Numbers 14 commentary

NUMBERS 14 COMMENTARY
EDITED BY GLENN PEASE
The People Rebel
1 That night all the members of the community
raised their voices and wept aloud.
CLARKE, "Cried; and - wept that night - In almost every case this people gave
deplorable evidence of the degraded state of their minds. With scarcely any mental
firmness, and with almost no religion, they could bear no reverses, and were ever at their
wit’s end. They were headstrong, presumptuous, pusillanimous, indecisive, and fickle.
And because they were such, therefore the power and wisdom of God appeared the more
conspicuously in the whole of their history.
GILL, "And all the congregation lifted up their voice and cried,.... This is not
to be understood of every individual in the congregation of Israel, but of the princes,
heads, and elders of the people that were with Moses and Aaron when the report of the
spies was made; though indeed the report might quickly spread throughout the body of
the people, and occasion a general outcry, which was very loud and clamorous, and
attended with all the signs of distress imaginable, in shrieks and tears and lamentations:
and the people wept that night: perhaps throughout the night; could get no sleep
nor rest all the night, but spent it in weeping and crying, at the thought of their condition
and circumstances, and the disappointments they had met with, as they conceived, of
entering into and possessing the land.
HENRY 1-4, "Here we see what mischief the evil spies made by their unfair
representation. We may suppose that these twelve that were impanelled to enquire
concerning Canaan had talked it over among themselves before they brought in their
report in public; and Caleb and Joshua, it is likely, had done their utmost to bring the
rest over to be of their mind, and if they would but have agreed that Caleb, according to
his pose, should have spoken for them all, as their foreman, all had been well; but the
evil spies, it should seem, wilfully designed to raise this mutiny, purely in opposition to
Moses and Aaron, though they could not propose any advantage to themselves by it,
unless they hoped to be captains and commanders of the retreat into Egypt they were
now meditating. But what came of it? Here in these verses we find those whom they
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studied to humour put into a vexation, and, before the end of the chapter, brought to
ruin. Observe,
I. How the people fretted themselves: They lifted up their voices and cried (Num_
14:1); giving credit to the report of the spies rather than to the word of God, and
imagining their condition desperate, they laid the reins on the neck of their passions,
and could keep no manner of temper. Like foolish froward children, they fall a crying,
yet know not what they cry for. It would have been time enough to cry out when the
enemy had beaten up their quarters, and they had seen the sons of Anak at the gate of
their camp; but those that cried when nothing hurt them deserved to have something
given them to cry for. And, as if all had been already gone, they sat down and wept that
night. Note, Unbelief, or distrust of God, is a sin that is its own punishment. Those that
do not trust God are continually vexing themselves. The world's mourners are more than
God's, and the sorrow of the world worketh death.
II. How they flew in the face of their governors - murmured against Moses and
Aaron, and in them reproached the Lord, Num_14:2, Num_14:3. The congregation of
elders began the discontent (Num_14:1), but the contagion soon spread through the
whole camp, for the children of Israel murmured. Jealousies and discontents spread like
wildfire among the unthinking multitude, who are easily taught to despise dominions,
and to speak evil of dignities. 1. They look back with a causeless discontent. They wish
that they had died in Egypt with the first-born that were slain there, or in the wilderness
with those that lately died of the plague for lusting. See the prodigious madness of
unbridled passions, which make men prodigal even of that which nature accounts most
dear, life itself. Never were so many months spent so pleasantly as these which they had
spent since they came out of Egypt, loaded with honours, compassed with favours, and
continually entertained with something or other that was surprising; and yet, as if all
these things had not made it worth their while to live, they wished they had died in
Egypt. And such a light opinion they had of God's tremendous judgments executed on
their neighbours for their sin that they wished they had shared with them in their
plagues, rather than run the hazard of making a descent upon Canaan. They wish rather
to die criminals under God's justice than live conquerors in his favour. Some read it, O
that we had died in Egypt, or in the wilderness! O that we might die! They wish to die,
for fear of dying; and have not sense enough to reason as the poor lepers, when rather
than die upon the spot they ventured into an enemy's camp, If they kill us, we shall but
die, 2Ki_7:4. How base were the spirits of these degenerate Israelites, who, rather than
die (if it come to the worst) like soldiers on the bed of honour, with their swords in their
hands, desire to die like rotten sheep in the wilderness. 2. They look forward with a
groundless despair, taking it for granted (Num_14:3) that if they went on they must fall
by the sword, and pretend to lay the cause of their fear upon the great care they had for
their wives and children, who, they conclude, will be a prey to the Canaanites. And here
is a most wicked blasphemous reflection upon God himself, as if he had brought them
hither on purpose that they might fall by the sword, and that their wives and children,
those poor innocents, should be a prey. Thus do they, in effect, charge that God who is
love itself with the worst of malice, and eternal Truth with the basest hypocrisy,
suggesting that all the kind things he had said to them, and done for them, hitherto,
were intended only to decoy them into a snare, and to cover a secret design carried on all
along to ruin them. Daring impudence! But what will not that tongue speak against
heaven that is set on fire of hell? The devil keeps up his interest in the hearts of men by
insinuating to them ill thoughts of God, as if he desired the death of sinners, and
delighted in the hardships and sufferings of his own servants, whereas he knows his
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thoughts to us-ward (whether we know them so or no) to be thoughts of good, and not
of evil, Jer_29:11.
III. How they came at last to this desperate resolve, that, instead of going forward to
Canaan, they would go back again to Egypt. The motion is first made by way of query
only (Num_14:3): Were it not better for us to return into Egypt? But the ferment being
high, and the spirits of the people being disposed to entertain any thing that was
perverse, it soon ripened to a resolution, without a debate (Num_14:4): Let us make a
captain and return to Egypt; and it is lamented long after (Neh_9:17) that in their
rebellion they appointed a captain to return to their bondage; for they knew Moses
would not be their captain in this retreat. Now, 1. It was the greatest folly in the world to
wish themselves in Egypt, or to think that if they were there it would be better with them
than it was. If they durst not go forward to Canaan, yet better be as they were than go
back to Egypt. What did they want? What had they to complain of? They had plenty, and
peace, and rest, were under a good government, had good company, had the tokens of
God's presence with them, and enough to make them easy even in the wilderness, if they
had but hearts to be content. But whither were they thus eager to go to better
themselves? To Egypt! Had they so soon forgotten the sore bondage they were in there?
Would they be again under the tyranny of their taskmasters, and at the drudgery of
making brick? And, after all the plagues which Egypt had suffered for their sakes, could
they expect any better treatment there than they had formerly, and not rather much
worse? In how little time (not a year and a half) have they forgotten all the sighs of their
bondage, and all the songs of their deliverance! Like brute-beasts, they mind only what is
present, and their memories, with the other powers of reason, are sacrificed to their
passions. See Psa_106:7. We find it threatened (Deu_28:68), as the completing of their
misery, that they should be brought into Egypt again, and yet this is what they here wish
for. Sinners are enemies to themselves; and those that walk not in God's counsels
consult their own mischief and ruin. 2. It was a most senseless ridiculous thing to talk of
returning thither through the wilderness. Could they expect that God's cloud would lead
them or his manna attend them? And, if they did not, the thousands of Israel must
unavoidably be lost and perish in the wilderness. Suppose the difficulties of conquering
Canaan were as great as they imagined, those of returning to Egypt were much greater.
