Numeri 14:39-45

39 Or Mosè riferì quelle parole a tutti i figliuoli d’Israele; e il popolo ne fece gran cordoglio.

40 E la mattina si levarono di buon’ora e salirono sulla cima del monte, dicendo: "Eccoci qua; noi saliremo ai luogo di cui ha parlato l’Eterno, poiché abbiamo peccato".

41 Ma Mosè disse: "Perché trasgredite l’ordine dell’Eterno? La cosa non v’andrà bene.

42 Non salite, perché l’Eterno non è in mezzo a voi; che non abbiate ad essere sconfitti dai vostri nemici!

43 Poiché là, di fronte a voi, stanno gli Amalekiti e i Cananei, e voi cadrete per la spada; giacché vi siete sviati dall’Eterno, l’Eterno non sarà con voi".

44 Nondimeno, s’ostinarono a salire sulla cima del monte; ma l’arca del patto dell’Eterno e Mosè non si mossero di mezzo al campo.

45 Allora gli Amalekiti e i Cananei che abitavano su quel monte scesero giù, li batterono, e li fecero a pezzi fino a Hormah.

Numeri 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.