Deuteronomy 2:14
New International Version
Thirty-eight years passed from the time we left Kadesh Barnea until we crossed the Zered Valley. By then, that entire generation of fighting men had perished from the camp, as the LORD had sworn to them.

New Living Translation
“Thirty-eight years passed from the time we first left Kadesh-barnea until we finally crossed the Zered Brook! By then, all the men old enough to fight in battle had died in the wilderness, as the LORD had vowed would happen.

English Standard Version
And the time from our leaving Kadesh-barnea until we crossed the brook Zered was thirty-eight years, until the entire generation, that is, the men of war, had perished from the camp, as the LORD had sworn to them.

Berean Standard Bible
The time we spent traveling from Kadesh-barnea until we crossed over the Brook of Zered was thirty-eight years, until that entire generation of fighting men had perished from the camp, as the LORD had sworn to them.

King James Bible
And the space in which we came from Kadeshbarnea, until we were come over the brook Zered, was thirty and eight years; until all the generation of the men of war were wasted out from among the host, as the LORD sware unto them.

New King James Version
And the time we took to come from Kadesh Barnea until we crossed over the Valley of the Zered was thirty-eight years, until all the generation of the men of war was consumed from the midst of the camp, just as the LORD had sworn to them.

New American Standard Bible
Now the time that it took for us to come from Kadesh-barnea until we crossed over the Wadi Zered was thirty-eight years, until all the generation of the men of war perished from within the camp, just as the LORD had sworn to them.

NASB 1995
“Now the time that it took for us to come from Kadesh-barnea until we crossed over the brook Zered was thirty-eight years, until all the generation of the men of war perished from within the camp, as the LORD had sworn to them.

NASB 1977
“Now the time that it took for us to come from Kadesh-barnea, until we crossed over the brook Zered, was thirty-eight years; until all the generation of the men of war perished from within the camp, as the LORD had sworn to them.

Legacy Standard Bible
Now the time that it took for us to come from Kadesh-barnea until we crossed over the brook Zered was thirty-eight years, until all the generation of the men of war came to an end from within the camp, as Yahweh had sworn to them.

Amplified Bible
Now thirty-eight years passed from the time we left Kadesh-barnea until we crossed the Zered Valley, until that entire generation of the men of war had died from within the camp, just as the LORD had sworn to them.

Christian Standard Bible
The time we spent traveling from Kadesh-barnea until we crossed the Zered Valley was thirty-eight years until the entire generation of fighting men had perished from the camp, as the LORD had sworn to them.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
The time we spent traveling from Kadesh-barnea until we crossed the Zered Valley was 38 years until the entire generation of fighting men had perished from the camp, as the LORD had sworn to them.

American Standard Version
And the days in which we came from Kadesh-barnea, until we were come over the brook Zered, were thirty and eight years; until all the generation of the men of war were consumed from the midst of the camp, as Jehovah sware unto them.

Contemporary English Version
This was 38 years after we left Kadesh-Barnea, and by that time all the men who had been in the army at Kadesh-Barnea had died, just as the LORD had said they would.

English Revised Version
And the days in which we came from Kadesh-barnea, until we were come over the brook Zered, were thirty and eight years; until all the generation of the men of war were consumed from the midst of the camp, as the LORD sware unto them.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Thirty-eight years passed from the time we left Kadesh Barnea until we crossed the Zered River. During that time all our soldiers from that generation died, as the LORD had sworn they would.

Good News Translation
This was thirty-eight years after we had left Kadesh Barnea. All the fighting men of that generation had died, as the LORD had said they would.

International Standard Version
Now from the time we left Kadesh-barnea until we crossed the Wadi Zered was 38 years. All of that generation, the soldiers in the camp, were destroyed just as the LORD swore they would be.

Majority Standard Bible
The time we spent traveling from Kadesh-barnea until we crossed over the Brook of Zered was thirty-eight years, until that entire generation of fighting men had perished from the camp, as the LORD had sworn to them.

NET Bible
Now the length of time it took for us to go from Kadesh Barnea to the crossing of Wadi Zered was thirty-eight years, time for all the military men of that generation to die, just as the LORD had vowed to them.

New Heart English Bible
The days in which we came from Kadesh Barnea, until we had come over the Wadi Zered, were thirty-eight years; until all the generation of the men of war were consumed from the midst of the camp, as the LORD swore to them.

Webster's Bible Translation
And the space in which we came from Kadesh-barnea, until we passed the brook Zered, was thirty and eight years; until all the generation of the men of war were wasted from among the host, as the LORD swore to them.