In this let us see, (1.) The folly of discontent and impatience under the crosses of our
outward condition. We are uneasy at that which is, complain of our place and lot, and we
would shift; but is there any place or condition in this world that has not something in it
to make us uneasy if we are disposed to be so? The way to better our condition is to get
our spirits into a better frame; and instead of asking, “Were it not better to go to Egypt?”
ask, “Were it not better to be content, and make the best of that which is?” (2.) The folly
of apostasy from the ways of God. Heaven is the Canaan set before us, a land flowing
with milk and honey; those that bring up ever so ill a report of it cannot but say that it is
indeed a good land, only it is hard to get to it. Strict and serious godliness is looked upon
as an impracticable thing, and this deters many who began well from going on; rather
than undergo the imaginary hardships of a religious life, they run themselves upon the
certain fatal consequences of a sinful course; and so they transcribe the folly of Israel,
who, when they were within a step of Canaan, would make a captain, and return to
Egypt.
K&D, "Uproar among the People. - Num_14:1-4. This appalling description of
Canaan had so depressing an influence upon the whole congregation (cf. Deu_1:28 : they
“made their heart melt,” i.e., threw them into utter despair), that they raised a loud cry,
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and wept in the night in consequence. The whole nation murmured against Moses and
Aaron their two leaders, saying “Would that we had died in Egypt or in this wilderness!
Why will Jehovah bring us into this land, to fall by the sword, that our wives and our
children should become a prey (be made slaves by the enemy; cf. Deu_1:27-28)? Let us
rather return into Egypt! We will appoint a captain, they said one to another, and go
back to Egypt.”
CALVIN, "1.And all the congregation lifted up their voice. Here we see how easily,
by means of a few incentives, sedition is excited in a great multitude; for the people,
unless governed by the counsel of others, is like the sea, exposed to many tempests;
and the corruption of human nature produces this amongst innumerable other evils,
that lies and impostures prevail over truth. There was, indeed, some pretext for the
error of the people, in that they saw ten most choice leaders of their tribes
dissuading them from entering the land, and only two advising them to proceed. But
that credulity, to which they were too much inclined, is without excuse, because it
arose from incredulity; for, if the dignity and reputation of ten men availed so much
with them, that they were thus easy of belief, ought they not much rather to have
given credit to the word of God, who had promised them the land four hundred
years before? For when they cried out beneath the oppressive tyranny of the
Egyptians, the memory of the promise given to their fathers was not effaced, since
the holy Jacob had carefully provided for its transmission. They had recently heard
and embraced its confirmation, and in this confidence had come forth from Egypt.
We see, then, that they had already been induced by their own supineness and
depravity to recoil from entering the land, because they had thrown aside their
confidence in God, so that they might seem to have deliberately laid hold of the
opportunity. Still the evil counselors gave an impulse to them, when they were
falling of their accord, and east them down headlong.
They begin with weeping, which at length bursts out into rage. The cause of their
weeping is the fear of death, because they think that they are being carried away to
slaughter; and whence does this arise, except because the promised aid of God is of
no account with them? Thus it appears how greatly opposed to faith is cowardice,
when, on the occurrence of danger, we look only to ourselves. But:. whilst the
beginning of infidelity is to be withheld by fear from obedience to God, so another
worse evil presently follows, when men obstinately resist God, and, because they are
unwilling to submit themselves to His word, enter into altercation with Him. This
was the case with the Israelites, who, being overwhelmed with grief, at length are
stirred up by its impetuosity against Moses and Aaron. And this is wont too often to
occur, that impatience bursts forth from the anguish into which our unbelief has
brought us. The desire for death, which they conceive, arises from ingratitude and
contempt of God’s blessing. They wished that they had died either in Egypt or in the
wilderness; why, then, had they just before humbly beseeched Moses to propitiate
God?
With regard to the words, the old interpreter, (53) taking the particle ‫,לו‬ which is
optative, for the negative ( ‫,לא‬ lo,) improperly translates the passage, as if their
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death in the desert would have been more bitter than in Egypt; whereas they only
deplore that they would be exposed to death if they should enter the land of Canaan,
as follows in the next verse.
TRAPP, "Numbers 14:1 And all the congregation lifted up their voice, and cried;
and the people wept that night.
Ver. 1. And the people wept that night.] As being too light of belief: the lies of the
spies they took for oracles.
Numbers 14:1 And all the congregation lifted up their voice, and cried; and the
people wept that night.
Ver. 1. And the people wept that night.] As being too light of belief: the lies of the
spies they took for oracles.
POOLE, "The children of Israel murmur against Moses and Aaron, Numbers
14:1-4. Moses, Aaron, Caleb, and Joshua go to appease the people, Numbers 14:5-9;
wherefore the people would have stoned them, Numbers 14:10. The Lord
threateneth them with the pestilence, Numbers 14:11,12. Moses entreateth the Lord
for the people, Numbers 14:13-19. The Lord heareth Moses, Numbers 14:20,21; yet
promiseth that the murmurers shall never enter into the land of Canaan, Numbers
14:22,23. Judgments on the murmurers, Numbers 14:26-35. They that brought an
evil report on the land die of the plague, Numbers 14:36,37. They who would take
possession of the land contrary to God’s command are smitten, Numbers 14:40-45.
Except Caleb and Joshua, and some few others. A synecdochial expression, the
whole for the greatest part.
WHEDON, " COWARDICE OF THE ISRAELITES, Numbers 14:1-5.
1. We come now to an eclipse of faith almost total, for the only exceptions to all the
congregation are Caleb and Joshua, Eleazar, (Joshua 14:1,) and possibly some of the
Levites and the whole order of priests, who were not reckoned in the general census.
Numbers 1:49; Numbers 26:62.
Lifted up their voice — These words, together with cried and wept, indicate the
intensity and publicity of this panic of despair. These loud wailings, resounding by
night from tent to tent, from tribe to tribe, spread the contagious despondency
through the whole camp.
COFFMAN, "The repeated rebellions of Israel against the will of God reached their
climax in this chapter with the Divine sentence that condemned that whole
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generation to die in the wilderness, allowing the possession of Canaan to their
children, who, reared in the hardships of the wilderness, possessed the faith and
ability to enable their success. First is recorded their night of weeping and the
appointment of a new leader to take them back to Egypt! (Numbers 14:1-4). Moses
and Aaron tried unsuccessfully to restrain the people (Numbers 14:5-10). Moses
interceded for the people (Numbers 14:11-19). God indeed forgave them, but blasted
them with a sentence of death in the wilderness, and ordered them to turn back
southward toward the Red Sea (Numbers 14:20-25). Moses then announced God's
sentence to the people, giving the additional provision that a whole forty years
should elapse before any of them entered Canaan (Numbers 14:26-35). God brought
upon the people a plague that resulted in the death of the ten unfaithful spies,
Joshua and Caleb being spared (Numbers 14:36-38), but the rebellious people
decided on their own to go up and take Canaan anyway, resulting in a disastrous
defeat (Numbers 14:39-45).
The works of many critical scholars exhibit a tragic blindness to the tremendous
spiritual significance of this pivotal chapter, practically all of their exegesis being
devoted to tiresome disputes about whether this or that portion belongs to P or to
JE, or if the account here is a fusion of two or more accounts. All such discussions
are futile and essentially without meaning. The alleged "documents" never existed!
The so-called evidence supporting such theories is forced, illogical, and
unreasonable, justifying no such conclusions as that of Wade, who declared that,
"This section is a fusion of JE and P."[1] He based the proposition on the omission
of Joshua's name in Numbers 14:24, but Joshua was "the servant of Moses," and, as
such, the mention of his name in that passage was not necessary. The sons of Aaron
were likewise omitted in the same verse, although they also surely belonged among
those who were exempted from the sentence of death. The false view that Numbers
14:24 "contradicts" Numbers 14:38, where both Caleb and Joshua are mentioned,
dissolves in the light of the truth.
