Numbers 14:14

14 and the Egyptians will tell this to those who live in this land. They have already heard about you, Lord. They know that you are with your people and that you were seen face to face. They know that your cloud stays over your people and that you lead your people with that cloud during the day and with fire at night.

Numbers 14:14 Meaning and Commentary

Numbers 14:14

And they will tell [it] to the inhabitants of this land
The land of Canaan, between which and Egypt there was an intercourse, though not by the way of the wilderness, being neighbours, and their original ancestors brethren, as Mizraim and Canaan were; or "they will say" F20, and that with joy, as the Targum of Jonathan adds; but what they would say does not appear so plain; either it was that the Israelites were killed in the wilderness, a tale they would tell with pleasure; but that the Canaanites would hear of doubtless before them, and not need their information, since the Israelites were upon their borders; or that the Lord had brought them out of Egypt indeed, but could carry them no further, could not introduce them into the land he had promised them; or rather they would say to them what follows, for the preposition "for" is not in the text, and may be omitted; and so the sense is, they will tell them,

they have heard that thou Lord [art] among this people;
in the tabernacle that was in the midst of them, in the most holy place of it:

that thou Lord art seen face to face:
as he was by Moses, who was at the head of them:

and [that] thy cloud standeth over them;
and sheltered and protected them from the heat of the sun in the daytime, when it rested upon them in their encampment:

and [that] thou goest before them, by daytime in a pillar of a cloud,
and in a pillar of fire by night;
in their journeys; they will tell of those favours thou hast shown Israel; and yet, after all, will observe that thou hast destroyed them, which will not redound to thine honour and glory.


FOOTNOTES:

F20 (wrmay) "et dicent", Pagninus, Montanus, Drusius

Numbers 14:14 In-Context

12 I will give them a terrible sickness and get rid of them. But I will make you into a great nation that will be stronger than they are."
13 Then Moses said to the Lord, "The Egyptians will hear about it! You brought these people from there by your great power,
14 and the Egyptians will tell this to those who live in this land. They have already heard about you, Lord. They know that you are with your people and that you were seen face to face. They know that your cloud stays over your people and that you lead your people with that cloud during the day and with fire at night.
15 If you put these people to death all at once, the nations who have heard about your power will say,
16 'The Lord was not able to bring them into the land he promised them. So he killed them in the desert.'
Scripture taken from the New Century Version. Copyright © 1987, 1988, 1991 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.