Numbers 14:23
New International Version
not one of them will ever see the land I promised on oath to their ancestors. No one who has treated me with contempt will ever see it.

New Living Translation
They will never even see the land I swore to give their ancestors. None of those who have treated me with contempt will ever see it.

English Standard Version
shall see the land that I swore to give to their fathers. And none of those who despised me shall see it.

Berean Standard Bible
not one will ever see the land that I swore to give their fathers. None of those who have treated Me with contempt will see it.

King James Bible
Surely they shall not see the land which I sware unto their fathers, neither shall any of them that provoked me see it:

New King James Version
they certainly shall not see the land of which I swore to their fathers, nor shall any of those who rejected Me see it.

New American Standard Bible
shall by no means see the land which I swore to their fathers, nor shall any of those who were disrespectful to Me see it.

NASB 1995
shall by no means see the land which I swore to their fathers, nor shall any of those who spurned Me see it.

NASB 1977
shall by no means see the land which I swore to their fathers, nor shall any of those who spurned Me see it.

Legacy Standard Bible
shall by no means see the land which I swore to their fathers, nor shall any of those who spurned Me see it.

Amplified Bible
will by no means see the land which I swore to [give to] their fathers; nor will any who treated me disrespectfully and rejected Me see it.

Christian Standard Bible
will ever see the land I swore to give their ancestors. None of those who have despised me will see it.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
will ever see the land I swore to give their fathers. None of those who have despised Me will see it.

American Standard Version
surely they shall not see the land which I sware unto their fathers, neither shall any of them that despised me see it:

English Revised Version
surely they shall not see the land which I sware unto their fathers, neither shall any of them that despised me see it:

GOD'S WORD® Translation
None of those who treat me with contempt will see it!

Good News Translation
They will never enter the land which I promised to their ancestors. None of those who have rejected me will ever enter it.

International Standard Version
will ever see the land that I promised to their ancestors. Those who spurned me won't see it.

Majority Standard Bible
not one will ever see the land that I swore to give their fathers. None of those who have treated Me with contempt will see it.

NET Bible
they will by no means see the land that I swore to their fathers, nor will any of them who despised me see it.

New Heart English Bible
surely they shall not see the land which I swore to their fathers, neither shall any of those who despised me see it:

Webster's Bible Translation
Surely they shall not see the land which I swore to their fathers, neither shall any of them that provoked me see it:

World English Bible
surely they shall not see the land which I swore to their fathers, neither shall any of those who despised me see it.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
they do not see the land which I have sworn to their fathers, indeed, none of those despising Me see it;

Young's Literal Translation
they see not the land which I have sworn to their fathers, yea, none of those despising Me see it;

Smith's Literal Translation
If they shall see the land which I sware to their fathers, and all despising me shall not see it.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
Shall not see the land for which I aware to their fathers, neither shall any one of them that hath detracted me behold it.

Catholic Public Domain Version
these shall not see the land, about which I swore to their fathers, neither shall any of those who detracted me gaze upon it.

New American Bible
not one shall see the land which I promised on oath to their ancestors. None of those who have spurned me shall see it.

New Revised Standard Version
shall see the land that I swore to give to their ancestors; none of those who despised me shall see it.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
Surely they shall not see the land which I swore to their fathers, neither shall any one of those who provoked me see it;

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
They shall not see the land about which I have sworn to their fathers: ‘No one provoking me shall see it.’
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
surely they shall not see the land which I swore unto their fathers, neither shall any of them that despised Me see it.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
surely they shall not see the land, which I sware to their fathers; but their children which are with me here, as many as know not good or evil, every inexperienced youth, to them will I give the land; but none who have provoked me shall see it.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
God's Forgiveness and Judgment
22not one of the men who have seen My glory and the signs I performed in Egypt and in the wilderness—yet have tested Me and disobeyed Me these ten times— 23not one will ever see the land that I swore to give their fathers. None of those who have treated Me with contempt will see it. 24But because My servant Caleb has a different spirit and has followed Me wholeheartedly, I will bring him into the land he has entered, and his descendants will inherit it.…

Cross References
Hebrews 3:18-19
And to whom did He swear that they would never enter His rest? Was it not to those who disobeyed? / So we see that it was because of their unbelief that they were unable to enter.

