Numbers 13:26-14:24

New International Version

Report on the Exploration

²⁶ They came back to Moses and Aaron and the whole Israelite community at Kadesh^(A) in the Desert of Paran.^(B) There they reported to them^(C) and to the whole assembly and showed them the fruit of the land.^{(D) 27} They gave Moses this account: “We went into the land to which you sent us, and it does flow with milk and honey!^(E) Here is its fruit.^{(F) 28} But the people who live there are powerful, and the cities are fortified and very large.^(G) We even saw descendants of Anak^(H) there.^{(I) 29} The Amalekites^(J) live in the Negev; the Hittites,^(K) Jebusites^(L) and Amorites^(M) live in the hill country;^(N) and the Canaanites^(O) live near the sea and along the Jordan.^(P)”

³⁰ Then Caleb^(Q) silenced the people before Moses and said, “We should go up and take possession of the land, for we can certainly do it.”

³¹ But the men who had gone up with him said, “We can’t attack those people; they are stronger than we are.”^{(R) 32} And they spread among the Israelites a bad report^(S) about the land they had explored. They said, “The land we explored devours^(T) those living in it. All the people we saw there are of great size.^{(U) 33} We saw the Nephilim^(V) there (the descendants of Anak^(W) come from the Nephilim). We seemed like grasshoppers^(X) in our own eyes, and we looked the same to them.”

The People Rebel

14 That night all the members of the community raised their voices and wept aloud.^{(Y) 2} All the Israelites grumbled^(Z) against Moses and Aaron, and the whole assembly said to them, “If only we had died in Egypt!^(AA) Or in this wilderness!^{(AB) 3} Why is the Lord bringing us to this land only to let us fall by the sword?^(AC) Our wives and children^(AD) will be taken as plunder.^(AE) Wouldn’t it be better for us to go back to Egypt?^(AF)” ⁴ And they said to each other, “We should choose a leader and go back to Egypt.^(AG)”

⁵ Then Moses and Aaron fell facedown^(AH) in front of the whole Israelite assembly^(AI) gathered there. ⁶ Joshua son of Nun^(AJ) and Caleb son of Jephunneh, who were among those who had explored the land, tore their clothes^{(AK) 7} and said to the entire Israelite assembly, “The land we passed through and explored is exceedingly good.^{(AL) 8} If the Lord is pleased with us,^(AM) he will lead us into that land, a land flowing with milk and honey,^(AN) and will give it to us.^{(AO) 9} Only do not rebel^(AP) against the Lord. And do not be afraid^(AQ) of the people of the land,^(AR) because we will devour them. Their protection is gone, but the Lord is with^(AS) us.^(AT) Do not be afraid of them.”^(AU)

¹⁰ But the whole assembly talked about stoning^(AV) them. Then the glory of the Lord^(AW) appeared at the tent of meeting to all the Israelites. ¹¹ The Lord said to Moses, “How long will these people treat me with contempt?^(AX) How long will they refuse to believe in me,^(AY) in spite of all the signs^(AZ) I have performed among them? ¹² I will strike them down with a plague^(BA) and destroy them, but I will make you into a nation^(BB) greater and stronger than they.”^(BC)

¹³ Moses said to the Lord, “Then the Egyptians will hear about it! By your power you brought these people up from among them.^{(BD) 14} And they will tell the inhabitants of this land about it. They have already heard^(BE) that you, Lord, are with these people^(BF) and that you, Lord, have been seen face to face,^(BG) that your cloud stays over them,^(BH) and that you go before them in a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night.^{(BI) 15} If you put all these people to death, leaving none alive, the nations who have heard this report about you will say, ¹⁶ ‘The Lord was not able to bring these people into the land he promised them on oath,^(BJ) so he slaughtered them in the wilderness.’^(BK)

¹⁷ “Now may the Lord’s strength be displayed, just as you have declared: ¹⁸ ‘The Lord is slow to anger, abounding in love and forgiving sin and rebellion.^(BL) Yet he does not leave the guilty unpunished; he punishes the children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation.’^{(BM) 19} In accordance with your great love, forgive^(BN) the sin of these people,^(BO) just as you have pardoned them from the time they left Egypt until now.”^(BP)

²⁰ The Lord replied, “I have forgiven them,^(BQ) as you asked. ²¹ Nevertheless, as surely as I live^(BR) and as surely as the glory of the Lord^(BS) fills the whole earth,^{(BT) 22} not one of those who saw my glory and the signs^(BU) I performed in Egypt and in the wilderness but who disobeyed me and tested me ten times^(BV)— ²³ not one of them will ever see the land I promised on oath^(BW) to their ancestors. No one who has treated me with contempt^(BX) will ever see it.^{(BY) 24} But because my servant Caleb^(BZ) has a different spirit and follows me wholeheartedly,^(CA) I will bring him into the land he went to, and his descendants will inherit it.^(CB)