Numbers 14:4-14

4 They said to one another, "We should choose another leader. We should go back to Egypt."

5 Then Moses and Aaron fell with their faces to the ground. They did it in front of the whole community of Israel that was gathered there.

6 Joshua, the son of Nun, tore his clothes. So did Caleb, the son of Jephunneh. Joshua and Caleb were two of the men who had checked out the land.

7 They spoke to the whole community of Israel. They said, "We passed through the land and checked it out. It's very good.

8 If the LORD is pleased with us, he'll lead us into that land. It's a land that has plenty of milk and honey. He'll give it to us.

9 "But don't refuse to obey him. And don't be afraid of the people of the land. We will swallow them up. The LORD is with us. So nothing can save them. Don't be afraid of them."

10 But all of the people talked about killing Joshua and Caleb by throwing stones at them. Then the glory of the LORD appeared at the Tent of Meeting. All of the people of Israel saw it.

11 The LORD spoke to Moses. He said, "How long will these people make fun of me? How long will they refuse to believe in me? They refuse even though I have done many miraculous signs among them.

12 So I will strike them down with a plague. I will destroy them. But I will make you into a greater and stronger nation than they are."

13 Moses said to the Lord, "Then the Egyptians will hear about it. You used your power to bring these people up from among them.

14 "And the Egyptians will tell the people who live in Canaan about it. Lord, they have already heard a lot about you. They've heard that you are with these people. They've heard that you have been seen face to face. They've been told that your cloud stays over them. They've heard that you go in front of them in a pillar of cloud by day. They've been told that you go in front of them in a pillar of fire at night.

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Numbers 14:4-14 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.

Taken from John Gill's Exposition of the Bible

Numbers 14:4-14

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Numbers 14:4-14 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO NUMBERS 14