American King James Version - AKJV - 1999
Numbers 14
1
And all the congregation lifted up their voice, and cried; and the people wept that night.
Reference
Parallel theme
Deuteronomy 1:45
2
And all the children of Israel murmured against Moses and against Aaron: and the whole congregation said to them, Would God that we had died in the land of Egypt! or would God we had died in this wilderness!
Reference
Parallel theme
1 Corinthians 10:10
Jude 1:16
Psalm 106:24
Jonah 4:3
Numbers 11:15
References Egypt
Deuteronomy 1:27
References God
Jonah 4:8
References Moses
Exodus 15:24
Exodus 17:3
Numbers 16:41
3
And why has the LORD brought us to this land, to fall by the sword, that our wives and our children should be a prey? were it not better for us to return into Egypt?
Reference
4
And they said one to another, Let us make a captain, and let us return into Egypt.
Reference
Parallel theme
Luke 17:32
Hebrews 11:15
References Egypt
Acts 7:39
Deuteronomy 17:16
Deuteronomy 28:68
5
Then Moses and Aaron fell on their faces before all the assembly of the congregation of the children of Israel.
Reference
Parallel theme
Numbers 16:22
Numbers 16:45
Genesis 17:3
Joshua 5:14
Leviticus 9:24
Revelation 5:14
Revelation 4:10
References Israel
1 Chronicles 21:16
Ezekiel 9:8
References Moses
Numbers 16:4
6
And Joshua the son of Nun, and Caleb the son of Jephunneh, which were of them that searched the land, rent their clothes:
Reference
7
And they spoke to all the company of the children of Israel, saying, The land, which we passed through to search it, is an exceeding good land.
Reference
8
If the LORD delight in us, then he will bring us into this land, and give it us; a land which flows with milk and honey.
Reference
Light
2 Samuel 22:20
Deuteronomy 10:15
Isaiah 62:4
Psalm 22:8
1 Kings 10:9
Parallel theme
Romans 8:31
Numbers 13:27
Jeremiah 32:41
Exodus 3:8
References Lord
Zephaniah 3:17
9
Only rebel not you against the LORD, neither fear you the people of the land; for they are bread for us: their defense is departed from them, and the LORD is with us: fear them not.
Reference
Parallel theme
Romans 8:31
Psalm 74:14
Numbers 24:8
Joshua 1:5
References Lord
Deuteronomy 7:18
Deuteronomy 31:6
Deuteronomy 31:8
2 Chronicles 20:17
2 Chronicles 32:8
Psalm 121:5
10
But all the congregation bade stone them with stones. And the glory of the LORD appeared in the tabernacle of the congregation before all the children of Israel.
Reference
Glory
Leviticus 9:23
Exodus 16:10
Exodus 16:7
Numbers 16:42
Numbers 16:19
Numbers 20:6
Parallel theme
Matthew 23:37
References Lord
Exodus 17:4
1 Samuel 30:6
11
And the LORD said to Moses, How long will this people provoke me? and how long will it be ere they believe me, for all the signs which I have showed among them?
Reference
Faith
Psalm 106:24
Psalm 78:32
Psalm 78:22
Deuteronomy 1:32
John 12:37
Hebrews 3:18
Parallel theme
Hebrews 3:8
Numbers 14:23
Numbers 14:27
References Moses
Hebrews 3:16
12
I will smite them with the pestilence, and disinherit them, and will make of you a greater nation and mightier than they.
Reference
13
And Moses said to the LORD, Then the Egyptians shall hear it, (for you brought up this people in your might from among them;)
Reference
Parallel theme
Ezekiel 20:14
References Egypt
Ezekiel 20:9
References Lord
Deuteronomy 32:27
References Moses
Psalm 106:23
14
And they will tell it to the inhabitants of this land: for they have heard that you LORD are among this people, that you LORD are seen face to face, and that your cloud stands over them, and that you go before them, by day time in a pillar of a cloud, and in a pillar of fire by night.
Reference
Parallel theme
Exodus 15:14
Psalm 78:14
Nehemiah 9:19
Nehemiah 9:12
John 1:18
Genesis 32:30
References Lord
Exodus 33:11
Deuteronomy 5:4
Exodus 40:38
Joshua 5:1
15
Now if you shall kill all this people as one man, then the nations which have heard the fame of you will speak, saying,
16
Because the LORD was not able to bring this people into the land which he swore to them, therefore he has slain them in the wilderness.
Reference
17
And now, I beseech you, let the power of my LORD be great, according as you have spoken, saying,
Reference
18
The LORD is long-suffering, and of great mercy, forgiving iniquity and transgression, and by no means clearing the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and fourth generation.
