The People Rebel

14 Then all the congregation raised a loud cry, and the people (A)wept that night. And all the people of Israel (B)grumbled against Moses and Aaron. The whole congregation said to them, “Would that we had died in the land of Egypt! Or (C)would that we had died in this wilderness! Why is the Lord bringing us into this land, to fall by the sword? (D)Our wives and our little ones will become a prey. Would it not be better for us to go back to Egypt?” And they said to one another, (E)“Let us choose a leader and (F)go back to Egypt.”

Then (G)Moses and Aaron fell on their faces before all the assembly of the congregation of the people of Israel. (H)And Joshua the son of Nun and Caleb the son of Jephunneh, who were among those who had spied out the land, tore their clothes and said to all the congregation of the people of Israel, (I)“The land, which we passed through to spy it out, is an exceedingly good land. If (J)the Lord delights in us, he will bring us into this land and give it to us, (K)a land that flows with milk and honey. Only (L)do not rebel against the Lord. And (M)do not fear the people of the land, for (N)they are bread for us. Their protection is removed from them, and the Lord is with us; do not fear them.” 10 (O)Then all the congregation said to stone them with stones. But (P)the glory of the Lord appeared at the tent of meeting to all the people of Israel.

11 And the Lord said to Moses, “How long will this people (Q)despise me? And how long will they not (R)believe in me, in spite of all the signs that I have done among them? 12 I will strike them with the pestilence and disinherit them, and I (S)will make of you a nation greater and mightier than they.”

Moses Intercedes for the People

13 But (T)Moses said to the Lord, “Then the Egyptians will hear of it, for you brought up this people in your might from among them, 14 and they will tell the inhabitants of this land. (U)They have heard that you, O Lord, are in the midst of this people. For you, O Lord, are seen face to face, and (V)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 kill this people as one man, then the nations who have heard your fame will say, 16 ‘It is because the Lord (W)was not able to bring this people into the land that he swore to give to them that he has killed them in the wilderness.’ 17 And now, please let the power of the Lord be great as you have promised, saying, 18 (X)‘The Lord is slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love, forgiving iniquity and transgression, but he will by no means clear the guilty, (Y)visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children, to the third and the fourth generation.’ 19 Please (Z)pardon the iniquity of this people, according to the greatness of your steadfast love, just (AA)as you have forgiven this people, from Egypt until now.”

God Promises Judgment

20 Then the Lord said, “I have pardoned, (AB)according to your word. 21 But truly, as I live, and as all (AC)the earth shall be filled with the glory of the Lord, 22 (AD)none of the men who have seen my glory and my signs that I did in Egypt and in the wilderness, and yet have put me to the test these (AE)ten times and have not obeyed my voice, 23 (AF)shall see the land that I swore to give to their fathers. And none of those who despised me shall see it. 24 But my servant (AG)Caleb, because he has a different spirit and has (AH)followed me fully, I will bring into the land into which he went, and his descendants shall possess it. 25 (AI)Now, since the Amalekites and the Canaanites dwell in the valleys, (AJ)turn tomorrow and set out for the wilderness by the way to the Red Sea.”

26 And the Lord spoke to Moses and to Aaron, saying, 27 “How long shall (AK)this wicked congregation grumble against me? (AL)I have heard the grumblings of the people of Israel, which they grumble against me. 28 Say to them, (AM)‘As I live, declares the Lord, (AN)what you have said in my hearing I will do to you: 29 (AO)your dead bodies shall fall in this wilderness, and (AP)of all your number, listed in the census (AQ)from twenty years old and upward, who have grumbled against me, 30 not one shall come into the land where I (AR)swore that I would make you dwell, (AS)except Caleb the son of Jephunneh and Joshua the son of Nun. 31 (AT)But your little ones, who you said would become a prey, I will bring in, and they shall know the land that (AU)you have rejected. 32 But as for you, (AV)your dead bodies shall fall in this wilderness. 33 And your children (AW)shall be shepherds in the wilderness (AX)forty years and shall (AY)suffer for your faithlessness, until the last of your dead bodies lies in the wilderness. 34 (AZ)According to the number of the days in which you spied out the land, (BA)forty days, a year for each day, you shall bear your iniquity forty years, and you shall know my displeasure.’ 35 (BB)I, the Lord, have spoken. Surely this will I do to all (BC)this wicked congregation who are gathered together against me: in this wilderness they shall come to a full end, and there they shall die.”

