Numbers 14:3-13

3 Would we had died in the land of Egypt! or in this wilderness, would we had died! and why does the Lord bring us into this land to fall in war? our wives and our children shall be for a prey: now then it is better to return into Egypt.

4 And they said one to another, Let us make a ruler, and return into Egypt.

5 And Moses and Aaron fell upon their face before all the congregation of the children of Israel.

6 But Joshua the of Naue, and Chaleb the of Jephonne, of them that spied out the land, rent their garments,

7 and spoke to all the congregation of the children of Israel, saying, The land which we surveyed is indeed extremely good.

8 If the Lord choose us, he will bring us into this land, and give it us; a land which flows with milk and honey.

9 Only depart not from the Lord; and fear ye not the people of the land, for they are meat for us; for the season is departed from them, but the Lord among us: fear them not.

10 And all the congregation bade stone them with stones; and the glory of the Lord appeared in the cloud on the tabernacle of witness to all the children of Israel.

11 And the Lord said to Moses, How long does this people provoke me? and how long do they refuse to believe me for all the signs which I have wrought among them?

12 I will smite them with death, and destroy them; and I will make of thee and of thy father's house a great nation, and much greater than this.

13 And Moses said to the Lord, So Egypt shall hear, for thou hast brought up this people from them by thy might.

Numbers 14:3-13 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.

Footnotes

• [a]. not believe me.