Then Moses said to Hobab the son of Reuel the Midianite, Moses’ father-in-law, “We are setting out to the place of which the Lord said, ‘I will give it to you.’ Come with us and we will do you good, for the Lord has promised good concerning Israel.”

‘Since the Lord could not bring this people into the land which He promised them by oath, He slaughtered them in the wilderness.’

In the morning, however, they got up early and went up to the ridge of the hill country, saying, “Here we are; and we will go up to the place which the Lord has promised, for we have sinned.”

Build yourselves cities for your little ones, and sheepfolds for your sheep, and do what you have promised.”