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Numbers 14:5-36
New King James Version
Numbers 14:5-36
New King James Version
5 Then Moses and Aaron [a]fell on their faces before all the assembly of the congregation of the children of Israel.
6 But Joshua the son of Nun and Caleb the son of Jephunneh, who were among those who had spied out the land, tore their clothes; 7 and they spoke to all the congregation of the children of Israel, saying: (A)“The land we passed through to spy out is an exceedingly good land. 8 If the Lord (B)delights in us, then He will bring us into this land and give it to us, (C)‘a land which flows with milk and honey.’ 9 Only (D)do not rebel against the Lord, (E)nor fear the people of the land, for (F)they[b] are our bread; their protection has departed from them, (G)and the Lord is with us. Do not fear them.”
10 (H)And all the congregation said to stone them with stones. Now (I)the glory of the Lord appeared in the tabernacle of meeting before all the children of Israel.
Moses Intercedes for the People
11 Then the Lord said to Moses: “How long will these people (J)reject[c] Me? And how long will they not (K)believe Me, with all the [d]signs which I have performed among them? 12 I will strike them with the pestilence and disinherit them, and I will (L)make of you a nation greater and mightier than they.”
13 And (M)Moses said to the Lord: (N)“Then the Egyptians will hear it, for by Your might You brought these people up from among them, 14 and they will tell it to the inhabitants of this land. They have (O)heard that You, Lord, are among these people; that You, Lord, are seen face to face and Your cloud stands above them, and You go before them in a pillar of cloud by day and in a pillar of fire by night. 15 Now if You kill these people as one man, then the nations which have heard of Your fame will speak, saying, 16 ‘Because the Lord was not (P)able to bring this people to the land which He swore to give them, therefore He killed them in the wilderness.’ 17 And now, I pray, let the power of my Lord be great, just as You have spoken, saying, 18 (Q)‘The Lord is longsuffering and abundant in mercy, forgiving iniquity and transgression; but He by no means clears the guilty, (R)visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and fourth generation.’ 19 (S)Pardon the iniquity of this people, I pray, (T)according to the greatness of Your mercy, just (U)as You have forgiven this people, from Egypt even until now.”
20 Then the Lord said: “I have pardoned, (V)according to your word; 21 but truly, as I live, (W)all the earth shall be filled with the glory of the Lord— 22 (X)because all these men who have seen My glory and the signs which I did in Egypt and in the wilderness, and have put Me to the test now (Y)these ten times, and have not heeded My voice, 23 they certainly shall not (Z)see the land of which I [e]swore to their fathers, nor shall any of those who rejected Me see it. 24 But My servant (AA)Caleb, because he has a different spirit in him and (AB)has followed Me fully, I will bring into the land where he went, and his descendants shall inherit it. 25 Now the Amalekites and the Canaanites dwell in the valley; tomorrow turn and (AC)move out into the wilderness by the Way of the Red Sea.”
Death Sentence on the Rebels
26 And the Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying, 27 (AD)“How long shall I bear with this evil congregation who complain against Me? (AE)I have heard the complaints which the children of Israel make against Me. 28 Say to them, (AF)‘As I live,’ says the Lord, ‘just as you have spoken in My hearing, so I will do to you: 29 The carcasses of you who have complained against Me shall fall in this wilderness, (AG)all of you who were numbered, according to your entire number, from twenty years old and above. 30 (AH)Except for Caleb the son of Jephunneh and Joshua the son of Nun, you shall by no means enter the land which I [f]swore I would make you dwell in. 31 (AI)But your little ones, whom you said would be victims, I will bring in, and they shall [g]know the land which (AJ)you have despised. 32 But as for you, (AK)your[h] carcasses shall fall in this wilderness. 33 And your sons shall (AL)be [i]shepherds in the wilderness (AM)forty years, and (AN)bear the brunt of your infidelity, until your carcasses are consumed in the wilderness. 34 (AO)According to the number of the days in which you spied out the land, (AP)forty days, for each day you shall bear your [j]guilt one year, namely forty years, (AQ)and you shall know My [k]rejection. 35 (AR)I the Lord have spoken this. I will surely do so to all (AS)this evil congregation who are gathered together against Me. In this wilderness they shall be consumed, and there they shall die.’ ”
36 Now the men whom Moses sent to spy out the land, who returned and made all the congregation complain against him by bringing a bad report of the land,
Read full chapterFootnotes
- Numbers 14:5 prostrated themselves
- Numbers 14:9 They shall be as food for our consumption.