World English Bible
The days in which we came from Kadesh Barnea until we had come over the brook Zered were thirty-eight years, until all the generation of the men of war were consumed from the middle of the camp, as Yahweh swore to them.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
And the days which we have walked from Kadesh-Barnea until we have passed over the Brook of Zered [are] thirty-eight years, until the consumption of all the generation of the men of battle from the midst of the camp, as YHWH has sworn to them;

Young's Literal Translation
And the days which we have walked from Kadesh-Barnea until that we have passed over the brook Zered, are thirty and eight years, till the consumption of all the generation of the men of battle from the midst of the camp, as Jehovah hath sworn to them;

Smith's Literal Translation
And the days which we came from Kadesh-Barnea till we passed over the valley Zered, thirty and eight years; till all the generation of men of war was finished from the midst of the camp, as Jehovah sware to them.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
And the time that we journeyed from Cadesbarne till we passed over the torrent Zared, was thirty-eight years: until all the generation of the men that were fit for war was consumed out of the camp, as the Lord had sworn:

Catholic Public Domain Version
Then, from the time that we advanced from Kadesh-barnea until we crossed over the torrent Zered, there were thirty-eight years, until the entire generation of the men who were fit for war had been consumed out of the camp, just as the Lord had sworn.

New American Bible
Now thirty-eight years had elapsed between our departure from Kadesh-barnea and the crossing of the Wadi Zered; in the meantime the whole generation of soldiers had perished from the camp, as the LORD had sworn they should.

New Revised Standard Version
And the length of time we had traveled from Kadesh-barnea until we crossed the Wadi Zered was thirty-eight years, until the entire generation of warriors had perished from the camp, as the LORD had sworn concerning them.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
And the time in which we journeyed from Rakim-gia until we crossed the brook Zered was thirty-eight years; until all the generation of the men of war had perished from the midst of the camp, as the LORD had sworn to them.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And the days when we walked from Raqem d'Gaya until we crossed the Torrent of Zarad were thirty and eight years until the entire generation of the men warriors from within the camp came to an end, as LORD JEHOVAH had sworn to them.
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
And the days in which we came from Kadesh-barnea, until we were come over the brook Zered, were thirty and eight years; until all the generation, even the men of war, were consumed from the midst of the camp, as the LORD swore unto them.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And the days in which we traveled from Cades Barne till we crossed the valley of Zaret, were thirty and eight years, until the whole generation of the men of war failed, dying out of the camp, as the Lord God sware to them.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Wanderings in the Wilderness
13“Now arise and cross over the Brook of Zered.” So we crossed over the Brook of Zered. 14The time we spent traveling from Kadesh-barnea until we crossed over the Brook of Zered was thirty-eight years, until that entire generation of fighting men had perished from the camp, as the LORD had sworn to them. 15Indeed, the LORD’s hand was against them, to eliminate them from the camp, until they had all perished.…

Cross References
Numbers 14:29-35
Your bodies will fall in this wilderness—all who were numbered in the census, everyone twenty years of age or older—because you have grumbled against Me. / Surely none of you will enter the land in which I swore to settle you, except Caleb son of Jephunneh and Joshua son of Nun. / But I will bring your children, whom you said would become plunder, into the land you have rejected—and they will enjoy it. ...

Numbers 32:11-13
‘Because they did not follow Me wholeheartedly, not one of the men twenty years of age or older who came out of Egypt will see the land that I swore to give Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob— / not one except Caleb son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite and Joshua son of Nun—because they did follow the LORD wholeheartedly.’ / The anger of the LORD burned against Israel, and He made them wander in the wilderness forty years, until the whole generation who had done evil in His sight was gone.

Psalm 95:10-11
For forty years I was angry with that generation, and I said, “They are a people whose hearts go astray, and they have not known My ways.” / So I swore on oath in My anger, “They shall never enter My rest.”

Hebrews 3:17-19
And with whom was God angry for forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, whose bodies fell in the wilderness? / And to whom did He swear that they would never enter His rest? Was it not to those who disobeyed? / So we see that it was because of their unbelief that they were unable to enter.

Joshua 5:6
For the Israelites had wandered in the wilderness forty years, until all the nation’s men of war who had come out of Egypt had died, since they did not obey the LORD. So the LORD vowed never to let them see the land He had sworn to their fathers to give us, a land flowing with milk and honey.

Numbers 26:63-65
These were the ones numbered by Moses and Eleazar the priest when they counted the Israelites on the plains of Moab by the Jordan, across from Jericho. / Among all these, however, there was not one who had been numbered by Moses and Aaron the priest when they counted the Israelites in the Wilderness of Sinai. / For the LORD had told them that they would surely die in the wilderness. Not one was left except Caleb son of Jephunneh and Joshua son of Nun.

1 Corinthians 10:5
Nevertheless, God was not pleased with most of them, for they were struck down in the wilderness.

Hebrews 4:1-2
Therefore, while the promise of entering His rest still stands, let us be careful that none of you be deemed to have fallen short of it. / For we also received the good news just as they did; but the message they heard was of no value to them, since they did not share the faith of those who comprehended it.

