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Numbers 14
King James Version
Numbers 14
King James Version
14 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 to another, Let us make a captain, and let us return into Egypt.
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,
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.
Numbers 14
Common English Bible
Numbers 14
Common English Bible
The Israelites’ complaint
14 The entire community raised their voice and the people wept that night. 2 All the Israelites criticized Moses and Aaron. The entire community said to them, “If only we had died in the land of Egypt or if only we had died in this desert! 3 Why is the Lord bringing us to this land to fall by the sword? Our wives and our children will be taken by force. Wouldn’t it be better for us to return to Egypt?” 4 So they said to each other, “Let’s pick a leader and let’s go back to Egypt.”
5 Then Moses and Aaron fell on their faces before the assembled Israelite community. 6 But Joshua, Nun’s son, and Caleb, Jephunneh’s son, from those who had explored the land, tore their clothes 7 and said to the entire Israelite community, “The land we crossed through to explore is an exceptionally good land. 8 If the Lord is pleased with us, he’ll bring us into this land and give it to us. It’s a land that’s full of milk and honey. 9 Only don’t rebel against the Lord and don’t be afraid of the people of the land. They are our prey.[a] Their defense has deserted them, but the Lord is with us. So don’t be afraid of them.” 10 But the entire community intended to stone them.
The Lord’s anger and Moses’ intercession
Then the Lord’s glory appeared in the meeting tent to all the Israelites. 11 The Lord said to Moses, “How long will these people disrespect me? And how long will they doubt me after all the signs that I performed among them? 12 I’ll strike them down with a plague and disown them. Then I’ll make you into a great nation, stronger than they.”
13 Moses said to the Lord, “The Egyptians will hear, for with your power you brought these people up from among them. 14 They’ll tell the inhabitants of this land. They’ve heard that you, Lord, are with this people. You, Lord, appear to them face-to-face. Your cloud stands over them. You go before them in a column of cloud by day and in a column of lightning by night. 15 If you kill these people, every last one of them, the nations who heard about you will say, 16 ‘The Lord wasn’t able to bring these people to the land that he solemnly promised to give them. So he slaughtered them in the desert.’ 17 Now let my master’s power be as great as you declared when you said, 18 ‘The Lord is very patient and absolutely loyal, forgiving wrongs and disloyalty. Yet he doesn’t forgo all punishment, disciplining the grandchildren and great-grandchildren for their ancestors’ wrongs.’ 19 Please forgive the wrongs of these people because of your absolute loyalty, just as you’ve forgiven these people from their time in Egypt until now.”
20 Then the Lord said, “I will forgive as you requested. 21 But as I live and as the Lord’s glory fills the entire earth, 22 none of the men who saw my glory and the signs I did in Egypt and in the desert, but tested me these ten times and haven’t listened to my voice, 23 will see the land I promised to their ancestors. All who disrespected me won’t see it. 24 But I’ll bring my servant Caleb into the land that he explored, and his descendants will possess it because he has a different spirit, and he has remained true to me. 25 Since the Amalekites and the Canaanites live in the valley, tomorrow turn and march into the desert by the route of the Reed Sea.”[b]
The Israelites’ punishment
26 The Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron: 27 How long will this wicked community complain against me? I’ve heard the Israelites’ dissent as they continue to complain against me. 28 Say to them, “As I live,” says the Lord, “just as I’ve heard you say, so I’ll do to you. 29 Your dead bodies will fall in this desert. None of you who were enlisted and were registered from 20 years old and above, who complained against me, 30 will enter the land in which I promised[c] to settle you, with the exception of Caleb, Jephunneh’s son, and Joshua, Nun’s son. 31 But your children, whom you said would be taken by force, I’ll bring them in and they will know the land that you rejected. 32 Your bodies, however, will fall in this desert, 33 and your children will be shepherds in the desert for forty years. They will suffer for your unfaithfulness, until the last of your bodies fall in the desert. 34 For as many days as you explored the land, that is, forty days, just as many years you’ll bear your guilt, that is, forty years. This is how you will understand my frustration.” 35 I the Lord have spoken. I will do this to the entire wicked community who gathered against me. They will die in this desert. There they’ll meet their end.