- Numbers 14:11 despise
- Numbers 14:11 miraculous signs
- Numbers 14:23 solemnly promised
- Numbers 14:30 solemnly promised
- Numbers 14:31 be acquainted with
- Numbers 14:32 You shall die.
- Numbers 14:33 Vg. wanderers
- Numbers 14:34 iniquity
- Numbers 14:34 opposition
Numbers 14:5-36
New American Standard Bible
Numbers 14:5-36
New American Standard Bible
5 (A)Then Moses and Aaron fell on their faces in the presence of all the assembly of the congregation of the sons of Israel. 6 And Joshua the son of Nun and Caleb the son of Jephunneh, of those who had spied out the land, tore their clothes; 7 and they spoke to all the congregation of the sons of Israel, saying, “(B)The land which we passed through to spy out is an exceedingly good land. 8 (C)If the Lord is pleased with us, then He will bring us into this land and give it to us—(D)a land which flows with milk and honey. 9 Only (E)do not rebel against the Lord; and do not (F)fear the people of the land, for they will be our [a]prey. Their [b]protection is gone from them, and the Lord is with us; do not fear them.” 10 (G)But all the congregation said to stone them with stones. Then (H)the glory of the Lord appeared in the tent of meeting to all the sons of Israel.
Moses Pleads for the People
11 (I)And the Lord said to Moses, “How long will this people be disrespectful to Me? And how long will (J)they not [c]believe in Me, despite all the signs that I have performed in their midst? 12 I will strike them with [d](K)plague and dispossess them, and I (L)will make you into a nation greater and mightier than they.”
13 (M)But Moses said to the Lord, “Then the Egyptians will hear of it, for by Your strength You brought this people up from their midst, 14 and they will tell it to the inhabitants of this land. They have heard that You, Lord, are in the midst of this people, because (N)You, Lord, are seen eye to eye, while Your cloud stands over them; and You go before them in a pillar of cloud by day, and in a pillar of fire by night. 15 Now if You put this people to death [e]all at once, (O)then the nations who have heard of Your fame will [f]say, 16 ‘Since the Lord (P)could not bring this people into the land which He promised them by oath, He slaughtered them in the wilderness.’ 17 So now, please, let the power of the Lord be great, just as You have declared, saying, 18 ‘(Q)The Lord is slow to anger and abundant in mercy, forgiving wrongdoing and violation of His Law; but (R)He will by no means leave the guilty unpunished, (S)inflicting the [g]punishment of the fathers on the children [h]to the third and the fourth generations.’ 19 Please (T)forgive the guilt of this people in accordance with the greatness of Your mercy, just as You also have forgiven this people, from Egypt even until now.”
The Lord Pardons and Rebukes
20 So the Lord said, “(U)I have forgiven them in accordance with your word; 21 however, (V)as I live, [i](W)all the earth will be filled with the glory of the Lord. 22 Certainly (X)all the people who have seen My glory and My signs which I performed in Egypt and in the wilderness, yet (Y)have put Me to the test these ten times and have not listened to My voice, 23 (Z)shall by no means see the land which I swore to their fathers, nor shall any of those who were disrespectful to Me see it. 24 But as for My servant Caleb, (AA)because he has had a different spirit and has followed Me fully, (AB)I will bring him into the land which he [j]entered, and his [k]descendants shall take possession of it. 25 (AC)Now the Amalekites and the Canaanites live in the valleys; turn tomorrow and set out for the wilderness by the way of the [l]Red Sea.”
26 The Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron again, saying, 27 “How long shall I put up with this evil congregation who are (AD)grumbling against Me? I have heard the complaints of the sons of Israel which they are [m]voicing against Me. 28 Say to them, ‘(AE)As I live,’ declares the Lord, ‘just as (AF)you have spoken in My hearing, so I will do to you; 29 (AG)your dead bodies will fall in this wilderness, all (AH)your [n]numbered men according to your complete number from twenty years old and upward, who have grumbled against Me. 30 By no means will you come into the land where I [o]swore to settle you, (AI)except for Caleb the son of Jephunneh and Joshua the son of Nun. 31 (AJ)Your children, however, whom you said would become plunder—I will bring them in, and they will know the land which you have rejected. 32 (AK)But as for you, your dead bodies will fall in this wilderness. 33 Also, your sons will be shepherds in the wilderness for (AL)forty years, and they will [p]suffer for your unfaithfulness, until your bodies perish in the wilderness. 34 In accordance with the (AM)number of days that you spied out the land, forty days, for every day you shall suffer the punishment for your [q]guilt a year, that is, forty years, and you will know My opposition. 35 (AN)I, the Lord, have spoken, I certainly will do this to all this evil congregation who are gathered together against Me. They shall be worn out in this wilderness, and there they shall die.’”