"And all 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 congregation said unto them, Would that we had died in the land of
Egypt! or would that we had died in this wilderness! And wherefore doth Jehovah
bring us unto this land, to fail by the sword? Our wives and our little ones will be a
prey: were it not better for us to return into Egypt? And they said one to another,
Let us make a captain, and let us return into Egypt."
"The children of Israel murmured ..." What an infantile demonstration of unbelief
was this "murmuring"! God's unbelieving children have never ceased to indulge in
such conduct. Every congregation of believers on earth has within it some whose
contribution to the success of the kingdom is nothing but complaining and
murmuring. God was sorely displeased with it then, and he still is.
What was the trouble with these people? The author of Hebrews pinpoints their
trouble exactly: "They could not enter because of unbelief" (Hebrews 3:17-19).
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"Would God we had died ... in Egypt ..." What were those "good old days" in
Egypt? They consisted of endless drudgery under the slave whips of their
oppressors. Here the people seem to have forgotten the "service with rigor" that was
their lot in Egypt, and although but a little inconvenienced by the hardships of
wilderness life, they decided to go back!
"Wherefore doth Jehovah bring us into this land ..." Yes, they blame God Himself,
despite all that God had done for them, pretending to be concerned for their
children. That was not the real problem at all. They were the problem, for they were
slave-schooled cowards unwilling to fight for liberty. We have them in our own
generation, and it would be well for us to pray that our own nation does not fall into
the error of the one exhibited here.
"Let us make a captain, and let us return to Egypt!" Well, the same alternative
invariably confronts every believer. He must either fight and win in the kingdom of
God, or turn back to slavery and death. "For the believer, the choice is inevitable,
either he must go forward in Christ to possess the land, or go back to the world
(Egypt) and die."[2] "It seems from Nehemiah 9:17 that they actually appointed
another leader under whose direction they were about to return to Egypt."[3]
Behold here what an impossible alternative this was which the people desired to
take. The trip from Egypt had not been easy. Now, they would return, without
Moses, without God to open the sea before them and overwhelm their enemies in the
flood, without God to send the manna and the quails, without the fiery-cloudy pillar,
and without God to make the bitter waters sweet. What an impossibility that
alternative actually was. "Yet they elected the baser course, and thought themselves
prudent and careful of themselves in doing so!"[4] "The sinfulness and insane folly
of their conduct are almost incredible."[5] But this is always true of unbelief.
Unbelief is never either logical or reasonable. Did not the Christ himself "marvel at
their unbelief" in ancient Nazareth? (Mark 6:6).
"The children of Israel murmured against Moses and Aaron ..." (Numbers 14:2)
Right here is a glimpse of the real reason for the omission of Joshua's name in
Numbers 14:30. Joshua could not have been effective in that situation.
He did not stand in any means in the same position as Caleb and the other spies. He
was "the minister" and "the lieutenant" of Moses, and his fortunes were obviously
tied not to those of the tribes, but to those of Moses.[6]
Therefore, Joshua's name is NOT missing in Numbers 14:30, because some "other
account" accidentally omitted it, or knew nothing of it, but because Joshua did not
speak on that occasion. Only Moses knew the details of this episode, and he alone
could have written it.
BI 1-3, "Would God that we had died in Egypt — Such insolence to their
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generous leaders, and such base ingratitude to God, show the deep degradation of the
Israelites, and the absolute necessity of the decree that debarred that generation from
entering the promised land [Num_14:29-35]. They were punished by their wishes being
granted to die in that wilderness [Heb_3:17; Jud_1:5]. A leader to reconduct them to
Egypt is spoken of (Neh_9:17) as actually nominated. The sinfulness and insane folly of
their conduct are almost incredible. Their conduct, however, is paralleled by too many
among us, who shrink from the smallest difficulties and rather remain slaves to sin than
resolutely try to surmount the obstacles that lie in their way to the Canaan above.
2 All the Israelites grumbled against Moses and
Aaron, and the whole assembly said to them, “If
only we had died in Egypt! Or in this wilderness!
GILL, "And all the children of Israel murmured against Moses, and against
Aaron,.... They being the instruments of bringing them out of Egypt, and conducting
them hither:
and the whole congregation said unto them; some of them, the rest assenting to it
by their cries and tears and gestures:
would God we had died in the land of Egypt; and then what they left behind they
thought might have come into the hands of their children or relations; but now they
concluded it would become a prey to the Canaanites:
or would God we had died in this wilderness; the wilderness of Paran, at Taberah,
where many of them had been destroyed by fire, Num_11:1, and now they wish they had
perished with them.
JAMISON 2-4, "Would God that we had died in Egypt — Such insolence to
their generous leaders, and such base ingratitude to God, show the deep degradation of
the Israelites, and the absolute necessity of the decree that debarred that generation
from entering the promised land [Num_14:29-35]. They were punished by their wishes
being granted to die in that wilderness [Heb_3:17; Jud_1:5]. A leader to reconduct them
to Egypt is spoken of (Neh_9:17) as actually nominated. The sinfulness and insane folly
of their conduct are almost incredible. Their conduct, however, is paralleled by too many
among us, who shrink from the smallest difficulties and rather remain slaves to sin than
resolutely try to surmount the obstacles that lie in their way to the Canaan above.
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BENSON, "Numbers 14:2-3. Against Moses and Aaron — As the instruments and
causes of their present calamity. That we had died in the wilderness — It was not
long till they had their desire, and did die in the wilderness. Wherefore hath the
Lord brought us, &c. — From instruments they rise higher, and not only vent their
passion against his servants, but strike at God himself, as the cause and author of
their journey most impiously accusing him as if he had dealt deceitfully with them.
By this we see the rapid and prodigious growth and progress of sin when it is not
resisted. A prey — To the Canaanites, whose land we were made to believe we
should possess.
TRAPP, "Numbers 14:2 And all the children of Israel murmured against Moses and
against Aaron: and the whole congregation said unto them, Would God that we had
died in the land of Egypt! or would God we had died in this wilderness!
Ver. 2. Would God that we had died.] Words of deep discontent, despair, and
unthanklulness.
WHEDON, " 2. Murmured against Moses and… Aaron — They begin with God’s
ministers, not having become so hardened as to murmur against God himself. He
seems to have been absent from their thoughts both as the object of trust and as
their providential guide in the wilderness. They have fallen from a supernatural to a
merely natural view of their condition. Hence they childishly vent their indignation
against their human leaders.
The whole congregation — This must be understood, as it is in all languages, in a
conventional sense, as we are said to utter our opinions in the face of the whole
world, or begin our deeds of lands with the words, “Know all men by these
presents.” See Exodus 9:6, note.
Would God — The word God is not in the Hebrew. This is the strongest English
formula for an unattainable wish, and expresses the strength of the peoples’ desire.
Died in… Egypt — They who prefer death in bondage to life in freedom are not the
brave people whom Jehovah can lead to the conquest of Canaan. This wish to return
to the groanings, burdens, tasks, and insults of the brick-yards of Egypt, from which
a pitying Jehovah had led them forth, was indicative of a base ingratitude, and a
servility of spirit exceedingly offensive. Yet all this grief was in view of no present
suffering, but in apprehension of imaginary future ills.
PULPIT, "Murmured against Moses and against Aaron; whom they probably
suspected and accused of seeking their own personal ends. Here we may see the true
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reason why Joshua had not been put forward to advocate an immediate advance.
The Septuagint has διεγόγγυζον (cf. 1 Corinthians 10:10). Would God we had died.
‫נוּ‬ ְ‫ת‬ ָ‫לוּ־מ‬ . Septuagint, ὄφελον ἀπεθάνομεν. The A.V. is unnecessarily strong.
