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Commentary Critical and Explanatory

Numbers 14:9

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.

Their defense is departed, х Caar (H5493) tsilaam (H6738)] - their shadow is turned, is departed. The departing of the shadow was regarded as an indication of some evil. The Sultan of Turkey and the Shah of Persia are called 'the shadow of God,' 'the refuge of the world.' So that the meaning of the phrase, "their defense is departed" from them, is, that the favour of God was now lost to those whose iniquities were full (Genesis 15:16), and transferred to the Israelites.

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See also Numbers 14:9 in other biblical comments:

  • Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

    Verse Numbers 14:9. _THEIR DEFENCE_] צלם _tsillam, their shadow_, a metaphor highly expressive of _protection_ and _support_ in the sultry eastern countries. The _protection_ of God is so called; see...

  • Albert Barnes' Bible Commentary

    THEIR DEFENSE - literally, “their shadow,” i. e. their shelter as from the scorching sun: an Oriental figure. Compare the marginal references....

  • Annotated Bible by A.C. Gaebelein

    CHAPTER 14 The Rebellion of the People, Moses' Intercession and the Divine Sentence _ 1. The rebellion (Numbers 14:1)_ 2. The intercession of Moses (Numbers 14:11) 3. The divine sentence (Numbers

  • Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible

    NUMBERS 14:1 (P). THE PEOPLE'S DISCOURAGEMENT AT THE REPORT OF THE SPIES. This section is also a fusion of JE and P: its composite character is suggested by the repetitions in Numbers 14:1. In Numbers...

  • Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes

    DEFENCE. Hebrew. shadow. Note Figure of speech _Ellipsis_ (App-6.) Literally "they [are] like our bread (= manna), their shadow hath turned aside from off them.". The manna when out of the shade melte...

  • Charles Simeon's Horae Homileticae

    DISCOURSE: 155 THE PEOPLE MURMURING AT THE REPORT OF THE SPIES Numbers 14:6. And Joshua the son of Nun, and Caleb the son of Jephunneh, which were of them that searched the land, rent their clothes. A...

  • College Press Bible Study Textbook Series

    E. MOSES-' PLEA AND GREAT INTERCESSORY PRAYER vv. 5-19 TEXT Numbers 14:5. Then Moses and Aaron fell on their faces before all the assembly of the congregation of the children of Israel. 6. And Joshua...

  • Darby's translation notes (1890)

    14:9 defence (c-21) Lit. 'shade.'...

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    DISCOURAGEMENT OF THE PEOPLE AND SENTENCE OF FORTY YEARS' WANDERING 9. Bread for us] cp. Numbers 13:32; Numbers 22:4; Numbers 24:8. 12. Cp....

  • EasyEnglish Bible Commentaries

    THE OLD TESTAMENT BOOK OF NUMBERS IN THE DESERT NUMBERS _MARION ADAMS_ CHAPTER 14 THE PEOPLE COMPLAIN TO MOSES AND AARON – NUMBERS 14:1-10 V1 That night, the people shouted and they crie

  • Ellicott's Commentary On The Whole Bible

    THEIR DEFENCE IS DEPARTED FROM THEM. — Literally, _their shadow._ This is a natural and frequently recurring figure of speech in the East, where protection from the scorching rays of the sun is a boon...

  • ETCBC data on Hebrew bible

    אַ֣ךְ בַּֽ יהוָה֮ אַל ־תִּמְרֹדוּ֒ וְ אַתֶּ֗ם

  • Expositor's Bible Commentary (Nicoll)

    THE SPIES AND THEIR REPORT Numbers 13:1; Numbers 14:1 Two narratives at least appear to be united in the thirteenth and fourteenth Chapter s. From Numbers 13:17;...

  • Expositor's Bible Commentary (Nicoll)

    THE DOOM OF THE UNBELIEVING Numbers 14:1 THE spirit of revolt which came to a head in the proposal to put Joshua and Caleb to death was quelled by the fiery splendour that flashed out at the tent of...

  • Frederick Brotherton Meyer's Commentary

    AN UNBELIEVING AND REBELLIOUS PEOPLE Numbers 14:1 What in any other nation would have been described as a panic of fear, was, in the case of Israel, a panic of unbelief, which deserved the reproachfu...

  • G. Campbell Morgan's Exposition on the Whole Bible

    The people were swayed by the opinion of the majority. The call was distinctly heard and the desirability of obedience comprehended. But walled cities appeared impregnable and enemies as giants. The r...

  • Geneva Study Bible Commentary

    Only rebel not ye against the LORD, neither fear ye the people of the land; for they [are] (e) bread for us: their defence is departed from them, and the LORD [is] with us: fear them not. (e) We shal...

  • George Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary

    _To eat, or consume them, as easily as we devour a piece of bread. The expression is proverbial, Psalm xiii. 4. --- All aid. Hebrew, "their shadow," which is taken in the same sense. Septuagint, "thei...

  • Hawker's Poor man's commentary

    It is worthy the Reader's notice, the leading arguments the true spies made use of to still the minds of the people; that the LORD not being with their enemies, was a sure token of victory; while on t...

  • Introductory Lectures - Commentary by William Kelly

    The previous portion of the Book of Numbers, viewed as a history, has evidently a prefatory character, however important and divinely wise. It is in a great measure preparatory for that which we have...

