Numbers 14:1-45

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 cried aloud. v2 All the *Israelites complained against Moses and Aaron. The *Israelites said to them: ‘We wish that we had died in the country called Egypt, or even in this *desert! v3 The *LORD should not be leading us into the country called Canaan. The people there will kill us and they will take our wives and children. It would be better to return to Egypt.’ v4 Then they said to each other, ‘We should choose our own leader! Then we can return to Egypt.’

v5 Moses and Aaron lay down with their faces on the ground. They did this in front of all the *Israelites. v6 Joshua (Nun’s son) and Caleb (Jephunneh’s son) were among the men who explored the land. Joshua and Caleb tore their clothes because they were so unhappy. v7 They said to all the people, ‘We saw this country. It is very good. v8 If the *LORD is pleased with us, he will lead us into this country. He will give it to us. The milk and honey that it produces are plentiful. It is rich and many crops grow there. v9 Do not refuse to obey the *LORD. Do not be afraid of the people who live in that country. We will beat them easily. The *LORD is with us. Their protection has gone. Do not be afraid of them.’

v10 All the *Israelites wanted to throw stones at Moses and Aaron in order to kill them. But suddenly, all the people saw the *LORD appear in his *glory. He was in a cloud over *God’s Tent.

Verses 1-6 Everyone in the camp became afraid to enter the country called Canaan. God wanted to give to them this land. But they did not want it. They complained again, as they had complained many times before. They had been afraid of the *Egyptian army when they had left the country called Egypt (Exodus 14:10-14). They had complained then. They had thought that they would die. Also, they had complained when they had no water to drink in the *desert (Exodus 15:22-27 and 17:1-7). Some of the people had complained at Taberah and God had sent fire (Numbers 11:1-3). They had complained about the *manna (Numbers 11:6).

We can learn something very important from this. When we have problems, we have a choice. We can cry out to God, or we can complain against him. We can ask for his help, or we can fight against him. The *Israelites made the wrong choice, not just once, but many times.

They did not trust God’s promise to give to them their own land. So they wanted to choose a new leader who would take them back to Egypt! They were opposing God and his special servant, Moses.

This situation upset Moses and Aaron very much. So they lay down with their faces on the ground. This showed that they respected God very much. They were praying. They knew that he was angry. They knew that he had to punish the people.

‘Joshua and Caleb tore their clothes’ (verse 6). The *Israelites used to tear their own clothes to show that they were very unhappy. Usually, people tore their clothes when someone had died. Joshua had not spoken when Caleb gave his report. But he showed that he was on Caleb’s side. Moses, Aaron, Caleb and Joshua all trusted God to give the *Promised Land to them. The rest of the *Israelites did not trust God.

Verses 7-10 But still Joshua and Caleb tried to encourage the people to trust God. They told them that the country was good. The *LORD would lead them all into the country called Canaan. But they had to do two things. They should not oppose God. Also, they should not be afraid of the people who lived in Canaan. God was with them. He would protect them. The people in Canaan had no protection. They would not be able to defend themselves against the *Israelites.

But the people did not believe Joshua and Caleb. Instead, they became more angry with them. They wanted to kill Moses, Aaron, Joshua and Caleb. Then suddenly, God appeared. All the *Israelites saw the cloud.

Moses talks to God on behalf of the *Israelites – Numbers 14:11-25

v11 The *LORD said to Moses, ‘I have done many great things on behalf of these people. But still they *reject me. They refuse to trust me. v12 I will send a disease that will kill them all. But I will make you, Moses, the *ancestor of a nation. It will be a bigger and more powerful nation than they are.’