PETT, "Verses 2-4
Chapter 14 The Response of The People Leads To Rejection From The Land.
It is not difficult to guess at what their decision would be even before we learn of it.
They were frightened and therefore incapable. It would be another generation
before they would become strong enough to again contemplate a serious entry into
the land. What followed can be quickly summarised:
4). The People Murmur Against Moses And Are Spared At His Intercession
(Numbers 14:2-25).
a The people murmur against Moses and long to return to Egypt and decide to
choose a leader to take them back to Egypt (Numbers 14:2-4).
b Moses and Aaron fall on their faces before the assembly (Numbers 14:5).
c Joshua and Caleb extol the good of the land (Numbers 14:6-9).
d The congregation commands to stone them with stones (Numbers 14:10 a).
d The glory of Yahweh appears among the congregation (Numbers 14:10 b)
c He determines to disinherit them from the good land and destroy them (Numbers
14:10-12).
b Moses pleads with Yahweh on behalf of the people (Numbers 14:13-19).
a Yahweh pardons the people, describes what He had done in Egypt, swears that
they will not see the land and sends them back on the way to the Reed Sea (Numbers
14:20-25).
The People Murmur Against Moses and Against Yahweh (Numbers 14:2-4).
Numbers 14:2
‘And all the children of Israel murmured against Moses and against Aaron. And the
whole congregation said to them, “Would that we had died in the land of Egypt! Or
would that we had died in this wilderness!’
The people were just distraught. They blamed Moses and Aaron for their
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predicament. All that they could do was wish that they had died when younger so as
not to face this dreadful situation. If only they had died in Egypt, or in the
wilderness, how much better it would have been for them. (They would have cause
to remember those words, for they would come back to haunt them. How unlucky
they were to have survived, they thought. Ironically, of course, they would have
their wish. They would die in the wilderness).
3 Why is the Lord bringing us to this land only to
let us fall by the sword? Our wives and children
will be taken as plunder. Wouldn’t it be better for
us to go back to Egypt?”
GILL, "Wherefore hath the Lord brought us unto this land,.... Unto the borders
of it: their murmuring did not cease at Moses and Aaron, the instruments, but
proceeded against God himself, who had done such wonderful things for them, not only
in bringing them out of Egypt, but since they had been in the wilderness; and yet so
ungrateful to complain of him and argue with him about favours bestowed on them, as if
they were injuries done to them; and particularly as if God had no other intention in
bringing them out of Egypt to the place where they were, but
to fall by the sword: the sword of the Canaanites, as the Targum of Jonathan adds:
that our wives and our children shall be a prey? to the same people; they
supposed they should be killed, their wives abused, and their children made slaves of:
were it not better for us to return into Egypt? and so escape the hands of the
inhabitants of Canaan, of whom they had terrible apprehensions from the report made
of them.
CALVIN, "3.And wherefore has the Lord brought us into this land? The pride, and
even the madness of their impiety here more fully betrays itself, when they accuse
God of deception and cruelty, as if tie were betraying them to the Canaanitish
nations, and leading them forth to slaughter; for they conclude that they ought not
to obey His command, because He would destroy them, and not only so, but that He
would at the same time give their wives and children to be a prey. We see how mad
is unbelief, when it gives way to itself, since these wretched people do not hesitate to
prefer charges against God, and to repay His kindnesses by calling Him their
betrayer. But what was the cause of this blasphemous audacity, (54) except that they
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hear they would have to do with powerful enemies? as if they had not experienced
the might of God to be such, that nothing which they might encounter was to be
feared whilst He was on their side! At the same time, they also accuse God of
weakness, as if He were less powerful than the nations of Canaan. At length their
monstrous blindness and senselessness comes to its climax, when they consult as to
their return, and, rejecting Moses, set themselves about choosing a leader, who may
again deliver them up to Pharaoh. Were they so quickly forgetful how wretched
their condition there had been? It was for no fault of theirs, but whilst they were
peaceful and harmless guests, that the Egyptians had so cruelly afflicted them, since
they were hated by Pharaoh on no other account but because he could not endure
their multitude; what, then, was he likely to do, when, for their sakes, he had
undergone so many calamities; what humanity, again, was to be expected from that
nation which had conspired for their destruction already, when it had suffered no
injury from them? Surely there was no house among them which would not long to
avenge its first-born! Yet they desire to give themselves up to the will of a most
bitter enemy, who, without any cause for ill-will, had proceeded to all sorts of
extremities against them. Hence we plainly see that unbelievers are not only blinded
by the just vengeance of God, but carried away by a spirit of infatuation, so as to
inflict upon themselves the greatest evils.
TRAPP, "Numbers 14:3 And wherefore hath the LORD brought us unto this land,
to fall by the sword, that our wives and our children should be a prey? were it not
better for us to return into Egypt?
Ver. 3. Were it not better for us to return into Egypt.] How could that be better? It
is our wisest way, to crush the very first insurrections of unruly passions (do not
great storms rise out of little gusts?); to smother the smoke thereof, which else will
fume up into the head, and gather into so thick a cloud, as we shall soon lose the
sight of ourselves, and what is best to be done.
POOLE, "From the instruments they rise higher, and strike at God the chief cause
and author of their journey; by which we see the prodigious growth and progress of
sin when it is not resisted. Should be a prey to the Canaanites, whose land we were
made to believe we should possess.
WHEDON, " 3. Wherefore hath… Lord — They began with opposing God’s
faithful ministers; they end by arraigning himself. So men now greatly distress
themselves over evils they are never called to endure. Wherefore is not in the
vocabulary of faith.
Unto this land — Spoken, apparently, of Canaan, to which they had not yet been
brought. Thus “they despised the pleasant land; they believed not his word.” Psalms
106:24.
To fall by the sword — The unbelief of these rebels puts an evil intention for a
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beneficent purpose on the part of God, and thus maligns his character. Up to this
time they seem to have cherished the illusion of a blood. less conquest of Canaan.
A prey — Captives and slaves of the victors.
Better… to return into Egypt — In their dread of the perils before them they
overlook the greater evils behind: the sterile wilderness, with no manna from
heaven nor water from the smitten rock; no pillar of cloud to go before; no
protecting Jehovah to shield them from their foes; no mediating Moses to placate
the divine wrath; no home of freedom, but only the lash of the taskmaster for the
inheritance of their children forever.
PETT, "Numbers 14:3
“For what reason does Yahweh bring us to this land, to fall by the sword? Our
wives and our little ones will be a prey. Were it not better for us to return to
Egypt?”
They forgot all that Yahweh had done for them, and how He had revealed His
mighty power, and delivered them from an enemy far worse than these. All they
could think of was that Yahweh had brought them here to die at the edge of the
sword. They would be slaughtered and their wives and little ones be at the mercy of
the enemy. The best they could hope for was to become slaves. They had already
been defeated in their own minds. They were certainly in no condition to take up
arms.
We need not doubt that weapon training had taken place in the wilderness. Moses
would have been greatly at fault if he had not seen to that. But they clearly had no
confidence in their ability to use them. They had come to it too late. (It would be
another thing with the next generation. They would have no slave background. They
would have been hardened by the wilderness. They would have been trained to arms
from their earliest years).
4 And they said to each other, “We should choose
a leader and go back to Egypt.”
CLARKE, "Let us make a captain - Here was a formal renunciation of the
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authority of Moses, and flat rebellion against God. And it seems from Neh_9:17 that they
had actually appointed another leader, under whose direction they were about to return
to Egypt. How astonishing is this! Their lives were made bitter, because of the rigor with
which they were made to serve in the land of Egypt; and yet they are willing, yea eager,
to get back into the same circumstances again! Great evils, when once some time past,
affect the mind less than present ills, though much inferior. They had partly forgot their
Egyptian bondage, and now smart under a little discouragement, having totally lost sight
of their high calling, and of the power and goodness of God.