36 (AO)As for the men whom Moses sent to spy out the land, and who returned and led all the congregation to grumble against him by bringing a bad report about the land,
Read full chapterFootnotes
- Numbers 14:9 Lit food
- Numbers 14:9 Lit shadow
- Numbers 14:11 Or trust in
- Numbers 14:12 Lit the plague
- Numbers 14:15 Lit as one man
- Numbers 14:15 Lit say, saying
- Numbers 14:18 I.e., punishment for the wrongdoing
- Numbers 14:18 Lit on
- Numbers 14:21 Lit and all
- Numbers 14:24 Lit entered there
- Numbers 14:24 Lit seed
- Numbers 14:25 Lit Sea of Reeds
- Numbers 14:27 Lit complaining
- Numbers 14:29 Lit mustered
- Numbers 14:30 Lit raised My hand
- Numbers 14:33 Lit bear
- Numbers 14:34 Or wrongdoings
Numbers 14:5-36
Amplified Bible
Numbers 14:5-36
Amplified Bible
5 Then Moses and Aaron fell on their faces before all the assembly of the congregation of the Israelites. 6 Joshua the son of Nun and Caleb the son of Jephunneh, who were among those who had spied out the land, tore their clothes [as a sign of grief], 7 and they spoke to all the congregation of the sons of Israel, saying, “The land through which we passed as spies is an exceedingly good land. 8 If the Lord delights in us, then He will bring us into this land and give it to us, a land which [a]flows with milk and honey. 9 Only do not rebel against the Lord; and do not fear the people of the land, for they will be our prey. Their protection has been removed from them, and the Lord is with us. Do not fear them.” 10 But all the congregation said to stone Joshua and Caleb with stones. But the glory and brilliance of the Lord appeared at the Tent of Meeting (tabernacle) before all the sons of Israel.
Moses Pleads for the People
11 The Lord said to Moses, “How long will these people treat me disrespectfully and reject Me? And how long will they not believe in Me, despite all the [miraculous] signs which I have performed among them? 12 I will strike them with the pestilence (plague) and dispossess them, and will make you into a nation greater and mightier than they.”
13 But Moses said to the Lord, “Then the Egyptians will hear of it, for by Your strength You brought up these people from among them, 14 and they will tell it to the inhabitants of this land. They have heard that You, Lord, are among these people [of Israel], that You, Lord, are seen face to face, while Your cloud stands over them; and that You go before them in a pillar of cloud by day and in a pillar of fire by night. 15 Now if You kill these people as one man, then the nations (Gentiles) that have heard of Your fame will say, 16 ‘Because the Lord was not able to bring these people into the land which He promised to give them, therefore He slaughtered them in the wilderness.’ 17 But now, please, let the power of the Lord be great, just as You have declared, saying, 18 ‘The Lord is slow to anger, and abundant in lovingkindness, forgiving wickedness and transgression; but He will by no means clear the guilty, visiting (avenging) the wickedness and guilt of the fathers on the children, to the third and fourth generations [that is, calling the children to account for the sins of their fathers].’(A) 19 Please pardon the wickedness and guilt of these people according to the greatness of Your lovingkindness, just as You have forgiven these people, from Egypt even until now.”
The Lord Pardons and Rebukes
20 So the Lord said, “I have pardoned them according to your word; 21 but indeed as I live, all the earth will be filled with the glory of the Lord.(B) 22 Surely all the men who have seen My glory and My [miraculous] signs which I performed in Egypt and in the wilderness, yet have put Me to the test these ten times and have not listened to My voice, 23 will by no means see the land which I swore to [give to] their fathers; nor will any who treated me disrespectfully and rejected Me see it.(C) 24 But My servant Caleb, because he has a different spirit and has followed Me fully, I will bring into the land into which he entered, and his descendants shall take possession of it. 25 Now the Amalekites and the Canaanites live in the valley; tomorrow turn and set out for the wilderness by way of the Red Sea.”