v13 But Moses replied to the *LORD, ‘You rescued these people from the country called Egypt by means of your power. Please do not kill them all in this *desert. The *Egyptians will hear about this. v14 They will tell the people who live in the country called Canaan. The people in that country know already that we are your people. They know that you talk to us. They have heard that you lead us by means of a cloud and fire. They know that you protect us during the day and the night. v15 If you kill all of your people together, the people in these other nations will talk about it. They will say, v16 “The *LORD had to kill them all in the *desert. He was not powerful enough to lead them into Canaan, as he had promised.” ’

v17 Moses continued to speak. ‘Show us your great power, *Lord,’ he said. ‘You promised v18 that you will not become angry quickly. Your people can trust you to love them always. You forgive their *sin. But you do not allow guilty people to go without punishment. When parents do bad things, you punish their children and grandchildren. v19 Your love is great and it never changes! Always you have forgiven these people since they left Egypt. So please forgive them now!’

v20 Then the *LORD said to Moses, ‘I forgive them. You asked me and I have answered your prayer. v21-23 But not one of these *Israelites will enter the land that I promised to their *ancestors. This is absolutely definite. It is as certain as the fact that my power has no limit. These people have seen my power in Egypt and in the *desert. But they will never see Canaan. They have refused to trust and to obey me 10 times! They have *rebelled against me, so they will never see Canaan.

v24 But my servant Caleb is not like them. He has remained completely loyal to me. So I will bring him into the country that he explored. His *descendants will own that land. v25 The *Amalekites and the *Canaanites live in the valleys of Canaan. Tomorrow, you must turn back. Go into the *desert towards the Red Sea.'

Verses 11-12 But when God spoke, he did not speak to the people. Instead, he spoke to his servant Moses about the people’s wicked behaviour. He was very angry because they did not trust him.

God had already done so many wonderful things to help the *Israelites. He had allowed 10 bad things to happen in the country called Egypt. This was so that the king would let the *Israelites leave (Exodus Chapter s 7-12). God had made the Red Sea separate into two parts, so that the *Israelites could walk through it (Exodus chapter 14). He had provided food and water for them in the *desert (Exodus Chapter s 16 and 17). But still they did not believe that he had power to give to them the *Promised Land.

God wanted to destroy *Israel suddenly. In other words, he intended to let a disease kill all the *Israelites. He had already allowed the *Egyptians’ *first-born sons to die in a similar manner. God wanted to make a new nation from Moses’ family. This was the second time that God had wanted to do this (see Exodus 32:10). The people in this new nation, like Moses and Aaron, would trust and obey God.

Verses 13-16 But Moses did not want God to start a new nation with his family. He was a really humble man! Instead, he worried that the people in Egypt and the other nations might say bad things about God. These other nations knew that the *Israelites were special to God. God spoke to the *Israelites. He looked after them. If God killed all the *Israelites, the other nations would not know the real reason. So they might say that God was not powerful enough. He could not do what he had promised. He could not lead his people into the *Promised Land.

Moses was not worried about what the other nations might say about him, or the *Israelites. He was worried that they might insult God.

Verses 17-18 Next, Moses described God’s special qualities. Moses referred to God’s own words in Exodus 34:6-7. God is kind. He forgives people even when they do not deserve it. He does not become angry quickly. But also he is *holy. He is fair. So he must punish people when they *sin. *Sin is serious. When a person *sins, it can affect their whole family and even their *descendants (Exodus 20:3-5).

The special word for ‘love’ in verses 18 and 19 means that God will keep his special promise (his *covenant) to his people, the *Israelites.

Some people think that, in the *Old Testament, God is always strict and angry. They think that, in the *New Testament, he is different! But God does not change. His character is the same always. He loves us always. But because he is fair, he must punish us for our *sins. So he sent his son Jesus to take the punishment that we all deserve. God loves us so much that he *sacrificed his only son! If we are sorry for our *sins, God will forgive us. He will not punish us, because Jesus had already received our punishment on our behalf.

Verse 19 Then, Moses remembered that already God had forgiven the *Israelites many times. He asked God to forgive them again. Moses knew God well. He knew that God could be very angry. But he also knew that God had forgiven the *Israelites before.

Verses 20-23 God listened to Moses. Moses’ words affected God. This encourages us all when we pray. Our prayers affect God, too. The words that we use are not important. But God knows what is in our hearts. If we are humble and honest, like Moses, God will answer our prayers.