Deuteronomy 1:35-36
“Not one of the men of this evil generation shall see the good land I swore to give your fathers, / except Caleb son of Jephunneh. 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 wholeheartedly.”

Psalm 95:11
So I swore on oath in My anger, “They shall never enter My rest.”

Hebrews 4:1-2
Therefore, while the promise of entering His rest still stands, let us be careful that none of you be deemed to have fallen short of it. / For we also received the good news just as they did; but the message they heard was of no value to them, since they did not share the faith of those who comprehended it.

Deuteronomy 32:49-52
“Go up into the Abarim Range to Mount Nebo, in the land of Moab across from Jericho, and view the land of Canaan, which I am giving to the Israelites as their own possession. / And there on the mountain that you climb, you will die and be gathered to your people, just as your brother Aaron died on Mount Hor and was gathered to his people. / For at the waters of Meribah-kadesh in the Wilderness of Zin, both of you broke faith with Me among the Israelites by failing to treat Me as holy in their presence. ...

1 Corinthians 10:5-6
Nevertheless, God was not pleased with most of them, for they were struck down in the wilderness. / These things took place as examples to keep us from craving evil things as they did.

Joshua 5:6
For the Israelites had wandered in the wilderness forty years, until all the nation’s men of war who had come out of Egypt had died, since they did not obey the LORD. So the LORD vowed never to let them see the land He had sworn to their fathers to give us, a land flowing with milk and honey.

Hebrews 3:11
So I swore on oath in My anger, ‘They shall never enter My rest.’”

Deuteronomy 9:23
And when the LORD sent you out from Kadesh-barnea, He said, “Go up and possess the land that I have given you.” But you rebelled against the command of the LORD your God. You neither believed Him nor obeyed Him.

Ezekiel 20:15-16
Moreover, with an uplifted hand I swore to them in the wilderness that I would not bring them into the land that I had given them—a land flowing with milk and honey, the glory of all lands— / because they kept rejecting My ordinances, refusing to walk in My statutes, and profaning My Sabbaths; for their hearts continually went after their idols.

Hebrews 3:17
And with whom was God angry for forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, whose bodies fell in the wilderness?

Deuteronomy 1:34
When the LORD heard your words, He grew angry and swore an oath, saying,

Psalm 106:26
So He raised His hand and swore to cast them down in the wilderness,

Hebrews 4:6
Since, then, it remains for some to enter His rest, and since those who formerly heard the good news did not enter because of their disobedience,

Deuteronomy 2:14-15
The time we spent traveling from Kadesh-barnea until we crossed over the Brook of Zered was thirty-eight years, until that entire generation of fighting men had perished from the camp, as the LORD had sworn to them. / Indeed, the LORD’s hand was against them, to eliminate them from the camp, until they had all perished.


Treasury of Scripture

Surely they shall not see the land which I swore to their fathers, neither shall any of them that provoked me see it:

surely they shall not see.

Numbers 26:64
But among these there was not a man of them whom Moses and Aaron the priest numbered, when they numbered the children of Israel in the wilderness of Sinai.

Numbers 32:11
Surely none of the men that came up out of Egypt, from twenty years old and upward, shall see the land which I sware unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob; because they have not wholly followed me:

Deuteronomy 1:35
Surely there shall not one of these men of this evil generation see that good land, which I sware to give unto your fathers,

