Numbers 14

The Israelites’ complaint

1 The entire community raised their voice and the people wept that night.

2 All the Israelites criticized Moses and Aaron. The entire community said to them, "If only we had died in the land of Egypt or if only we had died in this desert!

3 Why is the LORD bringing us to this land to fall by the sword? Our wives and our children will be taken by force. Wouldn't it be better for us to return to Egypt?"

4 So they said to each other, "Let's pick a leader and let's go back to Egypt."

5 Then Moses and Aaron fell on their faces before the assembled Israelite community.

6 But Joshua, Nun's son, and Caleb, Jephunneh's son, from those who had explored the land, tore their clothes

7 and said to the entire Israelite community, "The land we crossed through to explore is an exceptionally good land.

8 If the LORD is pleased with us, he'll bring us into this land and give it to us. It's a land that's full of milk and honey.

9 Only don't rebel against the LORD and don't be afraid of the people of the land. They are our prey. Their defense has deserted them, but the LORD is with us. So don't be afraid of them."

But the entire community intended to stone them.

The LORD’s anger and Moses’ intercession

10 Then the LORD's glory appeared in the meeting tent to all the Israelites.

11 The LORD said to Moses, "How long will these people disrespect me? And how long will they doubt me after all the signs that I performed among them?

12 I'll strike them down with a plague and disown them. Then I'll make you into a great nation, stronger than they."

13 Moses said to the LORD, "The Egyptians will hear, for with your power you brought these people up from among them.

14 They'll tell the inhabitants of this land. They've heard that you, LORD, are with this people. You, LORD, appear to them face-to-face. Your cloud stands over them. You go before them in a column of cloud by day and in a column of lightning by night.

15 If you kill these people, every last one of them, the nations who heard about you will say,

16 ‘The LORD wasn't able to bring these people to the land that he solemnly promised to give them. So he slaughtered them in the desert.'

17 Now let my master's power be as great as you declared when you said,

18 ‘The LORD is very patient and absolutely loyal, forgiving wrongs and disloyalty. Yet he doesn't forgo all punishment, disciplining the grandchildren and great-grandchildren for their ancestors' wrongs.'

19 Please forgive the wrongs of these people because of your absolute loyalty, just as you've forgiven these people from their time in Egypt until now."

20 Then the LORD said, "I will forgive as you requested.

21 But as I live and as the LORD's glory fills the entire earth,

22 none of the men who saw my glory and the signs I did in Egypt and in the desert, but tested me these ten times and haven't listened to my voice,

23 will see the land I promised to their ancestors. All who disrespected me won't see it.

24 But I'll bring my servant Caleb into the land that he explored, and his descendants will possess it because he has a different spirit, and he has remained true to me.

25 Since the Amalekites and the Canaanites live in the valley, tomorrow turn and march into the desert by the route of the Reed Sea."

The Israelites’ punishment

26 The LORD spoke to Moses and Aaron:

27 How long will this wicked community complain against me? I've heard the Israelites' dissent as they continue to complain against me.

28 Say to them, "As I live," says the LORD, "just as I've heard you say, so I'll do to you.

29 Your dead bodies will fall in this desert. None of you who were enlisted and were registered from 20 years old and above, who complained against me,

30 will enter the land in which I promised to settle you, with the exception of Caleb, Jephunneh's son, and Joshua, Nun's son.

31 But your children, whom you said would be taken by force, I'll bring them in and they will know the land that you rejected.

32 Your bodies, however, will fall in this desert,

33 and your children will be shepherds in the desert for forty years. They will suffer for your unfaithfulness, until the last of your bodies fall in the desert.

34 For as many days as you explored the land, that is, forty days, just as many years you'll bear your guilt, that is, forty years. This is how you will understand my frustration."

35 I the LORD have spoken. I will do this to the entire wicked community who gathered against me. They will die in this desert. There they'll meet their end.

36 The men whom Moses sent out to explore the land had returned and caused the entire community to complain against him by starting a rumor about the land.

37 These men died by a plague in the LORD's presence on account of their false rumor.

38 But Joshua, Nun's son, and Caleb, Jephunneh's son, survived from those men who went to explore the land.

39 Moses spoke these words to all the Israelites, and the people mourned bitterly.

40 They rose early in the morning and went up to the top of the mountain range, saying, "Let's go up to the place the LORD told us to, for we have sinned."

41 But Moses said, "Why do you disobey the LORD's command? It won't succeed.

42 Don't go up, for the LORD isn't with you. Don't be struck down before your enemies.

43 The Amalekites and the Canaanites will be there in front of you and you will fall by the sword because you turned away from the LORD, and the LORD is no longer with you."

44 Yet they recklessly ascended toward the top of the mountains, even though Moses and the LORD's chest containing the covenant didn't depart from the camp.

