The Lord Pardons and Rebukes

20 So the Lord said, “(A)I have forgiven them in accordance with your word; 21 however, (B)as I live, [a](C)all the earth will be filled with the glory of the Lord. 22 Certainly (D)all the people who have seen My glory and My signs which I performed in Egypt and in the wilderness, yet (E)have put Me to the test these ten times and have not listened to My voice, 23 (F)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, (G)because he has had a different spirit and has followed Me fully, (H)I will bring him into the land which he [b]entered, and his [c]descendants shall take possession of it. 25 (I)Now the Amalekites and the Canaanites live in the valleys; turn tomorrow and set out for the wilderness by the way of the [d]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 (J)grumbling against Me? I have heard the complaints of the sons of Israel which they are [e]voicing against Me. 28 Say to them, ‘(K)As I live,’ declares the Lord, ‘just as (L)you have spoken in My hearing, so I will do to you; 29 (M)your dead bodies will fall in this wilderness, all (N)your [f]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 [g]swore to settle you, (O)except for Caleb the son of Jephunneh and Joshua the son of Nun. 31 (P)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 (Q)But as for you, your dead bodies will fall in this wilderness. 33 Also, your sons will be shepherds in the wilderness for (R)forty years, and they will [h]suffer for your unfaithfulness, until your bodies perish in the wilderness. 34 In accordance with the (S)number of days that you spied out the land, forty days, for every day you shall suffer the punishment for your [i]guilt a year, that is, forty years, and you will know My opposition. 35 (T)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.’”

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Footnotes

  1. Numbers 14:21 Lit and all
  2. Numbers 14:24 Lit entered there
  3. Numbers 14:24 Lit seed
  4. Numbers 14:25 Lit Sea of Reeds
  5. Numbers 14:27 Lit complaining
  6. Numbers 14:29 Lit mustered
  7. Numbers 14:30 Lit raised My hand
  8. Numbers 14:33 Lit bear
  9. Numbers 14:34 Or wrongdoings

20 Then the Lord said, “I do forgive, just as you have asked;(A) 21 nevertheless, as I live and as all the earth shall be filled with the glory of the Lord,(B) 22 none of the people who have seen my glory and the signs that I did in Egypt and in the wilderness and yet have tested me these ten times and have not obeyed my voice 23 shall see the land that I swore to give to their ancestors; none of those who despised me shall see it. 24 But my servant Caleb, because he has a different spirit and has followed me wholeheartedly, I will bring into the land into which he went, and his descendants shall possess it.(C) 25 Now, since the Amalekites and the Canaanites live in the valleys, turn tomorrow and set out for the wilderness by the way to the Red Sea.”[a](D)

An Attempted Invasion Is Repulsed

26 And the Lord spoke to Moses and to Aaron, saying, 27 “How long shall this wicked congregation complain against me? I have heard the complaints of the Israelites, which they complain against me.(E) 28 Say to them, ‘As I live,’ says the Lord, ‘I will do to you the very things I heard you say:(F) 29 your dead bodies shall fall in this very wilderness, and of all your number included in the census from twenty years old and up who have complained against me,(G) 30 not one of you shall come into the land in which I swore to settle you, except Caleb son of Jephunneh and Joshua son of Nun.(H) 31 But your little ones, who you said would become plunder, I will bring in, and they shall know the land that you have despised.(I) 32 But as for you, your dead bodies shall fall in this wilderness.(J) 33 And your children shall be shepherds in the wilderness for forty years and shall suffer for your faithlessness, until the last of your dead bodies lies in the wilderness.(K) 34 According to the number of the days in which you spied out the land, forty days, for every day a year, you shall bear your iniquity, forty years, and you shall know my displeasure.’(L) 35 I the Lord have spoken; surely I will do thus to all this wicked congregation gathered together against me: in this wilderness they shall come to a full end, and there they shall die.”(M)

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Footnotes

  1. 14.25 Or Sea of Reeds