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Contempt Despised Despising Honoured Promised Provoked Spurned Surely Sware Swear Swore Sworn Treated Wise
Numbers 14
1. The people murmur at the news
6. Joshua and Caleb labor to still them
11. God threatens them
13. Moses intercedes with God, and obtains pardon
26. The Murmurers are debarred from entering into the land
36. The men who raised the evil report die by a plague
40. The people that would invade the land against the will of God are smitten














will ever see
The phrase "will ever see" in this context is a divine decree from God, emphasizing the certainty and finality of His judgment. The Hebrew root for "see" is "ra'ah," which means to perceive or experience. This is not merely a physical seeing but an experiential understanding. In the historical context of the Israelites, this phrase underscores the gravity of their rebellion and disbelief. God is making it clear that those who have doubted His promises and power will not experience the fulfillment of His covenant blessings. This serves as a sobering reminder of the consequences of unbelief and disobedience.

the land
"The land" refers to the Promised Land, Canaan, which God had sworn to give to the descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. In the Hebrew, "ha'aretz" is used, which can mean both "land" and "earth," but here it specifically denotes the land flowing with milk and honey, a place of rest and abundance. Archaeologically, Canaan was a region known for its fertility and strategic location. Theologically, it represents the fulfillment of God's promises and a type of the eternal rest and inheritance believers have in Christ. The denial of entry into this land for the rebellious generation highlights the loss of divine blessing due to lack of faith.

I swore
The phrase "I swore" is significant as it reflects God's covenantal faithfulness. The Hebrew word "nishba'ti" is derived from "shaba," meaning to swear or make an oath. This is a solemn promise made by God, emphasizing His unchanging nature and the seriousness of His commitments. Historically, God's oath to give the land to the Israelites was a central aspect of His covenant with them. This underscores the gravity of the Israelites' rebellion, as they are rejecting not just a promise but a sworn oath from the Almighty.

to give
"To give" indicates God's intention to bestow a gift upon the Israelites. The Hebrew word "latet" comes from "natan," meaning to give or grant. This is an act of divine grace, as the land is not earned by the Israelites but given by God out of His love and faithfulness. In the broader scriptural context, this giving is a foreshadowing of the ultimate gift of salvation through Jesus Christ. The failure of the Israelites to receive this gift due to their unbelief serves as a warning to all believers to trust in God's promises.

to their fathers
"To their fathers" refers to the patriarchs Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, to whom God originally made the promise of the land. The Hebrew term "la'avotam" connects the current generation of Israelites to their ancestors, highlighting the continuity of God's covenantal promises. Historically, this phrase roots the promise in a long-standing divine plan, emphasizing that God's purposes transcend individual lifetimes and are part of a larger, unfolding narrative. This connection to the patriarchs serves as a reminder of God's faithfulness across generations and the importance of faith and obedience in receiving His promises.

Verse 23. - Surely they shall not see. אִםאּיּרְאוּ, "if they shall see," according to the usual Hebrew idiom. Cf. Psalm 107:11 (Septuagint), Hebrews 4:3, ὡς ὤμοσα... εἰ εἰσελεύσονται.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
not one
אִם־ (’im-)
Conjunction
Strong's 518: Lo!, whether?, if, although, Oh that!, when, not

will ever see
יִרְאוּ֙ (yir·’ū)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural
Strong's 7200: To see

the land
הָאָ֔רֶץ (hā·’ā·reṣ)
Article | Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 776: Earth, land

I swore
נִשְׁבַּ֖עְתִּי (niš·ba‘·tî)
Verb - Nifal - Perfect - first person common singular
Strong's 7650: To seven oneself, swear

to give their fathers.
לַאֲבֹתָ֑ם (la·’ă·ḇō·ṯām)
Preposition-l | Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine plural
Strong's 1: Father

None
וְכָל־ (wə·ḵāl)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 3605: The whole, all, any, every

of those who have treated Me with contempt
מְנַאֲצַ֖י (mə·na·’ă·ṣay)
Verb - Piel - Participle - masculine plural construct | first person common singular
Strong's 5006: To spurn, treat with contempt

will see it.
יִרְאֽוּהָ׃ (yir·’ū·hā)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural | third person feminine singular
Strong's 7200: To see


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OT Law: Numbers 14:23 Surely they shall not see the land (Nu Num.)
Numbers 14:22
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