New International Reader s Version - NIrV - 1996

Numbers 14

1 That night all of the people in the community raised their voices. They sobbed out loud. Reference

Parallel theme

Deuteronomy 1:45

2 The people of Israel spoke against Moses and Aaron. The whole community said to them, "We wish we had died in Egypt or even in this desert. Reference

Parallel theme

1 Corinthians 10:10 Jude 1:16 Psalm 106:24 Jonah 4:3 Numbers 11:15

References Egypt

Deuteronomy 1:27

References God

Jonah 4:8

References Moses

Exodus 15:24 Exodus 17:3 Numbers 16:41

3 Why is the Lord bringing us to this land? We're going to be killed with swords. Our enemies will capture our wives and children. Wouldn't it be better for us to go back to Egypt?" Reference

Parallel theme

Psalm 78:40

References Lord

Jeremiah 9:3

4 They said to one another, "We should choose another leader. We should go back to Egypt." Reference

Parallel theme

Luke 17:32 Hebrews 11:15

References Egypt

Acts 7:39 Deuteronomy 17:16 Deuteronomy 28:68

5 Then Moses and Aaron fell with their faces to the ground. They did it in front of the whole community of Israel that was gathered there. Reference

Parallel theme

Numbers 16:22 Numbers 16:45 Genesis 17:3 Joshua 5:14 Leviticus 9:24 Revelation 5:14 Revelation 4:10

References Israel

1 Chronicles 21:16 Ezekiel 9:8

References Moses

Numbers 16:4

6 Joshua, the son of Nun, tore his clothes. So did Caleb, the son of Jephunneh. Joshua and Caleb were two of the men who had checked out the land. Reference

Parallel theme

Numbers 14:30 Numbers 13:30 Genesis 37:34 Genesis 37:29 Numbers 14:38 Numbers 13:8 Numbers 13:6

7 They spoke to the whole community of Israel. They said, "We passed through the land and checked it out. It's very good. Reference

Good

Deuteronomy 1:25

Parallel theme

Numbers 13:27

8 If the Lord is pleased with us, he'll lead us into that land. It's a land that has plenty of milk and honey. He'll give it to us. Reference

Light

2 Samuel 22:20 Deuteronomy 10:15 Isaiah 62:4 Psalm 22:8 1 Kings 10:9

Parallel theme

Romans 8:31 Numbers 13:27 Jeremiah 32:41 Exodus 3:8

References Lord

Zephaniah 3:17

9 "But don't refuse to obey him. And don't be afraid of the people of the land. We will swallow them up. The Lord is with us. So nothing can save them. Don't be afraid of them." Reference

Parallel theme

Romans 8:31 Psalm 74:14 Numbers 24:8 Joshua 1:5

References Lord

Deuteronomy 7:18 Deuteronomy 31:6 Deuteronomy 31:8 2 Chronicles 20:17 2 Chronicles 32:8 Psalm 121:5

10 But all of the people talked about killing Joshua and Caleb by throwing stones at them. Then the glory of the Lord appeared at the Tent of Meeting. All of the people of Israel saw it. Reference

Glory

Leviticus 9:23 Exodus 16:10 Exodus 16:7 Numbers 16:42 Numbers 16:19 Numbers 20:6

Parallel theme

Matthew 23:37

References Lord

Exodus 17:4 1 Samuel 30:6

11 The Lord spoke to Moses. He said, "How long will these people make fun of me? How long will they refuse to believe in me? They refuse even though I have done many miraculous signs among them. Reference

Faith

Psalm 106:24 Psalm 78:32 Psalm 78:22 Deuteronomy 1:32 John 12:37 Hebrews 3:18

Parallel theme

Hebrews 3:8 Numbers 14:23 Numbers 14:27

References Moses

Hebrews 3:16

12 So I will strike them down with a plague. I will destroy them. But I will make you into a greater and stronger nation than they are." Reference

Parallel theme

Exodus 32:10 Numbers 25:9 2 Samuel 24:1

13 Moses said to the Lord, "Then the Egyptians will hear about it. You used your power to bring these people up from among them. Reference

