John Gill Commentary Numbers 10:31

"And he said, Leave us not, I pray thee; forasmuch as thou knowest how we are to encamp in the wilderness, and thou shalt be to us instead of eyes." — Numbers 10:31 (ASV)

And he said That is, Moses, he replied to Hobab, unwilling to take him at his word and go without him:

leave us not, I pray you ; or "not now"; as the Targums of Onkelos and Jonathan; at this present time, under our present difficulties, while we are in the wilderness; though Jarchi says the particle (an) signifies beseeching or supplication:

forasmuch as you know how we are to encamp in the wilderness ; that this will be our case, that we shall be obliged, before we get to the promised land, to pitch our tents in the wilderness, in our passage through it; and you know which are the best and most convenient places for that purpose, and therefore must entreat you to go with us:

and you may be to us instead of eyes ; not to show the way, as Aben Ezra notes, or guide and direct them in the road through the wilderness; for the cloud by day and the fire by night were of that use to them, as well as when it rested, it directed them when and where to pitch their tents; rather to assist with his advice in difficult matters, when they should be in pressing circumstances: the Targum of Jonathan is, "you have been dear unto us, as the apple of our eyes, and therefore we cannot part with you."