GILL, "And they said one to another, let us make a captain,.... An head over
them instead of Moses, who they knew would never take the government and care of
them, should they resolve to return to Egypt as they proposed, and besides were now so
disaffected to him, that they might not care he should. Captains they had over their
several tribes, but they chose to have one chief commander and general over them all;
Nehemiah says they did appoint one; which they either actually did, or this proposal was
interpreted as if really put in execution, they being so desirous of it, and bent upon it;
wherefore their will is taken for the deed, and so understood; see Neh_9:17,
and let us return into Egypt: which was downright madness, as some interpreters
have justly observed; they must not only expect to be deserted by Moses, through whose
means so many miracles had been wrought for them, and who was so wise and faithful a
governor of them; and by Aaron their priest, who offered their sacrifices, and prayed for
them, and blessed them; and by such a valiant general as Joshua, who had fought for
them against their enemies; but by the Lord himself, so that they could not expect the
manna to be continued as food for them, nor the pillar of cloud and fire as a guide unto
them, nor to be protected from their enemies, on the borders of whose countries they
must pass; so that their destruction in the wilderness seemed inevitable; and if they
could have surmounted these and other difficulties, what manner of reception could they
expect to find in Egypt, on whose account all the firstborn of man and beast among them
were slain, whom they had spoiled of their riches, and whose king and his army, and in it
perhaps the, flower of the nation, were drowned in the Red sea, for their sakes? What
therefore could they think of, if they had any sober thought at all, but utter ruin, should
they return there again?
BENSON, "Verse 4
Numbers 14:4. A captain — Instead of Moses, one who will be more faithful to our
interest than he. Nehemiah tells us they actually appointed them a captain. Into
Egypt — Stupendous madness, insolence, and ingratitude! Had not God both
delivered them from Egypt by a train of unparalleled wonders, and followed them
ever since with continued miracles of mercy? But whence should they have
protection against the hazards, and provisions against all the wants of the
wilderness? Could they expect either God’s cloud to cover and guide them, or
manna from heaven to feed them? Who could conduct them over the Red sea? Or, if
they went another way, who should defend them against those nations whose
borders they were to pass? What entertainment could they expect from the
Egyptians, whom they had deserted and brought to so much ruin?
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TRAPP, "Numbers 14:4 And they said one to another, Let us make a captain, and
let us return into Egypt.
Ver. 4. Let us make a captain.] Thus they proceeded from bad to worse. Passions,
like heavy bodies down steep hills, once in motion move themselves, and know no
ground but the bottom. Whether this people did make them such a captain, for such
a purpose, is uncertain; but howsoever their very intention of doing it, is charged
upon them, as if they had done it. [Nehemiah 9:16-17]
POOLE, " A captain, instead of Moses, one who will be more faithful to our interest
than he. This was but a purpose or desire, and yet it is imputed to them as if they
had done it, Nehemiah 9:16,17, they appointed a captain, &c., even as Abraham’s
purpose to offer up Isaac is reckoned for the deed, Hebrews 11:17.
Let us return into Egypt. Stupendous madness! Whence should they have protection
against the many hazards, and provision against all the wants of the wilderness?
Could they expect either God’s cloud to cover and guide them, or manna from
Heaven to lead them? Who should conduct them over the Red Sea? or, if they went
another way, who should defend them against those nations whose borders they
were to pass? What entertainment could they expect if the Egyptians, whom they
had deserted and brought to so much ruin?
COKE, "Numbers 14:4. They said one to another, Let us make a captain— We
learn from Nehemiah 9:17 that they actually appointed a captain in the height of
this their mutiny, insolence, and ingratitude, not only against Moses and Aaron, but
against the Lord himself, who, in so wonderful a manner, had delivered them from
Egypt, and continually demonstrated such miracles of mercy towards them. Bishop
Warburton remarks, that this unwillingness to leave Egypt, and impatience to
return thither, are convincing proofs of their fondness of its customs and
superstitions. "When I consider this," says he, "I seem more inclined than the
generality to excuse the false accounts of the pagan writers concerning the Exodus,
or departure of the Israelites, who concur to represent the Jews as expelled or
forcibly driven out of Egypt; for so indeed they were; their mistake was only about
their driver; the pagans supposed him to be the King of Egypt; when, indeed, it was
the God of Israel himself, by the ministry of Moses."
REFLECTIONS.—Discontent now spreads through the camp; every face is
overcast; despair sinks the courage of the host, and unmanly tears bespeak their
coward-terrors. The bitterest sorrows that the heart knows, are often those which
we make ourselves without cause or reason. They clamour loud against Moses and
Aaron, and wish they had died in Egypt or the wilderness, rather than been reduced
to their present imaginary distresses; and as the devil's power is then confirmed,
when he can suggest hard thoughts of God, they charge that gracious Jehovah, who
had fed and preserved them so long and so richly, with the most horrid design of
deceiving and destroying them. At last they come to the desperate resolution of
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returning to Egypt, and resolve to choose a captain in order to head their mutiny,
and lead them back to that land of bondage. The purpose was folly, the attempt
madness. How were they to return when God had left them without provision or
guide? And what could they hope in Egypt, but a repetition of misery to which
death itself were preferable? Note; (1.) The headstrong and unmortified passions of
sinners hurry them on to their ruin. (2.) They who are discontented under God's
providences, and resolve to mend themselves, will ever make bad worse. (3.) How
much need have we to fear, lest, after suffering many toils; we start like Israel at
new difficulties, turn back and walk no more with Jesus! Dreadful state of apostacy!
PULPIT, "Let us make a captain, and let us return into Egypt. Although this was
only proposed in the wildness of their distress, yet it was a height of rebellion to
which they had never risen before. They had lamented that they had not died in
Egypt, and they had wished themselves back in Egypt, but they had never proposed
to take any overt steps towards returning thither. Nothing less than an entire and
deliberate revolt was involved in the wish to elect a captain for themselves, for the
angel of the covenant was the Captain of the Lord's host (Joshua 5:14, Joshua 5:15).
The proposal to depose him, and to choose another in his place, marked the
extremity of the despair, the unbelief, and the ingratitude of the people.
PETT, "Numbers 14:4
‘And they said one to another, “Let us make a captain, and let us return to Egypt.” ’
So in their panic and folly they began to think of appointing a leader who would
take them back to Egypt as a bunch of slaves. It was, of course, both pathetic and
madness. What could be worse than that? But at that time they were temporarily
deranged. And they still had their eyes on the fish, melons, onions and garlic. What
a pathetic group they were. Just like some of us can be when God challenges us in
the face of difficulties.
It would be a misnomer to call this a rebellion. They were rather revealing how
pathetic their condition was. They were clutching at straws and babbling
foolishness. It demonstrated what they were. Men who sought the flesh and had
little thought of the Spirit. But it was still a rejection of Yahweh and His covenant.
For Yahweh had delivered them from Egypt, and now they were rejecting His
deliverance and wishing to get back to what they were before.
BI, "Let us return into Egypt.
