9Only don’t rebel against the LORD, neither fear the people of the land; for they are bread for us. Their defence is removed from over them, and the LORD is with us. Don’t fear them.”
10But all the congregation threatened to stone them with stones. The LORD’s glory appeared in the Tent of Meeting to all the children of Israel.
11The LORD said to Moses, “How long will this people despise me? How long will they not believe in me, for all the signs which I have worked amongst them?
12I will strike them with the pestilence, and disinherit them, and will make of you a nation greater and mightier than they.”
13Moses said to the LORD, “Then the Egyptians will hear it; for you brought up this people in your might from amongst them.
14They will tell it to the inhabitants of this land. They have heard that you LORD are amongst this people; for you LORD are seen face to face, and your cloud stands over them, and you go before them, in a pillar of cloud by day, and in a pillar of fire by night.
15Now if you killed this people as one man, then the nations which have heard the fame of you will speak, saying,
16‘Because the LORD was not able to bring this people into the land which he swore to them, therefore he has slain them in the wilderness.’
17Now please let the power of the Lord be great, according as you have spoken, saying,
18‘The LORD is slow to anger, and abundant in loving kindness, forgiving iniquity and disobedience; and he will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children, on the third and on the fourth generation.’
19Please pardon the iniquity of this people according to the greatness of your loving kindness, and just as you have forgiven this people, from Egypt even until now.”
20The LORD said, “I have pardoned according to your word;
21but in very deed—as I live, and as all the earth shall be filled with the LORD’s glory—
22because all those men who have seen my glory and my signs, which I worked in Egypt and in the wilderness, yet have tempted me these ten times, and have not listened to my voice;
23surely they shall not see the land which I swore to their fathers, neither shall any of those who despised me see it.
24But my servant Caleb, because he had another spirit with him, and has followed me fully, him I will bring into the land into which he went. His offspring shall possess it.
25Since the Amalekite and the Canaanite dwell in the valley, tomorrow turn and go into the wilderness by the way to the Red Sea.”
26The LORD spoke to Moses and to Aaron, saying,
27“How long shall I bear with this evil congregation that complain against me? I have heard the complaints of the children of Israel, which they complain against me.
28Tell them, ‘As I live, says the LORD, surely as you have spoken in my ears, so I will do to you.
29Your dead bodies shall fall in this wilderness; and all who were counted of you, according to your whole number, from twenty years old and upward, who have complained against me,
30surely you shall not come into the land concerning which I swore that I would make you dwell therein, except Caleb the son of Jephunneh, and Joshua the son of Nun.
31But I will bring in your little ones that you said should be captured or killed, and they shall know the land which you have rejected.
32But as for you, your dead bodies shall fall in this wilderness.
Numbers 14
Numbers 14:9-32