God agreed to forgive the *Israelites. But this did not mean that they would escape from his judgement. So they would not receive the good things that he had promised. The people who had left the country called Egypt would never enter the *Promised Land.

The words ‘10 times’ (verse 22) might refer to the actual number of times that the people had not trusted God. Or it might just mean ‘too many times’!

Verse 24 However, Caleb was the exception to God’s judgement. He had remained loyal to God. So God would allow him to enter the *Promised Land. Also, God allowed Joshua to enter the *Promised Land. Both Joshua and Caleb had tried to persuade the people that the *Promised Land was a good place (verses 7-9). Joshua had remained loyal to God, too.

Verse 25 God told the *Israelites to turn back towards the Red Sea. They would not fight the *Amalekites or the *Canaanites. These were the people who lived in the country called Canaan.

They had wanted to die in the *desert or to return to the country called Egypt. It seemed that God had granted their request! They would wander in the *desert for nearly 40 years, until their *generation had all died. God would give the *Promised Land to their children, who had not *rejected him.

God punishes the *Israelites – Numbers 14:26-38

v26 The *LORD said to Moses and Aaron, v27 ‘These wicked people have complained about me too many times! I have heard how they have complained. v28 I will do to them what they have asked for. I promise that this will happen. Tell them what I have said. I am the *LORD and I have said this. v29-30 Tell them, “Your dead bodies will lie in this *desert. You have complained against me. The punishment will be against all the men who were over 20 years old at the time of the *census. None of those men will enter the *Promised Land. Only Joshua (Nun’s son) and Caleb (Jephunneh’s son) will enter the land that I promised to give to you.

v31 You worried that your enemies would take your children away from you. But I will bring your children into the country that you *rejected. It will be their home. v32 But you will die in this *desert! v33 Your children will wander in this *desert with their animals for 40 years. They will suffer because of your *sins, until you (their parents) have all died. v34 You will suffer because of your *sins for 40 years. That is one year for each day that you explored the land. You will know that I am opposing you! v35 You wicked people! You have opposed me and so you will die in this *desert. I, the *LORD, have said this.” ’

v36-38 10 of the men that Moses sent into the country called Canaan had brought back bad news. They had made the people complain against the *LORD. So the *LORD sent a bad disease that killed those 10 men. But the *LORD let Joshua (Nun’s son) and Caleb (Jephunneh’s son) live.

Verses 26-35 God repeated his judgement against the *Israelites. They had wanted to die in the *desert (Numbers 14:2). So they would get what they wanted. They would die in the *desert! God promised that this would happen.

Only Joshua and Caleb would enter the *Promised Land, because they had remained loyal to God. They had believed in God’s promises. The people had been afraid that their children would die (Numbers 14:3). They had not trusted God to protect their children. But God promised that he would look after their children. He would lead their children into the *Promised Land. But first, they would wander in the *desert for nearly 40 years. This was their parents’ fault. Their parents had not obeyed God. So they could not enter the *Promised Land until all their parents had died.

Verses 36-38 God had wanted to kill all the *Israelites immediately. But after Moses had prayed, God had let them live. However, the men who had said bad things about the *Promised Land died immediately. Verse 38 emphasises again that God did not punish Joshua and Caleb. This was because they trusted him.

The *Israelites fail to enter the *Promised Land – Numbers 14:39-45

v39 Moses told to the *Israelites what the *LORD had said. They were very sad. v40 The next morning, they got up early. They went up towards the hills in the country called Canaan.

‘We were wrong to complain against the *LORD,’ they said. ‘We will enter the country that he promised to give to us.’

v41 But Moses said, ‘You are not obeying the *LORD! Your plan will not succeed. v42 Do not go into that country. The *LORD is not with you. So your enemies will defeat you. v43 When you fight the *Amalekites and the *Canaanites, you will die in the battle. The *LORD will not help you because you have refused to follow him.’

v44 But still the *Israelites dared to go towards the hills of the country called Canaan. They went, although neither Moses nor the *Ark went with them. v45 Then the *Amalekites and the *Canaanites who lived among the hills came down. They attacked the *Israelites. They chased them as far as Hormah village.