36 (BD)And the men whom Moses sent to spy out the land, who returned and made all the congregation grumble against him by bringing up a bad report about the land— 37 the men who brought up a bad report of the land—(BE)died by plague before the Lord. 38 Of those men who went to spy out the land, (BF)only Joshua the son of Nun and Caleb the son of Jephunneh remained alive.

Israel Defeated in Battle

39 When Moses told these words to all the people of Israel, the people (BG)mourned greatly. 40 And they rose early in the morning and went up to the heights of the hill country, saying, (BH)“Here we are. We will go up to the place that the Lord has promised, for we have sinned.” 41 (BI)But Moses said, “Why now are you transgressing the command of the Lord, when that will not succeed? 42 (BJ)Do not go up, (BK)for the Lord is not among you, lest you be struck down before your enemies. 43 For there (BL)the Amalekites and the Canaanites are facing you, and you shall fall by the sword. Because you have turned back from following the Lord, the Lord will not be with you.” 44 (BM)But they presumed to go up to the heights of the hill country, although neither (BN)the ark of the covenant of the Lord nor Moses departed out of the camp. 45 Then (BO)the Amalekites and the Canaanites who lived in that hill country came down and defeated them and pursued them, even to (BP)Hormah.

Naghimagsik kay Yahweh ang Israel

14 Nalungkot ang buong bayan ng Israel at magdamag na nag-iyakan. Nagbulungan sila laban kina Moises at Aaron. Ang sabi nila, “Mabuti pang namatay na tayo sa Egipto o kaya'y sa ilang kaysa tayo'y patayin ng ating mga kaaway sa lupaing pinagdalhan sa atin ni Yahweh, at bihagin ang ating asawa't mga anak. Mabuti pa'y bumalik na tayo sa Egipto.” At nag-usap-usap sila na pumili ng isang lider na mangunguna sa kanilang pagbalik.

Sina Moises at Aaron ay nagpatirapa na nakikita ng buong bayan. Dahil sa hinagpis, pinunit nina Josue na anak ni Nun at Caleb na anak ni Jefune ang kanilang kasuotan. Sinabi nila, “Mainam ang lupaing tiningnan namin, saganang-sagana sa lahat ng bagay. Kung malulugod sa atin si Yahweh, ibibigay niya sa atin ang lupaing iyon na mayaman at sagana sa lahat ng bagay. Huwag(A) lamang kayong maghihimagsik laban sa kanya. Magtiwala kayo sa kanya at huwag matakot sa mga tagaroon. Madali natin silang matatalo. Kasama natin si Yahweh at ginapi na niya ang kanilang mga diyos. Kaya huwag kayong matakot.” 10 Ngunit binantaang babatuhin ng taong-bayan sina Josue at Caleb. Kaya't ipinakita ni Yahweh ang kanyang kaluwalhatian sa ibabaw ng Toldang Tipanan.

Nanalangin si Moises para sa Bayan

11 Itinanong ni Yahweh kay Moises, “Hanggang kailan ako hahamakin ng mga taong ito? Kailan pa sila maniniwala sa akin samantalang nasaksihan naman nilang lahat ang mga himalang ginawa ko para sa kanila? 12 Padadalhan ko sila ng salot at aalisan ng karapatan sa mana. At ikaw ang gagawin kong ama ng isang bansang higit na marami at makapangyarihan kaysa kanila.”

