Numbers 14:39-45

Israel Routed

39 When Moses reported these words to all the Israelites, the people were overcome with grief.
40 They got up early the next morning and went up the ridge of the hill country, saying, "Let's go to the place the Lord promised, for we were wrong."[a]
41 But Moses responded, "Why are you going against the Lord's command? It won't succeed.
42 Don't go, because the Lord is not among you and you will be defeated by your enemies.
43 The Amalekites and Canaanites are right in front of you, and you will fall by the sword. The Lord won't be with you, since you have turned from following Him."
44 But they dared to go up the ridge of the hill country, even though the ark of the Lord's covenant and Moses did not leave the camp.
45 Then the Amalekites and Canaanites who lived in that [part of the] hill country came down, attacked them, and routed them as far as Hormah.[b]

Numbers 14:39-45 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 2

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