36 The men whom Moses sent out to explore the land had returned and caused the entire community to complain against him by starting a rumor about the land. 37 These men died by a plague in the Lord’s presence on account of their false rumor. 38 But Joshua, Nun’s son, and Caleb, Jephunneh’s son, survived from those men who went to explore the land.
39 Moses spoke these words to all the Israelites, and the people mourned bitterly. 40 They rose early in the morning and went up to the top of the mountain range, saying, “Let’s go up to the place the Lord told us to, for we have sinned.”
41 But Moses said, “Why do you disobey the Lord’s command? It won’t succeed. 42 Don’t go up, for the Lord isn’t with you. Don’t be struck down before your enemies. 43 The Amalekites and the Canaanites will be there in front of you and you will fall by the sword because you turned away from the Lord, and the Lord is no longer with you.” 44 Yet they recklessly[d] ascended toward the top of the mountains, even though Moses and the Lord’s chest containing the covenant didn’t depart from the camp. 45 Then the Amalekites and the Canaanites, who lived in those mountains, descended, struck them down, and beat them all the way to Hormah.
Footnotes
- Numbers 14:9 Or our bread
- Numbers 14:25 Or Red Sea
- Numbers 14:30 Or raised my hand
- Numbers 14:44 Heb uncertain
Números 14
Nueva Versión Internacional
Números 14
Nueva Versión Internacional
El pueblo se rebela
14 Aquella noche toda la comunidad israelita se puso a gritar y a llorar. 2 En sus murmuraciones contra Moisés y Aarón, la comunidad decía: «¡Cómo quisiéramos haber muerto en Egipto o en este desierto! 3 ¿Para qué nos ha traído el Señor a esta tierra? ¿Para morir atravesados por la espada y que nuestras esposas y nuestros niños se conviertan en botín de guerra? ¿No sería mejor que volviéramos a Egipto?». 4 Y unos a otros se decían: «¡Escojamos un jefe que nos lleve a Egipto!».
5 Entonces Moisés y Aarón cayeron rostro en tierra ante toda la comunidad israelita. 6 Allí estaban también Josué, hijo de Nun, y Caleb, hijo de Jefone, los cuales habían participado en la exploración de la tierra. Ambos se rasgaron las vestiduras en señal de duelo 7 y dijeron a toda la comunidad israelita:
—La tierra que recorrimos y exploramos es increíblemente buena. 8 Si el Señor se agrada de nosotros, nos hará entrar en ella. ¡Nos va a dar una tierra donde abundan la leche y la miel! 9 Así que no se rebelen contra el Señor ni tengan miedo de la gente que habita en esa tierra. ¡Ya son pan comido! No tienen quién los proteja, porque el Señor está de parte nuestra. Así que, ¡no les tengan miedo!
10 Pero como toda la comunidad hablaba de apedrearlos, la gloria del Señor se manifestó en la Tienda de reunión, frente a todos los israelitas. 11 Entonces el Señor dijo a Moisés:
—¿Hasta cuándo esta gente me seguirá menospreciando? ¿Hasta cuándo se negarán a creer en mí, a pesar de todas las maravillas que he hecho entre ellos? 12 Voy a enviarles una plaga que los destruya, pero de ti haré un pueblo más grande y fuerte que ellos.
13 Moisés respondió al Señor:
—¡Recuerda que fuiste tú quien con tu poder sacaste de Egipto a este pueblo! Cuando los egipcios se enteren de lo ocurrido, 14 se lo contarán a los habitantes de este país, quienes ya saben que tú, Señor, estás en medio de este pueblo. También saben que tú, Señor, te dejas ver cara a cara, que tu nube reposa sobre tu pueblo y que eres tú quien lo guía, de día con la columna de nube y de noche con la columna de fuego. 15 De manera que, si matas a todo este pueblo, las naciones que han oído hablar de tu fama dirán: 16 El Señor no fue capaz de llevar a este pueblo a la tierra que juró darles, ¡y acabó matándolos en el desierto!
17 »Ahora, Señor, ¡deja sentir tu gran poder! Tú mismo has dicho: 18 “El Señor es lento para la ira y grande en amor, perdona la maldad y la rebeldía, pero no tendrá por inocente al culpable, sino que castiga la maldad de los padres en sus hijos hasta la tercera y cuarta generación”. 19 Entonces, por tu gran amor, perdona el pecado de este pueblo, tal como lo has venido perdonando desde que salió de Egipto».
