Moses-' Request to his Father-in-law. This section and the next (derived from JE) are parallel to, and not the sequel of, Numbers 10:11-28; for whereas in Numbers 10:12 the Israelites have reached Paran, in Numbers 10:33 they are only starting from Sinai. Moses-' father-in-law, called here (J) and in Judges 4:11 (mg.) Hobab, is named in Exodus 3:1; Exodus 4:18 (E) Jethro, and in Exodus 2:18 * Reuel (where, however, the name should probably be omitted). It is implied that Hobab, by accompanying Israel going north, Would be separated from the rest of the Midianites who roamed over the desert E. of Canaan (Judges 6:3, cf. Genesis 25:1-6); and this favours the view that Sinai was not in the S. of the peninsula; otherwise his route and Israel's would have coincided for some distance. From Judges 1:16 it may be inferred that Moses-' father-in-law (see mg.) accompanied the Israelites into Canaan, though this is denied in Exodus 18:27.
Related Commentaries of Numbers 10:29
Numbers 10:29-32
29 And Moses said unto Hobab, the son of Raguel the Midianite, Moses' father in law, We are journeying unto the place of which the LORD said, I will give it you: come thou with us, and we will do thee good: for the LORD hath spoken good concerning Israel.
30 And he said unto him, I will not go; but I will depart to mine own land, and to my kindred.
31 And he said, Leave us not, I pray thee; forasmuch as thou knowest how we are to encamp in the wilderness, and thou mayest be to us instead of eyes.
32 And it shall be, if thou go with us, yea, it shall be, that what goodness the LORD shall do unto us, the same will we do unto thee.