Numbers

Numbers 20:2–5

²Now there was no water for the congregation, so they gathered against Moses and Aaron. ³The people quarreled with Moses and said, “If only we had perished with our brothers before the LORD! ⁴Why have you brought the LORD’s assembly into this wilderness for us and our livestock to die here? ⁵Why have you led us up out of Egypt to bring us to this wretched place? It is not a place of grain, figs, vines, or pomegranates — and there is no water to drink!”

Read all of Numbers 20

Word by word

Each English word or phrase beside the Hebrew it translates, in the order of the English. Choose a number to open that word’s study.

Numbers 20:2

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
Now there was	הָ֥יָה	hā·yāh	Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular	H1961 fall out, come to pass, become, be
no	וְלֹא־	wə·lō-	Conjunctive waw; Adverb - Negative particle	H3808 not
water	מַ֖יִם	ma·yim	Noun - masculine plural	H4325 water, juice, urine
for the congregation	לָעֵדָ֑ה	lā·‘ê·ḏāh	Preposition-l, Article; Noun - feminine singular	H5712 congregation
so they gathered	וַיִּקָּ֣הֲל֔וּ	way·yiq·qā·hă·lū	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Nifal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural	H6950 assemble as a קָהָל
against	עַל־	‘al-	Preposition	H5921 height
Moses	מֹשֶׁ֖ה	mō·šeh	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H4872 Moses
and Aaron	אַהֲרֹֽן׃	’a·hă·rōn	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H175 Aaron

Numbers 20:3

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
The people	הָעָ֖ם	hā·‘ām	Article; Noun - masculine singular	H5971 people
quarreled	וַיָּ֥רֶב	way·yā·reḇ	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H7378 strive, contend
with	עִם־	‘im-	Preposition	H5973 with
Moses	מֹשֶׁ֑ה	mō·šeh	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H4872 Moses
and said	וַיֹּאמְר֣וּ	way·yō·mə·rū	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural	H559 utter, say
If only	וְל֥וּ	wə·lū	Conjunctive waw; Preposition	H3863 if
we had perished	גָוַ֛עְנוּ	ḡā·wa‘·nū	Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common plural	H1478 expire perish, die
with our brothers	אַחֵ֖ינוּ	’a·ḥê·nū	Noun - masculine plural construct; first person common plural	H251 brother
before	לִפְנֵ֥י	lip̄·nê	Preposition-l; Noun - common plural construct	H6440 face, before
the LORD	יְהוָֽה׃	Yah·weh	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H3068 Yahweh

Numbers 20:4

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
Why	וְלָמָ֤ה	wə·lā·māh	Conjunctive waw; Interrogative	H4100 what? how? aught
have you brought	הֲבֵאתֶם֙	hă·ḇê·ṯem	Verb - Hifil - Perfect - second person masculine plural	H935 come in, come, go in, go
the LORD’s	יְהוָ֔ה	Yah·weh	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H3068 Yahweh
assembly	קְהַ֣ל	qə·hal	Noun - masculine singular construct	H6951 assembly, convocation, congregation
into	אֶל־	’el-	Preposition	H413 motion to
this	הַזֶּ֑ה	haz·zeh	Article; Pronoun - masculine singular	H2088 this, that
wilderness	הַמִּדְבָּ֖ר	ham·miḏ·bār	Article; Noun - masculine singular	H4057 mouth
for us	אֲנַ֖חְנוּ	’ă·naḥ·nū	Pronoun - first person common plural	H587 we
and our livestock	וּבְעִירֵֽנוּ׃	ū·ḇə·‘î·rê·nū	Conjunctive waw; Noun - masculine singular construct; first person common plural	H1165 beasts, cattle
to die	לָמ֣וּת	lā·mūṯ	Preposition-l; Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct	H4191 die
here	שָׁ֔ם	šām	Adverb	H8033 there, thither

Numbers 20:5

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
Why	וְלָמָ֤ה	wə·lā·māh	Conjunctive waw; Interrogative	H4100 what? how? aught
have you led us up	הֶֽעֱלִיתֻ֙נוּ֙	he·‘ĕ·lî·ṯu·nū	Verb - Hifil - Perfect - second person masculine plural; first person common plural	H5927 go up, ascend, climb
out of Egypt	מִמִּצְרַ֔יִם	mim·miṣ·ra·yim	Preposition-m; Noun - proper - feminine singular	H4714 Egypt, Egyptians
to bring	לְהָבִ֣יא	lə·hā·ḇî	Preposition-l; Verb - Hifil - Infinitive construct	H935 come in, come, go in, go
us	אֹתָ֔נוּ	’ō·ṯā·nū	Direct object marker; first person common plural	H853 mark of the accusative
to	אֶל־	’el-	Preposition	H413 motion to
this	הַזֶּ֑ה	haz·zeh	Article; Pronoun - masculine singular	H2088 this, that
wretched	הָרָ֖ע	hā·rā‘	Article; Adjective - masculine singular	H7451 bad, evil
place	הַמָּק֥וֹם	ham·mā·qō·wm	Article; Noun - masculine singular	H4725 standing, spot, condition
It is not	לֹ֣א׀	lō	Adverb - Negative particle	H3808 not
a place	מְק֣וֹם	mə·qō·wm	Noun - masculine singular construct	H4725 standing, spot, condition
of grain	זֶ֗רַע	ze·ra‘	Noun - masculine singular	H2233 sowing, seed, offspring
figs	וּתְאֵנָ֤ה	ū·ṯə·’ê·nāh	Conjunctive waw; Noun - feminine singular	H8384 fig
vines	וְגֶ֙פֶן֙	wə·ḡe·p̄en	Conjunctive waw; Noun - common singular	H1612 vine
or pomegranates	וְרִמּ֔וֹן	wə·rim·mō·wn	Conjunctive waw; Noun - masculine singular	H7416 pomegranate
and there is no	אַ֖יִן	’a·yin	Adverb	H369 nothing, nought
water	וּמַ֥יִם	ū·ma·yim	Conjunctive waw; Noun - masculine plural	H4325 water, juice, urine
to drink	לִשְׁתּֽוֹת׃	liš·tō·wṯ	Preposition-l; Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct	H8354 drink