Numbers 14:22-32

22 "Surely 1all the men who have seen My glory and My signs which I performed in Egypt and in the wilderness, yet 2have put Me to the test these ten times and have not listened to My voice,
23 3shall by no means see the land which I swore to their fathers, nor shall any of those who spurned Me see it.
24 "But My servant Caleb, 4because he has had a different spirit and has followed Me fully, 5I will bring into the land which he entered, and his descendants shall take possession of it.
25 "6Now the Amalekites and the Canaanites live in the valleys; turn tomorrow and set out to the wilderness by the way of the Red * Sea."
26 The LORD spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying,
27 "How long * shall I bear with this evil congregation who are 7grumbling against Me? I have heard the complaints of the sons of Israel, which they are making against Me.
28 "Say to them, '8As I live,' says the LORD, 'just as 9you have spoken in My hearing, so I will surely do to you;
29 10your corpses will fall in this wilderness, even all 11your numbered men, according to your complete number from twenty years old and upward, who have grumbled against Me.
30 'Surely you shall not come into the land in which I swore * to settle you, 12except * Caleb the son of Jephunneh and Joshua the son of Nun.
31 '13Your children, however, whom you said would become a prey -I will bring them in, and they will know the land which you have rejected.
32 '14But as for you, your corpses will fall in this wilderness.

Numbers 14:22-32 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO NUMBERS 14

This chapter treats or the murmurings of the children of Israel upon the evil report of the spies, which greatly distressed Moses and Aaron, Nu 14:1-5; and of the endeavours of Joshua and Caleb to quiet the minds of the people with a good account of the land, and of the easy conquest of it, but to no purpose, Nu 14:6-10; and of the Lord's threatening to destroy the people with the pestilence, Nu 14:11,12; and of the intercession of Moses for them, which so far succeeded as to prevent their immediate destruction, Nu 14:13-20; nevertheless they are assured again and again, in the strongest terms, that none of them but Joshua and Caleb should enter into the land, but their carcasses should fall in the wilderness, even all the murmurers of twenty years old and upwards, Nu 14:21-35; and the ten men that brought the evil report of the good land died of a plague immediately, but the other two lived, Nu 14:36-38; and the body of the people that attempted to go up the mountain and enter the land were smitten and discomfited by their enemies, after they had with concern heard what the Lord threatened them with, Nu 14:39-45.

Cross References 14

  • 1. 1 Corinthians 10:5
  • 2. Exodus 5:21; Exodus 14:11; Exodus 15:24; Exodus 16:2; Exodus 17:2, 3; Exodus 32:1; Numbers 11:1, 4; Numbers 12:1; Numbers 14:2
  • 3. Numbers 26:65; Numbers 32:11; Hebrews 3:18
  • 4. Numbers 14:6-9
  • 5. Numbers 26:65; Numbers 32:12; Deuteronomy 1:36; Joshua 14:6-15
  • 6. Numbers 13:29
  • 7. Numbers 11:1
  • 8. Numbers 14:21
  • 9. Numbers 14:2; Deuteronomy 2:14, 15; Hebrews 3:17
  • 10. Hebrews 3:17
  • 11. Numbers 1:45, 46
  • 12. Numbers 14:24
  • 13. Numbers 14:3
  • 14. Numbers 26:64, 65; Numbers 32:13; 1 Corinthians 10:5

Footnotes 7

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