Numbers 14:18-23

18 ‘The LORD is slow to anger, abounding in love and forgiving sin and rebellion. Yet he does not leave the guilty unpunished; he punishes the children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation.’

19 In accordance with your great love, forgive the sin of these people, just as you have pardoned them from the time they left Egypt until now.”

20 The LORD replied, “I have forgiven them, as you asked.

21 Nevertheless, as surely as I live and as surely as the glory of the LORD fills the whole earth,

22 not one of those who saw my glory and the signs I performed in Egypt and in the wilderness but who disobeyed me and tested me ten times—

23 not one of them will ever see the land I promised on oath to their ancestors. No one who has treated me with contempt will ever see it.

Numbers 14:18-23 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

• 1. S Exodus 20:6; Exodus 34:6; Psalms 145:8; John 4:2; James 5:11
• 2. Exodus 20:5
• 3. S Exodus 34:9; 1 Kings 8:34; Psalms 85:2; Psalms 103:3
• 4. Psalms 106:45
• 5. Psalms 78:38
• 6. Exodus 34:6; Psalms 99:8; Psalms 106:23; Micah 7:18-20
• 7. ver 28; Deuteronomy 32:40; Judges 8:19; Ruth 3:13; 1 Samuel 14:39; 1 Samuel 19:6; Isaiah 49:18; Jeremiah 4:2; Ezekiel 5:11; Zephaniah 2:9
• 8. Leviticus 9:6
• 9. Psalms 72:19; Isaiah 6:3; Isaiah 40:5; Habakkuk 2:14
• 10. ver 11
• 11. S Exodus 14:11; Exodus 17:7; Exodus 32:1; Psalms 81:7; 1 Corinthians 10:5
• 12. ver 16; S Exodus 33:1; Numbers 32:11; Deuteronomy 1:34; Psalms 95:11; Psalms 106:26
• 13. ver 11
• 14. Hebrews 3:18