Verses 39-45 The *Israelites had not learned anything from their mistakes. Again, they did not obey God. They did not turn back to the *desert. Instead, they decided to enter the country called Canaan without Moses or God!

They said that they should not have complained against God. Perhaps they thought that God would help them again. But Moses warned them that God was not on their side (verse 43). The people should have been afraid. But they were not afraid.

The people who lived in Canaan defeated the *Israelites. This happened because the *Israelites had not obeyed God. In fact, they had done the opposite of what God had told them to do. Hormah was a village on the southern borders of Canaan (see Joshua 15:30).

Israel ~ the Israelites and their nation.
desert ~ a dry region, or a region where there is just a little water. A few wild plants are able to grow in some deserts. So people who are travelling can live in these deserts in their tents. And they can lead animals through the desert. The Israelites lived in a desert for nearly 40 years.

Israel ~ the Israelites and their nation.
LORD ~ a special name for God that his people use. In Hebrew, it is Yahweh. This name means something like ‘I am’ or ‘always alive’.

Lord ~ one who rules. God is the Lord who rules everyone.

Hebrew ~ the language of the *Jews.
glory ~ everything that makes God great and beautiful. A bright light that comes from God or Jesus to show that they are beautiful and holy.

holy ~ what God is like. God’s character: perfect, completely good with nothing bad in it. Separate from sin.

sin ~ the nature of all people since Adam chose not to obey God. People’s lives are not acceptable to God because of sin. ‘Sins’ are states, attitudes and acts that are not acceptable to God. A person sins whenever that person is guilty of a sin.
manna ~ food that God provided for the Israelites when they were in the desert.

Israel ~ the Israelites and their nation.

desert ~ a dry region, or a region where there is just a little water. A few wild plants are able to grow in some deserts. So people who are travelling can live in these deserts in their tents. And they can lead animals through the desert. The Israelites lived in a desert for nearly 40 years.

'Promised Land ~ the country that God promised to give to Abraham and his *descendants.
reject ~ not to accept or not to believe in someone or something.
ancestor ~ a previous member of a family, especially someone who was important during a past century.
LORD ~ a special name for God that his people use. In Hebrew, it is Yahweh. This name means something like ‘I am’ or ‘always alive’.

Lord ~ one who rules. God is the Lord who rules everyone.

Hebrew ~ the language of the *Jews.
sin ~ the nature of all people since Adam chose not to obey God. People’s lives are not acceptable to God because of sin. ‘Sins’ are states, attitudes and acts that are not acceptable to God. A person sins whenever that person is guilty of a sin.
Canaanites ~ a group of people who lived in the country called Canaan.'first-born ~ the first child to be born to a mother; the oldest child in a family. The word can refer to animals as well as people.
holy ~ what God is like. God’s character: perfect, completely good with nothing bad in it. Separate from sin.

sin ~ the nature of all people since Adam chose not to obey God. People’s lives are not acceptable to God because of sin. ‘Sins’ are states, attitudes and acts that are not acceptable to God. A person sins whenever that person is guilty of a sin.
sin ~ the nature of all people since Adam chose not to obey God. People’s lives are not acceptable to God because of sin. ‘Sins’ are states, attitudes and acts that are not acceptable to God. A person sins whenever that person is guilty of a sin.
covenant ~ a special promise that God made to the Israelites. The Israelites had to remain loyal to God because of the covenant.

Israel ~ the Israelites and their nation.

'Old Testament ~ the first part of the Bible; the *Jews’ holy book. The writers wrote this before the life of Jesus.'New Testament ~ the last part of the Bible, which the writers wrote after the life of Jesus on the earth. It is about the things that Jesus did. And it is about the things that he taught. It is also about the *church and what *Christians should believe.
census ~ an official list which records the number of people in a particular place.
Ark ~ a wooden box that contained things that were special to the Israelites. God said that he would meet his people at the Ark. It was a *symbol that God was there in a special way.

Israel ~ the Israelites and their nation.