13 Sumagot(B) si Moises, “Malalaman ng mga Egipcio ang gagawin ninyong iyan. Alam pa naman nila na ang Israel ay inilabas ninyo sa Egipto sa pamamagitan ng inyong kapangyarihan. 14 At(C) kung ito'y sabihin nila sa mga taga-Canaan, alam din ng mga iyon na ang Israel ay pinapatnubayan ninyo. Alam nilang kayo ay harap-harapang nagpapakita sa Israel at ang bayang ito'y inyong pinapatnubayan sa pamamagitan ng haliging ulap kung araw at haliging apoy kung gabi. 15 Kung lilipulin ninyo sila, sasabihin ng lahat na 16 nilipol ninyo ang Israel sa ilang sapagkat hindi ninyo sila kayang dalhin sa lupaing ipinangako ninyo sa kanila. 17 Kaya nga, isinasamo kong minsan pa ninyong ipakita ang inyong kapangyarihan tulad ng sinabi ninyo noong una, 18 ‘Si Yahweh ay hindi madaling magalit, mahabagin at handang magpatawad. Subalit hindi niya ipinagwawalang-bahala ang kasamaan, sapagkat ang kasalanan ng mga magulang ay kanyang sisingilin hanggang sa ikatlo at ikaapat na salinlahi.’ 19 Isinasamo ko nga, Yahweh, patawarin na ninyo ang mga taong ito at patnubayan sila tulad ng inyong ginagawa mula nang sila'y ilabas ninyo sa Egipto, sapagkat kayo ay Diyos ng pag-ibig, at handang magpatawad sa mga nagkasala.”

20 Sinabi ni Yahweh, “Dahil sa panalangin mo, pinapatawad ko na sila. 21 Ngunit(D) ito ang tandaan mo: hanggang ako'y buháy at nalulukuban ng aking kaluwalhatian ang buong mundo, 22-23 isa man sa mga nakakita ng himalang ginawa ko ay hindi makakapasok sa lupaing ipinangako ko sa inyong mga ninuno. Paulit-ulit nila akong sinusubok at hindi nila ako sinusunod. 24 Ngunit(E) si Caleb na aking lingkod ay naiiba sa kanila. Sumunod siya sa akin nang buong katapatan, kaya makakapasok siya sa lupaing iyon, pati ang kanyang angkan. 25 Kaya bukas, magpatuloy kayo sa paglalakbay patungong Dagat na Pula.[a] Lumigid kayo sa ilang sapagkat ang mga Amoreo at Cananeo ay nasa kapatagan.”

Ang Parusa sa Israel

26 Sinabi ni Yahweh kina Moises at Aaron, 27 “Hanggang ngayo'y patuloy pa rin ang mga Israelita sa pagrereklamo laban sa akin. Kailan pa ba sila tatahimik? 28 Sabihin ninyo sa kanila na ito ang ipinapasabi ko: ‘Habang buháy akong si Yahweh, gagawin ko sa inyo ang narinig kong gusto ninyong mangyari. 29 Mamamatay(F) kayo dito sa ilang. Sa mga kabilang sa sensus, samakatuwid ay iyong mula sa dalawampung taon pataas, 30 isa man ay walang makakarating sa lupaing ipinangako ko, maliban kina Caleb na anak ni Jefune at Josue na anak ni Nun. 31 Ang makakarating lamang doon ay ang inyong mga anak na sinasabi ninyong mabibihag ng kaaway. Sila ang maninirahan doon. 32 Ngunit mamamatay kayo dito sa ilang. 33 Ang(G) mga anak ninyo'y magpapalabuy-laboy rito sa loob ng apatnapung taon, hanggang hindi kayo namamatay lahat. Ito ang kabayaran ng inyong hindi pagsampalataya. 34 Ang apatnapung araw na pinagmanman ninyo sa lupaing iyon ay tutumbasan ko ng apatnapung taon ng pagpapahirap upang madama ninyo ang aking poot sa loob ng panahong iyon.’ 35 Akong si Yahweh ang maysabi nito at gagawin ko ito sa masamang bayang ito. Mamamatay sila rito sa ilang.”

Namatay ang Sampung Masamang Espiya

36 At ang mga espiya na nagbigay ng masamang ulat na siyang naging dahilan ng kaguluhan sa Israel 37 ay nilipol ni Yahweh sa pamamagitan ng salot. 38 Ngunit hindi namatay si Josue na anak ni Nun at si Caleb na anak ni Jefune.