Parallel theme

Ezekiel 20:14

References Egypt

Ezekiel 20:9

References Lord

Deuteronomy 32:27

References Moses

Psalm 106:23

14 "And the Egyptians will tell the people who live in Canaan about it. Lord, they have already heard a lot about you. They've heard that you are with these people. They've heard that you have been seen face to face. They've been told that your cloud stays over them. They've heard that you go in front of them in a pillar of cloud by day. They've been told that you go in front of them in a pillar of fire at night. Reference

Parallel theme

Exodus 15:14 Psalm 78:14 Nehemiah 9:19 Nehemiah 9:12 John 1:18 Genesis 32:30

References Lord

Exodus 33:11 Deuteronomy 5:4 Exodus 40:38 Joshua 5:1

15 "Suppose you put these people to death all at one time. Then the nations who have heard those things about you will talk. They'll say,

16 "The Lord took an oath. He promised to give these people the land of Canaan. But he wasn't able to bring them into it. So he killed them in the desert.' Reference

Parallel theme

Joshua 7:9

References Lord

Deuteronomy 9:28 Joshua 7:7

17 "Now, Lord, show your strength. You have said, Reference

Parallel theme

Matthew 9:6 Matthew 9:8

References Lord

Micah 3:8

18 "I am the Lord. I am slow to get angry. I am full of love. I forgive those who sin. I forgive those who refuse to obey. But I do not let guilty people go without punishing them. I punish the children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren for the sin of their parents.' Reference

Grace

Psalm 145:8 Jonah 4:2 Psalm 103:8 Micah 7:18

References Lord

Jeremiah 23:2

Sin

Exodus 20:5 Deuteronomy 5:9

19 "Lord, your love is great. So forgive the sin of these people. Forgive them just as you have done from the time they left Egypt until now." Reference

Grace

Exodus 34:9 Isaiah 55:7 Exodus 33:17 Jonah 4:2

Parallel theme

Psalm 106:45 Jonah 3:10

Sin

Psalm 78:38 Exodus 32:32 James 5:15 1 Kings 8:34

20 The Lord replied, "I have forgiven them, just as you asked.

21 You can be sure that I live. You can be sure that my glory fills the whole earth. Reference

Glory

Habakkuk 2:14 Psalm 72:19 Isaiah 6:3

Parallel theme

Deuteronomy 32:40 Matthew 6:10

References Lord

Isaiah 49:18

22 "And you can be just as sure that these men will not see the land I promised to give them. They have seen my glory. They have seen the miraculous signs I did in Egypt. And they have seen what I did in the desert. But they did not obey me. And they have put me to the test ten times. Reference

Parallel theme

Job 19:3 Psalm 106:26 Genesis 31:7 Exodus 17:2

References Egypt

Exodus 32:1

23 So not even one of them will ever see the land I promised with an oath to give to their people of long ago. No one who has made fun of me will ever see it. Reference

Parallel theme

Numbers 32:11 Numbers 26:64 Ezekiel 20:15

24 "But my servant Caleb has a different spirit. He follows me with his whole heart. So I will bring him into the land he went to. And his children after him will receive land there. Reference

Parallel theme

Numbers 26:65 Acts 11:23 Ephesians 6:6 Deuteronomy 1:36 Numbers 13:30 Colossians 3:23 Psalm 119:145 Psalm 119:80 1 Chronicles 29:9 1 Chronicles 29:18

25 "The Amalekites and Canaanites are living in the valleys. So turn back tomorrow. Start out toward the desert. Go along the way that leads to the Red Sea." Reference

Parallel theme

Deuteronomy 1:40 Numbers 13:29

26 The Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron. He said,

27 "How long will this evil community speak against me? I have heard these Israelites talk about how unhappy they are. Reference

Parallel theme

1 Corinthians 10:10 Mark 9:19 Exodus 16:28 Numbers 14:11

References Israel

Exodus 16:12

28 So tell them, 'Here is what I, the Lord, am announcing. You can be sure that I live. And you can be just as sure that I will do to you the very things that I heard you say. Reference

Parallel theme

Hebrews 3:17 Numbers 14:23 Numbers 14:2

References Lord

Numbers 14:21

29 " 'You will die in this desert. Every one of you who is 20 years old or more will die. Every one of you who was counted in the list of the people will die. Every one of you who has spoken out against me will be wiped out. Reference

