Numbers 14:39-45

Israel Defeated in Battle

39 When Moses told these words to all the people of Israel, the people ¹mourned greatly.

40 And they rose early in the morning and went up to the heights of the hill country, saying, ²"Here we are. We will go up to the place that the LORD has promised, for we have sinned."

41 ³But Moses said, "Why now are you transgressing the command of the LORD, when that will not succeed?

42 ⁴Do not go up, ⁵for the Lord is not among you, lest you be struck down before your enemies.

43 For there ⁶the Amalekites and the Canaanites are facing you, and you shall fall by the sword. Because you have turned back from following the LORD, the LORD will not be with you."

44 ⁷But they presumed to go up to the heights of the hill country, although neither ⁸the ark of the covenant of the LORD nor Moses departed out of the camp.

45 Then ⁹the Amalekites and the Canaanites who lived in that hill country came down and defeated them and pursued them, even to ¹⁰Hormah.

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.

Cross References

• 1. Exodus 33:4
• 2. Deuteronomy 1:41
• 3. [2 Chronicles 24:20]
• 4. Deuteronomy 1:42
• 5. [Deuteronomy 31:17]
• 6. ver. 25, 45; See Numbers 13:29
• 7. Deuteronomy 1:43
• 8. [1 Samuel 4:3]
• 9. ver. 43; [Deuteronomy 1:44]
• 10. Numbers 21:3; Judges 1:17