Reference
Grace
Psalm 145:8
Jonah 4:2
Psalm 103:8
Micah 7:18
References Lord
Jeremiah 23:2
Sin
Exodus 20:5
Deuteronomy 5:9
19
Pardon, I beseech you, the iniquity of this people according to the greatness of your mercy, and as you have forgiven this people, from Egypt even until now.
Reference
Grace
Exodus 34:9
Isaiah 55:7
Exodus 33:17
Jonah 4:2
Parallel theme
Psalm 106:45
Jonah 3:10
Sin
Psalm 78:38
Exodus 32:32
James 5:15
1 Kings 8:34
20
And the LORD said, I have pardoned according to your word:
21
But as truly as I live, all the earth shall be filled with the glory of the LORD.
Reference
Glory
Habakkuk 2:14
Psalm 72:19
Isaiah 6:3
Parallel theme
Deuteronomy 32:40
Matthew 6:10
References Lord
Isaiah 49:18
22
Because all those men which have seen my glory, and my miracles, which I did in Egypt and in the wilderness, and have tempted me now these ten times, and have not listened to my voice;
Reference
23
Surely they shall not see the land which I swore to their fathers, neither shall any of them that provoked me see it:
Reference
24
But my servant Caleb, because he had another spirit with him, and has followed me fully, him will I bring into the land into where he went; and his seed shall possess it.
Reference
25
(Now the Amalekites and the Canaanites dwelled in the valley.) Tomorrow turn you, and get you into the wilderness by the way of the Red sea.
Reference
26
And the LORD spoke to Moses and to Aaron, saying,
27
How long shall I bear with this evil congregation, which murmur against me? I have heard the murmurings of the children of Israel, which they murmur against me.
Reference
Parallel theme
1 Corinthians 10:10
Mark 9:19
Exodus 16:28
Numbers 14:11
References Israel
Exodus 16:12
28
Say to them, As truly as I live, said the LORD, as you have spoken in my ears, so will I do to you:
Reference
29
Your carcasses shall fall in this wilderness; and all that were numbered of you, according to your whole number, from twenty years old and upward which have murmured against me.
Reference
30
Doubtless you shall not come into the land, concerning which I swore to make you dwell therein, save Caleb the son of Jephunneh, and Joshua the son of Nun.
Reference
31
But your little ones, which you said should be a prey, them will I bring in, and they shall know the land which you have despised.
Reference
33
And your children shall wander in the wilderness forty years, and bear your prostitutions, until your carcasses be wasted in the wilderness.
Reference
34
After the number of the days in which you searched the land, even forty days, each day for a year, shall you bear your iniquities, even forty years, and you shall know my breach of promise.
Reference
Covenant
Hebrews 4:1
Parallel theme
Ezekiel 4:6
Numbers 13:25
Daniel 9:24
Psalm 95:10
2 Chronicles 36:21
1 Samuel 2:30
35
I the LORD have said, I will surely do it to all this evil congregation, that are gathered together against me: in this wilderness they shall be consumed, and there they shall die.
Reference
36
And the men, which Moses sent to search the land, who returned, and made all the congregation to murmur against him, by bringing up a slander on the land,
37
Even those men that did bring up the evil report on the land, died by the plague before the LORD.
Reference
38
But Joshua the son of Nun, and Caleb the son of Jephunneh, which were of the men that went to search the land, lived still.
Reference
Parallel theme
Numbers 26:65
39
And Moses told these sayings to all the children of Israel: and the people mourned greatly.
Reference
Parallel theme
Exodus 33:4
40
And they rose up early in the morning, and got them up into the top of the mountain, saying, See, we be here, and will go up to the place which the LORD has promised: for we have sinned.
Reference
Sin
Deuteronomy 1:41
41
And Moses said, Why now do you transgress the commandment of the LORD? but it shall not prosper.
Reference
Word
2 Chronicles 24:20
42
Go not up, for the LORD is not among you; that you be not smitten before your enemies.
Reference
References Lord
Deuteronomy 1:42
43
For the Amalekites and the Canaanites are there before you, and you shall fall by the sword: because you are turned away from the LORD, therefore the LORD will not be with you.
Reference
44
But they presumed to go up to the hill top: nevertheless the ark of the covenant of the LORD, and Moses, departed not out of the camp.
