Numbers 14:39 Study Bible: Moses told these words to all the children of Israel: and the people mourned greatly.

◄ Numbers 14:39 ►

And when Moses relayed these words to all the Israelites, the people mourned bitterly.

When Moses relayed these words
The phrase highlights Moses' role as a prophet and leader, serving as the intermediary between God and the Israelites. The Hebrew root for "relayed" is "dabar," which means to speak or declare. This emphasizes the authority and responsibility Moses held in communicating God's will. Historically, Moses' leadership was pivotal during the Israelites' journey from Egypt to the Promised Land, and his words carried the weight of divine instruction. This moment underscores the importance of faithful communication of God's messages, a principle that resonates throughout Scripture.

to all the Israelites
This phrase indicates the collective nature of the message and its implications for the entire community. The term "Israelites" refers to the descendants of Jacob, also known as Israel, and signifies their identity as God's chosen people. In the historical context, the Israelites were a covenant community bound by their relationship with Yahweh. The communal aspect of this message highlights the shared responsibility and consequences of their actions, reminding believers today of the importance of unity and accountability within the body of Christ.

the people mourned bitterly
The word "mourned" comes from the Hebrew "abal," which conveys deep sorrow and lamentation. This reaction reflects the gravity of the situation and the Israelites' realization of the consequences of their disobedience and lack of faith. The adverb "bitterly" intensifies their mourning, indicating profound regret and despair. Historically, this mourning followed God's judgment that the current generation would not enter the Promised Land due to their rebellion. This serves as a sobering reminder of the cost of unbelief and disobedience, encouraging believers to trust in God's promises and remain faithful to His commands.

Persons / Places / Events

1. Moses
The leader of the Israelites, chosen by God to lead His people out of Egypt and through the wilderness. In this context, Moses is the intermediary between God and the Israelites, conveying God's message to them.

2. The Israelites
The chosen people of God, who are on their journey from Egypt to the Promised Land. At this point, they are in the wilderness, having just received a severe judgment from God due to their lack of faith.

3. The Wilderness
The setting for much of the Israelites' journey, representing both physical and spiritual challenges. It is a place of testing and revelation of the Israelites' faith and obedience.

4. The Promised Land
The land of Canaan, promised by God to the descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. The Israelites' failure to trust God has resulted in a delay in entering this land.

5. God's Judgment
The context of this verse is the aftermath of God's judgment on the Israelites for their rebellion and lack of faith, as they refused to enter the Promised Land after the report of the spies.

Teaching Points

The Consequences of Disobedience
The Israelites' mourning is a direct result of their disobedience and lack of faith. This serves as a reminder that our actions have consequences, and disobedience to God can lead to missed blessings.

The Importance of Faith
The Israelites' failure to trust in God's promise to deliver the Promised Land resulted in a severe judgment. We are called to have faith in God's promises, even when circumstances seem daunting.

Repentance and Mourning
The Israelites' mourning reflects a recognition of their sin. True repentance involves acknowledging our wrongs and turning back to God with a contrite heart.

Leadership and Responsibility
Moses' role as a leader highlights the responsibility of conveying God's truth, even when it is difficult. Leaders in the faith must remain faithful to God's word, regardless of the response.

Learning from the Past
The account of the Israelites serves as a cautionary tale. We are encouraged to learn from their mistakes and strive to live in obedience and faithfulness to God.

Bible Study Questions

1. What can we learn from the Israelites' response to God's judgment in Numbers 14:39 about the nature of true repentance?

2. How does the Israelites' experience in the wilderness relate to our own spiritual journeys and the challenges we face in trusting God's promises?

3. In what ways can we apply the lessons of faith and obedience from this passage to our daily lives?

4. How does the role of Moses as a leader in this passage inform our understanding of spiritual leadership and responsibility today?

5. What other biblical examples can you think of where disobedience led to missed blessings, and how can these examples guide us in our walk with God?

Connections to Other Scriptures

Deuteronomy 1:34-36
This passage recounts the same event, emphasizing God's anger and the consequences of the Israelites' lack of faith, highlighting the importance of obedience and trust in God's promises.

Hebrews 3:16-19
This New Testament passage reflects on the Israelites' rebellion and unbelief, using it as a warning to Christians to remain faithful and obedient to God.

Psalm 95:8-11
This psalm references the Israelites' hard-heartedness in the wilderness, urging believers to listen to God's voice and not harden their hearts.

Sermons

The Could not Enter in Because of Unbelief	W. Binnie	Numbers 14:1-45
A Confession Contradicted in Action	D. Young	Numbers 14:39-45

People

Aaron, Amalekites, Caleb, Canaanites, Egyptians, Israelites, Jephunneh, Joshua, Moses, Nun

Places

Egypt, Hormah, Kadesh-barnea, Red Sea

Topics

Bitterly, Exceedingly, Full, Greatly, Grief, Israelites, Mourn, Mourned, Sayings, Sons, Speaketh, Spoke

Dictionary of Bible Themes

Numbers 14:39

6227 regret
6740 returning to God

Numbers 14:39-45

6734 repentance, importance

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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