⁴¹ Then you replied, “We have sinned against the Lord. We will go up and fight, as the Lord our God commanded us.” So every one of you put on his weapons, thinking it easy to go up into the hill country.

⁴² But the Lord said to me, “Tell them, ‘Do not go up and fight, because I will not be with you. You will be defeated by your enemies.’”^(A)

⁴³ So I told you, but you would not listen. You rebelled against the Lord’s command and in your arrogance you marched up into the hill country. ⁴⁴ The Amorites who lived in those hills came out against you; they chased you like a swarm of bees^(B) and beat you down from Seir^(C) all the way to Hormah.^{(D) 45} You came back and wept before the Lord,^(E) but he paid no attention^(F) to your weeping and turned a deaf ear^(G) to you. ⁴⁶ And so you stayed in Kadesh^(H) many days—all the time you spent there.