45 Then the Amalekites and the Canaanites, who lived in those mountains, descended, struck them down, and beat them all the way to Hormah.

Numbers 14 Commentary

Chapter 14

The people murmur at the account of the spies. (1-4) Joshua and Caleb labour to still the people. (5-10) The Divine threatenings, The intercession of Moses. (11-19) The murmurers forbidden to enter the promised land. (20-35) Death of the evil spies. (36-39) Defeat of the people, who now would invade the land. (40-45)

Verses 1-4 Those who do not trust God, continually vex themselves. The sorrow of the world worketh death. The Israelites murmured against Moses and Aaron, and in them reproached the Lord. They look back with causeless discontent. See the madness of unbridled passions, which makes men prodigal of what nature accounts most dear, life itself. They wish rather to die criminals under God's justice, than to live conquerors in his favour. At last they resolve, that, instead of going forward to Canaan, they would go back to Egypt. Those who walk not in God's counsels, seek their own ruin. Could they expect that God's cloud would lead them, or his manna attend them? Suppose the difficulties of conquering Canaan were as they imagined, those of returning to Egypt were much greater. We complain of our place and lot, and we would change; but is there any place or condition in this world, that has not something in it to make us uneasy, if we are disposed to be so? The way to better our condition, is to get our spirits in a better frame. See the folly of turning from the ways of God. But men run on the certain fatal consequences of a sinful course.

Verses 5-10 Moses and Aaron were astonished to see a people throw away their own mercies. Caleb and Joshua assured the people of the goodness of the land. They made nothing of the difficulties in the way of their gaining it. If men were convinced of the desirableness of the gains of religion, they would not stick at the services of it. Though the Canaanites dwell in walled cities, their defence was departed from them. The other spies took notice of their strength, but these of their wickedness. No people can be safe, when they have provoked God to leave them. Though Israel dwell in tents, they are fortified. While we have the presence of God with us, we need not fear the most powerful force against us. Sinners are ruined by their own rebellion. But those who, like Caleb and Joshua, faithfully expose themselves for God, are sure to be taken under his special protection, and shall be hid from the rage of men, either under heaven or in heaven.

Verses 11-19 Moses made humble intercession for Israel. Herein he was a type of Christ, who prayed for those that despitefully used him. The pardon of a nation's sin, is the turning away the nation's punishment; and for that Moses is here so earnest. Moses argued that, consistently with God's character, in his abundant mercies, he could forgive them.

Verses 20-35 The Lord granted the prayer of Moses so far as not at once to destroy the congregation. But disbelief of the promise forbids the benefit. Those who despise the pleasant land shall be shut out of it. The promise of God should be fulfilled to their children. They wished to die in the wilderness; God made their sin their ruin, took them at their word, and their carcases fell in the wilderness. They were made to groan under the burden of their own sin, which was too heavy for them to bear. Ye shall know my breach of promise, both the causes of it, that it is procured by your sin, for God never leaves any till they first leave him; and the consequences of it, that will produce your ruin. But your little ones, now under twenty years old, which ye, in your unbelief, said should be a prey, them will I bring in. God will let them know that he can put a difference between the guilty and the innocent, and cut them off without touching their children. Thus God would not utterly take away his loving kindness.

Verses 36-39 Here is the sudden death of the ten evil spies. They sinned in bringing a slander upon the land of promise. Those greatly provoke God, who misrepresent religion, raise dislike in men's minds toward it, or give opportunity to those to do so, who seek occasion. Justly are murmurers made mourners. If they had mourned for the sin, when they were faithfully reproved, the sentence had been prevented; but as they mourned for the judgment only, it did them no service. There is in hell such mourning as this; but tears will not quench the flames, nor cool the tongue.

Verses 40-45 Some of the Israelites were now earnest to go forward toward Canaan. But it came too late. If men would but be as earnest for heaven while their day of grace lasts, as they will be when it is over, how well would it be for them! That which has been duty in its season, when mistimed, may be turned into sin. Those who are out of the way of their duty, are not under God's protection, and go at their peril. God bade them go, and they would not; he forbade them, and they would go. Thus is the carnal mind enmity against God. They had distrusted God's strength; they now presume upon their own without his. And the expedition fails accordingly; now the sentence began to be executed, that their carcases should fall in the wilderness. That affair can never end well, which begins with sin. The way to obtain peace with our friends, and success against our enemies, is, to have God, as our Friend, and to keep in his love. Let us take warning from the fate of Israel, lest we perish after the same example of unbelief. Let us go forth, depending on God's mercy, power, promise, and truth; he will be with us, and bring our souls to everlasting rest.

Footnotes

• [a]. Or our bread
• [b]. Or Red Sea
• [c]. Or raised my hand
• [d]. Heb uncertain

Chapter Summary

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.