Numbers 14:22-23
not one of the men who have seen My glory and the signs I performed in Egypt and in the wilderness—yet have tested Me and disobeyed Me these ten times— / not one will ever see the land that I swore to give their fathers. None of those who have treated Me with contempt will see it.

Numbers 14:33
Your children will be shepherds in the wilderness for forty years, and they will suffer for your unfaithfulness until the last of your bodies lies in the wilderness.

Numbers 14:28-30
So tell them: As surely as I live, declares the LORD, I will do to you exactly as I heard you say. / Your bodies will fall in this wilderness—all who were numbered in the census, everyone twenty years of age or older—because you have grumbled against Me. / Surely none of you will enter the land in which I swore to settle you, except Caleb son of Jephunneh and Joshua son of Nun.

Numbers 14:34
In keeping with the forty days you spied out the land, you shall bear your guilt forty years—a year for each day—and you will experience My alienation.

Numbers 14:32
As for you, however, your bodies will fall in this wilderness.

Numbers 14:31
But I will bring your children, whom you said would become plunder, into the land you have rejected—and they will enjoy it.

Numbers 14:36-38
So the men Moses had sent to spy out the land, who had returned and made the whole congregation grumble against him by bringing out a bad report about the land— / those men who had brought out the bad report about the land—were struck down by a plague before the LORD. / Of those men who had gone to spy out the land, only Joshua son of Nun and Caleb son of Jephunneh remained alive.


Treasury of Scripture

And the space in which we came from Kadeshbarnea, until we were come over the brook Zered, was thirty and eight years; until all the generation of the men of war were wasted out from among the host, as the LORD swore to them.

Kadesh-barnea

Deuteronomy 1:2,19,46
(There are eleven days' journey from Horeb by the way of mount Seir unto Kadeshbarnea.) …

Numbers 13:26
And they went and came to Moses, and to Aaron, and to all the congregation of the children of Israel, unto the wilderness of Paran, to Kadesh; and brought back word unto them, and unto all the congregation, and shewed them the fruit of the land.

until all the generation

Deuteronomy 1:34,35
And the LORD heard the voice of your words, and was wroth, and sware, saying, …

Numbers 14:28-35
Say unto them, As truly as I live, saith the LORD, as ye have spoken in mine ears, so will I do to you: …

Numbers 26:64,65
But among these there was not a man of them whom Moses and Aaron the priest numbered, when they numbered the children of Israel in the wilderness of Sinai…

Jump to Previous
Barnea Brook Camp Consumed Crossed Eight Host Kadesh Kadeshbarnea Kadesh-Barnea Midst Passed Space Sware Swore Thirty Thirty-Eight Time War Wasted Zered
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Barnea Brook Camp Consumed Crossed Eight Host Kadesh Kadeshbarnea Kadesh-Barnea Midst Passed Space Sware Swore Thirty Thirty-Eight Time War Wasted Zered
Deuteronomy 2
1. The story is continued, that they were not to meddle with the Edomites
9. nor with the Moabites
16. nor with the Ammonites
24. but Sihon the Amorite was subdued by them














Now the time it took
This phrase sets the stage for a reflection on the journey of the Israelites. The Hebrew word for "time" here is "yom," which can mean day or a period. It emphasizes the passage of time and the fulfillment of God's plan. The journey was not just physical but also spiritual, marking a period of testing and transformation.

for us to come from Kadesh-barnea
Kadesh-barnea is a significant location in the wilderness journey of the Israelites. It was from here that the spies were sent into Canaan, and it became a place of rebellion and unbelief. The name "Kadesh" means "holy," and "Barnea" is thought to mean "desert of wandering." This highlights the contrast between God's holiness and the people's disobedience.

until we crossed over the Brook Zered
The Brook Zered represents a boundary, a crossing from one phase of the journey to another. In Hebrew, "Zered" can mean "exuberant growth," symbolizing a transition from barrenness to fruitfulness. This crossing signifies a new beginning for the Israelites, moving closer to the Promised Land.

was thirty-eight years
The specific mention of "thirty-eight years" underscores the prolonged period of wandering due to the Israelites' disobedience. This time frame is a reminder of the consequences of unbelief and the importance of faithfulness to God's commands. It also reflects God's patience and the fulfillment of His word.

until the entire generation of fighting men had perished
This phrase highlights the judgment that came upon the disobedient generation. The "fighting men" refers to those who were counted in the census and were expected to lead in battle. Their perishing signifies the end of an era and the necessity of a new generation to rise in faith and obedience.

from the camp
The "camp" represents the community of Israel, a mobile sanctuary of God's people. It was a place of divine presence, guidance, and provision. The removal of the disobedient generation from the camp signifies a purification process, preparing the people for the next phase of their journey.

as the LORD had sworn to them
This phrase emphasizes the faithfulness and sovereignty of God. The Hebrew word for "sworn" is "shaba," meaning to make an oath. It reflects God's unchanging nature and His commitment to His word. Despite human failure, God's purposes prevail, and His promises are fulfilled in His timing.

