Numbers 14:34-45 ▼

34 Just as you explored the land for 40 days, you'll bear the consequences of your iniquities for 40 years—one year for each day—as you experience my hostility.

35 I, the LORD, have spoken. I will indeed do this to this evil congregation, who gathered together against me. They'll be eliminated in this wilderness and will surely die.|

36 After this, the men whom Moses sent out to explore the land, who returned and made the whole congregation complain against him by bringing an evil report concerning the land,

37 and who produced an evil report about the land, died of pestilence in the LORD's presence.

38 However, Nun's son Joshua and Jephunneh's son Caleb, who had explored the land, remained alive.

39 After Moses had told all of this to the Israelis, the people deeply mourned.

40 So they got up early the next morning and traveled to the top of the mountain, telling themselves, |Look, we're here and we're going to go up to the place that the LORD had spoken about, even though we've sinned.|

41 But Moses asked them, |Why do you continue to sin against what the LORD said? Don't you know that you can never succeed?

42 Don't go up, since you know that the LORD is no longer with you. You'll be attacked right in front of your own enemies.

43 The Amalekites and Canaanites are there waiting for you. You'll die violently, since you've turned your back and have stopped following the LORD. The LORD won't be with you.|

44 But they presumed to go up to the top of the mountain, even though the Ark of the Covenant of the LORD and Moses didn't leave the camp.

45 The Amalekites came down, accompanied by some Canaanites who lived in the mountains. They attacked and defeated them even while the Israelis were retreating to Hormah.