Israel’s Refusal to Enter Canaan

14 Then the whole community broke into loud cries, and the people wept that night. ² All the Israelites complained about Moses and Aaron,^(A) and the whole community told them, “If only we had died in the land of Egypt, or if only we had died in this wilderness! ³ Why is the Lord bringing us into this land to die by the sword? Our wives and children will become plunder.^(B) Wouldn’t it be better for us to go back to Egypt?” ^{(C) 4} So they said to one another, “Let’s appoint a leader and go back to Egypt.”