Reference
References Lord
Deuteronomy 1:43
Summary of Numbers 14
Numbers chapter 14 speaks of the Israelites’ mourning after the report of the twelve spies about the land flow from Eden. They turned against Moses and Aaron and wished that they had remained in Egypt. Joshua and Caleb attempted to console them, but they were stoned. Further, the Lord declared judgment on the congregation, but Moses prayed for the people. God forgave them but stated that the Israelites who left Egypt would never see the promised land except for Joshua and Caleb.
The Israelites reacted to the report of the twelve spies with murmuring. They lamented all night and reasoned that the Egyptians and the Lord had brought them to die in the wilderness. They said that it would have been better if they had been slaves in Egypt than marching to fight the battles of the Lord. It seems that the people were so terrified that they thought about selecting a new leader to return them to slavery in Egypt.
Moses and Aaron fell on their faces before the congregation, and Joshua and Caleb ripped their clothes in grief. They spoke with grief in their hearts because they understood that the people were about to sin. Joshua and Caleb reminded them that the land was good, flowing with milk and honey. They said that if the Lord was pleased with them, he would deliver them to possess it. They warned the people not to murmur against the Lord or be afraid of the inhabitants of the land.
The people responded by saying that they would stone Joshua and Caleb. Then the glory of the Lord appeared in the tabernacle, and God told Moses to declare that he would strike the people and disinherit them from the land. He would make a nation of Moses greater than any nation. The reason for this was that despite all the miracles and signs that the Lord had brought upon Egypt and Israel, the people did not believe the word of the Lord.
Moses prayed for the people, asking God to forgive them according to his greatness. Moses reminded the Lord that the Egyptians and the nations would hear of this and know that the Lord brought them out with power. He told them to show mercy to Israel so that they might continue to believe the word of the Lord and that all nations would recognize the Lord’s name.
God answered Moses and told him that he had pardoned the people according to his word. However, they would not inherit the land because all who saw the glory of the Lord and the signs he brought upon Egypt and Israel had rebelled. They would die in the wilderness, and all that remained would inherit the land of Canaan. The people would wander for forty years in the wilderness because, as many as twenty years old and above, who left Egypt had rebelled against the Lord.
It seems that the Lord has forgiven Israel for rebelling against him but has judged them by declaring that all those twenty years and older would die in the wilderness. All those counted in the census, except for Caleb and Joshua, would die in the wilderness. Caleb, the son of Jephunneh, and Joshua, the son of Nun, would inherit the land because of their faith in the Lord. The remaining Israelites would possess the land of Canaan when they entered it.
The Lord told Moses to inform the Israelites that their children would be kept from the land because of the unbelief of their fathers because they had provoked the Lord. The people had been wandering in the wilderness for forty days, and so they would stay for forty years, each day corresponding to a year. The ten spies who had brought back an evil report would die of a plague of the Lord.
The people of Israel mourned greatly when they heard the decree of the Lord, but they spoke again. They said that it would be a good idea to go up and possess the land because Joshua and Caleb had spoken the truth. Moses told them not to disobey the Lord for, indeed, he would not be with them, but the Canaanites and Amalekites would cut them down. Nevertheless, the Israelites went up, thinking that they would conquer the people of Canaan. The Amalekites and Canaanites came down from the mountain, defeated them, and drove them back to the camp.
Numbers 14 talks about the decision and judgment of the Lord against the Israelites because of their unbelief. They refused to believe the word of the Lord concerning the land that he had promised to give to them. Even when he told them to go and take possession of it, they acted as if it was their own idea.
In the first reading, I was not surprised by the report of the scouts, but I understood why the Israelites rebelled. It was not easy to believe that the Lord could conquer such a massive and powerful nation and bring them into his inheritance. However, the failure of the Israelites was that they doubted the word of the Lord.
The chapter further shows the importance of intercessors in Israel’s history. Moses did not give up the people of Israel to the angel of death but prayed for them. In particular, he reminded the Lord of his mercy and reputation so that he might forgive Israel and not destroy them in the wilderness.
Joshua and Caleb are notable figures because they did not rebel against the command of the Lord. They showed faith in his power and word that he would give them the land even when the people were determined to disobey him. Even though they acknowledged the power of the enemy, they believed that the Lord would deliver the people. Caleb and Joshua would be the only ones to enter the promised land.
The problem that the children of Israel face in this chapter is not the enemies in the land or even the wilderness. Their sin was their unbelief that drove them to try to return to Egypt. Despite everything that the Lord had done for them, they remained ungrateful and unfaithful. Even when the Lord told them to go and take the land, they rebelled and then sought to return to Egypt. It was their failure to believe the Lord that was the root of all their sins.
Numbers 14 reveals a turning point in Israel’s journey towards Canaan. They were at the doorstep of the land that the Lord had promised to give to them, but the lack of faith stopped them. It was not to be a short stay in the wilderness as the Lord had hoped, but the Israelites would be in it for forty years.
