Numbers 14

The People Rebel

1Then allH3605 the congregationH5712 1raisedH5375 their voicesH6963 and criedH5414 outH5414, and the peopleH5971 weptH1058 2that nightH3915. 2And allH3605 the sonsH1121 of IsraelH3478 3grumbledH3885 againstH5921 MosesH4872 and AaronH175; and the entireH3605 congregationH5712 saidH559 to them, “4IfH3863 onlyH3863 we had diedH4191 in the landH776 of EgyptH4714! OrH176 even ifH3863 we had diedH4191 in thisH2088 wildernessH4057! 3So whyH4100 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’s 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. 6And JoshuaH3091 the sonH1121 of NunH5126 and CalebH3612 the sonH1121 of JephunnehH3312, of those who had spiedH8446 outH8446 the landH776, toreH7167 their clothesH899; 7and they spokeH559 to allH3605 the congregationH5712 of the sonsH1121 of IsraelH3478, sayingH559, “9The landH776 whichH834 we passedH5674 through to spyH8446 outH8446 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 is goneH5493 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

1118And the LordH3068 saidH559 to MosesH4872, “HowH575 longH5704 will thisH2088 peopleH5971 beH5006 disrespectfulH5006 to Me? And howH575 longH5704 will 19they not 20believeH539 in Me, despite allH3605 the signsH226 that I have performedH6213 in their midstH7130? 12I will strikeH5221 them with 2122plagueH1698 and dispossessH3423 them, and I 23will makeH6213 you into a nationH1471 greaterH1419 and mightierH6099 thanH4480 they.”

1324But MosesH4872 saidH559 to the LordH3068, “Then the EgyptiansH4714 will hearH8085 of it, for by Your strengthH3581 You broughtH5927 thisH2088 peopleH5971 upH5927 from their midstH7130, 14and they will tellH559 it to the inhabitantsH3427 of thisH2088 landH776. They have heardH8085 that You, LordH3068, are in the midstH7130 of thisH2088 peopleH5971, becauseH834 25You, 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 putH4191 thisH2088 peopleH5971 toH4191 deathH4191 26allH376 at onceH259, 27then the nationsH1471 whoH834 have heardH8085 of Your fameH8088 will 28sayH559, 16‘SinceH4480 the LordH3068 29couldH3201 not bringH935 thisH2088 peopleH5971 into the landH776 whichH834 He promisedH7650 them byH7650 oathH7650, He slaughteredH7819 them in the wildernessH4057.’ 17So nowH6258, pleaseH4994, let the powerH3581 of the LordH136 beH1431 greatH1431, justH3512 asH3512 You have declaredH1696, sayingH559, 18‘30The LordH3068 is slowH750 to angerH639 and abundantH7227 in mercyH2617, forgivingH5375 wrongdoingH5771 and violationH6588 of His Law; but 31He will byH5352 noH3808 meansH5352 leaveH5352 the guilty unpunishedH5352, 32inflictingH6485 the 33punishmentH5771 of the fathersH1 on the childrenH1121 34to the thirdH8029 and the fourthH7256 generations.’ 19PleaseH4994 35forgiveH5545 the guiltH5771 of thisH2088 peopleH5971 in accordance with the greatnessH1433 of Your mercyH2617, justH3512 asH3512 You also have forgivenH5375 thisH2088 peopleH5971, from EgyptH4714 even untilH5704 nowH2008.”

The Lord Pardons and Rebukes

20So the LordH3068 saidH559, “36I have forgivenH5545 them in accordance with your wordH1697; 21howeverH199, 37as I liveH2416, 3839allH3605 the earthH776 will be filledH4390 with the gloryH3519 of the LordH3068. 22CertainlyH3588 40allH3605 the peopleH376 who have seenH7200 My gloryH3519 and My signsH226 whichH834 I performedH6213 in EgyptH4714 and in the wildernessH4057, yet 41have putH5254 Me toH5254 theH5254 testH5254 theseH2088 tenH6235 timesH6471 and have not listenedH8085 to My voiceH6963, 2342shall by noH518 meansH518 seeH7200 the landH776 whichH834 I sworeH7650 to their fathersH1, norH3808 shall anyH3605 of those who wereH5006 disrespectfulH5006 to Me seeH7200 it. 24But as for My servantH5650 CalebH3612, 43becauseH6118 he has hadH1961H5973 a differentH312 spiritH7307 and has followedH310 Me fullyH4390, 44I will bringH935 him into the landH776 whichH834 he 45enteredH935, and his 46descendantsH2233 shall takeH3423 possessionH3423 of it. 2547Now the AmalekitesH6003 and the CanaanitesH3669 liveH3427 in the valleysH6010; turnH6437 tomorrowH4279 and setH5265 outH5265 for the wildernessH4057 by the wayH1870 of the 48RedH5488 SeaH3220.”

