Numbers Chapter 14
The People Rebel
1 The community cried out loud that night 2 and complained to Moses and Aaron,
“We should’ve died in Egypt! We should’ve died in the desert! 3 Why is Yahveh taking us to this land to fall by the sword? Our wives and little ones will become spoils of war. Wouldn’t we be better off to go back to Egypt?”
4 They said to one another, “Let’s appoint a leader and go back.”
5Moses and Aaron fell on their faces in front of the assembly. 6 Joshua Ben-Nun and Caleb Ben-Jephunneh tore their clothes 7 and told them,
“The land we passed through is really good land. 8 If Yahveh is pleased with us, he’ll take us in and give it to us, a land flowing with milk and honey. 9 Don’t rebel against him or be afraid of them; they’ll be our prey. Their protection has been removed, and Yahveh is with us.”
10 But the community said to stone them. Then the glory of Yahveh appeared in the Tent of Meeting to the Israelites, 11 and he told Moses,
“How long will these people spurn me? How long will they not trust me despite all the signs I’ve performed among them? 12 I’ll hit them with a plague and disinherit them; I’ll make you into a nation bigger and stronger than them.”
Num 14:1-12
Moses Intercedes for the People
13 But Moses told him,
“The Egyptians will hear about it, because by your strength you brought these people up from among them, 14 and they’ll tell the people in this land. They’ve heard you’re among the people. You’re seen eye to eye while your cloud stands over them, and you lead them with a pillar of cloud in the daytime and a pillar of fire at night. 15 If you kill this whole nation, the nations that have heard of your fame will say 16 youY couldn’t take them to the land you promised them with an oath; so you killed them in the desert. 17 Let yours power be great, like you’ve said, 18 ‘You’reY slow to get angry, you abound in kindness, and forgive sin. But you won’t by any means acquit the guilty. You visit the consequences of parents’ sin on their descendants for three or four generations.’ 19 Pardon these people in keeping with your great kindness—like you’ve done from Egypt till now.”
God Measures Out Judgment
20 Yahveh said,
“I’ll pardon them; 21 but as I live, I’ll fill the whole world with my glory. 22 The people saw my glory and signs in Egypt and in the desert, but they’ve tested me ten times and ignored me. 23 None of them that spurned me will see the land I swore to their ancestors. 24 I’ll take my servant Caleb in. He’s had a different spirit and followed me faithfully. His descendants will take possession of it. 25 The Amalekites and Canaanites live in the valleys. Turn around tomorrow and set out to the open country by the Red Sea.”
Num 14:13-25
26 Yahveh said to Moses and Aaron,
27 “How long will I bear with this evil community and their complaints against me. 26-28 Tell them, ‘As I live,’ Yahveh says, ‘as you’ve said what I can hear, I’ll say what you can hear. 29 Your corpses will fall in this desert—everyone 20 years old and up that’s criticized me. 30 You won’t come into the land I swore to settle you in—except Caleb and Joshua. 31 I’ll take in the little ones you said would be prey. They’ll experience the land you rejected. [ 32 ] 33 Your offspring will be shepherds in the desert for 40 years. Because of your unfaithfulness, they’ll suffer till your corpses lie in the desert. 34 So you’ll realize how displeased I am, you’ll suffer for your guilt one year for every day you spied out the land. 35 I’ve spoken, and I’ll do it to this community that has united against me: you’ll die in this desert.”
36-37 The men that got the community to criticize Moses because of their bad report, died by a plague in Yahveh’s presence. 38 But Joshua and Caleb remained alive.
Num 14:26-38
Israel Defeated in Battle
39 When Moses told that to the people, they mourned greatly. 40 But in the morning, they got up early and went up to the ridge of the hill country, “Here we are. We’ve indeed sinned, but we’ll go up to the place Yahveh promised.”
41 But Moses said,
“Why sin against hisY command? It won’t work. 42 Don’t go; your enemies will strike you down. Yahveh’s not with you. 43 The Amalekites and Canaanites will confront you, and you’ll fall by the sword because you rejected him.”
44 But they went up anyway to the ridge of the hill country. Moses and the Ark stayed in camp. 45 The Amalekites and Canaanites attacked them and beat them back to Hormah.
Num 14:39-45