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

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Then Moses and Aaron fell down with their faces to the ground[a] before the whole assembled community[b] of the Israelites. And Joshua son of Nun and Caleb son of Jephunneh, two of those who had investigated the land, tore their garments. They said to the whole community of the Israelites, “The land we passed through to investigate is an exceedingly[c] good land. If the Lord delights in us, then he will bring us into this land and give it to us—a land that is flowing with milk and honey.[d] Only do not rebel against the Lord, and do not fear the people of the land, for they are bread for us.[e] Their protection[f] has turned aside from them, but the Lord is with us. Do not fear them!”

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Footnotes

  1. Numbers 14:5 sn This action of Moses and Aaron is typical of them in the wilderness with the Israelites. The act shows self-abasement and deference before the sovereign Lord. They are not bowing before the people here, but in front of the people they bow before God. According to Num 16:41-50 this prostration is for the purpose of intercessory prayer. Here it prevents immediate wrath from God.
  2. Numbers 14:5 tn Heb “before all the assembly of the congregation.”
  3. Numbers 14:7 tn The repetition of the adverb מְאֹד (meʾod) is used to express this: “very, very [good].”
  4. Numbers 14:8 tn The subjective genitives “milk and honey” are symbols of the wealth of the land, second only to bread. Milk was a sign of such abundance (Gen 49:12; Isa 7:21, 22). Because of the climate the milk would thicken quickly and become curds, eaten with bread or turned into butter. The honey mentioned here is the wild honey (see Deut 32:13; Judg 14:8-9). It signified sweetness, or the finer things of life (Ezek 3:3).
  5. Numbers 14:9 sn The expression must indicate that they could destroy the enemies as easily as they could eat bread.
  6. Numbers 14:9 tn Heb “their shade.” The figure compares the shade from the sun with the protection from the enemy. It is also possible that the text is alluding to their deities here.