The rewards of the future not to be slighted because of a present
inconvenience
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The proposition of the people illustrates anew the principle that all sin is a species of
insanity. They proposed to go back to Egypt. How did they suppose they were going to
get back? Could they expect to live in the wilderness without the manna which God gave
them? Could they overcome Amalek without Moses to intercede in their behalf? Would
God be more likely to deliver them in a cowardly retreat than in a loyal advance? Could
they hope again for water to flow from the rock to quench their thirst? or for favouring
winds to open a new path through the Red Sea? When some departed from the Saviour,
He said to His disciples, “Will ye also go away?” and they returned the pathetic answer,
“Lord, to whom shall we go? Thou hast the words of eternal life.” But, alas! the children
of Israel were ready to go back from the promised land to the dangers of the wilderness
and to the hopeless bondage of Egypt. In the words of Matthew Henry, “They wish
rather to die criminals under God’s justice than live conquerors in His favour. How base
were the spirits in those degenerate Israelites, who, rather than die (if it came to the
worst) like soldiers in the field of honour, with their swords in their hands, desire to die
like rotten sheep in the wilderness!” Similar paradoxes in the conduct of sinners abound
in the world. A slight present danger or inconvenience is suffered to blind the eyes to
great rewards in the future. A small hazard before us is likely to seem far greater than
much more serious dangers behind us. Under the smart of present ills, we are ever ready
to shut our eyes to the innumerable ills we know not of. The miners of England cursed
the inventor of the safety-lamp because, in reducing the hazard to their lives, it
diminished also their wages. Multitudes of young people attempt to evade the trials and
self-denials of the ministerial calling or of missionary work, by choosing some profession
or business that is more lucrative or gratifying to their ambitions. In this they fail to
remember that there is a poverty in other callings than the ministry; that the high-road
of selfishness is through a wilderness strewn with the carcasses of those who have fallen
hopeless by the way. What is Wall Street but a maelstrom around which are circling
innumerable vessels fated to augment the debris of countless wrecks already in the
vortex? What is the path to worldly glory and fame but a crowded throroughfare of
hungry and thirsty men, the majority of whom are moving on to inevitable
disappointment? On the other hand, the path of the righteous, whatever its present
shadows, shines brighter and brighter unto the perfect day. (G. Frederick Wright.)
The folly of impatience
1. It was the greatest folly in the world to wish themselves in Egypt, or to think if
they were there it would be better with them than it was. If they durst not go forward
to Canaan, yet better be as they were than go back to Egypt. What did they want?
What had they to complain of? They had plenty, and peace, and rest; were under a
good government, had good company, had the tokens of God’s presence with them,
and enough to make them easy even in the wilderness, if they had but hearts to be
content. But whither were they thus fond to go to mend themselves? To Egypt! Had
they so soon forgot the sore bondage they were in there? Like brute beasts, they
mind only that which is present, and their memories, with the other powers of
reason, are sacrificed to their passions.(Psa_106:7). We find it threatened (Deu_
28:68) as the completing of their misery, that they should be brought into Egypt
again, and yet that is it they here wish for. Sinners are enemies to themselves, and
those that walk not in God’s counsels consult their own mischief and ruin.
2. It was a most senseless, ridiculous thing to talk of returning thither through the
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wilderness. Could they expect that God’s cloud would lead them or His manna attend
them?
(1) The folly of discontent and impatience under the crosses of our outward
condition. But is there any place or condition in this world that has not
something in it to make us uneasy if we are disposed to be so? The way to better
our condition is to get our spirits into a better frame.
(2) The folly of apostacy from the ways of God. Heaven is the Canaan set before
us, a land flowing with milk and honey: those that bring up ever so ill report of it
cannot but say that it is indeed a good land, only it is hard to get to it. (Matthew
Henry, D. D.)
To retreat is to perish
To retreat is to perish. You have most of you read the story of the boy in an American
village who climbed the wall of the famous Natural Bridge, and cut his name in the rock
above the initials of his fellows, and then became suddenly aware of the impossibility of
descending. Voices shouted, “Do not look down, try arid reach the top.” His only hope
was to go right up, up, up, till he landed on the top. Upward was terrible, but downward
was destruction. Now, we are all of us in a like condition. By the help of God we have cut
our way to positions of usefulness, and to descend is death. To us forward means
upward; and therefore forward and upward let us go. While we prayed this morning we
committed ourselves beyond all recall. We did that most heartily when we first preached
the gospel, and publicly declared, “I am my Lord’s, and He is mine.” We put our hand to
the plough: thank God, we have not looked back yet. (C. H. Spurgeon.)
5 Then Moses and Aaron fell facedown in front of
the whole Israelite assembly gathered there.
BARNES, "Already Caleb had endeavored to still the people before Moses Num_
13:30; already Moses himself (Deu_1:29 ff) had endeavored to recall the people to
obedience. After the failure of these efforts Moses and Aaron cast themselves down in
solemn prayer before God (compare Num_16:22); and the appearance of the glory of the
Lord in the “tabernacle of the congregation” Num_14:10 was the immediate answer.
GILL, "Then Moses and Aaron fell on their faces,.... Through shame and
confusion of face for them, at hearing so shocking a proposal made, and such wretched
ingratitude expressed; they blushed at it, and were in the utmost distress on account of
it, and therefore threw themselves into this posture; or it may be this was done either to
beg of them that they would lay aside all thoughts of this kind, or to supplicate the divine
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Majesty that he would convince them of their sin and folly, and give them repentance for
it and forgiveness of it; and this they did
before all the assembly of the congregation of the children of Israel; to affect
them the more with a sense of their sin and danger.
HENRY 5-10, "The friends of Israel here interpose to save them if possible from
ruining themselves, but in vain. The physicians of their state would have healed them,
but they would not be healed; their watchmen gave them warning, but they would not
take warning, and so their blood is upon their own heads.
I. The best endeavours were used to still the tumult, and, if now at last they would
have understood the things that belonged to their peace, all the following mischief would
have been prevented.
1. Moses and Aaron did their part, Num_14:5. Though it was against them that they
murmured (Num_14:2), yet they bravely overlooked the affront and injury done them,
and approved themselves faithful friends to those who were outrageous enemies to
them. The clamour and noise of the people were so great that Moses and Aaron could
not be heard; should they order any of their servants to proclaim silence, the angry
multitude would perhaps be the more clamorous; and therefore, to gain audience in the
sight of all the assembly, they fell on their faces, thus expressing, (1.) Their humble
prayers to God to still the noise of this sea, the noise of its waves, even the tumult of the
people. (2.) The great trouble and concern of their own spirits. They fell down as men
astonished and even thunder-struck, amazed to see a people throw away their own
mercies: to see those so ill-humoured who were so well taught. And, (3.) Their great
earnestness with the people to cease their murmurings; they hoped to work upon them
by this humble posture, and to prevail with them not to persist in their rebellion; Moses
and Aaron beseech them, as though by them God himself did beseech them, to be
reconciled unto God. What they said to the people Moses relates in the repetition of this
story. Deu_1:29, Deu_1:30, Be not afraid; the Lord your God shall fight for you. Note,
Those that are zealous friends to precious souls will stoop to any thing for their
salvation. Moses and Aaron, notwithstanding the posts of honour they are in, prostrate
themselves to the people to beg of them not to ruin themselves.
2. Caleb and Joshua did their part: they rent their clothes in a holy indignation at the
sin of the people, and a holy dread of the wrath of God, which they saw ready to break
out against them. it was the greater trouble to these good men because the tumult was
occasioned by those spies with whom they had been joined in commission; and therefore
they thought themselves obliged to do what they could to still the storm which their
fellows had raised. No reasoning could be more pertinent and pathetic than theirs was
(Num_14:7-9), and they spoke as with authority.
(1.) They assured them of the goodness of the land they had surveyed, and that it was
really worth venturing for, and not a land that ate up the inhabitants, as the evil spies
had represented it. It is an exceedingly good land (Num_14:7); it is very, very good, so
the word is; so that they had no reason to despise this pleasant land. Note, If men were
but thoroughly convinced of the desirableness of the gains of religion, they would not
stick at the services of it.
