Numbers 14

1 That night all the people in the camp began crying loudly.

2 All the Israelites complained against Moses and Aaron, and all the people said to them, "We wish we had died in Egypt or in this desert.

3 Why is the Lord bringing us to this land to be killed with swords? Our wives and children will be taken away. We would be better off going back to Egypt."

4 They said to each other, "Let's choose a leader and go back to Egypt."

5 Then Moses and Aaron bowed facedown in front of all the Israelites gathered there.

6 Joshua son of Nun and Caleb son of Jephunneh, who had explored the land, tore their clothes.

7 They said to all of the Israelites, "The land we explored is very good.

8 If the Lord is pleased with us, he will lead us into that land and give us that fertile land.

9 Don't turn against the Lord! Don't be afraid of the people in that land! We will chew them up. They have no protection, but the Lord is with us. So don't be afraid of them."

10 Then all the people talked about killing them with stones. But the glory of the Lord appeared at the Meeting Tent to all the Israelites.

11 The Lord said to Moses, "How long will these people ignore me? How long will they not believe me in spite of the miracles I have done among them?

12 I will give them a terrible sickness and get rid of them. But I will make you into a great nation that will be stronger than they are."

13 Then Moses said to the Lord, "The Egyptians will hear about it! You brought these people from there by your great power,

14 and the Egyptians will tell this to those who live in this land. They have already heard about you, Lord. They know that you are with your people and that you were seen face to face. They know that your cloud stays over your people and that you lead your people with that cloud during the day and with fire at night.

15 If you put these people to death all at once, the nations who have heard about your power will say,

16 'The Lord was not able to bring them into the land he promised them. So he killed them in the desert.'

17 "So show your strength now, Lord. Do what you said:

18 'The Lord doesn't become angry quickly, but he has great love. He forgives sin and law breaking. But the Lord never forgets to punish guilty people. When parents sin, he will also punish their children, their grandchildren, their great-grandchildren, and their great-great-grandchildren.'

19 By your great love, forgive these people's sin, just as you have forgiven them from the time they left Egypt until now."

20 The Lord answered, "I have forgiven them as you asked.

21 But, as surely as I live and as surely as my glory fills the whole earth, I make this promise:

22 All these men saw my glory and the miracles I did in Egypt and in the desert, but they disobeyed me and tested me ten times.

23 So not one of them will see the land I promised to their ancestors. No one who rejected me will see that land.

24 But my servant Caleb thinks differently and follows me completely. So I will bring him into the land he has already seen, and his children will own that land.

25 Since the Amalekites and the Canaanites are living in the valleys, leave tomorrow and follow the desert road toward the Red Sea."

26 The Lord said to Moses and Aaron,

27 "How long will these evil people complain about me? I have heard the grumbling and complaining of these Israelites.

28 So tell them, 'This is what the Lord says. I heard what you said, and as surely as I live, I will do those very things to you:

29 You will die in this desert. Every one of you who is twenty years old or older and who was counted with the people -- all of you who complained against me -- will die.

30 Not one of you will enter the land where I promised you would live; only Caleb son of Jephunneh and Joshua son of Nun will go in.

31 You said that your children would be taken away, but I will bring them into the land to enjoy what you refused.

32 As for you, you will die in this desert.

33 Your children will be shepherds here for forty years. Because you were not loyal, they will suffer until you lie dead in the desert.

34 For forty years you will suffer for your sins -- a year for each of the forty days you explored the land. You will know me as your enemy.'

35 I, the Lord, have spoken, and I will certainly do these things to all these evil people who have come together against me. So they will all die here in this desert."

36 The men Moses had sent to explore the land had returned and spread complaints among all the people. They had given a bad report about the land.

37 The men who gave a very bad report died; the Lord killed them with a terrible sickness.

38 Only two of the men who explored the land did not die -- Joshua son of Nun and Caleb son of Jephunneh.

39 When Moses told these things to all the Israelites, they were very sad.

40 Early the next morning they started to go toward the top of the mountains, saying, "We have sinned. We will go where the Lord told us."

41 But Moses said, "Why are you disobeying the Lord's command? You will not win!

42 Don't go, because the Lord is not with you and you will be beaten by your enemies.

43 You will run into the Amalekites and Canaanites, who will kill you with swords. You have turned away from the Lord, so the Lord will not be with you."

44 But they were proud. They went toward the top of the mountains, but Moses and the Ark of the Agreement with the Lord did not leave the camp.

45 The Amalekites and the Canaanites who lived in those mountains came down and attacked the Israelites and beat them back all the way to Hormah.

