The Meaning of Numbers 20:17 Explained

Numbers 20:17

KJV: Let us pass, I pray thee, through thy country: we will not pass through the fields, or through the vineyards, neither will we drink of the water of the wells: we will go by the king's high way, we will not turn to the right hand nor to the left, until we have passed thy borders.

YLT: Let us pass over, we pray thee, through thy land; we pass not over through a field, or through a vineyard, nor do we drink waters of a well; the way of the king we go, we turn not aside -- right or left -- till that we pass over thy border.'

Darby: Let us pass, I pray thee, through thy country; we will not pass through fields, or through vineyards, neither will we drink water out of the wells: we will go by the king's road; we will not turn to the right hand nor to the left, until we have passed thy border.

ASV: Let us pass, I pray thee, through thy land: we will not pass through field or through vineyard, neither will we drink of the water of the wells: we will go along the king's highway; we will not turn aside to the right hand nor to the left, until we have passed thy border.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Let us pass,  I pray thee, through thy country:  we will not pass  through the fields,  or through the vineyards,  neither will we drink  [of] the water  of the wells:  we will go  by the king's  [high] way,  we will not turn  to the right hand  nor to the left,  until we have passed  thy borders. 

What does Numbers 20:17 Mean?

Context Summary

Numbers 20:14-28 - Edom Refuses Passage Aaron Dies
It was an ungracious act on the part of the Edomites-descendants of Esau, Jacob's brother-to forbid the passage of the chosen people through their territory; and it was never forgotten. It is referred to again and again in the strongest terms by prophet and psalmist. See Deuteronomy 2:4; Deuteronomy 2:8; Deuteronomy 23:7; Amos 1:11; Obadiah 1:10; Obadiah 1:12; Psalms 137:7.
Aaron's death was arranged so as to give him a distant glimpse of the Land which had so long beckoned him onward. But he was not suffered to continue. His death is quoted in evidence of the imperfection of the Aaronic priesthood, in contrast to the indissoluble priesthood of our Lord, Hebrews 7:16.
This is a sad chapter! Moses' failure, Aaron's and Miriam's death, Edom's refusal! But God's purpose moved steadily on. He wrought for His own sake, because of the Covenant. [source]

Chapter Summary: Numbers 20

1  The children of Israel come to Zin, where Miriam dies
2  They murmur for want of water
7  Moses smiting the rock, brings forth water at Meribah
14  Moses at Kadesh desires passage through Edom, which is denied him
22  At Mount Hor Aaron resigns his place to Eleazar, and dies

What do the individual words in Numbers 20:17 mean?

Let us pass please through your country Not we will pass through fields or vineyards nor will we drink water from wells Highway of the King we will go along we will turn aside to the right hand or to the left until that we have passed through your territory
נַעְבְּרָה־ נָּ֣א בְאַרְצֶ֗ךָ לֹ֤א נַעֲבֹר֙ בְּשָׂדֶ֣ה וּבְכֶ֔רֶם וְלֹ֥א נִשְׁתֶּ֖ה מֵ֣י בְאֵ֑ר דֶּ֧רֶךְ הַמֶּ֣לֶךְ נֵלֵ֗ךְ נִטֶּה֙ יָמִ֣ין וּשְׂמֹ֔אול עַ֥ד אֲשֶֽׁר־ נַעֲבֹ֖ר גְּבוּלֶֽךָ

נַעְבְּרָה־  Let  us  pass 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect Cohortative, first person common plural
Root: עָבַר 
Sense: to pass over or by or through, alienate, bring, carry, do away, take, take away, transgress.
נָּ֣א  please 
Parse: Interjection
Root: נָא  
Sense: I (we) pray, now, please.
בְאַרְצֶ֗ךָ  through  your  country 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, feminine singular construct, second person masculine singular
Root: אֶרֶץ  
Sense: land, earth.
נַעֲבֹר֙  we  will  pass 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, first person common plural
Root: עָבַר 
Sense: to pass over or by or through, alienate, bring, carry, do away, take, take away, transgress.
בְּשָׂדֶ֣ה  through  fields 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine singular
Root: שָׂדֶה 
Sense: field, land.
וּבְכֶ֔רֶם  or  vineyards 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition, Noun, masculine singular
Root: כֶּרֶם 
Sense: vineyard.
וְלֹ֥א  nor 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Adverb, Negative particle
Root: הֲלֹא 
Sense: not, no.
נִשְׁתֶּ֖ה  will  we  drink 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, first person common plural
Root: שָׁתָה  
Sense: to drink.
מֵ֣י  water  from 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: מַיִם  
Sense: water, waters.
בְאֵ֑ר  wells 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular
Root: בְּאֵר  
Sense: well, pit, spring.
דֶּ֧רֶךְ  Highway 
Parse: Noun, common singular construct
Root: דֶּרֶךְ  
Sense: way, road, distance, journey, manner.
הַמֶּ֣לֶךְ  of  the  King 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: מֶלֶךְ 
Sense: king.
נֵלֵ֗ךְ  we  will  go  along 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, first person common plural
Root: הָלַךְ  
Sense: to go, walk, come.
נִטֶּה֙  we  will  turn  aside 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, first person common plural
Root: נָטָה 
Sense: to stretch out, extend, spread out, pitch, turn, pervert, incline, bend, bow.
יָמִ֣ין  to  the  right  hand 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular
Root: יָמִין  
Sense: right, right hand, right side.
וּשְׂמֹ֔אול  or  to  the  left 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine singular
Root: שְׂמֹאל  
Sense: the left, the left hand, the left side.
עַ֥ד  until 
Parse: Preposition
Root: עַד  
Sense: as far as, even to, until, up to, while, as far as.
אֲשֶֽׁר־  that 
Parse: Pronoun, relative
Root: אֲשֶׁר 
Sense: (relative part.).
נַעֲבֹ֖ר  we  have  passed  through 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, first person common plural
Root: עָבַר 
Sense: to pass over or by or through, alienate, bring, carry, do away, take, take away, transgress.
גְּבוּלֶֽךָ  your  territory 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, second person masculine singular
Root: גְּבוּל  
Sense: border, territory.