◄ Numbers 14:28 ►
So tell them: As surely as I live, declares the LORD, I will do to you exactly as I heard you say.
Study Bible
So tell them
This phrase indicates a direct command from God to Moses, emphasizing the role of Moses as a prophet and intermediary between God and the Israelites. The Hebrew root for "tell" is "אָמַר" (amar), which means to say, speak, or command. This highlights the authority and responsibility Moses carries in delivering God's message. Historically, this reflects the theocratic leadership structure where God communicated His will through chosen leaders.

As surely as I live
This is an oath formula used by God, underscoring the certainty and seriousness of His words. The Hebrew phrase "חַי־אָנִי" (chai-ani) translates to "I live," affirming God's eternal existence and unchanging nature. In the ancient Near Eastern context, oaths were binding and invoked the deity's life as a guarantee. Here, it reassures the Israelites of the truth and inevitability of God's pronouncement.

declares the LORD
The use of "declares" (נְאֻם, neum) signifies a formal and authoritative statement. "The LORD" (יְהוָה, Yahweh) is the covenant name of God, reminding the Israelites of His faithfulness and the special relationship He has with them. This phrase reinforces the divine authority behind the message and the personal nature of God's involvement with His people.

I will do to you
This phrase indicates God's active role in fulfilling His promises or judgments. The Hebrew verb "עָשָׂה" (asah) means to do, make, or accomplish, suggesting intentionality and purpose. In the context of Numbers 14, it reflects God's response to the Israelites' lack of faith and rebellion, showing that their actions have direct consequences.

exactly as I heard you say
This part of the verse highlights the principle of divine retribution, where God responds to the words and attitudes of the people. The Hebrew root "שָׁמַע" (shama) means to hear or listen, indicating that God is attentive to the words and hearts of His people. The Israelites had expressed doubt and fear, and God, in His justice, decides to let their own words determine their fate. This serves as a sobering reminder of the power of words and the importance of faith and trust in God's promises.

Persons / Places / Events
1. The LORD (Yahweh)
The covenant-keeping God of Israel, who is speaking directly to Moses and the Israelites.

2. Moses
The leader of the Israelites, who intercedes on behalf of the people.

3. The Israelites
The people of God who have been delivered from Egypt and are now in the wilderness, expressing doubt and rebellion against God.

4. The Wilderness of Paran
The location where the Israelites are camped and where they express their lack of faith in God's promises.

5. The Promised Land (Canaan)
The land promised by God to the descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, which the Israelites are journeying towards.
Teaching Points
The Power of Words
Our words have significant power and can shape our reality. Just as God responded to the Israelites' spoken doubts, we must be mindful of what we say, ensuring our words align with faith and trust in God.

God's Faithfulness and Justice
God is both faithful and just. He honors His promises but also holds us accountable for our actions and words. We must strive to live in a way that reflects our trust in His character.

The Consequences of Unbelief
Unbelief can lead to dire consequences, as seen with the Israelites who were denied entry into the Promised Land. We must guard our hearts against doubt and cultivate a strong faith in God's promises.

The Importance of Obedience
Obedience to God is crucial. The Israelites' disobedience resulted in a prolonged wilderness experience. We should seek to obey God's commands and trust His guidance in our lives.

Intercession and Leadership
Moses' role as an intercessor highlights the importance of praying for others and leading with humility and faith. We are called to support and pray for our communities and leaders.
Bible Study Questions
1. How do the words we speak reflect our faith or lack thereof, and what steps can we take to ensure our speech aligns with God's promises?

2. In what ways can we learn from the Israelites' experience in the wilderness to strengthen our own faith journey?

3. How does understanding God's faithfulness and justice impact our daily decisions and interactions with others?

4. What are some practical ways we can cultivate obedience to God in our lives, especially when faced with challenges or doubts?

5. How can we effectively intercede for others in prayer, and what role does this play in our spiritual growth and leadership?
Connections to Other Scriptures
Hebrews 3:7-19
This passage reflects on the unbelief of the Israelites in the wilderness and serves as a warning to Christians to remain faithful and obedient.

Psalm 95:7-11
This psalm recalls the rebellion of the Israelites and God's response, urging worshipers to listen to God's voice and not harden their hearts.

Deuteronomy 1:34-36
This passage recounts the same event, emphasizing the consequences of the Israelites' lack of faith and God's promise to Caleb.

1 Corinthians 10:10-11
Paul uses the example of the Israelites' grumbling as a warning to the Corinthian church, highlighting the importance of learning from past mistakes.

