Numbers 14:5

5 Then Moses and Aaron went down on their faces before the meeting of the people.

Numbers 14:5 Meaning and Commentary

Numbers 14:5

Then Moses and Aaron fell on their faces
Through shame and confusion of face for them, at hearing so shocking a proposal made, and such wretched ingratitude expressed; they blushed at it, and were in the utmost distress on account of it, and therefore threw themselves into this posture; or it may be this was done either to beg of them that they would lay aside all thoughts of this kind, or to supplicate the divine Majesty that he would convince them of their sin and folly, and give them repentance for it and forgiveness of it; and this they did

before all the assembly of the congregation of the children of Israel;
to affect them the more with a sense of their sin and danger.

Numbers 14:5 In-Context

3 Why is the Lord taking us into this land to come to our death by the sword? Our wives and our little ones will get into strange hands: would it not be better for us to go back to Egypt?

4 And they said to one another, Let us make a captain over us, and go back to Egypt.

5 Then Moses and Aaron went down on their faces before the meeting of the people.

6 And Joshua, the son of Nun, and Caleb, the son of Jephunneh, two of those who had been to see the land, giving signs of grief,

7 Said to all the children of Israel, This land which we went through to see is a very good land.