26 The Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying, 27 “How long shall I put up with this evil congregation who murmur [in discontent] against Me? I have heard the complaints of the Israelites, which they are making against Me. 28 Say to them, ‘As I live,’ says the Lord, ‘just what you have spoken in My hearing I will most certainly do to you; 29 your dead bodies will fall in this wilderness, even all who were numbered of you, your entire number from twenty years old and upward, who have murmured against Me.(D) 30 Except for Caleb the son of Jephunneh and Joshua the son of Nun, not one of you shall enter the land in which I swore [an oath] to settle you. 31 But your children whom you said would become plunder, I will bring in, and they will know the land which you have despised and rejected. 32 But as for you, your dead bodies will fall in this wilderness. 33 Your sons shall be wanderers and shepherds in the wilderness for forty years, and they will suffer for your unfaithfulness (spiritual infidelity), until your corpses are consumed in the wilderness. 34 According to the number of days in which you spied out the land [of Canaan], forty days, for each day, you shall bear and suffer a year for your sins and guilt, for forty years, and you shall know My displeasure [the revoking of My promise and My estrangement because of your sin]. 35 I, the Lord, have spoken. I will most certainly do this to all this evil congregation who are gathered together against Me. In this wilderness they shall be consumed [by war, disease, and plagues], and here they shall die.’”(E)
36 As for the men whom Moses sent to spy out the land, and who returned and made all the congregation murmur and complain against him by bringing back a bad report concerning the land,
Read full chapterFootnotes
- Numbers 14:8 See note 13:27.
Numbers 14:5-36
New International Version
Numbers 14:5-36
New International Version
5 Then Moses and Aaron fell facedown(A) in front of the whole Israelite assembly(B) gathered there. 6 Joshua son of Nun(C) and Caleb son of Jephunneh, who were among those who had explored the land, tore their clothes(D) 7 and said to the entire Israelite assembly, “The land we passed through and explored is exceedingly good.(E) 8 If the Lord is pleased with us,(F) he will lead us into that land, a land flowing with milk and honey,(G) and will give it to us.(H) 9 Only do not rebel(I) against the Lord. And do not be afraid(J) of the people of the land,(K) because we will devour them. Their protection is gone, but the Lord is with(L) us.(M) Do not be afraid of them.”(N)
10 But the whole assembly talked about stoning(O) them. Then the glory of the Lord(P) appeared at the tent of meeting to all the Israelites. 11 The Lord said to Moses, “How long will these people treat me with contempt?(Q) How long will they refuse to believe in me,(R) in spite of all the signs(S) I have performed among them? 12 I will strike them down with a plague(T) and destroy them, but I will make you into a nation(U) greater and stronger than they.”(V)
13 Moses said to the Lord, “Then the Egyptians will hear about it! By your power you brought these people up from among them.(W) 14 And they will tell the inhabitants of this land about it. They have already heard(X) that you, Lord, are with these people(Y) and that you, Lord, have been seen face to face,(Z) that your cloud stays over them,(AA) and that you go before them in a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night.(AB) 15 If you put all these people to death, leaving none alive, the nations who have heard this report about you will say, 16 ‘The Lord was not able to bring these people into the land he promised them on oath,(AC) so he slaughtered them in the wilderness.’(AD)
17 “Now may the Lord’s strength be displayed, just as you have declared: 18 ‘The Lord is slow to anger, abounding in love and forgiving sin and rebellion.(AE) Yet he does not leave the guilty unpunished; he punishes the children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation.’(AF) 19 In accordance with your great love, forgive(AG) the sin of these people,(AH) just as you have pardoned them from the time they left Egypt until now.”(AI)
20 The Lord replied, “I have forgiven them,(AJ) as you asked. 21 Nevertheless, as surely as I live(AK) and as surely as the glory of the Lord(AL) fills the whole earth,(AM) 22 not one of those who saw my glory and the signs(AN) I performed in Egypt and in the wilderness but who disobeyed me and tested me ten times(AO)— 23 not one of them will ever see the land I promised on oath(AP) to their ancestors. No one who has treated me with contempt(AQ) will ever see it.(AR) 24 But because my servant Caleb(AS) has a different spirit and follows me wholeheartedly,(AT) I will bring him into the land he went to, and his descendants will inherit it.(AU) 25 Since the Amalekites(AV) and the Canaanites(AW) are living in the valleys, turn(AX) back tomorrow and set out toward the desert along the route to the Red Sea.[a](AY)”
26 The Lord said to Moses and Aaron: 27 “How long will this wicked community grumble against me? I have heard the complaints of these grumbling Israelites.(AZ) 28 So tell them, ‘As surely as I live,(BA) declares the Lord, I will do to you(BB) the very thing I heard you say: 29 In this wilderness your bodies will fall(BC)—every one of you twenty years old or more(BD) who was counted in the census(BE) and who has grumbled against me. 30 Not one of you will enter the land(BF) I swore with uplifted hand(BG) to make your home, except Caleb son of Jephunneh(BH) and Joshua son of Nun.(BI) 31 As for your children that you said would be taken as plunder, I will bring them in to enjoy the land you have rejected.(BJ) 32 But as for you, your bodies will fall(BK) in this wilderness. 33 Your children will be shepherds here for forty years,(BL) suffering for your unfaithfulness, until the last of your bodies lies in the wilderness. 34 For forty years(BM)—one year for each of the forty days you explored the land(BN)—you will suffer for your sins and know what it is like to have me against you.’ 35 I, the Lord, have spoken, and I will surely do these things(BO) to this whole wicked community, which has banded together against me. They will meet their end in this wilderness; here they will die.(BP)”
36 So the men Moses had sent(BQ) to explore the land, who returned and made the whole community grumble(BR) against him by spreading a bad report(BS) about it—
