Numbers 14:21-31

21 And as soothly (as) I live; and the glory of the Lord shall be filled in all [the] earth; (But as truly as I live, the glory of the Lord shall fill all the earth;)

22 nevertheless all [the] men that saw my majesty, and my signs, (and wonders,) which I did in Egypt and (here) in the wilderness, and [have] tempted me now by ten times, and obeyed not to my voice,

23 shall not see the land for which I swore to their fathers, neither any of them that backbited me, shall see it.

24 I shall lead my servant Caleb, that was full of another spirit and followed me, into this land, which he compassed, and his seed shall wield it. (But I shall lead my servant Caleb, who was full of another spirit and followed me, into this land, which he went about, and his descendants shall possess it.)

25 For Amalek and Canaanites dwell in the valleys, tomorrow move ye [the] tents, and turn ye again into the wilderness by the way of the Red Sea. (For the Amalekites and the Canaanites live in these valleys, tomorrow move ye your tents, and return ye to the wilderness by way of the Red Sea.)

26 And the Lord spake to Moses and to Aaron, and said,

27 How long groucheth this worst multitude against me? I have heard the grouching plaints of the sons of Israel. (How long grumbleth this worst multitude against me? I have heard all the grumbling and the complaints of the Israelites.)

28 Therefore say thou to them, (As) I live, saith the Lord; as ye spake while I heard, so I shall do to you;

29 your carrions, or dead bodies, shall lie in this wilderness. All ye that be numbered, from twenty years and above, and have grouched against me, (all your corpses shall lie here in this wilderness. All ye who be listed, or registered, from twenty years of age and older, and have grumbled against me,)

30 shall not enter into the land, upon which I have raised (up) mine hand, that I should make you to dwell there (where I would have you live), except Caleb, the son of Jephunneh, and Joshua, the son of Nun.

31 Forsooth I shall lead in your little children, of which ye said that they should be preys, either ravens, to (thine) enemies, that they see the land which displeased you. (But I shall lead in your little children, they of whom ye said would become your enemies? spoils, so that they can have the land which hath so displeased you.)

Numbers 14:21-31 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.