(2.) They made nothing of the difficulties that seemed to lie in the way of their gaining
the possession of it: “Fear not the people of the land, Num_14:9. Whatever formidable
ideas have been given you of them, the lion is not so fierce as he is painted. They are
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bread for us,” that is, “they are set before us rather to be fed upon than to be fought
with, so easily, so pleasantly, and with so much advantage to ourselves shall we master
them.” Pharaoh is said to have been given them for meat (Psa_74:14), and the
Canaanites will be so too. They show that, whatever was suggested to the contrary, the
advantage was clear on Israel's side. For, [1.] Though the Canaanites dwell in walled
cities, they are naked: Their defence has departed from them; that common providence
which preserves the rights of nations has abandoned them, and will be no shelter nor
protection to them. The other spies took notice of their strength, but these of their
wickedness, and thence inferred that God had forsaken them, and therefore their
defence had departed. No people can be safe when they have provoked God to leave
them. [2.] Though Israel dwell in tents they are fortified: The Lord is with us, and his
name is a strong tower; fear them not. Note, While we have the presence of God with us,
we need not fear the most powerful force against us.
(3.) They showed them plainly that all the danger they were in was from their own
discontents, and that they would succeed against all their enemies if they did not make
God their enemy. On this point alone the cause would turn (Num_14:8): “If the Lord
delight in us, as certainly he does, and will if we do not provoke him, he will bring us
into this good land; we shall without fail get it in possession by his favour, and the light
of his countenance (Psa_44:3), if we do not forfeit his favour and by our own follies turn
away our own mercies.” It has come to this issue (Num_14:9): Only rebel not you
against the Lord. Note, Nothing can ruin sinners but their own rebellion. If God leave
them, it is because they drive him from them; and they die because they will die. None
are excluded the heavenly Canaan but those that exclude themselves. And, now, could
the case have been made more plain? could it have been urged more closely? But what
was the effect?
II. It was all to no purpose; they were deaf to this fair reasoning; nay, they were
exasperated by it, and grew more outrageous: All the congregation bade stone them
with stones, Num_14:10. The rulers of the congregation, and the great men (so bishop
Patrick), ordered the common people to fall upon them, and knock their brains out.
Their case was sad indeed when their leaders thus caused them to err. Note, It is
common for those whose hearts are fully set in them to do evil to rage at those who give
them good counsel. Those who hate to be reformed hate those that would reform them,
and count them their enemies because they tell them the truth. Thus early did Israel
begin to misuse the prophets, and stone those that were sent to them, and it was this
that filled the measure of their sin, Mat_23:37. Stone them with stones! Why, what evil
have they done? No crime can be laid to their charge; but the truth is these two
witnesses tormented those that were obstinate in their infidelity, Rev_11:10. Caleb and
Joshua had but just said, The Lord is with us; fear them not (Num_14:9): and, if Israel
will not apply those encouraging words to their own fears, those that uttered them know
how to encourage themselves with them against this enraged multitude that spoke of
stoning them, as David in a like cause, 1Sa_30:6. Those that cannot prevail to edify
others with their counsels and comforts should endeavour at least to edify themselves.
Caleb and Joshua knew they appeared for God and his glory, and therefore doubted not
but God would appear for them and their safety. And they were not disappointed, for
immediately the glory of the Lord appeared, to the terror and confusion of those that
were for stoning the servants of God. When they reflected upon God (Num_14:3), his
glory appeared not to silence their blasphemies; but, when they threatened Caleb and
Joshua, they touched the apple of his eye, and his glory appeared immediately. Note,
Those who faithfully expose themselves for God are sure to be taken under his special
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protection, and shall be hidden from the rage of men, either under heaven or in heaven.
JAMISON, "Moses and Aaron fell on their faces — as humble and earnest
suppliants - either to the people, entreating them to desist from so perverse a design; or
rather, to God, as the usual and only refuge from the violence of that tumultuous and
stiff-necked rabble - a hopeful means of softening and impressing their hearts.
K&D 5-10, "At this murmuring, which was growing into open rebellion, Moses and
Aaron fell upon their faces before the whole of the assembled congregation, namely, to
pour out their distress before the Lord, and move Him to interpose; that is to say, after
they had made an unsuccessful attempt, as we may supply from Deu_1:29-31, to cheer
up the people, by pointing them to the help they had thus far received from God. “In
such distress, nothing remained but to pour out their desires before God; offering their
prayer in public, however, and in the sight of all the people, in the hope of turning their
minds” (Calvin). Joshua and Caleb, who had gone with the others to explore the land,
also rent their clothes, as a sign of their deep distress at the rebellious attitude of the
people (see at Lev_10:6), and tried to convince them of the goodness and glory of the
land they had travelled through, and to incite them to trust in the Lord. “If Jehovah take
pleasure in us,”; they said, “He will bring us into this land. Only rebel not ye against
Jehovah, neither fear ye that people of the land; for they are our food;” i.e., we can and
shall swallow them up, or easily destroy them (cf. Num_22:4; Num_24:8; Deu_7:16;
Psa_14:4). “Their shadow is departed from them, and Jehovah is with us: fear them
not!” “Their shadow” is the shelter and protection of God (cf. Ps 91; Psa_121:5). The
shadow, which defends from the burning heat of the sun, was a very natural figure in the
sultry East, to describe defence from injury, a refuge from danger and destruction (Isa_
30:2). The protection of God had departed from the Canaanites, because God had
determined to destroy them when the measure of their iniquity was full (Gen_15:16; cf.
Exo_34:24; Lev_18:25; Lev_20:23). But the excited people resolved to stone them,
when Jehovah interposed with His judgment, and His glory appeared in the tabernacle
to all the Israelites; that is to say, the majesty of God flashed out before the eyes of the
people in a light which suddenly burst forth from the tabernacle (see at Exo_16:10).
CALVIN, "5.Then Moses and Aaron fell on their faces. It is doubtful whether they
so humbled themselves towards the people, as to he prostrate before them, or
whether it was in prayer that they fell with their faces on the earth; the latter,
however, seems more likely to me, as if, by thus turning themselves to God, they
reproved the stupidity of the people,. And, in fact, in such a case of obduracy,
nothing remained except to call upon God, yet in such sort that the prayer should be
made in the sight of all, in order to influence their minds. Otherwise they might
have sought some place of retirement; but by this pitiful spectacle they endeavored
to recall the people to their right senses. This, indeed, is beyond dispute, that they
sought for nothing on their own account, but were only anxious for the welfare of
the people; since, if the people had gone back, they would have been at liberty to
sojourn in the land of Canaan, or elsewhere. Yet still they were not merely
concerned with regard to the people, but the interruption of God’s grace troubled
21

them most, with which the Covenant made with Abraham would also have been
buried. In a word, this was justly felt by them to be the same as if they had seen both
the glory of God and the salvation of the human race altogether brought to naught.
Wherefore they must needs have been more than senseless who were unmoved by
this sad sight, especially when Moses, whom God had exalted by so many privileges
above all other mortals, was lying prostrate on the earth for their sake.
BENSON, "Numbers 14:5. Fell on their faces — As humble and earnest supplicants
to God, the only refuge to which Moses resorted in all such straits, and who alone
was able to govern this stiff-necked people. Before all the assembly — That they
might awake to apprehend their sin and danger, when they saw Moses at his
prayers, whom God never failed to defend, even with the destruction of his enemies.
