Numbers 14:22

22 not a single person of those who saw my Glory, saw the miracle signs I did in Egypt and the wilderness, and who have tested me over and over and over again, turning a deaf ear to me -

Numbers 14:22 Meaning and Commentary

Numbers 14:22

Because all those men which have seen my glory
His glorious Majesty, or the emblem of it in the cloud, on the tabernacle, which had often appeared to them, and the glorious things done by him; the glory of his power, wisdom, goodness, faithfulness, and truth, displayed in bringing them out of Egypt, through the Red sea, and thus far in the wilderness, even to the borders of the land of Canaan; it should be rendered, not "because", but "that", for this is the thing sworn to, or the matter of the oath:

and my miracles which I did in Egypt;
by the hand of Moses, both before them, when he was sent to them, as a proof of his divine mission, and before Pharaoh and all his court, ( Exodus 7:10 ) , inflicting plagues upon him and his people, ( Exodus 7:20 ) ( Exodus 8:6 Exodus 8:20 Exodus 8:24 ) ( Exodus 9:6 Exodus 9:10 Exodus 9:23 ) ( Exodus 10:13 Exodus 10:22 ) ( 12:29 ) :

and in the wilderness;
in raining manna from heaven about their tents, ( Exodus 16:14 ) ; sending them quails, ( Exodus 16:13 ) ( Numbers 11:31 ) ; and giving them water out of the rock, ( Exodus 17:6 ) :

and have tempted me now these ten times;
which the Jews understand precisely and exactly of such a number, and which they reckon thus F23; twice at the sea, ( Exodus 14:11 Exodus 14:12 ) ; twice concerning water, ( Exodus 15:23 Exodus 15:24 ) ( 17:2 ) ; twice about manna, ( Exodus 16:2 Exodus 16:20 Exodus 16:27 ) ( Numbers 11:4 ) ; twice about quails, ( Exodus 16:12 ) ( Numbers 11:4 ) ; once by the calf, ( Exodus 32:1-7 ) ; and once in the wilderness of Paran, ( Numbers 14:1-4 ) , which last and tenth was the present temptation: these are reckoned a little otherwise elsewhere F24; but perhaps it may be better, with Aben Ezra, to interpret it of many times, a certain number being put for an uncertain, they having frequently tempted the Lord:

and have not hearkened to my voice;
neither to his word of promise, nor to his word of command, and particularly his late order to go up and possess the land, ( Deuteronomy 1:21 Deuteronomy 1:26 ) .


FOOTNOTES:

F23 T. Bab. Eracin, fol. 15. 1. Bartenora in Pirke Abot, c. 5. sect. 4. Jarchi in loc.
F24 Maimon. in Pirke Abot, c. 5. sect. 4.

Numbers 14:22 In-Context

20 God said, "I forgive them, honoring your words.
21 But as I live and as the Glory of God fills the whole Earth -
22 not a single person of those who saw my Glory, saw the miracle signs I did in Egypt and the wilderness, and who have tested me over and over and over again, turning a deaf ear to me -
23 not one of them will set eyes on the land I so solemnly promised to their ancestors. No one who has treated me with such repeated contempt will see it.
24 "But my servant Caleb - this is a different story. He has a different spirit; he follows me passionately. I'll bring him into the land that he scouted and his children will inherit it.
Published by permission. Originally published by NavPress in English as THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language copyright 2002 by Eugene Peterson. All rights reserved.