Numbers 14:40

40 Early the next morning they went up toward the high hill country. "We have sinned," they said. "We will go up to the place the LORD promised to give us."

Numbers 14:40 Meaning and Commentary

Numbers 14:40

And they rose up early in the morning
The next morning after they had heard the bad news of their consumption in the wilderness; not being able, perhaps, to sleep that night with the thoughts of it, and being now in a great haste to go up and possess the land of Canaan, as they were before to return to Egypt: and gat them up into the top of the mountain;
which was the way the spies went into the land of Canaan, ( Numbers 13:17 ) ; this they did not actually ascend, as appears from ( Numbers 14:44 Numbers 14:45 ) ; but they determined upon it, and got themselves ready for it: saying, lo, we [be here];
this they said either to one another, animating each other to engage in the enterprise; or to Moses and Joshua, signifying that they were ready to go up and possess the land, if they would put themselves at the head of them, and take the command and direction of them; and will go up unto the place which the Lord hath promised:
the land of Canaan: for we have sinned;
in not going up to possess it, when they were bid to go, and in listening to the spies that brought an ill report of it, and by murmuring against Moses and Aaron, and the Lord himself, and proposing to make them a captain and return to Egypt, ( Numbers 14:2-4 ) : but this acknowledgment and repentance were not very sincere, by what follows.

Numbers 14:40 In-Context

38 Only two of the men who went to check out the land remained alive. One of them was Joshua, the son of Nun. The other was Caleb, the son of Jephunneh.

39 Moses reported to all of the people of Israel what the LORD had said. And they became very sad.

40 Early the next morning they went up toward the high hill country. "We have sinned," they said. "We will go up to the place the LORD promised to give us."

41 But Moses said, "Why aren't you obeying the LORD's command? You won't succeed.

42 So don't go up. The LORD isn't with you. Your enemies will win the battle over you.