Numbers 14:7-17

7 and they spoke unto all the company of the children of Israel, saying, "The land which we passed through to search it is an exceeding good land.

8 If the LORD delight in us, then He will bring us into this land and give it to us, a land which floweth with milk and honey.

9 Only rebel not ye against the LORD, neither fear ye the people of the land, for they are bread for us. Their defense has departed from them, and the LORD is with us. Fear them not."

10 But all the congregation bade stone them with stones. And the glory of the LORD appeared in the tabernacle of the congregation before all the children of Israel.

11 And the LORD said unto Moses, "How long will this people provoke Me? And how long will it be ere they believe Me for all the signs which I have shown among them?

12 I will smite them with the pestilence and disinherit them, and will make of thee a greater nation and mightier than they."

13 And Moses said unto the LORD, "Then the Egyptians shall hear it (for Thou broughtest up this people in Thy might from among them),

14 and they will tell it to the inhabitants of this land; for they have heard that Thou, LORD, art among this people, that Thou, LORD, art seen face to face, and that Thy cloud standeth over them, and that Thou goest before them by daytime in a pillar of a cloud and in a pillar of fire by night.

15 Now if Thou shalt kill all this people as one man, then the nations which have heard the fame of Thee will speak, saying,

16 `Because the LORD was not able to bring this people into the land which He swore unto them, therefore He hath slain them in the wilderness.'

17 And now, I beseech Thee, let the power of my Lord be great, according as Thou hast spoken, saying,

Numbers 14:7-17 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.