James 3:9-10
This passage discusses the power of the tongue, which relates to the Israelites' spoken words of doubt and rebellion.
Sermons
Fatal Answers to Faithless PrayersE.S. Prout Numbers 14:28
The Could not Enter in Because of UnbeliefW. Binnie Numbers 14:1-45
Base MurmuringW. Jones.Numbers 14:26-29
The Sentence of God Upon the Sinful PeopleW. Jones.Numbers 14:26-29
God's Decision Repeated as a MessageD. Young Numbers 14:26-35
People
Aaron, Amalekites, Caleb, Canaanites, Egyptians, Israelites, Jephunneh, Joshua, Moses, Nun
Places
Egypt, Hormah, Kadesh-barnea, Red Sea
Topics
Affirmation, Certainly, Declares, Ears, Hearing, Says, Spoken, Surely, Truly
Dictionary of Bible Themes
Numbers 14:13-39

     6257   unbelievers

Numbers 14:20-35

     5431   oaths, divine

Numbers 14:20-38

     7258   promised land, early history

Numbers 14:26-35

     4207   land, divine gift

Numbers 14:27-30

     5928   resentment, against God

Library
Moses the Intercessor
'Pardon, I beseech Thee, the iniquity of this people according unto the greatness of Thy mercy, and as Thou hast forgiven this people, from Egypt even until now.' --NUM. xiv. 19. See how in this story a divine threat is averted and a divine promise is broken, thus revealing a standing law that these in Scripture are conditional. This striking incident of Moses' intercession suggests to us some thoughts as to I. The ground of the divine forgiveness. The appeal is not based on anything in the people. …
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture

Weighed, and Found Wanting
'And all the congregation lifted up their voice, and cried; and the people wept that night. 2. And all the children of Israel murmured against Moses and against Aaron; and the whole congregation said unto them, Would God that we had died in the land of Egypt! or would God we had died in this wilderness! 3. And wherefore hath the Lord brought us unto 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? 4. And they said one …
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture

Order and Argument in Prayer
It is further observable that though a good man hastens to God in his trouble, and runs with all the more speed because of the unkindness of his fellow men, yet sometimes the gracious soul is left without the comfortable presence of God. This is the worst of all griefs; the text is one of Job's deep groans, far deeper than any which came from him on account of the loss of his children and his property: "Oh that I knew where I might find HIM!" The worst of all losses is to lose the smile of my God. …
Charles Haddon Spurgeon—Spurgeon's Sermons Volume 12: 1866

The Spies
THE UNBELIEF OF THE CHILDREN of Israel, prompted them to send spies into Canaan. God had told them that it was a good land, and he had promised to drive out their enemies, they ought therefore to have marched forward with all confidence to possess the promised heritage. Instead of this, they send twelve princes to spy out the land, and "alas, for human nature," ten of these were faithless, and only two true to the Lord. Read over the narrative, and mark the ill effect of the lying message, and the …
Charles Haddon Spurgeon—Spurgeon's Sermons Volume 4: 1858

Afraid of Giants
'And Moses sent them to spy out the land of Canaan, and said unto them, Get you up this way southward, and go up into the mountain; 18. And see the land, what it is; and the people that dwelleth therein, whether they be strong or weak, few or many; 19. And what the land is that they dwell in, whether it be good or bad; and what cities they be that they dwell in, whether in tents, or in strong holds; 20. And what the land is, whether it be fat or lean, whether there be wood therein, or not. And be …
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture

Appendix ii. Philo of Alexandria and Rabbinic Theology.
(Ad. vol. i. p. 42, note 4.) In comparing the allegorical Canons of Philo with those of Jewish traditionalism, we think first of all of the seven exegetical canons which are ascribed to Hillel. These bear chiefly the character of logical deductions, and as such were largely applied in the Halakhah. These seven canons were next expanded by R. Ishmael (in the first century) into thirteen, by the analysis of one of them (the 5th) into six, and the addition of this sound exegetical rule, that where two …
Alfred Edersheim—The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah

The Personality of Power.
A Personally Conducted Journey. Everyone enjoys the pleasure of travel; but nearly all shrink back from its tiresomeness and drudgery. The transportation companies are constantly scheming to overcome this disagreeable side for both pleasure and business travel. One of the popular ways of pleasure travel of late is by means of personally conducted tours. A party is formed, often by the railroad company, and is accompanied by a special agent to attend to all the business matters of the trip. A variation …
S.D. Gordon—Quiet Talks on Power

Exploring Canaan by Faith
EXPLORING CANAAN BY FAITH I can not understand faith. What is faith, anyway? I try to believe; sometimes I feel that my faith is strong, but at other times I feel that my faith is giving way. Can you help me in this matter? Faith seems such a hazy, intangible, elusive thing; now I think I have it, now it seems certain I have it not. I feel at times that my faith is so strong I could believe anything, then again I feel that every bit of faith I had is gone. Can you give me any instructions that will …
Robert Lee Berry—Adventures in the Land of Canaan

Trinity Sunday the Doctrine of the Trinity.
Second Sermon. Text: Romans 11, 33-36. THE DOCTRINE OF THE TRINITY.[1] [Footnote 1: This sermon was first printed in 1535, at Wittenberg.] 1. This festival requires us to instruct the people in the dogma of the Holy Trinity, and to strengthen both memory and faith concerning it. This is the reason why we take up the subject once more. Without proper instruction and a sound foundation in this regard, other dogmas cannot be rightly and successfully treated. The other festivals of the year present …
Martin Luther—Epistle Sermons, Vol. III

