Numbers 14:1-8

The People Rebel

1 Then all the congregation raised a loud cry, and the people 1wept that night.
2 And all the people of Israel 2grumbled against Moses and Aaron. The whole congregation said to them, "Would that we had died in the land of Egypt! Or 3would that we had died in this wilderness!
3 Why is the LORD bringing us into this land, to fall by the sword? 4Our wives and our little ones will become a prey. Would it not be better for us to go back to Egypt?"
4 And they said to one another, 5"Let us choose a leader and 6go back to Egypt."
5 Then 7Moses and Aaron fell on their faces before all the assembly of the congregation of the people of Israel.
6 8And Joshua the son of Nun and Caleb the son of Jephunneh, who were among those who had spied out the land, tore their clothes
7 and said to all the congregation of the people of Israel, 9"The land, which we passed through to spy it out, is an exceedingly good land.
8 If 10the LORD delights in us, he will bring us into this land and give it to us, 11a land that flows with milk and honey.

Numbers 14:1-8 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.

Cross References 11

  • 1. Numbers 11:4
  • 2. ver. 27, 29, 33; Numbers 16:41; Exodus 15:24; Exodus 16:2; Exodus 17:3; Psalms 106:25; [Joshua 9:18]
  • 3. [ver. 27-29]
  • 4. ver. 31
  • 5. Nehemiah 9:17
  • 6. [Deuteronomy 17:16; Acts 7:39]
  • 7. Numbers 16:4, 22; Numbers 20:6
  • 8. ver. 30; Numbers 13:6, 8
  • 9. Numbers 13:27; Deuteronomy 1:25
  • 10. Deuteronomy 10:15; 2 Samuel 22:20; 1 Kings 10:9; Psalms 18:19; Psalms 22:8; Isaiah 62:4
  • 11. See Exodus 3:8
The English Standard Version is published with the permission of Good News Publishers.