The Israelites reacted to the report of the twelve spies with murmuring. They lamented all night and reasoned that the Egyptians and the Lord had brought them to die in the wilderness. They said that it would have been better if they had been slaves in Egypt than marching to fight the battles of the Lord. It seems that the people were so terrified that they thought about selecting a new leader to return them to slavery in Egypt.
Moses and Aaron fell on their faces before the congregation, and Joshua and Caleb ripped their clothes in grief. They spoke with grief in their hearts because they understood that the people were about to sin. Joshua and Caleb reminded them that the land was good, flowing with milk and honey. They said that if the Lord was pleased with them, he would deliver them to possess it. They warned the people not to murmur against the Lord or be afraid of the inhabitants of the land.
The people responded by saying that they would stone Joshua and Caleb. Then the glory of the Lord appeared in the tabernacle, and God told Moses to declare that he would strike the people and disinherit them from the land. He would make a nation of Moses greater than any nation. The reason for this was that despite all the miracles and signs that the Lord had brought upon Egypt and Israel, the people did not believe the word of the Lord.
Moses prayed for the people, asking God to forgive them according to his greatness. Moses reminded the Lord that the Egyptians and the nations would hear of this and know that the Lord brought them out with power. He told them to show mercy to Israel so that they might continue to believe the word of the Lord and that all nations would recognize the Lord’s name.
God answered Moses and told him that he had pardoned the people according to his word. However, they would not inherit the land because all who saw the glory of the Lord and the signs he brought upon Egypt and Israel had rebelled. They would die in the wilderness, and all that remained would inherit the land of Canaan. The people would wander for forty years in the wilderness because, as many as twenty years old and above, who left Egypt had rebelled against the Lord.
It seems that the Lord has forgiven Israel for rebelling against him but has judged them by declaring that all those twenty years and older would die in the wilderness. All those counted in the census, except for Caleb and Joshua, would die in the wilderness. Caleb, the son of Jephunneh, and Joshua, the son of Nun, would inherit the land because of their faith in the Lord. The remaining Israelites would possess the land of Canaan when they entered it.
The Lord told Moses to inform the Israelites that their children would be kept from the land because of the unbelief of their fathers because they had provoked the Lord. The people had been wandering in the wilderness for forty days, and so they would stay for forty years, each day corresponding to a year. The ten spies who had brought back an evil report would die of a plague of the Lord.
The people of Israel mourned greatly when they heard the decree of the Lord, but they spoke again. They said that it would be a good idea to go up and possess the land because Joshua and Caleb had spoken the truth. Moses told them not to disobey the Lord for, indeed, he would not be with them, but the Canaanites and Amalekites would cut them down. Nevertheless, the Israelites went up, thinking that they would conquer the people of Canaan. The Amalekites and Canaanites came down from the mountain, defeated them, and drove them back to the camp.
Numbers 14 talks about the decision and judgment of the Lord against the Israelites because of their unbelief. They refused to believe the word of the Lord concerning the land that he had promised to give to them. Even when he told them to go and take possession of it, they acted as if it was their own idea.
In the first reading, I was not surprised by the report of the scouts, but I understood why the Israelites rebelled. It was not easy to believe that the Lord could conquer such a massive and powerful nation and bring them into his inheritance. However, the failure of the Israelites was that they doubted the word of the Lord.
The chapter further shows the importance of intercessors in Israel’s history. Moses did not give up the people of Israel to the angel of death but prayed for them. In particular, he reminded the Lord of his mercy and reputation so that he might forgive Israel and not destroy them in the wilderness.
Joshua and Caleb are notable figures because they did not rebel against the command of the Lord. They showed faith in his power and word that he would give them the land even when the people were determined to disobey him. Even though they acknowledged the power of the enemy, they believed that the Lord would deliver the people. Caleb and Joshua would be the only ones to enter the promised land.
The problem that the children of Israel face in this chapter is not the enemies in the land or even the wilderness. Their sin was their unbelief that drove them to try to return to Egypt. Despite everything that the Lord had done for them, they remained ungrateful and unfaithful. Even when the Lord told them to go and take the land, they rebelled and then sought to return to Egypt. It was their failure to believe the Lord that was the root of all their sins.
Numbers 14 reveals a turning point in Israel’s journey towards Canaan. They were at the doorstep of the land that the Lord had promised to give to them, but the lack of faith stopped them. It was not to be a short stay in the wilderness as the Lord had hoped, but the Israelites would be in it for forty years.