Nalupig ang Israel sa Horma(H)

39 Lahat ng bilin ni Yahweh ay sinabi ni Moises sa mga Israelita, at sila'y nag-iyakan. 40 Kinaumagahan, nagpunta sila sa ibabaw ng burol. Sinabi nila, “Papunta na kami sa lupaing sinasabi ni Yahweh. Tinatanggap naming kami'y nagkasala.”

41 Ngunit sinabi ni Moises, “Bakit ninyo sinusuway si Yahweh? Hindi ba ninyo alam na hindi magtatagumpay ang ginagawa ninyong iyan? 42 Huwag na kayong tumuloy. Kapag tumuloy kayo, malulupig kayo ng inyong mga kaaway sapagkat hindi kayo sasamahan ni Yahweh. 43 Ang mga Amalekita at Cananeo ay naroon sa pupuntahan ninyo at tiyak na papatayin nila kayo. Hindi ninyo maaasahan ang patnubay ni Yahweh sapagkat siya'y itinakwil na ninyo.”

44 Ngunit nagpatuloy pa rin sila kahit wala sa kanila ang Kaban ng Tipan at hindi nila kasama si Moises. 45 Sinalakay nga sila ng mga Amalekita at mga Cananeo na naninirahan sa kaburulan, tinalo sila ng mga ito at tinugis sila hanggang sa Horma.

Footnotes

  1. 25 Dagat na Pula: o kaya'y Dagat ng mga Tambo .

14 And all the congregation lifted up their voice, and cried; and the people wept that night.

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!

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?

And they said one to another, Let us make a captain, and let us return into Egypt.

Then Moses and Aaron fell on their faces before all the assembly of the congregation of the children of Israel.

And Joshua the son of Nun, and Caleb the son of Jephunneh, which were of them that searched the land, rent their clothes:

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.

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.

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,

37 Even those men that did bring up the evil report upon the land, died by the plague before the Lord.

38 But Joshua the son of Nun, and Caleb the son of Jephunneh, which were of the men that went to search the land, lived still.

39 And Moses told these sayings unto all the children of Israel: and the people mourned greatly.

40 And they rose up early in the morning, and gat them up into the top of the mountain, saying, Lo, we be here, and will go up unto the place which the Lord hath promised: for we have sinned.

41 And Moses said, Wherefore now do ye transgress the commandment of the Lord? but it shall not prosper.

42 Go not up, for the Lord is not among you; that ye be not smitten before your enemies.

43 For the Amalekites and the Canaanites are there before you, and ye shall fall by the sword: because ye are turned away from the Lord, therefore the Lord will not be with you.

44 But they presumed to go up unto the hill top: nevertheless the ark of the covenant of the Lord, and Moses, departed not out of the camp.

45 Then the Amalekites came down, and the Canaanites which dwelt in that hill, and smote them, and discomfited them, even unto Hormah.

The People Rebel

14 That night all the members of the community raised their voices and wept aloud.(A) All the Israelites grumbled(B) against Moses and Aaron, and the whole assembly said to them, “If only we had died in Egypt!(C) Or in this wilderness!(D) Why is the Lord bringing us to this land only to let us fall by the sword?(E) Our wives and children(F) will be taken as plunder.(G) Wouldn’t it be better for us to go back to Egypt?(H) And they said to each other, “We should choose a leader and go back to Egypt.(I)

Then Moses and Aaron fell facedown(J) in front of the whole Israelite assembly(K) gathered there. Joshua son of Nun(L) and Caleb son of Jephunneh, who were among those who had explored the land, tore their clothes(M) and said to the entire Israelite assembly, “The land we passed through and explored is exceedingly good.(N) If the Lord is pleased with us,(O) he will lead us into that land, a land flowing with milk and honey,(P) and will give it to us.(Q) Only do not rebel(R) against the Lord. And do not be afraid(S) of the people of the land,(T) because we will devour them. Their protection is gone, but the Lord is with(U) us.(V) Do not be afraid of them.”(W)