The Scriptures
Q-II: WHAT RULE HAS GOD GIVEN TO DIRECT US HOW WE MAY GLORIFY AND ENJOY HIM? A: The Word of God, which is contained in the scriptures of the Old and New Testaments, is the only rule to direct us how we may glorify and enjoy him. 2 Tim 3:16. All Scripture is given by inspiration of God,' By Scripture is understood the sacred Book of God. It is given by divine inspiration; that is, the Scripture is not the contrivance of man's brain, but is divine in its origin. The image of Diana was had in veneration …
Thomas Watson—A Body of Divinity

Ninth Sunday after Trinity Carnal Security and Its vices.
Text: 1 Corinthians 10, 6-13. 6 Now these things were our examples, to the intent we should not lust after evil things, as they also lusted. 7 Neither be ye idolaters, as were some of them; as it is written, The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play. 8 Neither let us commit fornication, as some of them committed, and fell in one day three and twenty thousand. 9 Neither let us make trial of the Lord, as some of them made trial, and perished by the serpents. 10 Neither murmur ye, as …
Martin Luther—Epistle Sermons, Vol. III

Synagogues: their Origin, Structure and Outward Arrangements
It was a beautiful saying of Rabbi Jochanan (Jer. Ber. v. 1), that he who prays in his house surrounds and fortifies it, so to speak, with a wall of iron. Nevertheless, it seems immediately contradicted by what follows. For it is explained that this only holds good where a man is alone, but that where there is a community prayer should be offered in the synagogue. We can readily understand how, after the destruction of the Temple, and the cessation of its symbolical worship, the excessive value attached …
Alfred Edersheim—Sketches of Jewish Social Life

An Exposition on the First Ten Chapters of Genesis, and Part of the Eleventh
An unfinished commentary on the Bible, found among the author's papers after his death, in his own handwriting; and published in 1691, by Charles Doe, in a folio volume of the works of John Bunyan. ADVERTISEMENT BY THE EDITOR Being in company with an enlightened society of Protestant dissenters of the Baptist denomination, I observed to a doctor of divinity, who was advancing towards his seventieth year, that my time had been delightfully engaged with John Bunyan's commentary on Genesis. "What," …
John Bunyan—The Works of John Bunyan Volumes 1-3

Thirdly, for Thy Actions.
1. Do no evil, though thou mightest; for God will not suffer the least sin, without bitter repentance, to escape unpunished. Leave not undone any good that thou canst. But do nothing without a calling, nor anything in thy calling, till thou hast first taken counsel at God's word (1 Sam. xxx. 8) of its lawfulness, and pray for his blessings upon thy endeavour; and then do it in the name of God, with cheerfulness of heart, committing the success to him, in whose power it is to bless with his grace …
Lewis Bayly—The Practice of Piety

The Earliest Christian Preaching
1. THUS far we have confined ourselves to the words of Jesus. The divine necessity of His death, indicated in the Old Testament and forming the basis of all His teaching regarding it, is the primary truth; the nature of that necessity begins to be revealed as the death is set in relation to the ransoming of many, and to the institution of a new covenant -- that is, a new religion, having as its fundamental blessing the forgiveness of sins. I do not think this view of our Lord's mind as to His own …
James Denney—The Death of Christ

Grace Abounding to the Chief of Sinners:
A BRIEF AND FAITHFUL RELATION OF THE EXCEEDING MERCY OF GOD IN CHRIST TO HIS POOR SERVANT, JOHN BUNYAN; WHEREIN IS PARTICULARLY SHOWED THE MANNER OF HIS CONVERSION, HIS SIGHT AND TROUBLE FOR SIN, HIS DREADFUL TEMPTATIONS, ALSO HOW HE DESPAIRED OF GOD'S MERCY, AND HOW THE LORD AT LENGTH THROUGH CHRIST DID DELIVER HIM FROM ALL THE GUILT AND TERROR THAT LAY UPON HIM. Whereunto is added a brief relation of his call to the work of the ministry, of his temptations therein, as also what he hath met with …
John Bunyan—The Works of John Bunyan Volumes 1-3

Numbers
Like the last part of Exodus, and the whole of Leviticus, the first part of Numbers, i.-x. 28--so called,[1] rather inappropriately, from the census in i., iii., (iv.), xxvi.--is unmistakably priestly in its interests and language. Beginning with a census of the men of war (i.) and the order of the camp (ii.), it devotes specific attention to the Levites, their numbers and duties (iii., iv.). Then follow laws for the exclusion of the unclean, v. 1-4, for determining the manner and amount of restitution …
John Edgar McFadyen—Introduction to the Old Testament

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