20 El Señor respondió:
—Me pides que los perdone y los perdono. 21 Pero tan cierto como que yo, el Señor, vivo y mi gloria llena toda la tierra, 22 ninguno de los que vieron mi gloria y las maravillas que hice en Egipto y en el desierto y aún así me desobedecieron y me pusieron a prueba diez veces, 23 verá jamás la tierra que, bajo juramento, prometí dar a sus antepasados. ¡Ninguno de los que me despreciaron la verá! 24 En cambio, a mi siervo Caleb, que ha mostrado un espíritu diferente y me ha sido fiel, le daré posesión de la tierra que exploró y su descendencia la heredará. 25 Pero regresen mañana al desierto por la ruta del mar Rojo,[a] puesto que los amalecitas y los cananeos viven en el valle.
26 El Señor dijo a Moisés y a Aarón:
27 —¿Hasta cuándo ha de murmurar contra mí esta perversa comunidad? Ya he escuchado cómo se quejan contra mí los israelitas. 28 Así que diles de mi parte: “Tan cierto como que yo vivo”, afirma el Señor, “haré que se cumplan sus deseos. 29 Los cadáveres de todos ustedes quedarán tirados en este desierto. Ninguno de los censados mayores de veinte años que murmuraron contra mí 30 tomará posesión de la tierra que juré solemnemente que sería su hogar. Solo entrarán en ella Caleb, hijo de Jefone, y Josué, hijo de Nun. 31 También entrarán en la tierra los niños que ustedes dijeron que serían botín de guerra. Y serán ellos los que gocen de la tierra que ustedes rechazaron. 32 Pero los cadáveres de todos ustedes quedarán tirados en este desierto. 33 Durante cuarenta años los hijos de ustedes serán pastores por el desierto. Cargarán con esta infidelidad, hasta que el último de ustedes caiga muerto en el desierto. 34 La exploración del país duró cuarenta días, así que ustedes sufrirán un año por cada día. Cuarenta años llevarán a cuestas su maldad y sabrán lo que es tenerme por enemigo”. 35 Yo soy el Señor y cumpliré al pie de la letra todo lo que anuncié contra esta perversa comunidad que se atrevió a desafiarme. En este desierto perecerán. ¡Morirán aquí mismo!
36 Los hombres que Moisés había enviado a explorar el país fueron los que, al volver, difundieron la información falsa de que la tierra era mala. Con esto hicieron que toda la comunidad murmurara. 37 Por eso los responsables de haber difundido esta información falsa acerca de aquella tierra murieron delante del Señor, víctimas de una plaga. 38 De todos los hombres que fueron a explorar el país solo sobrevivieron Josué, hijo de Nun, y Caleb, hijo de Jefone.
El pueblo intenta conquistar la tierra
39 Cuando Moisés terminó de decirles esto, todos los israelitas se pusieron a llorar amargamente. 40 Al otro día, muy de mañana, el pueblo empezó a subir a la parte alta de la zona montañosa y decía:
—Subamos al lugar que el Señor nos ha prometido, pues reconocemos que hemos pecado.
41 Pero Moisés dijo:
—¿Por qué han vuelto a desobedecer la orden del Señor? ¡Esto no les va a dar resultado! 42 No suban, porque los derrotarán sus enemigos, pues el Señor no está entre ustedes. 43 Tendrán que enfrentarse a los amalecitas y a los cananeos, que los matarán a filo de espada. Como ustedes se han alejado del Señor, él no estará con ustedes.
44 Pero ellos se empecinaron en subir a la cumbre de la montaña, a pesar de que ni Moisés ni el arca del pacto del Señor salieron del campamento. 45 Entonces los amalecitas y los cananeos que vivían en esas montañas descendieron y los derrotaron, haciéndolos retroceder hasta Jormá.
Footnotes
- 14:25 Lit. mar de las Cañas. Término con el que se designa en la Biblia al mar Rojo en su parte septentrional.
