Numbers 10:29-11:3

Contemporary English Version

²⁹ Hobab^[a] the Midianite, the father-in-law of Moses, was there. And Moses said to him, “We're leaving for the place the Lord has promised us. He has said that all will go well for us. So come along, and we will make sure that all goes well for you.”

³⁰ “No, I won't go,” Hobab answered. “I'm returning home to be with my own people.”

³¹ “Please go with us!” Moses said. “You can be our guide because you know the places to camp in the desert. ³² Besides that, if you go, we will give you a share of the good things the Lord gives us.”

³³ The people of Israel began their journey from Mount Sinai.^[b] They traveled three days, and the Levites who carried the sacred chest led the way, so the Lord could show them where to camp. ³⁴ And the cloud always stayed with them.

^35 (A) Each day as the Israelites began their journey, Moses would pray, “Our Lord, defeat your enemies and make them run!” ³⁶ And when they stopped to set up camp, he would pray, “Our Lord, stay close to Israel's thousands and thousands of people.”

The Israelites Complain

11 One day the Israelites started complaining about their troubles. The Lord heard them and became so angry that he destroyed the outer edges of their camp with fire.

² When the people begged Moses to help, he prayed, and the fire went out. ³ They named the place “Burning,”^[c] because in his anger the Lord had set their camp on fire.