10 But the whole assembly talked about stoning(X) them. Then the glory of the Lord(Y) 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?(Z) How long will they refuse to believe in me,(AA) in spite of all the signs(AB) I have performed among them? 12 I will strike them down with a plague(AC) and destroy them, but I will make you into a nation(AD) greater and stronger than they.”(AE)

13 Moses said to the Lord, “Then the Egyptians will hear about it! By your power you brought these people up from among them.(AF) 14 And they will tell the inhabitants of this land about it. They have already heard(AG) that you, Lord, are with these people(AH) and that you, Lord, have been seen face to face,(AI) that your cloud stays over them,(AJ) and that you go before them in a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night.(AK) 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,(AL) so he slaughtered them in the wilderness.’(AM)

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.(AN) Yet he does not leave the guilty unpunished; he punishes the children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation.’(AO) 19 In accordance with your great love, forgive(AP) the sin of these people,(AQ) just as you have pardoned them from the time they left Egypt until now.”(AR)

20 The Lord replied, “I have forgiven them,(AS) as you asked. 21 Nevertheless, as surely as I live(AT) and as surely as the glory of the Lord(AU) fills the whole earth,(AV) 22 not one of those who saw my glory and the signs(AW) I performed in Egypt and in the wilderness but who disobeyed me and tested me ten times(AX) 23 not one of them will ever see the land I promised on oath(AY) to their ancestors. No one who has treated me with contempt(AZ) will ever see it.(BA) 24 But because my servant Caleb(BB) has a different spirit and follows me wholeheartedly,(BC) I will bring him into the land he went to, and his descendants will inherit it.(BD) 25 Since the Amalekites(BE) and the Canaanites(BF) are living in the valleys, turn(BG) back tomorrow and set out toward the desert along the route to the Red Sea.[a](BH)

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.(BI) 28 So tell them, ‘As surely as I live,(BJ) declares the Lord, I will do to you(BK) the very thing I heard you say: 29 In this wilderness your bodies will fall(BL)—every one of you twenty years old or more(BM) who was counted in the census(BN) and who has grumbled against me. 30 Not one of you will enter the land(BO) I swore with uplifted hand(BP) to make your home, except Caleb son of Jephunneh(BQ) and Joshua son of Nun.(BR) 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.(BS) 32 But as for you, your bodies will fall(BT) in this wilderness. 33 Your children will be shepherds here for forty years,(BU) suffering for your unfaithfulness, until the last of your bodies lies in the wilderness. 34 For forty years(BV)—one year for each of the forty days you explored the land(BW)—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(BX) to this whole wicked community, which has banded together against me. They will meet their end in this wilderness; here they will die.(BY)

36 So the men Moses had sent(BZ) to explore the land, who returned and made the whole community grumble(CA) against him by spreading a bad report(CB) about it— 37 these men who were responsible for spreading the bad report(CC) about the land were struck down and died of a plague(CD) before the Lord. 38 Of the men who went to explore the land,(CE) only Joshua son of Nun and Caleb son of Jephunneh survived.(CF)

39 When Moses reported this(CG) to all the Israelites, they mourned(CH) bitterly. 40 Early the next morning they set out for the highest point in the hill country,(CI) saying, “Now we are ready to go up to the land the Lord promised. Surely we have sinned!(CJ)

41 But Moses said, “Why are you disobeying the Lord’s command? This will not succeed!(CK) 42 Do not go up, because the Lord is not with you. You will be defeated by your enemies,(CL) 43 for the Amalekites(CM) and the Canaanites(CN) will face you there. Because you have turned away from the Lord, he will not be with you(CO) and you will fall by the sword.”

44 Nevertheless, in their presumption they went up(CP) toward the highest point in the hill country, though neither Moses nor the ark of the Lord’s covenant moved from the camp.(CQ) 45 Then the Amalekites and the Canaanites(CR) who lived in that hill country(CS) came down and attacked them and beat them down all the way to Hormah.(CT)

Footnotes

  1. Numbers 14:25 Or the Sea of Reeds