Numbers 14:1-16 ▼

1 At this, the entire assembly complained, started to shout, and cried through the rest of that night.

2 All the Israelis complained against Moses and Aaron. Then the entire assembly responded, |We wish that we had died in Egypt or in this wilderness.

3 What's the point in the LORD bringing us to this land? To die by the sword so our wives and children would become war victims? Wouldn't it be better for us to return to Egypt?|

4 Then they told each other, |Let's assign a leader and go back to Egypt.|

5 Moses and Aaron fell on their faces in front of the entire assembly of the congregation of Israel.

6 Nun's son Joshua and Jephunneh's son Caleb, who had accompanied the others who also had explored the land, tore their clothes

7 and attempted to reason with the entire congregation of Israel. They told them, |The land that we went through and explored is very, very good.

8 If the LORD is pleased with us, he'll bring us into this land and give it to us. It flows with milk and honey.

9 However, don't rebel against the LORD or be afraid of the people who live in the land, because we'll gobble them right up. Their defenses will collapse, because the LORD is with us. You are not to be afraid of them.|

10 But the entire congregation was talking about stoning them to death. Suddenly, the glory of the LORD appeared at the Tent of Meeting to all of the Israelis.

11 |How long will this people keep on spurning me and refusing to trust me, despite all the miracles that I've done among them?| the LORD asked Moses.

12 |That's why I'm going to attack them with pestilence and disinherit them. Instead, I'll make you a great nation—even mightier than they are!|

13 But Moses responded to the LORD, |When Egypt hears that you've brought this people out from among them with a mighty demonstration of power,

14 they'll also proclaim to the inhabitants of this land that they've heard you're among this people, LORD, whom they've seen face to face, since your cloud stands guard over them. You've guided them with a pillar of cloud by day and with a pillar of fire by night.

15 But if you slaughter this people all at the same time, then the nations who heard about your fame will say,

16 The LORD slaughtered this people in the wilderness because he wasn't able to bring them to the land that he promised them.'