Numbers 14:27

27 How long groucheth this worst multitude against me? I have heard the grouching plaints of the sons of Israel. (How long grumbleth this worst multitude against me? I have heard all the grumbling and the complaints of the Israelites.)

Numbers 14:27 Meaning and Commentary

Numbers 14:27

How long shall I bear with this evil congregation, which
murmur against me?
&c.] Bear with their murmurings, spare them, and not cut them off? how long must sparing mercy be extended to them? the Lord speaks as one weary of forbearing, so frequent and aggravated were their murmurings. The Jews understand this not of the whole congregation of Israel, but of the ten spies, from whence they gather, that ten make a congregation; and they interpret the phrase, "which murmur against me", transitively, "which cause to murmur against me"; made the children of Israel murmur against him, so Jarchi; but rather all the people are meant, as appears from ( Numbers 14:28 ) , and from the following clause:

I have heard the murmurings of the children of Israel, which they
murmur against me;
for their murmurings were not only against Moses and Aaron, but against the Lord himself, ( Numbers 14:2 Numbers 14:3 ) .

Numbers 14:27 In-Context

25 For Amalek and Canaanites dwell in the valleys, tomorrow move ye [the] tents, and turn ye again into the wilderness by the way of the Red Sea. (For the Amalekites and the Canaanites live in these valleys, tomorrow move ye your tents, and return ye to the wilderness by way of the Red Sea.)
26 And the Lord spake to Moses and to Aaron, and said,
27 How long groucheth this worst multitude against me? I have heard the grouching plaints of the sons of Israel. (How long grumbleth this worst multitude against me? I have heard all the grumbling and the complaints of the Israelites.)
28 Therefore say thou to them, (As) I live, saith the Lord; as ye spake while I heard, so I shall do to you;
29 your carrions, or dead bodies, shall lie in this wilderness. All ye that be numbered, from twenty years and above, and have grouched against me, (all your corpses shall lie here in this wilderness. All ye who be listed, or registered, from twenty years of age and older, and have grumbled against me,)
Copyright © 2001 by Terence P. Noble. For personal use only.