Parallel theme

Numbers 1:45 Hebrews 3:17 Numbers 26:64 1 Corinthians 10:5

30 I lifted up my hand and promised with an oath to make this land your home. But now not all of you will enter the land. Caleb, the son of Jephunneh, will enter it. So will Joshua, the son of Nun. They are the only ones who will enter the land. Reference

Parallel theme

Genesis 14:22 Numbers 14:38

31 " 'You have said that your enemies would capture your children. But I will bring your children in to enjoy the land you have turned your backs on. Reference

Parallel theme

Deuteronomy 1:39 Psalm 106:24

32 As for you, you will die in the desert. Reference

Parallel theme

1 Corinthians 10:5 Numbers 14:29

33 Your children will be shepherds here for 40 years. They will suffer because you were not faithful. They will suffer until the last of your bodies lies here in the desert. Reference

Parallel theme

Ezekiel 23:35 Numbers 32:13 Psalm 107:40 Deuteronomy 2:14

34 For 40 years you will suffer for your sins. That is one year for each of the 40 days you checked out the land. You will know what it is like to have me against you.' Reference

Covenant

Hebrews 4:1

Parallel theme

Ezekiel 4:6 Numbers 13:25 Daniel 9:24 Psalm 95:10 2 Chronicles 36:21 1 Samuel 2:30

35 "I, the Lord, have spoken. You can be sure that I will do those things to this whole evil community. They have joined together against me. They will meet their end in this desert. They will die here." Reference

Parallel theme

Numbers 23:19 1 Corinthians 10:5 Hebrews 3:19

References Lord

Numbers 26:65

36 So the Lord struck down the men Moses had sent to check out the land. They had returned and had spread a bad report about the land. And that had made the whole community speak out against Moses.

37 Those men were to blame for spreading the bad report. So the Lord struck them down. They died of a plague. Reference

Parallel theme

1 Corinthians 10:10 Numbers 16:49 Hebrews 3:17 Numbers 14:12

38 Only two of the men who went to check out the land remained alive. One of them was Joshua, the son of Nun. The other was Caleb, the son of Jephunneh. Reference

Parallel theme

Numbers 26:65

39 Moses reported to all of the people of Israel what the Lord had said. And they became very sad. Reference

Parallel theme

Exodus 33:4

40 Early the next morning they went up toward the high hill country. "We have sinned," they said. "We will go up to the place the Lord promised to give us." Reference

Sin

Deuteronomy 1:41

41 But Moses said, "Why aren't you obeying the Lord's command? You won't succeed. Reference

Word

2 Chronicles 24:20

42 So don't go up. The Lord isn't with you. Your enemies will win the battle over you. Reference

References Lord

Deuteronomy 1:42

43 The Amalekites and Canaanites will meet you on the field of battle. You have turned away from the Lord. So he won't be with you. And you will be killed with swords." Reference

Parallel theme

Numbers 13:29 Numbers 14:25

References Lord

2 Chronicles 15:2

44 But they wouldn't listen. They still went up toward the high hill country. They went up even though Moses didn't move from the camp. They went even though the ark of the Lord's covenant didn't move from the camp. Reference

References Lord

Deuteronomy 1:43

45 Then the Amalekites and Canaanites who lived in that hill country came down. They attacked the people of Israel. They won the battle over them. They chased them all the way to Hormah. Reference

Parallel theme

Numbers 21:3 Deuteronomy 1:44 Judges 1:17 Numbers 14:43

📍 Hormah

Chapter Summary

Numbers chapter 14 speaks of the Israelites’ mourning after the report of the twelve spies about the land flow from Eden. They turned against Moses and Aaron and wished that they had remained in Egypt. Joshua and Caleb attempted to console them, but they were stoned. Further, the Lord declared judgment on the congregation, but Moses prayed for the people. God forgave them but stated that the Israelites who left Egypt would never see the promised land except for Joshua and Caleb.

The Israelites reacted to the report of the twelve spies with murmuring. They lamented all night and reasoned that the Egyptians and the Lord had brought them to die in the wilderness. They said that it would have been better if they had been slaves in Egypt than marching to fight the battles of the Lord. It seems that the people were so terrified that they thought about selecting a new leader to return them to slavery in Egypt.

