Numbers 14:37-45

37 even those men who did bring up an evil report of the land, died by the plague before the LORD.

38 But Yehoshua the son of Nun, and Kalev the son of Yefunneh, remained alive of those men who went to spy out the land.

39 Moshe told these words to all the children of Yisra'el: and the people mourned greatly.

40 They rose up early in the morning, and got them up to the top of the mountain, saying, Behold, we are here, and will go up to the place which the LORD has promised: for we have sinned.

41 Moshe said, Why now do you disobey the mitzvah of the LORD, seeing it shall not prosper?

42 Don't go up, for the LORD isn't among you; that you not be struck down before your enemies.

43 For there the `Amaleki and the Kana`ani are before you, and you shall fall by the sword: because you are turned back from following the LORD, therefore the LORD will not be with you.

44 But they presumed to go up to the top of the mountain: nevertheless the ark of the covenant of the LORD, and Moshe, didn't depart out of the camp.

45 Then the `Amaleki came down, and the Kana`ani who lived in that mountain, and struck them and beat them down, even to Hormah.

Numbers 14:37-45 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.