Numbers14
New Living Translation
1Then the whole community began weeping aloud, and they cried all night.
2Their 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.
3“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?”
4Then they plotted among themselves, “Let’s choose a new leader and go back to Egypt!”
5Then Moses and Aaron fell face down on the ground before the whole community of Israel.
6Two of the men who had explored the land, Joshua son of Nun and Caleb son of Jephunneh, tore their clothing.
7They said to all the people of Israel, “The land we traveled through and explored is a wonderful land!
8And if the Lord is pleased with us, he will bring us safely into that land and give it to us. It is a rich land flowing with milk and honey.
9Do not rebel against the Lord, and don’t be afraid of the people of the land. They are only helpless prey to us! They have no protection, but the Lord is with us! Don’t be afraid of them!”
10But the whole community began to talk about stoning Joshua and Caleb. Then the glorious presence of the Lord appeared to all the Israelites at the Tabernacle.
11And the Lord said to Moses, “How long will these people treat me with contempt? Will they never believe me, even after all the miraculous signs I have done among them?
12I will disown them and destroy them with a plague. Then I will make you into a nation greater and mightier than they are!”
13But Moses objected. “What will the Egyptians think when they hear about it?” he asked the Lord. “They know full well the power you displayed in rescuing your people from Egypt.
14Now if you destroy them, the Egyptians will send a report to the inhabitants of this land, who have already heard that you live among your people. They know, Lord, that you have appeared to your people face to face and that your pillar of cloud hovers over them. They know that you go before them in the pillar of cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night.
15Now if you slaughter all these people with a single blow, the nations that have heard of your fame will say,
16‘The Lord was not able to bring them into the land he swore to give them, so he killed them in the wilderness.’
17“Please, Lord, prove that your power is as great as you have claimed. For you said,
18‘The Lord is slow to anger and filled with unfailing love, forgiving every kind of sin and rebellion. But he does not excuse the guilty. He lays the sins of the parents upon their children; the entire family is affected—even children in the third and fourth generations.’
19In keeping with your magnificent, unfailing love, please pardon the sins of this people, just as you have forgiven them ever since they left Egypt.”
20Then the Lord said, “I will pardon them as you have requested.
21But as surely as I live, and as surely as the earth is filled with the Lord’s glory,
22not one of these people will ever enter that land. They have all seen my glorious presence and the miraculous signs I performed both in Egypt and in the wilderness, but again and again they have tested me by refusing to listen to my voice.
23They will never even see the land I swore to give their ancestors. None of those who have treated me with contempt will ever see it.
24But my servant Caleb has a different attitude than the others have. He has remained loyal to me, so I will bring him into the land he explored. His descendants will possess their full share of that land.
25Now turn around, and don’t go on toward the land where the Amalekites and Canaanites live. Tomorrow you must set out for the wilderness in the direction of the Red Sea.”
26Then the Lord said to Moses and Aaron,
27“How long must I put up with this wicked community and its complaints about me? Yes, I have heard the complaints the Israelites are making against me.
28Now tell them this: ‘As surely as I live, declares the Lord, I will do to you the very things I heard you say.
29You will all drop dead in this wilderness! Because you complained against me, every one of you who is twenty years old or older and was included in the registration will die.
30You will not enter and occupy the land I swore to give you. The only exceptions will be Caleb son of Jephunneh and Joshua son of Nun.
31“‘You said your children would be carried off as plunder. Well, I will bring them safely into the land, and they will enjoy what you have despised.
32But as for you, you will drop dead in this wilderness.
33And your children will be like shepherds, wandering in the wilderness for forty years. In this way, they will pay for your faithlessness, until the last of you lies dead in the wilderness.
34“‘Because your men explored the land for forty days, you must wander in the wilderness for forty years—a year for each day, suffering the consequences of your sins. Then you will discover what it is like to have me for an enemy.’
35I, the Lord, have spoken! I will certainly do these things to every member of the community who has conspired against me. They will be destroyed here in this wilderness, and here they will die!”
36The ten men Moses had sent to explore the land—the ones who incited rebellion against the Lord with their bad report—
37were struck dead with a plague before the Lord.
38Of the twelve who had explored the land, only Joshua and Caleb remained alive.
39When Moses reported the Lord’s words to all the Israelites, the people were filled with grief.
40Then they got up early the next morning and went to the top of the range of hills. “Let’s go,” they said. “We realize that we have sinned, but now we are ready to enter the land the Lord has promised us.”
41But Moses said, “Why are you now disobeying the Lord’s orders to return to the wilderness? It won’t work.
42Do not go up into the land now. You will only be crushed by your enemies because the Lord is not with you.
43When you face the Amalekites and Canaanites in battle, you will be slaughtered. The Lord will abandon you because you have abandoned the Lord.”
44But the people defiantly pushed ahead toward the hill country, even though neither Moses nor the Ark of the Lord’s Covenant left the camp.