Moses and Aaron fell on their faces before the congregation, and Joshua and Caleb ripped their clothes in grief. They spoke with grief in their hearts because they understood that the people were about to sin. Joshua and Caleb reminded them that the land was good, flowing with milk and honey. They said that if the Lord was pleased with them, he would deliver them to possess it. They warned the people not to murmur against the Lord or be afraid of the inhabitants of the land.

The people responded by saying that they would stone Joshua and Caleb. Then the glory of the Lord appeared in the tabernacle, and God told Moses to declare that he would strike the people and disinherit them from the land. He would make a nation of Moses greater than any nation. The reason for this was that despite all the miracles and signs that the Lord had brought upon Egypt and Israel, the people did not believe the word of the Lord.

Moses prayed for the people, asking God to forgive them according to his greatness. Moses reminded the Lord that the Egyptians and the nations would hear of this and know that the Lord brought them out with power. He told them to show mercy to Israel so that they might continue to believe the word of the Lord and that all nations would recognize the Lord’s name.

God answered Moses and told him that he had pardoned the people according to his word. However, they would not inherit the land because all who saw the glory of the Lord and the signs he brought upon Egypt and Israel had rebelled. They would die in the wilderness, and all that remained would inherit the land of Canaan. The people would wander for forty years in the wilderness because, as many as twenty years old and above, who left Egypt had rebelled against the Lord.

It seems that the Lord has forgiven Israel for rebelling against him but has judged them by declaring that all those twenty years and older would die in the wilderness. All those counted in the census, except for Caleb and Joshua, would die in the wilderness. Caleb, the son of Jephunneh, and Joshua, the son of Nun, would inherit the land because of their faith in the Lord. The remaining Israelites would possess the land of Canaan when they entered it.

The Lord told Moses to inform the Israelites that their children would be kept from the land because of the unbelief of their fathers because they had provoked the Lord. The people had been wandering in the wilderness for forty days, and so they would stay for forty years, each day corresponding to a year. The ten spies who had brought back an evil report would die of a plague of the Lord.

The people of Israel mourned greatly when they heard the decree of the Lord, but they spoke again. They said that it would be a good idea to go up and possess the land because Joshua and Caleb had spoken the truth. Moses told them not to disobey the Lord for, indeed, he would not be with them, but the Canaanites and Amalekites would cut them down. Nevertheless, the Israelites went up, thinking that they would conquer the people of Canaan. The Amalekites and Canaanites came down from the mountain, defeated them, and drove them back to the camp.

Numbers 14 talks about the decision and judgment of the Lord against the Israelites because of their unbelief. They refused to believe the word of the Lord concerning the land that he had promised to give to them. Even when he told them to go and take possession of it, they acted as if it was their own idea.

In the first reading, I was not surprised by the report of the scouts, but I understood why the Israelites rebelled. It was not easy to believe that the Lord could conquer such a massive and powerful nation and bring them into his inheritance. However, the failure of the Israelites was that they doubted the word of the Lord.

The chapter further shows the importance of intercessors in Israel’s history. Moses did not give up the people of Israel to the angel of death but prayed for them. In particular, he reminded the Lord of his mercy and reputation so that he might forgive Israel and not destroy them in the wilderness.

Joshua and Caleb are notable figures because they did not rebel against the command of the Lord. They showed faith in his power and word that he would give them the land even when the people were determined to disobey him. Even though they acknowledged the power of the enemy, they believed that the Lord would deliver the people. Caleb and Joshua would be the only ones to enter the promised land.

The problem that the children of Israel face in this chapter is not the enemies in the land or even the wilderness. Their sin was their unbelief that drove them to try to return to Egypt. Despite everything that the Lord had done for them, they remained ungrateful and unfaithful. Even when the Lord told them to go and take the land, they rebelled and then sought to return to Egypt. It was their failure to believe the Lord that was the root of all their sins.

Numbers 14 reveals a turning point in Israel’s journey towards Canaan. They were at the doorstep of the land that the Lord had promised to give to them, but the lack of faith stopped them. It was not to be a short stay in the wilderness as the Lord had hoped, but the Israelites would be in it for forty years.

New International Reader s Version - NIrV - 1996

Numbers 14

Chapter Summary

📍 Location