13:31-33).Īll of the congregation lifted up their voice, and cried and the people wept that night. With God there would be victory, without him defeat (39-45 cf. They were defeated, as they themselves had forecast when they heard the spies’ report.

Earlier they refused to go into Canaan with God now they tried to conquer the land without him. They had lost their opportunity to enter Canaan, and God’s will for them now was to remain in the wilderness for the next forty years. But on hearing of their punishment, they then tried to attack the enemies whom previously they feared. Because the people feared the enemy and refused to enter the promised land, God turned them back into the wilderness (v. The ten rebellious spies died immediately (26-38). Only when they were dead and a new generation had grown up would Israel enter the promised land. All who were at that time twenty years of age or over (except Joshua and Caleb) would die during the next forty years. God assured them he would look after the children and bring them into Canaan, but the rebellious adults would die in the wilderness. The people had complained that they were concerned about the future of their children (v. God’s punishment was that they would have their wish: they would die in the wilderness (20-25 see v. Although they had experienced God’s mighty power in the past, they now said they would rather die in the wilderness than trust him for victory over the Canaanites. God answered Moses’ prayer and did not destroy the people, but neither did he ignore their rebellion. Moses appealed to God to be merciful to his people and forgive them as he had done in the past (13-19). He asked God not to destroy his rebellious people, lest other nations mock him, saying he was weak, unable to finish what he began. Again the humility of Moses showed itself.

God therefore told Moses that he would destroy Israel and build a new nation for himself through Moses (14:1-12). They rebelled against God and his leaders by deciding to appoint a new leader instead of Moses and go back to Egypt. Only a year earlier the Israelites had experienced the power of God in giving them victory over the mighty Egyptians, but now they had no faith to believe that he would lead them to victory over the less powerful Canaanites. Israel’s refusal to enter Canaan (14:1-45)

The offspring million miles away