
or (shortened) gbul {gheb-ool'}; from 1379; properly, a cord
(as twisted), i.e. (by implication) a boundary; by extens. the
territory inclosed:--border, bound, coast, X great, landmark,
limit, quarter, space.
see HEBREW for 01379
גְּבוּל (ge.vul) — border: boundary.
: boundary
1) border, territory
1a) border
1b) territory (enclosed within boundary)
1c) region, territory (of darkness) (fig.)
Also means: ge.vul (גְּבוּל ": area" H1366H)
גְּבוּל (ge.vul) — border: area.
: area
1) border, territory
1a) border
1b) territory (enclosed within boundary)
1c) region, territory (of darkness) (fig.)
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…
מוֹאָב (Moab) refers to both a person and a territory. It denotes Moab, the son of Lot by his eldest daughter, and the nation and land descended from him. The name means 'of his father,' highlighting the incestuous origins of Moab. The term appears in various contexts in the Old Testament, including references to the Moabites and their territory.
מוֹאָב, מֹאָב 180 n.pr.gent. et terr. Moab
Moab as son of Lot by his elder daughter
Moab:
= nation of which Lot’s son is represented as ancestor
= territory of Moab
base
H4124 מוֹאָב, מֹאָב Moab
4124 Mow'ab mo-awb
from a prolonged form of the prepositional prefix m- and 1;
from (her (the mother's)) father; Moab, an incestuous son of
Lot; also his territory and descendants:--Moab.
see HEBREW for 01
מוֹאָב (mo.av) — Moab.
Moab = "of his father"
the nation descended from the son of Lot
Also named: mo.a.vi (מוֹאָבִי "Moab" H4125)
מוֹאָב (mo.av) — Moab.
A man living at the time of the Patriarchs, first mentioned at Gen.19.37;
son of: Lot (H3876) and his first daughter (H3876H);
half-brother of Ben-ammi (H1151);
§ Moab = "of his father"
1) a son of Lot by his eldest daughter
2) the nation descended from the son of Lot
3) the land inhabited by the descendants of the son of Lot
מוֹאָב (mo.av) — (Plains of) Moab.
Combined with a.ra.vah (עֲרָבָה " Plains" H6160I)
§ Moab = "of his father"
the land inhabited by the descendants of the son of Lot
N-proper — Noun properHNpl
Moab
The seed of the father, or, according to others, the desirable land, the eldest son of Lot (Gen. 19:37), of incestuous birth.
(2.) Used to denote the people of Moab (Num. 22:3-14; Judg. 3:30; 2 Sam. 8:2; Jer. 48:11, 13).
(3.) The land of Moab (Jer. 48:24), called also the “country of Moab” (Ruth 1:2, 6; 2:6), on the east of Jordan and the Dead Sea, and south of the Arnon (Num. 21:13, 26). In a wider sense it included the whole region that had been occupied by…
(of his father), Mo’abites. Moab was the son of the Lot’s eldest daughter, the progenitor of the Moabites. Zoar was the cradle of the race of Lot. From this centre the brother tribes spread themselves. The Moabites first inhabited the rich highlands which crown the eastern side of the chasm of the Dead Sea, extending as far north as the mountain of Gilead, from which country they expelled the Emims, the original inhabitants, (2:11) but they themselves were afterward driven southward by the warlike Amorites, who had crossed the Jordan, and were confined to the country south of the river Arnon, which formed their northern boundary. (Numbers 21:13; Judges 11:18) The territory occupied by Moab at the period of its greatest extent, before the invasion of the Amorites, divided itself…
of his father