45Then the Amalekites and the Canaanites who lived in those hills came down and attacked them and chased them back as far as Hormah.
Study Guide
Public-domain commentary and original-language notes for Numbers 14.
Chapter Summary
In this chapter: The people murmur at the account of the spies. (1–4). Joshua and Caleb labour to still the people. (5–10). The Divine threatenings, The intercession of Moses. (11–19). The murmurers forbidden to enter the promised land. (20–35). Death of the evil spies. (36–39). Defeat of the people, who now would invade the land. (40–45).
vv1-4
Those who do not trust God, continually vex themselves. The sorrow of the world worketh death. The Israelites murmured against Moses and Aaron, and in them reproached the Lord. They look back with causeless discontent. See the madness of unbridled passions, which makes men prodigal of what nature accounts most dear, life itself. They wish rather to die criminals under God's justice, than to live conquerors in his favour. At last they resolve, that, instead of going forward to Canaan, they would go back to Egypt. Those who walk not in God's counsels, seek their own ruin. Could they expect that God's cloud would lead them, or his manna attend them? Suppose the difficulties of conquering Canaan were as they imagined, those of returning to Egypt were much greater. We complain of our place and lot, and we would change; but is there any place or condition in this world, that has not something in it to make us uneasy, if we are disposed to be so? The way to better our condition, is to get our spirits in a better frame. See the folly of turning from the ways of God. But men run on the certain fatal consequences of a sinful course.
vv5-10
Moses and Aaron were astonished to see a people throw away their own mercies. Caleb and Joshua assured the people of the goodness of the land. They made nothing of the difficulties in the way of their gaining it. If men were convinced of the desirableness of the gains of religion, they would not stick at the services of it. Though the Canaanites dwell in walled cities, their defence was departed from them. The other spies took notice of their strength, but these of their wickedness. No people can be safe, when they have provoked God to leave them. Though Israel dwell in tents, they are fortified. While we have the presence of God with us, we need not fear the most powerful force against us. Sinners are ruined by their own rebellion. But those who, like Caleb and Joshua, faithfully expose themselves for God, are sure to be taken under his special protection, and shall be hid from the rage of men, either under heaven or in heaven. (Nu 14:11-19)
vv11-19
Moses made humble intercession for Israel. Herein he was a type of Christ, who prayed for those that despitefully used him. The pardon of a nation's sin, is the turning away the nation's punishment; and for that Moses is here so earnest. Moses argued that, consistently with God's character, in his abundant mercies, he could forgive them.
Key Words
כֹּל: properly, the whole; hence, all, any or every (in the singular only, but often in a plural sense)
עֵדָה: a stated assemblage (specifically, a concourse, or generally, a family or crowd)
נָשָׂא: to lift, in a great variety of applications, literal and figurative, absolute and relative
קוֹל: a voice or sound
נָתַן: to give, used with greatest latitude of application (put, make, etc.)
עַם: a people (as a congregated unit); specifically, a tribe (as those of Israel); hence (collectively) troops or attendants; figuratively, a flock
בָּכָה: to weep; generally to bemoan
לַיִל: properly, a twist (away of the light), i.e. night; figuratively, adversity
בֵּן: a son (as a builder of the family name), in the widest sense (of literal and figurative relationship, including grandson, subject, nation, quality or condition, etc., (like father or brother), etc.)
יִשְׂרָאֵל: Jisrael, a symbolical name of Jacob; also (typically) of his posterity
Cross References
Numbers 14Moses quotes God's self-revelation of mercy and justice as the basis for his intercession.
Supported by Matthew Henry, Matthew Poole, JFB
Nehemiah recalls the rebellion, noting they appointed a captain to return to their bondage.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
New Testament warning concerning those whose carcasses fell in the wilderness through unbelief.
Supported by JFB
Moses recounts how the children, presumed to be prey, were preserved to enter the land.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Parallel intercession where Moses appeals to God's reputation among the Egyptians.
Supported by Matthew Henry
The solemn divine oath that this generation would not enter His rest.
Supported by Matthew Henry, Matthew Poole
Caleb's original faithful and quiet spirit in encouraging the people to go up.
Supported by Matthew Henry, JFB
Identifies the Amalekites and Canaanites who block Israel's forward progress.
Supported by JFB
Moses' later recollection of the defeat at Hormah by the pursuing Amorites.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Moses falling on his face as his characteristic appeal to God during crises.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Metaphor of eating up people like bread, mirroring Joshua and Caleb's description.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Previous instance where the people were ready to stone Moses in anger.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Paul's commentary that God was not pleased with them, overthrowing them in the wilderness.
Supported by Matthew Henry
The historical census showing only Caleb and Joshua remained of that generation.
Supported by Matthew Henry
The Psalmist characterizes the wilderness rebellion as despising the pleasant land.
Supported by John Calvin