New International Version
Numbers 14:2
2All 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!
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!
- English Standard Version (ESV)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!
- 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
1That night all the members of the community raised their voices and wept aloud. 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! 3Why is the Lord bringing us to this land only to let us fall by the sword? Our wives and children will be taken as plunder. Wouldn’t it be better for us to go back to Egypt?” 4And they said to each other, “We should 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 16:41The next day the whole Israelite community grumbled against Moses and Aaron. “You have killed the Lord’s people,” they said.
- Exodus 15:24So the people grumbled against Moses, saying, “What are we to drink?”
- Exodus 16:2In the desert the whole community grumbled against Moses and Aaron.
- Exodus 17:3But the people were thirsty for water there, and they grumbled against Moses. They said, “Why did you bring us up out of Egypt to make us and our children and livestock die of thirst?”
- Deuteronomy 1:27You grumbled in your tents and said, “The Lord hates us; so he brought us out of Egypt to deliver us into the hands of the Amorites to destroy us.
- Psalms 106:24Then they despised the pleasant land; they did not believe his promise.
- 1 Corinthians 10:10And do not grumble, as some of them did—and were killed by the destroying angel.
- Philippians 2:14Do everything without grumbling or arguing,
- Jude 1:16These people are grumblers and faultfinders; they follow their own evil desires; they boast about themselves and flatter others for their own advantage.
- Numbers 14:28So tell them, ‘As surely as I live, declares the Lord, I will do to you the very thing I heard you say:
- Numbers 11:15If this is how you are going to treat me, please go ahead and kill me—if I have found favor in your eyes—and do not let me face my own ruin.”
- 1 Kings 19:4while he himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness. He came to a broom bush, sat down under it and prayed that he might die. “I have had enough, Lord,” he said. “Take my life; I am no better than my ancestors.”
- Job 3:11“Why did I not perish at birth, and die as I came from the womb?
- Job 7:15so that I prefer strangling and death, rather than this body of mine.
- Jonah 4:3Now, Lord, take away my life, 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
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