Footnotes
- Numbers 14:25 Or the Sea of Reeds
Numbers 14:5-36
King James Version
Numbers 14:5-36
King James Version
5 Then Moses and Aaron fell on their faces before all the assembly of the congregation of the children of Israel.
6 And Joshua the son of Nun, and Caleb the son of Jephunneh, which were of them that searched the land, rent their clothes:
7 And they spake unto all the company of the children of Israel, saying, The land, which we passed through to search it, is an exceeding good land.
8 If the Lord delight in us, then he will bring us into this land, and give it us; a land which floweth with milk and honey.
9 Only rebel not ye against the Lord, neither fear ye the people of the land; for they are bread for us: their defence is departed from them, and the Lord is with us: fear them not.
10 But all the congregation bade stone them with stones. And the glory of the Lord appeared in the tabernacle of the congregation before all the children of Israel.
11 And the Lord said unto Moses, How long will this people provoke me? and how long will it be ere they believe me, for all the signs which I have shewed among them?
12 I will smite them with the pestilence, and disinherit them, and will make of thee a greater nation and mightier than they.
13 And Moses said unto the Lord, Then the Egyptians shall hear it, (for thou broughtest up this people in thy might from among them;)
14 And they will tell it to the inhabitants of this land: for they have heard that thou Lord art among this people, that thou Lord art seen face to face, and that thy cloud standeth over them, and that thou goest before them, by day time in a pillar of a cloud, and in a pillar of fire by night.
15 Now if thou shalt kill all this people as one man, then the nations which have heard the fame of thee will speak, saying,
16 Because the Lord was not able to bring this people into the land which he sware unto them, therefore he hath slain them in the wilderness.
17 And now, I beseech thee, let the power of my lord be great, according as thou hast spoken, saying,
18 The Lord is longsuffering, and of great mercy, forgiving iniquity and transgression, and by no means clearing the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation.
19 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.
20 And the Lord said, I have pardoned according to thy word:
21 But as truly as I live, all the earth shall be filled with the glory of the Lord.
22 Because all those men which have seen my glory, and my miracles, which I did in Egypt and in the wilderness, and have tempted me now these ten times, and have not hearkened to my voice;
23 Surely they shall not see the land which I sware unto their fathers, neither shall any of them that provoked me see it:
24 But my servant Caleb, because he had another spirit with him, and hath followed me fully, him will I bring into the land whereinto he went; and his seed shall possess it.
25 (Now the Amalekites and the Canaanites dwelt in the valley.) Tomorrow turn you, and get you into the wilderness by the way of the Red sea.
26 And the Lord spake unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying,
27 How long shall I bear with this evil congregation, which murmur against me? I have heard the murmurings of the children of Israel, which they murmur against me.
28 Say unto them, As truly as I live, saith the Lord, as ye have spoken in mine ears, so will I do to you:
29 Your carcases shall fall in this wilderness; and all that were numbered of you, according to your whole number, from twenty years old and upward which have murmured against me.
30 Doubtless ye shall not come into the land, concerning which I sware to make you dwell therein, save Caleb the son of Jephunneh, and Joshua the son of Nun.
31 But your little ones, which ye said should be a prey, them will I bring in, and they shall know the land which ye have despised.
32 But as for you, your carcases, they shall fall in this wilderness.
33 And your children shall wander in the wilderness forty years, and bear your whoredoms, until your carcases be wasted in the wilderness.
34 After the number of the days in which ye searched the land, even forty days, each day for a year, shall ye bear your iniquities, even forty years, and ye shall know my breach of promise.
35 I the Lord have said, I will surely do it unto all this evil congregation, that are gathered together against me: in this wilderness they shall be consumed, and there they shall die.
36 And the men, which Moses sent to search the land, who returned, and made all the congregation to murmur against him, by bringing up a slander upon the land,
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New King James Version (NKJV) 
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
New American Standard Bible (NASB) 
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Amplified Bible (AMP)
Copyright © 2015 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, CA 90631. All rights reserved.
New International Version (NIV) 
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.