Numbers 14

The People Rebel

1Then allH3605 the congregationH5712 1liftedH5375 up their voicesH6963 and criedH5414, and the peopleH5971 weptH1058 2that nightH3915. 2AllH3605 the sonsH1121 of IsraelH3478 3grumbledH3885 againstH5921 MosesH4872 and AaronH175; and the wholeH3605 congregationH5712 saidH559 to them, “4WouldH3863 that we had diedH4191 in the landH776 of EgyptH4714! OrH176 wouldH3863 that we had diedH4191 in thisH2088 wildernessH4057! 3WhyH4100 is the LordH3068 bringingH935 us into thisH2088 landH776, 5to fallH5307 by the swordH2719? 6Our wivesH802 and our littleH2945 onesH2945 will becomeH1961 plunderH957; would it not be betterH2896 for us to returnH7725 to EgyptH4714?” 4So they saidH559 to oneH376 anotherH251, “7Let us appointH5414 a leaderH7218 and returnH7725 to EgyptH4714.”

58Then MosesH4872 and AaronH175 fellH5307 on their facesH6440 in the presenceH6440 of allH3605 the assemblyH6951 of the congregationH5712 of the sonsH1121 of IsraelH3478. 6JoshuaH3091 the sonH1121 of NunH5126 and CalebH3612 the sonH1121 of JephunnehH3312, of those who had spiedH8446 out the landH776, toreH7167 their clothesH899; 7and they spokeH559 to allH3605 the congregationH5712 of the sonsH1121 of IsraelH3478, sayingH559, “9The landH776 whichH834 we passedH5674 throughH5674 to spyH8446 out is an exceedinglyH3966 goodH2896 landH776. 810IfH518 the LordH3068 is pleasedH2654 with us, then He will bringH935 us into thisH2088 landH776 and giveH5414 it to us--11a landH776 whichH834 flowsH2100 with milkH2461 and honeyH1706. 9OnlyH389 12do not rebelH4775 against the LordH3068; and do not 13fearH3372 the peopleH5971 of the landH776, for they will be our 14preyH3899. Their 15protectionH6738 has been removedH5493 from them, and the LordH3068 is with us; do not fearH3372 them.” 1016But allH3605 the congregationH5712 saidH559 to stoneH7275 them with stonesH68. Then 17the gloryH3519 of the LordH3068 appearedH7200 in the tentH168 of meetingH4150 to allH3605 the sonsH1121 of IsraelH3478.

Moses Pleads for the People

1118The LordH3068 saidH559 to MosesH4872, “HowH575 longH5704 will thisH2088 peopleH5971 spurnH5006 Me? And howH575 longH5704 will 19they not believeH539 in Me, despite allH3605 the signsH226 whichH834 I have performedH6213 in their midstH7130? 12I will smiteH5221 them with 2021pestilenceH1698 and dispossessH3423 them, and I 22will makeH6213 you into a nationH1471 greaterH1419 and mightierH6099 thanH4480 they.”

1323But MosesH4872 saidH559 to the LordH3068, “Then the EgyptiansH4714 will hearH8085 of it, for by Your strengthH3581 You broughtH5927 up thisH2088 peopleH5971 from their midstH7130, 14and they will tellH559 it to the inhabitantsH3427 of thisH2088 landH776. They have heardH8085 that You, O LordH3068, are in the midstH7130 of thisH2088 peopleH5971, for 24You, O LordH3068, are seenH7200 eyeH5869 to eyeH5869, while Your cloudH6051 standsH5975 overH5921 them; and You goH1980 beforeH6440 them in a pillarH5982 of cloudH6051 by dayH3119 and in a pillarH5982 of fireH784 by nightH3915. 15Now if You slayH5221 thisH2088 peopleH5971 as oneH259 manH376, 25then the nationsH1471 whoH834 have heardH8085 of Your fameH8088 will 26sayH559, 16‘BecauseH4480 the LordH3068 27couldH3201 not bringH935 thisH2088 peopleH5971 into the landH776 whichH834 He promisedH7650 them by oathH7650, therefore He slaughteredH7819 them in the wildernessH4057.’ 17But nowH6258, I prayH4994, let the powerH3581 of the LordH136 be greatH1431, justH3512 as You have 28declaredH1696H559, 18‘29The LordH3068 is slowH750 to angerH639 and abundantH7227 in lovingkindnessH2617, forgivingH5375 iniquityH5771 and transgressionH6588; but 30He will by noH3808 meansH5352 clearH5352 the guilty, 31visitingH6485 the iniquityH5771 of the fathersH1 on the childrenH1121 32to the thirdH8029 and the fourthH7256 generations.’ 1933PardonH5545, I prayH4994, the iniquityH5771 of thisH2088 peopleH5971 according to the greatnessH1433 of Your lovingkindnessH2617, justH3512 as You also have forgivenH5375 thisH2088 peopleH5971, from EgyptH4714 even untilH5704 nowH2008.”

