English Standard Version
Numbers 14:2
2And all the people of Israel grumbled against Moses and Aaron. The whole congregation said to them, "Would that we had died in the land of Egypt! Or would that we had died in this wilderness!
Numbers 14:2 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And all the children of Israel murmured against Moses and against Aaron: and the whole congregation said unto them, Would God that we had died in the land of Egypt! or would God we had died in this wilderness!
- New International Version (NIV)All the Israelites grumbled against Moses and Aaron, and the whole assembly said to them, “If only we had died in Egypt! Or in this wilderness!
- New King James Version (NKJV)And all the children of Israel complained against Moses and Aaron, and the whole congregation said to them, “If only we had died in the land of Egypt! Or if only we had died in this wilderness!
- New Living Translation (NLT)Their voices rose in a great chorus of protest against Moses and Aaron. “If only we had died in Egypt, or even here in the wilderness!” they complained.
Context of Numbers 14:2
1Then all the congregation raised a loud cry, and the people wept that night. And all the people of Israel grumbled against Moses and Aaron. The whole congregation said to them, "Would that we had died in the land of Egypt! Or would that we had died in this wilderness! 3Why is the Lord bringing us into this land, to fall by the sword? Our wives and our little ones will become a prey. Would it not be better for us to go back to Egypt?" 4And they said to one another, "Let us choose a leader and go back to Egypt."
Read all of Numbers 14Numbers 14:2 word by word
וַיִּלֹּ֙נוּ֙ עַל־מֹשֶׁ֣ה וְעַֽל־אַהֲרֹ֔ן כֹּ֖ל בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וַֽיֹּאמְר֨וּ אֲלֵהֶ֜ם כָּל־הָעֵדָ֗ה לוּ־מַ֙תְנוּ֙ בְּאֶ֣רֶץ מִצְרַ֔יִם א֛וֹ בַּמִּדְבָּ֥ר הַזֶּ֖ה לוּ־מָֽתְנוּ׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- And all the childrenבֵּןbên · son: descendant/peopleH1121
- of Israelיִשְׂרָאֵלyiώrâ'êl · IsraelH3478
- murmuredלוּןlûn lîyn · to grumbleH3885
- against Mosesמֹשֶׁהmôsheh · MosesH4872
- and against Aaronאַהֲרֹן'ahărôn · AaronH175
- and the whole congregationעֵדָה‛êdâh · congregationH5712
- saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- unto them, Would Godלוּlû' lû' lû · ifH3863
- that we had diedמוּתmûth · to dieH4191
- in the landאֶ֫רֶץ'erets · land: country/planetH776
- of Egyptמִצְרַ֫יִםmitsrayim · EgyptH4714
- in this wildernessמִדְבָּרmidbâr · wildernessH4057
Cross-references for Numbers 14:2
- Numbers 16:41But on the next day all the congregation of the people of Israel grumbled against Moses and against Aaron, saying, "You have killed the people of the Lord."
- Exodus 15:24And the people grumbled against Moses, saying, "What shall we drink?"
- Exodus 16:2And the whole congregation of the people of Israel grumbled against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness,
- Exodus 17:3But the people thirsted there for water, and the people grumbled against Moses and said, "Why did you bring us up out of Egypt, to kill us and our children and our livestock with thirst?"
- Deuteronomy 1:27And you murmured in your tents and said, 'Because the Lord hated us he has brought us out of the land of Egypt, to give us into the hand of the Amorites, to destroy us.
- Psalms 106:24Then they despised the pleasant land, having no faith in his promise.
- 1 Corinthians 10:10nor grumble, as some of them did and were destroyed by the Destroyer.
- Philippians 2:14Do all things without grumbling or disputing,
- Jude 1:16These are grumblers, malcontents, following their own sinful desires; they are loud-mouthed boasters, showing favoritism to gain advantage.
- Numbers 14:28Say to them, 'As I live, declares the Lord, what you have said in my hearing I will do to you:
- Numbers 11:15If you will treat me like this, kill me at once, if I find favor in your sight, that I may not see my wretchedness."
- 1 Kings 19:4But he himself went a day's journey into the wilderness and came and sat down under a broom tree. And he asked that he might die, saying, "It is enough; now, O Lord, take away my life, for I am no better than my fathers."
- Job 3:11"Why did I not die at birth, come out from the womb and expire?
- Job 7:15so that I would choose strangling and death rather than my bones.
- Jonah 4:3Therefore now, O Lord, please take my life from me, for it is better for me to die than to live."
Commentaries on Numbers 14:2
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1-38Twelve spies explored the fertile land of Canaan and found strong enemies defending it. Earlier chapters show Israel's disobedience, hinting at future failures. The Israelites did not have the obedience, courage, or faith to capture the land. So, the Lord made them spend 40 years in the Wilderness of Sinai. That generation did not receive their inheritance in the promised land.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2-42-4. Would God that we had died in Egypt--Such insolence to their generous leaders, and such base ingratitude to God, show the deep degradation of the Israelites, and the absolute necessity of the decree that debarred that generation from entering the promised land [Nu 14:29-35]. They were punished by their wishes being granted to die in that wilderness [He 3:17; Jude 5]. A leader to reconduct them to Egypt is spoken of (Ne 9:17) as actually nominated…Read the comment
Topics related to Numbers 14:2
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Numbers 14
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
English Standard Version — © 2001 Crossway Bibles
Commentaries