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Numbers 14 Commentary

Chapter 14

The people murmur at the account of the spies. (1-4) Joshua and Caleb labour to still the people. (5-10) The Divine threatenings, The intercession of Moses. (11-19) The murmurers forbidden to enter the promised land. (20-35) Death of the evil spies. (36-39) Defeat of the people, who now would invade the land. (40-45)

Verses 1-4 Those who do not trust God, continually vex themselves. The sorrow of the world worketh death. The Israelites murmured against Moses and Aaron, and in them reproached the Lord. They look back with causeless discontent. See the madness of unbridled passions, which makes men prodigal of what nature accounts most dear, life itself. They wish rather to die criminals under God's justice, than to live conquerors in his favour. At last they resolve, that, instead of going forward to Canaan, they would go back to Egypt. Those who walk not in God's counsels, seek their own ruin. Could they expect that God's cloud would lead them, or his manna attend them? Suppose the difficulties of conquering Canaan were as they imagined, those of returning to Egypt were much greater. We complain of our place and lot, and we would change; but is there any place or condition in this world, that has not something in it to make us uneasy, if we are disposed to be so? The way to better our condition, is to get our spirits in a better frame. See the folly of turning from the ways of God. But men run on the certain fatal consequences of a sinful course.

Verses 5-10 Moses and Aaron were astonished to see a people throw away their own mercies. Caleb and Joshua assured the people of the goodness of the land. They made nothing of the difficulties in the way of their gaining it. If men were convinced of the desirableness of the gains of religion, they would not stick at the services of it. Though the Canaanites dwell in walled cities, their defence was departed from them. The other spies took notice of their strength, but these of their wickedness. No people can be safe, when they have provoked God to leave them. Though Israel dwell in tents, they are fortified. While we have the presence of God with us, we need not fear the most powerful force against us. Sinners are ruined by their own rebellion. But those who, like Caleb and Joshua, faithfully expose themselves for God, are sure to be taken under his special protection, and shall be hid from the rage of men, either under heaven or in heaven.

Verses 11-19 Moses made humble intercession for Israel. Herein he was a type of Christ, who prayed for those that despitefully used him. The pardon of a nation's sin, is the turning away the nation's punishment; and for that Moses is here so earnest. Moses argued that, consistently with God's character, in his abundant mercies, he could forgive them.

Verses 20-35 The Lord granted the prayer of Moses so far as not at once to destroy the congregation. But disbelief of the promise forbids the benefit. Those who despise the pleasant land shall be shut out of it. The promise of God should be fulfilled to their children. They wished to die in the wilderness; God made their sin their ruin, took them at their word, and their carcases fell in the wilderness. They were made to groan under the burden of their own sin, which was too heavy for them to bear. Ye shall know my breach of promise, both the causes of it, that it is procured by your sin, for God never leaves any till they first leave him; and the consequences of it, that will produce your ruin. But your little ones, now under twenty years old, which ye, in your unbelief, said should be a prey, them will I bring in. God will let them know that he can put a difference between the guilty and the innocent, and cut them off without touching their children. Thus God would not utterly take away his loving kindness.

Verses 36-39 Here is the sudden death of the ten evil spies. They sinned in bringing a slander upon the land of promise. Those greatly provoke God, who misrepresent religion, raise dislike in men's minds toward it, or give opportunity to those to do so, who seek occasion. Justly are murmurers made mourners. If they had mourned for the sin, when they were faithfully reproved, the sentence had been prevented; but as they mourned for the judgment only, it did them no service. There is in hell such mourning as this; but tears will not quench the flames, nor cool the tongue.

Verses 40-45 Some of the Israelites were now earnest to go forward toward Canaan. But it came too late. If men would but be as earnest for heaven while their day of grace lasts, as they will be when it is over, how well would it be for them! That which has been duty in its season, when mistimed, may be turned into sin. Those who are out of the way of their duty, are not under God's protection, and go at their peril. God bade them go, and they would not; he forbade them, and they would go. Thus is the carnal mind enmity against God. They had distrusted God's strength; they now presume upon their own without his. And the expedition fails accordingly; now the sentence began to be executed, that their carcases should fall in the wilderness. That affair can never end well, which begins with sin. The way to obtain peace with our friends, and success against our enemies, is, to have God, as our Friend, and to keep in his love. Let us take warning from the fate of Israel, lest we perish after the same example of unbelief. Let us go forth, depending on God's mercy, power, promise, and truth; he will be with us, and bring our souls to everlasting rest.

Taken from Matthew Henry Commentary on the Whole Bible (Concise)

Chapter Summary

INTRODUCTION TO NUMBERS 14

This chapter treats or the murmurings of the children of Israel upon the evil report of the spies, which greatly distressed Moses and Aaron, Nu 14:1-5; and of the endeavours of Joshua and Caleb to quiet the minds of the people with a good account of the land, and of the easy conquest of it, but to no purpose, Nu 14:6-10; and of the Lord's threatening to destroy the people with the pestilence, Nu 14:11,12; and of the intercession of Moses for them, which so far succeeded as to prevent their immediate destruction, Nu 14:13-20; nevertheless they are assured again and again, in the strongest terms, that none of them but Joshua and Caleb should enter into the land, but their carcasses should fall in the wilderness, even all the murmurers of twenty years old and upwards, Nu 14:21-35; and the ten men that brought the evil report of the good land died of a plague immediately, but the other two lived, Nu 14:36-38; and the body of the people that attempted to go up the mountain and enter the land were smitten and discomfited by their enemies, after they had with concern heard what the Lord threatened them with, Nu 14:39-45.