Numbers 14
New King James Version
Numbers 14
New King James Version
Israel Refuses to Enter Canaan
14 So all the congregation lifted up their voices and cried, and the people (A)wept that night. 2 (B)And all the children of Israel complained against Moses and Aaron, and the whole congregation said to them, “If only we had died in the land of Egypt! Or if only we had died in this wilderness! 3 Why has the Lord brought us to this land to [a]fall by the sword, that our wives and (C)children should become victims? Would it not be better for us to return to Egypt?” 4 So they said to one another, (D)“Let us select a leader and (E)return to Egypt.”
5 Then Moses and Aaron [b]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: (F)“The land we passed through to spy out is an exceedingly good land. 8 If the Lord (G)delights in us, then He will bring us into this land and give it to us, (H)‘a land which flows with milk and honey.’ 9 Only (I)do not rebel against the Lord, (J)nor fear the people of the land, for (K)they[c] are our bread; their protection has departed from them, (L)and the Lord is with us. Do not fear them.”
10 (M)And all the congregation said to stone them with stones. Now (N)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 (O)reject[d] Me? And how long will they not (P)believe Me, with all the [e]signs which I have performed among them? 12 I will strike them with the pestilence and disinherit them, and I will (Q)make of you a nation greater and mightier than they.”
13 And (R)Moses said to the Lord: (S)“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 (T)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 (U)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 (V)‘The Lord is longsuffering and abundant in mercy, forgiving iniquity and transgression; but He by no means clears the guilty, (W)visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and fourth generation.’ 19 (X)Pardon the iniquity of this people, I pray, (Y)according to the greatness of Your mercy, just (Z)as You have forgiven this people, from Egypt even until now.”
20 Then the Lord said: “I have pardoned, (AA)according to your word; 21 but truly, as I live, (AB)all the earth shall be filled with the glory of the Lord— 22 (AC)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 (AD)these ten times, and have not heeded My voice, 23 they certainly shall not (AE)see the land of which I [f]swore to their fathers, nor shall any of those who rejected Me see it. 24 But My servant (AF)Caleb, because he has a different spirit in him and (AG)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 (AH)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 (AI)“How long shall I bear with this evil congregation who complain against Me? (AJ)I have heard the complaints which the children of Israel make against Me. 28 Say to them, (AK)‘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, (AL)all of you who were numbered, according to your entire number, from twenty years old and above. 30 (AM)Except for Caleb the son of Jephunneh and Joshua the son of Nun, you shall by no means enter the land which I [g]swore I would make you dwell in. 31 (AN)But your little ones, whom you said would be victims, I will bring in, and they shall [h]know the land which (AO)you have despised. 32 But as for you, (AP)your[i] carcasses shall fall in this wilderness. 33 And your sons shall (AQ)be [j]shepherds in the wilderness (AR)forty years, and (AS)bear the brunt of your infidelity, until your carcasses are consumed in the wilderness. 34 (AT)According to the number of the days in which you spied out the land, (AU)forty days, for each day you shall bear your [k]guilt one year, namely forty years, (AV)and you shall know My [l]rejection. 35 (AW)I the Lord have spoken this. I will surely do so to all (AX)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, 37 those very men who brought the evil report about the land, (AY)died by the plague before the Lord. 38 (AZ)But Joshua the son of Nun and Caleb the son of Jephunneh remained alive, of the men who went to spy out the land.
A Futile Invasion Attempt(BA)
39 Then Moses told these words to all the children of Israel, (BB)and the people mourned greatly. 40 And they rose early in the morning and went up to the top of the mountain, saying, (BC)“Here we are, and we will go up to the place which the Lord has promised, for we have sinned!”
41 And Moses said, “Now why do you [m]transgress the command of the Lord? For this will not succeed. 42 (BD)Do not go up, lest you be defeated by your enemies, for the Lord is not among you. 43 For the Amalekites and the Canaanites are there before you, and you shall fall by the sword; (BE)because you have turned away from the Lord, the Lord will not be with you.”
44 (BF)But they presumed to go up to the mountaintop. Nevertheless, neither the ark of the covenant of the Lord nor Moses departed from the camp. 45 Then the Amalekites and the Canaanites who dwelt in that mountain came down and attacked them, and drove them back as far as (BG)Hormah.
Footnotes
- Numbers 14:3 be killed in battle
- 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 14:41 overstep
Common English Bible (CEB)
Copyright © 2011 by Common English Bible
Nueva Versión Internacional (NVI) 
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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.