26The LordH3068 spokeH1696 to MosesH4872 and AaronH175 again, sayingH559, 27“HowH4970 longH5704H4970 shall I put up with thisH2088 evilH7451 congregationH5712 whoH834 are 49grumblingH3885 againstH5921 Me? I have heardH8085 the complaintsH8519 of the sonsH1121 of IsraelH3478 whichH834 they are 50voicingH3885 againstH5921 Me. 28SayH559 to them, ‘51As I liveH2416,’ declaresH5002 the LordH3068, ‘justH3512 asH3512 52you have spokenH1696 in My hearingH241, soH3651 I will doH6213 to you; 2953your deadH6297 bodiesH6297 will fallH5307 in thisH2088 wildernessH4057, allH3605 54your 55numberedH6485 men according to your completeH3605 numberH4557 from twentyH6242 yearsH8141 oldH1121 and upwardH4605, whoH834 have grumbledH3885 againstH5921 Me. 30By noH518 meansH518 will you comeH935 into the landH776 whereH834 I 56sworeH5375H3027 to settleH7931 you, 57exceptH3588H518 for CalebH3612 the sonH1121 of JephunnehH3312 and JoshuaH3091 the sonH1121 of NunH5126. 3158Your childrenH2945, however, whomH834 you saidH559 would becomeH1961 plunderH957--I will bringH935 them inH935, and they will knowH3045 the landH776 whichH834 you have rejectedH3988. 3259But as for you, your deadH6297 bodiesH6297 will fallH5307 in thisH2088 wildernessH4057. 33Also, your sonsH1121 will be shepherdsH7462 in the wildernessH4057 for 60fortyH705 yearsH8141, and they will 61sufferH5375 for your unfaithfulnessH2184, untilH5704 your bodiesH6297 perishH8552 in the wildernessH4057. 34In accordance with the 62numberH4557 of daysH3117 that you spiedH8446 outH8446 the landH776, fortyH705 daysH3117, for everyH3117 dayH3117 you shall sufferH5375 the punishmentH5771 forH5771 your 63guiltH5771 a yearH8141, that is, fortyH705 yearsH8141, and you will knowH3045 My oppositionH8569. 3564I, the LordH3068, have spokenH1696, I certainlyH518H3808 will doH6213 thisH2088 to allH3605 thisH2088 evilH7451 congregationH5712 who are gatheredH3259 togetherH3259 againstH5921 Me. They shall beH8552 wornH8552 outH8552 in thisH2088 wildernessH4057, and thereH8033 they shall dieH4191.’”

3665As for the menH376 whomH834 MosesH4872 sentH7971 to spyH8446 outH8446 the landH776, and who returnedH7725 and led allH3605 the congregationH5712 to grumbleH3885 againstH5921 him by bringingH3318 a badH1681 reportH1681 aboutH5921 the landH776, 3766those menH376 who broughtH3318 the badH7451 reportH1681 of the landH776 also diedH4191 by a 67plagueH4046 in the presenceH6440 of the LordH3068. 38But JoshuaH3091 the sonH1121 of NunH5126 and CalebH3612 the sonH1121 of JephunnehH3312 remainedH2421 aliveH2421 out of thoseH1992 menH376 who wentH1980 to spyH8446 outH8446 the landH776.

Israel Repulsed

39Now when MosesH4872 spokeH1696 68theseH428 wordsH1697 to allH3605 the sonsH1121 of IsraelH3478, 69the peopleH5971 mournedH56 greatlyH3966. 40In the morningH1242, however, they gotH7925 upH7925 earlyH7925 and wentH5927 upH5927 to the 70ridgeH7218 of the hillH2022 countryH2022, sayingH559, “71HereH2009 we are; and we will goH5927 upH5927 to the placeH4725 whichH834 the LordH3068 has 72promisedH559, for 73we have sinnedH2398.” 41But MosesH4872 saidH559, “74WhyH4100 thenH2088 are you 75violatingH5674 the 76commandH6310 of the LordH3068, when doing so will not succeedH6743? 4277Do not goH5927 upH5927, for the LordH3068 is not amongH7130 you, 78to preventH3808 you from being defeatedH5062 79by your enemiesH340. 43For the AmalekitesH6003 and the CanaanitesH3669 will be thereH8033 80to confrontH6440 you, and you will fallH5307 by the swordH2719, sinceH3588H5921H3651 you have turnedH7725 backH7725 from followingH310 the LordH3068. And the LordH3068 will not be with you.” 44But they foolishly daredH6075 to goH5927 upH5927 to the 81ridgeH7218 of the hillH2022 countryH2022; neitherH3808 82the 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 scatteredH3807 them as farH5704 as 83HormahH2767.