(14) Until we were come over the brook Zered.--The root zarad in Chaldee means to prune. The name "Zered" signifies the luxuriant foliage and the young shoots, especially of the willow, which are cut off with the knife: so the Targum takes it (Numbers 21:12). Probably the valley was so named from the "willows of the brook" which grew there. But it was the "valley of pruning" to the "vine" which God had "brought out of Egypt" in another sense. The last of the fruitless branches was here taken away, and the vine "purged, that it might bring forth more fruit."

Thirty and eight years; until all . . . men of war were wasted out from among the host.--The census did not take place until some months later. A plague intervened, which cut off twenty-four thousand. The observation that at the brook Zered all the men of the older generation were "wasted out of the host" indicates an intimate knowledge of the incidents of the exodus. But it is quite natural to suppose that, as the survivors of that generation became fewer, those who remained would become marked men. Every man of the twelve tribes (excluding Levi? ) who passed the census at Sinai was doomed. The fortieth year of the exodus had more than half expired when they came to the brook Zered. All who remained alive in that year knew that they had a short time to live. Probably more notice was taken of the last few deaths than of all the rest of the six hundred thousand put together.

Verse 14. - Men of war; those of age sufficient to go forth to war, viz. twenty y. ears old and upwards (Numbers 1:3; Numbers 14:29). These, as the responsible transgressors, all perished; the whole generation passed away, and was consumed (תֹּן; cf. Deuteronomy 5:15; Psalm 73:19), as God had sworn (Numbers 14:28, 29).

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
The time
וְהַיָּמִ֞ים (wə·hay·yā·mîm)
Conjunctive waw, Article | Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 3117: A day

we spent traveling
הָלַ֣כְנוּ ׀ (hā·laḵ·nū)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common plural
Strong's 1980: To go, come, walk

from
מִקָּדֵ֣שׁ (miq·qā·ḏêš)
Preposition-m | Noun - proper - feminine singular
Strong's Hebrew

Kadesh-barnea
בַּרְנֵ֗עַ (bar·nê·a‘)
Preposition
Strong's 6947: Kadesh-barnea -- a place in the desert

until
עַ֤ד (‘aḏ)
Pronoun - relative
Strong's 5704: As far as, even to, up to, until, while

we crossed over
עָבַ֙רְנוּ֙ (‘ā·ḇar·nū)
Direct object marker
Strong's 5674: To pass over, through, or by, pass on

the Brook
נַ֣חַל (na·ḥal)
Noun - proper - feminine singular
Strong's 5158: A stream, a winter torrent, a, valley, a shaft

of Zered
זֶ֔רֶד (ze·reḏ)
Number - common plural
Strong's 2218: Zered -- a wadi East of the Dead Sea

was thirty-eight
שְׁלֹשִׁ֥ים (šə·lō·šîm)
Conjunctive waw | Number - feminine singular
Strong's 7970: Thirty, thirtieth

years,
שָׁנָ֑ה (šā·nāh)
Preposition
Strong's 8141: A year

until
עַד־ (‘aḏ-)
Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct
Strong's 5704: As far as, even to, up to, until, while

that entire
כָּל־ (kāl-)
Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 3605: The whole, all, any, every

generation
הַדּ֜וֹר (had·dō·wr)
Noun - masculine plural construct
Strong's 1755: A revolution of time, an age, generation, a dwelling

of fighting
הַמִּלְחָמָה֙ (ham·mil·ḥā·māh)
Preposition | Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 4421: A battle, war

men
אַנְשֵׁ֤י (’an·šê)
Article | Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 376: A man as an individual, a male person

had perished
תֹּ֨ם (tōm)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 8552: To be complete or finished

from
מִקֶּ֣רֶב (miq·qe·reḇ)
Article | Noun - common singular
Strong's 7130: The nearest part, the center

the camp,
הַֽמַּחֲנֶ֔ה (ham·ma·ḥă·neh)
Preposition | Pronoun - relative
Strong's 4264: An encampment, an army

as
אֲשֶׁר־ (’ă·šer-)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common plural
Strong's 834: Who, which, what, that, when, where, how, because, in order that

the LORD
יְהוָ֖ה (Yah·weh)
Preposition | third person masculine plural
Strong's 3068: LORD -- the proper name of the God of Israel

had sworn to them.
נִשְׁבַּ֥ע (niš·ba‘)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 7650: To seven oneself, swear


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OT Law: Deuteronomy 2:14 The days in which we came (Deut. De Du)
Deuteronomy 2:13
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