When Pharaoh finally let the people go, God did not lead them along the main road that runs through Philistine territory, even though that was the shortest route to the Promised Land. God said,“ If the people are faced with a battle, they might change their minds and return to Egypt.”

法老容百姓去的时候，非利士地的道路虽近，神却不领他们从那里走；因为神说：“恐怕百姓遇见打仗后悔，就回埃及去。”

法老放百姓走的时候，非利士人之地的路虽近，上帝却不领他们从那里走，因为上帝说：“恐怕百姓遇见战争就后悔，转回埃及去。”

法老放百姓走的时候，非利士人之地的路虽近，神却不领他们从那里走，因为神说：“恐怕百姓遇见战争就后悔，转回埃及去。”

法老让以色列人离开埃及后，上帝没有带领他们穿越非利士地区，虽然那是条捷径。因为上帝说：“如果他们遇上战争，就会改变主意，返回埃及。”

法老让人民离开的时候，虽然非利士的路很近，神却不领他们从那里走，因为神说：“恐怕百姓看见战争而后悔，就回埃及去。”

法老容百姓去的時候，非利士地的道路雖近，神卻不領他們從那裏走；因為神說：「恐怕百姓遇見打仗後悔，就回埃及去。」

法老放百姓走的時候，非利士人之地的路雖近，上帝卻不領他們從那裏走，因為上帝說：「恐怕百姓遇見戰爭就後悔，轉回埃及去。」

法老放百姓走的時候，非利士人之地的路雖近，神卻不領他們從那裏走，因為神說：「恐怕百姓遇見戰爭就後悔，轉回埃及去。」

法老讓以色列人離開埃及後，上帝沒有帶領他們穿越非利士地區，雖然那是條捷徑。因為上帝說：「如果他們遇上戰爭，就會改變主意，返回埃及。」

法老讓人民離開的時候，雖然非利士的路很近，神卻不領他們從那裡走，因為神說：“恐怕百姓看見戰爭而後悔，就回埃及去。”

法老讓人民走的時候，非利士地的路雖近，上帝卻不領導他們從那裏走，因為上帝說：『恐怕人民看見戰爭而後悔，就回埃及去。』

法老既釋斯民、上帝不導之經非利士之近途、蓋曰、恐民遇戰、或生悔心、旋歸埃及、

法老既釋以色列族出境、上帝不導之由非利士人之近途、恐民遇戰、或生悔心、旋歸埃及、

法老釋以色列民出時、由非利士地行、其途雖近、而天主不導之由彼行、因天主言、惟恐斯民見戰而悔、仍欲返伊及、

When Pharaoh let the people go, God did not lead them on the road through the Philistine country, though that was shorter. For God said,“ If they face war, they might change their minds and return to Egypt.”

Pharaoh let the people go. The shortest road from Goshen to Canaan went through the Philistine country. But God didn’t lead them that way. God said,“ If they have to go into battle, they might change their minds. They might return to Egypt.”

When Pharaoh let the people go, God did not lead them by way of the land of the Philistines, although that was near. For God said,“ Lest the people change their minds when they see war and return to Egypt.”

When Pharaoh let the people go, God did not lead them along the road to the land of the Philistines, even though it was nearby; for God said,“ The people will change their minds and return to Egypt if they face war.”

Now when Pharaoh had let the people go, God did not lead them by the way of the land of the Philistines, even though it was near; for God said,“ The people might change their minds when they see war, and return to Egypt.”

Then it came to pass, when Pharaoh had let the people go, that God did not lead them by way of the land of the Philistines, although that was near; for God said,“ Lest perhaps the people change their minds when they see war, and return to Egypt.”

And it came to pass, when Pharaoh had let the people go, that God led them not by the way of the land of the Philistines, although that was near; for God said, Lest peradventure the people repent when they see war, and they return to Egypt:

When Pharaoh let the people go, God did not lead them along the road to the land of the Philistines, even though it was nearby; for God said,“ The people will change their minds and return to Egypt if they face war.”

And it came to pass, when Pharaoh had let the people go, that God led them not[ through] the way of the land of the Philistines, although that[ was] near; for God said, Lest peradventure the people repent when they see war, and they return to Egypt:

When Pharaoh released the people, God did not lead them by the way to the land of the Philistines, although that was nearby, for God said,“ Lest the people change their minds and return to Egypt when they experience war.”

When Pharaoh had let the people go, God didn’t lead them by the way of the land of the Philistines, although that was near; for God said,“ Lest perhaps the people change their minds when they see war, and they return to Egypt”;

They refused to obey and did not remember the miracles you had done for them. Instead, they became stubborn and appointed a leader to take them back to their slavery in Egypt. But you are a God of forgiveness, gracious and merciful, slow to become angry, and rich in unfailing love. You did not abandon them,

and they said to Moses,“ Why did you bring us out here to die in the wilderness? Weren’t there enough graves for us in Egypt? What have you done to us? Why did you make us leave Egypt?Didn’t we tell you this would happen while we were still in Egypt? We said,‘ Leave us alone! Let us be slaves to the Egyptians. It’s better to be a slave in Egypt than a corpse in the wilderness!’”

Then the whole community began weeping aloud, and they cried all night.Their voices rose in a great chorus of protest against Moses and Aaron.“ If only we had died in Egypt, or even here in the wilderness!” they complained.“ Why is the Lord taking us to this country only to have us die in battle? Our wives and our little ones will be carried off as plunder! Wouldn’t it be better for us to return to Egypt?”Then they plotted among themselves,“ Let’s choose a new leader and go back to Egypt!”

But in that land of exile, they might turn to you in repentance and pray,‘ We have sinned, done evil, and acted wickedly.’

And if you do not carry your own cross and follow me, you cannot be my disciple.“ But don’t begin until you count the cost. For who would begin construction of a building without first calculating the cost to see if there is enough money to finish it?Otherwise, you might complete only the foundation before running out of money, and then everyone would laugh at you.They would say,‘ There’s the person who started that building and couldn’t afford to finish it!’“ Or what king would go to war against another king without first sitting down with his counselors to discuss whether his army of 10,000 could defeat the 20,000 soldiers marching against him?And if he can’t, he will send a delegation to discuss terms of peace while the enemy is still far away.

There, too, the whole community of Israel complained about Moses and Aaron.“ If only the Lord had killed us back in Egypt,” they moaned.“ There we sat around pots filled with meat and ate all the bread we wanted. But now you have brought us into this wilderness to starve us all to death.”

But Paul disagreed strongly, since John Mark had deserted them in Pamphylia and had not continued with them in their work.

“ Then the officers will also say,‘ Is anyone here afraid or worried? If you are, you may go home before you frighten anyone else.’

“ The king must not build up a large stable of horses for himself or send his people to Egypt to buy horses, for the Lord has told you,‘ You must never return to Egypt.’

“ But our ancestors refused to listen to Moses. They rejected him and wanted to return to Egypt.

Therefore, tell the people,‘ Whoever is timid or afraid may leave this mountain and go home.’” So 22,000 of them went home, leaving only 10,000 who were willing to fight.