The Command to Leave Horeb
(Exodus 33:1–6)

1These are the words that Moses (drawn out) spoke to all Israel (he wrestles with God) in the wilderness east of the Jordan (flowing down)—in the Arabah opposite Suph (sea weed)—between Paran (place of caverns) and Tophel (white), Laban, Hazeroth (settlement), and Dizahab (enough gold).

2It is an eleven-day journey from Horeb (Mount Sinai)a to Kadesh-barnea (holy) by way of Mount Seir (shaggy). 3In the fortieth year, on the first day of the eleventh month, Moses (drawn out) proclaimed to the Israelites (God prevails) all that the LORD {YHWH} had commanded him concerning them. 4This was after he had defeated Sihon (warrior) king of the Amorites (sayers), who lived in Heshbon (stronghold), and then at Edrei had defeated (good pasture) Og (long-necked) king of Bashan (fruitful), who lived in Ashtaroth (star).

5On the east side of the Jordan (flowing down) in the land of Moab (of his father), Moses (drawn out) began to explain this law, saying:b

6The LORD our God {YHWH Elohenu} said to us at Horeb (desert): “You⁺ have stayed at this mountain long enough. 7Resume your journey and go to the hill country of the Amorites (sayers); go to all the neighboring peoples in the Arabah, in the hill country, in the foothills {Shephelah},c in the Negev (southland), and along the seacoast to the land of the Canaanites (merchants) and to Lebanon (whiteness), as far as the great River Euphrates (fruitfulness).

8See, I have placed the land before you⁺. Enter and possess the land that the LORD {YHWH} swore He would give to your⁺ fathers Abraham (father of many), Isaac (he laughs), and Jacob (he grasps the heel), and to their descendants after them.”

Moses Appoints Leaders
(Exodus 18:13–27)

9At that time I said to you⁺, “I cannot carry the burden for you⁺ alone. 10The LORD your⁺ God {YHWH Eloheikem} has multiplied you⁺, so that today you⁺ are as numerous as the stars in the sky. 11May the LORD, the God {YHWH Elohe} of your⁺ fathers, increase you⁺ a thousand times over and bless you⁺ as He has promised. 12But how can I bear your⁺ troubles, burdens (burden), and disputes all by myself? 13Choose for yourselves wise, understanding, and respected men from each of your⁺ tribes, and I will appoint them as your⁺ leaders.”

14And you⁺ answered me and said, “What you propose to do is good.”

15So I took the leaders of your⁺ tribes, wise and respected men, and appointed them as leaders over you⁺—as commanders of thousands, of hundreds, of fifties, and of tens, and as officers for your⁺ tribes.

16At that time I charged your⁺ judges: “Hear the disputes between your⁺ brothers, and judge fairly between a man and his brother or a foreign resident. 17Show no partiality in judging; hear both small and great alike. Do not be intimidated by anyone, for judgment belongs to God {Elohim}. And bring to me any case too difficult for you⁺, and I will hear it.”

18And at that time I commanded you⁺ all the things you⁺ were to do.

Twelve Spies Sent Out
(Numbers 13:1–33)

19And just as the LORD our God {YHWH Elohenu} had commanded us, we set out from Horeb (desert) and went toward the hill country of the Amorites (sayers), through all the vast and terrifying wilderness you⁺ have seen. When we reached Kadesh-barnea (holy), 20I said: “You⁺ have reached the hill country of the Amorites (sayers), which the LORD our God {YHWH Elohenu} is giving us. 21See, the LORD your God {YHWH Eloheka} has placed the land before you. Go up and take possession of it as the LORD, the God of your fathers, has told you. Do not be afraid or discouraged.”

22Then all of you⁺ approached me and said, “Let us send men ahead of us to search out the land and bring us word of what route to follow and which cities to enter.”

23The plan seemed good to me, so I selected twelve men from among you⁺, one from each tribe. 24They left and went up into the hill country, and came to the Valley of Eshcol (cluster) and spied out the land. 25They took some of the fruit of the land in their hands, carried it down to us, and brought us word: “It is a good land that the LORD our God {YHWH Elohenu} is giving us.”

Israel’s Rebellion
(Numbers 14:1–12)

26But you⁺ were unwilling to go up; you⁺ rebelled against the command of the LORD your⁺ God {YHWH Eloheikem}. 27You⁺ grumbled in your⁺ tents and said, “Because the LORD {YHWH} hates us, He has brought us out of the land of Egypt (land of bondage) to deliver us into the hand of the Amorites (sayers) to be annihilated. 28Where can we go? Our brothers have made our hearts melt, saying: ‘The people are larger and taller than we are; the cities are large, with walls up to the heavens. We even saw the descendants of the Anakim (long-necked) there.’”

29So I said to you⁺: “Do not be terrified or afraid of them! 30The LORD your⁺ God {YHWH Eloheikem}, who goes before you⁺, will fight for you⁺, just as you⁺ saw Him do for you⁺ in Egypt (land of bondage) 31and in the wilderness, where the LORD your God {YHWH Eloheka} carried you, as a man carries his son, all the way by which you⁺ traveled until you⁺ reached this place.”

32But in spite of all this, you⁺ did not trust the LORD your⁺ God {YHWH Eloheikem}, 33who went before you⁺ on the journey, in the fire by night and in the cloud by day, to seek out a place for you⁺ to camp and to show you⁺ the road to travel.

Israel’s Penalty
(Numbers 14:20–35)

34When the LORD {YHWH} heard your⁺ words, He grew angry and swore an oath, saying, 35“Not one of the men of this evil generation shall see the good land I swore to give your⁺ fathers, 36except Caleb (dog) son of Jephunneh (He will be facing). He will see it, and I will give him and his descendants the land on which he has set foot, because he followed the LORD {YHWH} wholeheartedly.”

37The LORD {YHWH} was also angry with me on your⁺ account, and He said, “Not even you shall enter the land. 38Joshua (YHWH saves) son of Nun (fish / posterity), who stands before you, will enter it. Encourage him, for he will enable Israel (he wrestles with God) to inherit the land. 39And the little ones you⁺ said would become captives—your⁺ children who on that day did not know good from evil—will enter the land that I will give them, and they will possess it. 40But you⁺ are to turn back and head for the wilderness along the route to the Red Sea (the Sea of Reeds).d”

The Defeat at Hormah
(Numbers 14:40–45)

41“We have sinned against the LORD {YHWH},” you⁺ replied. “We will go up and fight, as the LORD our God {YHWH Elohenu} has commanded us.” Then each of you⁺ put on his weapons of war, thinking it easy to go up into the hill country.

42But the LORD {YHWH} said to me, “Tell them not to go up and fight, for I am not with you⁺ to keep you⁺ from defeat by your⁺ enemies.”

43So I spoke to you⁺, but you⁺ would not listen. You⁺ rebelled against the command of the LORD {YHWH} and presumptuously went up into the hill country.

44Then the Amorites (sayers) who lived in the hills came out against you⁺ and chased you⁺ like a swarm of bees. They routed you⁺ from Seir (shaggy) all the way to Hormah (destruction). 45And you⁺ returned and wept before the LORD {YHWH}, but He would not listen to your⁺ voice or give ear to you⁺.

46For this reason you⁺ stayed in Kadesh (holy) for a long time—a very long time.