  • John Darby's Synopsis

    THE FOLLOWING COMMENTARY COVERS CHAPTER S 13 AND 14. Next, the pleasant land is despised. I shall here call the attention of the reader to some points mentioned on this subject in other parts of the B...

  • John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

    ONLY REBEL NOT YE AGAINST THE LORD,.... Nothing, it is suggested, could hinder them from the, possession of it but their rebellion against the Lord; which might provoke him to cut them off by his imme...

  • John Trapp Complete Commentary

    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. Ver. 9. _They a...

  • Joseph Benson’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    _If the Lord delight in us_ If by our rebellion and ingratitude we do not provoke God to leave and forsake us. _They are bread for us_ We shall destroy them as easily as we eat our bread. _Their defen...

  • KJV Original Language Details

    1 The people murmure at the newes. 6 Ioshua and Caleb labour to stil them. 11 God threatneth them. 13 Moses perswadeth God and obtaineth pardon. 26 The murmurers are depriued of entring into the l...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    Only rebel not ye against the Lord, by such open disobedience, NEITHER FEAR YE THE PEOPLE OF THE LAND; FOR THEY ARE BREAD FOR US, they can be devoured, overcome with ease; THEIR DEFENSE IS DEPARTED FR...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    JOSHUA AND CALEB ENDEAVOR TO QUENCH THE DISSATISFACTION...

  • Leslie M. Grant's Commentary on the Bible

    ISRAEL REFUSES THEIR INHERITANCE (vs.1-10) The discouraging words of the ten spies infected the whole congregation of Israel, as a discouragement too frequently does among God's people. They wept tha...

  • Marginal Notes in the King James Version (1611)

    DEFENCE: _ Heb._ shadow...

  • Matthew Henry Commentary on the Whole Bible

    5-10 Moses and Aaron were astonished to see a people throw away their own mercies. Caleb and Joshua assured the people of the goodness of the land. They made nothing of the difficulties in the way of...

  • Matthew Poole's Concise Commentary On The Bible

    THEY ARE BREAD FOR US; we shall destroy them as easily as we do our bread or common food. Compare NUMBERS 24:8 PSALMS 14:4. THEIR DEFENCE, i.e. their counsel, conduct, and courage, and especially God,...

  • Notes on the Pentateuch by Charles Henry Mackintosh

    "And all the congregation lifted up their voice, and cried; and the people wept that night." Need we wonder? What else could be expected from a people who had nothing before their eyes but mighty gian...

  • Patchworkid's Personal Study Bible Notes

    Numbers 14:9 rebel H4775 (H8799) LORD H3068 fear H3372 (H8799) people H5971 land H776 bread H3899 protection...

  • Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible

    JOSHUA AND CALEB PLEAD WITH ISRAEL (NUMBERS 14:6). Numbers 14:6 ‘And Joshua, the son of Nun, and Caleb, the son of Jephunneh, who were of those who spied out the land, tore their clothes.' Joshua a...

  • Summarized Bible Commentary

    CONTENTS: Murmuring over the spies' reports and the consequences. CHARACTERS: God, Moses, Aaron, Caleb, Joshua. CONCLUSION: All the dangers that we are in are from our own distrust. We would succeed...

  • Sutcliffe's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    Numbers 14:9. _They are bread for us;_ a Hebraicism. In Hosea 4:8, we read that the priests ate up the sins of the people. As the fire licked up the water in the trenches, 1 Kings 18:38; as the priest...

  • The Biblical Illustrator

    _The Lord is with us: fear them not._ A NOBLE EFFORT TO ARREST A NATION’S REBELLION I. Joshua and Caleb were deeply grieved by reason of the rebellion of the nation. II. Joshua and Caleb nobly ende...

  • The children's great texts of the Bible by James Hastings

    HOW TO BE A HERO We were in our own sight as grasshoppers, and so we were in their sight. Numbers 13:33. The Lord is with us: fear them not. Numbers 14:9. Today I want to tell you three stories. Th...

  • The ESV Global Study Bible's Study Notes

    NUMBERS—NOTE ON NUMBERS 14:6 JOSHUA 1:1 and CALEB rightly call the reaction to the spies’ report a rebellion ag

  • The Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary

    CRITICAL AND EXPLANATORY NOTES Numbers 14:4. _Let us make a captain_. It appears from Nehemiah 9:17, that they actually appointed another leader. Numbers 14:5. _Fell on their faces_, &c. In solemn pr...

  • The Pulpit Commentaries

    EXPOSITION THE REBELLION AT KADESH (continued) (Numbers 13:1, Numbers 14:1). NUMBERS 14:1 And the people wept tha

  • Through The Bible C2000 Serie by Chuck Smith

    In chapter fourteen, All of the congregation lifted up their voice, and cried; and the people wept that night. And all the children of Israel murmured against Moses and against Aaron: and the whole co...

  • Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

    2 Chronicles 13:12; 2 Chronicles 15:2; 2 Chronicles 20:17; 2 Chronicles 32:8;...

  • Wesley's Explanatory Notes

    Bread — We shall destroy them as easily as we eat our bread. Their defence — Their conduct and courage, and especially God, who was pleased to afford them his protection 'till their iniquities were fu...

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