Numbers 14:15

15 and that thou hast caused all this people to die as one man; and the Gentiles who have heard of thy fame will speak, saying,

Numbers 14:15 Meaning and Commentary

Numbers 14:15

Now [if] thou shall kill [all] this people, as one man
Suddenly, and at once, as might be done by a pestilence; and as 185,000 were smitten at once, and as thought by the same disease, by the Angel of the Lord in the camp of the Assyrians, in later times, ( 2 Kings 19:35 ) ;

then the nations which have heard the fame of thee;
the Egyptians, Canaanites, and others, as Aben Ezra observes; who had heard the report of the wonderful things done by him for Israel, and of the great favours he had bestowed upon them, and so of his power, and goodness, and other perfections displayed therein, which made him appear to be preferable to all the gods of the Gentiles:

will speak, saying;
as follows.

Numbers 14:15 In-Context

13 And Moses said unto the LORD, Then the Egyptians shall hear it, for thou didst bring this people out of the midst of them with thy might;

14 and the inhabitants of this land will say, for they have already heard that thou, oh LORD, wast among this people, that thou, O LORD, art seen face to face, and that thy cloud was over them, and that thou didst go before them by day time in a pillar of a cloud and in a pillar of fire by night;

15 and that thou hast caused all this people to die as one man; and the Gentiles who have heard of thy fame will speak, saying,

16 Because the LORD was not able to bring this people into the land which he swore unto them; therefore, he has 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,