The Lord Pardons and Rebukes

20So the LordH3068 saidH559, “34I have pardonedH5545 them according to your wordH1697; 21but indeedH199, 35as I liveH2416, 3637allH3605 the earthH776 will be filledH4390 with the gloryH3519 of the LordH3068. 22SurelyH3588 38allH3605 the menH376 who have seenH7200 My gloryH3519 and My signsH226 whichH834 I performedH6213 in EgyptH4714 and in the wildernessH4057, yet 39have putH5254 Me to the testH5254 theseH2088 tenH6235 timesH6471 and have not listenedH8085 to My voiceH6963, 2340shall by noH518 meansH518 seeH7200 the landH776 whichH834 I sworeH7650 to their fathersH1, norH3808 shall anyH3605 of those who spurnedH5006 Me seeH7200 it. 24But My servantH5650 CalebH3612, 41becauseH6118 he hasH5973 hadH1961 a differentH312 spiritH7307 and has followedH310 Me fullyH4390, 4243I will bringH935 into the landH776 44whichH834 he enteredH935, and his 45descendantsH2233 shall takeH3423 possessionH3423 of it. 2546Now the AmalekitesH6003 and the CanaanitesH3669 liveH3427 in the valleysH6010; turnH6437 tomorrowH4279 and setH5265 out to the wildernessH4057 by the wayH1870 of the 47RedH5488H3220 SeaH3220.”

26The LordH3068 spokeH1696 to MosesH4872 and AaronH175, sayingH559, 27“HowH4970 longH5704H4970 shall I bear with thisH2088 evilH7451 congregationH5712 whoH834 are 48grumblingH3885 againstH5921 Me? I have heardH8085 the complaintsH8519 of the sonsH1121 of IsraelH3478, whichH834 they are 49makingH3885 againstH5921 Me. 28SayH559 to them, ‘50As I liveH2416,’ saysH5002 the LordH3068, ‘justH3512 as 51you have spokenH1696 in My hearingH241, soH3651 I will surely doH6213 to you; 2952your corpsesH6297 will fallH5307 in thisH2088 wildernessH4057, even allH3605 53your 54numberedH6485 men, according to your completeH3605 numberH4557 from twentyH6242 yearsH8141 oldH1121 and upwardH4605, whoH834 have grumbledH3885 againstH5921 Me. 30SurelyH518 you shall not comeH935 into the landH776 in whichH834 I 55sworeH5375H3027 to settleH7931 you, 56exceptH3588H518 CalebH3612 the sonH1121 of JephunnehH3312 and JoshuaH3091 the sonH1121 of NunH5126. 3157Your childrenH2945, however, whomH834 you saidH559 would becomeH1961 a preyH957--I will bringH935 them in, and they will knowH3045 the landH776 whichH834 you have rejectedH3988. 3258But as for you, your corpsesH6297 will fallH5307 in thisH2088 wildernessH4057. 33Your sonsH1121 shall be shepherdsH7462 for 59fortyH705 yearsH8141 in the wildernessH4057, and they will 60sufferH5375 for your 61unfaithfulnessH2184, untilH5704 your corpsesH6297 62lieH8552 in the wildernessH4057. 34According to the 63numberH4557 of daysH3117 whichH834 you spiedH8446 out the landH776, fortyH705 daysH3117, for everyH3117 dayH3117 you shall bearH5375 your 64guiltH5771 a yearH8141, even fortyH705 yearsH8141, and you will knowH3045 My oppositionH8569. 3565I, the LordH3068, have spokenH1696, surelyH518H3808 thisH2088 I will doH6213 to allH3605 thisH2088 evilH7451 congregationH5712 who are gatheredH3259 together againstH5921 Me. In thisH2088 wildernessH4057 they shall be destroyedH8552, and thereH8033 they will dieH4191.’”

3666As for the menH376 whomH834 MosesH4872 sentH7971 to spyH8446 out the landH776 and who returnedH7725 and made allH3605 the congregationH5712 grumbleH3885 againstH5921 him by bringingH3318 out a badH1681 reportH1681 concerningH5921 the landH776, 37even 67those menH376 who broughtH3318 out the very badH1681H7451 reportH1681 of the landH776 diedH4191 by a 68plagueH4046 beforeH6440 the LordH3068. 38But JoshuaH3091 the sonH1121 of NunH5126 and CalebH3612 the sonH1121 of JephunnehH3312 remainedH2421 aliveH2421 out of thoseH1992 menH376 who wentH1980 to spyH8446 out the landH776.

Israel Repulsed

39When MosesH4872 spokeH1696 69theseH428 wordsH1697 to allH3605 the sonsH1121 of IsraelH3478, 70the peopleH5971 mournedH56 greatlyH3966. 40In the morningH1242, however, they roseH7925 up earlyH7925 and wentH5927 up to the 71ridgeH7218 of the hillH2022 countryH2022, sayingH559, “72HereH2009 we are; 73we have indeedH3588 sinnedH2398, but we will goH5927 up to the placeH4725 whichH834 the LordH3068 has promisedH559.” 41But MosesH4872 saidH559, “74WhyH4100 thenH2088 are you transgressingH5674 the 75commandmentH6310 of the LordH3068, when it will not succeedH6743? 4276Do not goH5927 up, orH3808 you will be struckH5062 downH5062 beforeH6440 your enemiesH340, for the LordH3068 is not amongH7130 you. 43For the AmalekitesH6003 and the CanaanitesH3669 will be thereH8033 in frontH6440 of you, and you will fallH5307 by the swordH2719, inasmuchH3588H5921H3651 as you have turnedH7725 backH7725 from followingH310 the LordH3068. And the LordH3068 will not be with you.” 44But they wentH5927 up heedlesslyH6075 to the 77ridgeH7218 of the hillH2022 countryH2022; neitherH3808 78the arkH727 of the covenantH1285 of the LordH3068 norH3808 MosesH4872 leftH4185 the campH4264. 45Then the AmalekitesH6003 and the CanaanitesH3669 who livedH3427 in that hillH2022 countryH2022 cameH3381 downH3381, and struckH5221 them and beatH3807 them downH3807 as farH5704 as 79HormahH2767.