Numbers 14:22

22 nevertheless all [the] men that saw my majesty, and my signs, (and wonders,) which I did in Egypt and (here) in the wilderness, and [have] tempted me now by ten times, and obeyed not to my voice,

Numbers 14:22 Meaning and Commentary

Numbers 14:22

Because all those men which have seen my glory
His glorious Majesty, or the emblem of it in the cloud, on the tabernacle, which had often appeared to them, and the glorious things done by him; the glory of his power, wisdom, goodness, faithfulness, and truth, displayed in bringing them out of Egypt, through the Red sea, and thus far in the wilderness, even to the borders of the land of Canaan; it should be rendered, not "because", but "that", for this is the thing sworn to, or the matter of the oath:

and my miracles which I did in Egypt;
by the hand of Moses, both before them, when he was sent to them, as a proof of his divine mission, and before Pharaoh and all his court, ( Exodus 7:10 ) , inflicting plagues upon him and his people, ( Exodus 7:20 ) ( Exodus 8:6 Exodus 8:20 Exodus 8:24 ) ( Exodus 9:6 Exodus 9:10 Exodus 9:23 ) ( Exodus 10:13 Exodus 10:22 ) ( 12:29 ) :

and in the wilderness;
in raining manna from heaven about their tents, ( Exodus 16:14 ) ; sending them quails, ( Exodus 16:13 ) ( Numbers 11:31 ) ; and giving them water out of the rock, ( Exodus 17:6 ) :

and have tempted me now these ten times;
which the Jews understand precisely and exactly of such a number, and which they reckon thus F23; twice at the sea, ( Exodus 14:11 Exodus 14:12 ) ; twice concerning water, ( Exodus 15:23 Exodus 15:24 ) ( 17:2 ) ; twice about manna, ( Exodus 16:2 Exodus 16:20 Exodus 16:27 ) ( Numbers 11:4 ) ; twice about quails, ( Exodus 16:12 ) ( Numbers 11:4 ) ; once by the calf, ( Exodus 32:1-7 ) ; and once in the wilderness of Paran, ( Numbers 14:1-4 ) , which last and tenth was the present temptation: these are reckoned a little otherwise elsewhere F24; but perhaps it may be better, with Aben Ezra, to interpret it of many times, a certain number being put for an uncertain, they having frequently tempted the Lord:

and have not hearkened to my voice;
neither to his word of promise, nor to his word of command, and particularly his late order to go up and possess the land, ( Deuteronomy 1:21 Deuteronomy 1:26 ) .


FOOTNOTES:

F23 T. Bab. Eracin, fol. 15. 1. Bartenora in Pirke Abot, c. 5. sect. 4. Jarchi in loc.
F24 Maimon. in Pirke Abot, c. 5. sect. 4.

Numbers 14:22 In-Context

20 And the Lord said, I have forgiven to them, by thy word. (And the Lord said, I now forgive them, because of thy words.)
21 And as soothly (as) I live; and the glory of the Lord shall be filled in all [the] earth; (But as truly as I live, the glory of the Lord shall fill all the earth;)
22 nevertheless all [the] men that saw my majesty, and my signs, (and wonders,) which I did in Egypt and (here) in the wilderness, and [have] tempted me now by ten times, and obeyed not to my voice,
23 shall not see the land for which I swore to their fathers, neither any of them that backbited me, shall see it.
24 I shall lead my servant Caleb, that was full of another spirit and followed me, into this land, which he compassed, and his seed shall wield it. (But I shall lead my servant Caleb, who was full of another spirit and followed me, into this land, which he went about, and his descendants shall possess it.)
Copyright © 2001 by Terence P. Noble. For personal use only.