Numbers 14:1-7

1 And all the multitude cryed out and the people wepte thorow out that nyght

2 and all the childern of Ysrael murmured agenst Moses and Aaron. And the hole congregacion sayed vnto them: wolde god that we had dyed in the lond of Egipte ether we wolde that we had dyed in thys wildernesse.

3 Wherfore hath the Lorde broughte vs vnto this londe to fall apon the swerde that both oure wyues and also oure childre shulde be a praye? is it not better that we returne vnto Egipte agayne?

4 And they sayde one to another: let vs make a captayne and returne vnto Egipte agayne.

5 And Moses and Aaron fell on their faces before all the congregacion of the multitude of the childern of Israel.

6 And Iosua the sonne of Nun and Caleb the sonne of Iephune which were of them that serched the londe rent their clothes

7 and spake vnto all the companye of the childern of Ysrael saynge: The londe which we walked thorowe to serche it is a very good lande.

Numbers 14:1-7 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.