Numbers 14

Chapter 14

The People Rebel

1 Then the whole community began weeping aloud, and they cried all night.2 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.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?”

4 Then they plotted among themselves, “Let’s choose a new leader and go back to Egypt!”
5 Then Moses and Aaron fell face down on the ground before the whole community of Israel.6 Two of the men who had explored the land, Joshua son of Nun and Caleb son of Jephunneh, tore their clothing.7 They said to all the people of Israel, “The land we traveled through and explored is a wonderful land!8 And 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.

9 Do 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!”
10 But 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.t11 And 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?

12 I will disown them and destroy them with a plague. Then I will make you into a nation greater and mightier than they are!”

Moses Intercedes for the People

13 But 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.14 Now 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.15 Now 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.’

19 In keeping with your magnificent, unfailing love, please pardon the sins of this people, just as you have forgiven them ever since they left Egypt.”
20 Then the LORD said, “I will pardon them as you have requested.21 But as surely as I live, and as surely as the earth is filled with the LORD’s glory,22 not 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.23 They 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.24 But 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.

25 Now 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.t”

The LORD Punishes the Israelites

26 Then 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.28 Now tell them this: ‘As surely as I live, declares the LORD, I will do to you the very things I heard you say.29 You 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.

30 You 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.32 But as for you, you will drop dead in this wilderness.

33 And 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.’

35 I, 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!”
36 The ten men Moses had sent to explore the land—the ones who incited rebellion against the LORD with their bad report—37 were struck dead with a plague before the LORD.

38 Of the twelve who had explored the land, only Joshua and Caleb remained alive.
39 When Moses reported the LORD’s words to all the Israelites, the people were filled with grief.

40 Then 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.”
41 But Moses said, “Why are you now disobeying the LORD’s orders to return to the wilderness? It won’t work.42 Do not go up into the land now. You will only be crushed by your enemies because the LORD is not with you.

43 When you face the Amalekites and Canaanites in battle, you will be slaughtered. The LORD will abandon you because you have abandoned the LORD.”
44 But the people defiantly pushed ahead toward the hill country, even though neither Moses nor the Ark of the LORD’s Covenant left the camp.

45 Then the Amalekites and the Canaanites who lived in those hills came down and attacked them and chased them back as far as Hormah.

NUMBERS 14

The Israelites Rebel //against Moses

1 After the Israelites heard the report from the twelve men who had explored Canaan, the people cried all night 2 and complained to Moses and Aaron, “We wish we had died in Egypt or somewhere out here in the desert! 3 Is the [Lord] leading us into Canaan, just to have us killed and our women and children captured? We'd be better off in Egypt.”

4 Then they said to one another, “Let's choose our own leader and go back.”
5 Moses and Aaron bowed down to pray in front of the crowd. 6 Joshua and Caleb tore their clothes in sorrow

7 and said:
We saw the land ourselves, and it's very good. 8 If we obey the [Lord], he will surely give us that land rich with milk and honey.

9 t So don't rebel. We have no reason to be afraid of the people who live there. The [Lord] is on our side, and they won't stand a chance against us!

10 The crowd threatened to stone Moses and Aaron to death. But just then, the [Lord] appeared in a cloud at the sacred tent.

Moses Prays //for the People

12 So they will no longer be my people. I will destroy them, but I will make you the ancestor of a nation even stronger than theirs.”

13-16  t Moses replied:
With your mighty power you rescued your people from Egypt, so please don't destroy us here in the desert. If you do, the Egyptians will hear about it and tell the people of Canaan. Those Canaanites already know that we are your people, and that we see you face to face. And they have heard how you lead us with a thick cloud during the day and flaming fire at night. But if you kill us, they will claim it was because you weren't powerful enough to lead us into Canaan as you promised.
17 Show us your great power, [Lord]. You promised

18 t that you love to show mercy and kindness. And you said that you are very patient, but that you will punish everyone guilty of doing wrong—not only them but their children and grandchildren as well.

19 You are merciful, and you treat people better than they deserve. So please forgive these people, just as you have forgiven them ever since they left Egypt.

20 Then the [Lord] said to Moses:
In answer to your prayer, I do forgive them. 21 t But as surely as I live and my power has no limit,

22-23 I swear that not one of these Israelites will enter the land I promised to give their ancestors. These people have seen my power in Egypt and in the desert, but they will never see Canaan. They have disobeyed and tested me too many times.

24  t But my servant Caleb isn't like the others. So because he has faith in me, I will allow him to cross into Canaan, and his descendants will settle there.

25 Now listen, Moses! The Amalekites and the Canaanites live in the valleys of Canaan.t And tomorrow, you'll need to turn around and head back into the desert toward the Red Sea.t

The Israelites Are Punished //for Complaining

27-28 to give this message to the people of Israel:
You sinful people have complained against me too many times! Now I swear by my own life that I will give you exactly what you wanted.t 29 t You will die right here in the desert, and your dead bodies will cover the ground. You have insulted me, and none of you men who are over 20 years old

30 will enter the land that I solemnly promised to give you as your own—only Caleb and Joshuat will go in.
31 You were worried that your own children would be captured. But I, the [Lord], will let them enter the land you have rejected. 32 You will die here in the desert! 33 t Your children will wander around in this desert 40 years, suffering because of your sins, until all of you are dead. 34 I will punish you severely every day for the next 40 years—one year for each day that the land was explored.

35 You sinful people who ganged up against me will die here in the desert.
36 Ten of the men sent to explore the land had brought back bad news and had made the people complain against the [Lord]. 37 So he sent a deadly disease that killed those men,

38 but he let Joshua and Caleb live.

The Israelites Fail //To Enter Canaan

(Deuteronomy 1.41-45)

40 So they got up early the next morning and got ready to head toward the hill country of Canaan. They said, “We were wrong to complain about the [Lord]. Let's go into the land that he promised us.”
41 But Moses replied, “You're disobeying the [Lord]! Your plan won't work,

42-43 so don't even try it. The [Lord] refuses to help you, because you turned your backs on him. The Amalekites and the Canaanites are your enemies, and they will attack and defeat you.”
44 But the Israelites ignored Mosest and marched toward the hill country, even though the sacred chest and Moses did not go with them. 45 The Amalekites and the Canaanites came down from the hill country, defeated the Israelites, and chased them as far as the town of Hormah.