POOLE, " As humble and earnest suppliants, either to the people, to entreat them
to desist from their wicked and pernicious enterprise; or rather, to God, by
comparing this with Numbers 16:4 20:6, the only refuge to which Moses resorted in
all such straits, and who alone was able to still and govern this tumultuous and stiff-
necked people.
Before all the assembly, that they might be awaked to apprehend their sin and
danger, when they saw Moses at his prayers, whom God never used to deny, and
never failed to defend, even with the destruction of his enemies.
WHEDON, "5. Fell on their faces — This attitude was expressive of the deepest
sorrow, and at the same time it was a mute but eloquent appeal to the mutinous
multitude to desist from their insane purpose. He who was accustomed to speak face
to face with God might have fortified his dishonoured authority by invoking against
these rebellious murmurers the bolts of God’s wrath. But he loved the Abrahamic
race more than his own dignity and power.
COFFMAN, "Verse 5
"Then Moses and Aaron fell on their faces before all the assembly of the
congregation of the children of Israel. And Joshua the son of Nun and Caleb the son
Jephunneh, who were of them that spied out the land, rent their clothes: and they
spake unto all the congregation of the children of Israel, saying, The land, which we
passed through to spy it out, is an exceedingly good land. If Jehovah delight in us,
then he will bring us into this land, and give it unto us; a land which floweth with
milk and honey. Only rebel not against Jehovah, neither fear ye the people of the
land; for they are bread for us: their defense is removed from over them, and
Jehovah is with us: fear them not. But all the congregation bade stone them with
stones. And the glory of Jehovah appeared in the tent of meeting unto all the
children of Israel."
"Moses and Aaron fell on their faces before all the assembly ..." Forsaking any
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thought of their personal dignity, these faithful leaders moved to do everything in
their power to thwart the evil purpose of the people. Note that Aaron, who also was
exempted from the death sentence, and who stood faithfully with Moses was also
omitted in Numbers 14:30. At this point, both Joshua and Caleb rent their clothes to
demonstrate their grief and disapproval of what the people wanted to do.
"The land ... is an exceedingly good land .... "not in any sense a "land that ate up its
inhabitants." They also addressed another falsehood advocated by the false spies,
namely, that all the people were giants.
"They are bread for us ..." Several quaint comments on this explain the metaphor:
"We shall gobble them up!"[7] "Those people will be `duck soup' for us?"[8]
"Jehovah is with us ..." Here is the true basis of all genuine confidence. "If God be
for us, who can be against us?" (Romans 8:31).
"Their defense is departed ..." The Hebrew here is literally, "Their shadow" or
"their shade"[9] has departed. "This is a very expressive metaphor for shelter and
protection in the sultry east (Compare Psalms 91:1; Psalms 121:5; Isaiah 30:2; 32:2;
49:2; and Isaiah 51:16)."[10]
COKE, "Numbers 14:5. Moses and Aaron fell on their faces before all the
assembly— Either to beseech the people to desist from their rebellion, as Joseph's
brethren fell upon their faces before him in order to make their peace with him,
Genesis 33:6 or rather they did this to deprecate the divine displeasure, as in ch.
Numbers 16:45, Numbers 20:6.
PULPIT, "Moses and Aaron fell on their faces. After making ineffectual efforts to
reason with the people, or rather with their leaders (Deuteronomy 1:29-31). It was
not, however, in this case an attitude of intercession, but the instinctive action of
those who await in silent horror a catastrophe which they see to be inevitable; it
testified to all who saw it that they were overwhelmed with shame and sorrow in
view of the awful sin of the people, and of the terrible punishment which must
follow.
PETT, " Moses and Aaron Plead for Israel (Numbers 14:5).
Numbers 14:5
‘Then Moses and Aaron fell on their faces before all the assembly of the
congregation of the children of Israel.’
Moses and Aaron were appalled. Here were the people before the very
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Dwellingplace of Yahweh, and yet they were talking like this. What could Yahweh
be thinking of it? They hardly dared to think. Indeed they were afraid for the
people. They fell on their faces in trepidation and pleading before Yahweh (compare
16:4, 22, 45; 20:6; Genesis 37:29; Genesis 37:34; Leviticus 9:24; Leviticus 13:45). Let
Him not now come and strike them all dead where they were. It was true that these
people were seeking to reverse all that Yahweh had done, but let Him have mercy.
6 Joshua son of Nun and Caleb son of Jephunneh,
who were among those who had explored the
land, tore their clothes
GILL, "And Joshua the son of Nun, and Caleb the son of Jephunneh,.... Rose
up and interposed in this affair, looking upon themselves under a special obligation so to
do, as they were capable of confronting the other spies, and contradicting what they had
said:
which were of them that searched the land; they were two of that number, and
were the more concerned to hear such a false account given, and distressed to observe
the mutiny of the people, and therefore judged themselves in duty bound to do all they
could to stop it:
rent their clothes; in token of sorrow for the sins of the people; and at their
blasphemy and ingratitude against God, and in dread of his wrath and fury breaking
forth upon them.
JAMISON, "Joshua ... and Caleb, which were of them that searched the
land, rent their clothes — The two honest spies testified their grief and horror, in the
strongest manner, at the mutiny against Moses and the blasphemy against God; while at
the same time they endeavored, by a truthful statement, to persuade the people of the
ease with which they might obtain possession of so desirable a country, provided they
did not, by their rebellion and ingratitude, provoke God to abandon them.
CALVIN, "6.And Joshua, the son of Nun, and Caleb. The magnanimity of Joshua is
here specified, whereas, before, only Caleb had been praised. But Moses says that
they both rent their clothes in token of their excessive sorrow, and even of their
abhorrence. For, as is well known, this, amongst the Orientals, was a solemn
ceremony in extreme grief, or when they would express their abomination of some
crime. Hypocrites have improperly imitated this custom, either when they made a
pretence of sorrow, or desired to deceive the simple. But it is plain that Caleb and
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Joshua were moved to rend their garments by solemn feelings, nay, by the fervor of
their indignation; whilst, at the same time, they seek to reclaim the people from their
madness. And, first, they commend the fertility of the land; and then base their hope
of obtaining it on the favor or good pleasure of God. Some take the conditional
particle ‫,אם‬ im, for the causal particle, and translate it, “For because God loves us,
therefore He will bring us in;” but this I do not approve of, and it is manifestly
foreign to the true meaning; for, since the Israelites had in a manner rejected so
great a benefit, they were surely unworthy through unbelief of being still pursued
by His favor. The condition is, therefore, introduced as if doubtingly, not in order to
diminish their hopes, as though it were a mark of uncertainty, but simply that the
people should be convinced of their impiety, and repent; as if they had said, If only
we afford room for the continuance of God’s favor towards us, be ye of good
courage. And this they state more clearly soon afterwards, in reproving the
stubbornness of the people, where they say, “Only (or but) rebel not ye;” in which
words they admonish them that they shut up all the ways whereby God might still
pursue the course of His work; (55) and that there is no other obstacle to these
wretched people except their own unbelief, which does not permit them to obey
God. In this way, then, they assert that God’s power is sufficient to perform what
He had promised; and then exhort the people to conciliate His favor, from whence
they had fallen through their own fault. The particle ‫,אך‬ ac, is used emphatically, as
though Joshua and Caleb had said that there was no fear of danger, except because
the people’s minds were set on bringing evil upon themselves. Finally, in their
reliance upon God’s aid, they exult like conquerors; “They will be bread for us,”
they say, i.e., we shall devour them without any trouble. And the reason is
subjoined, because, if God stands by the Israelites, their enemies will be destitute of
all defense. Justly, then, and for the best of reasons they conclude, that although our
enemies would otherwise be formidable, they are not to be feared, if only God, apart
from whom there is no strength, be favorable unto us.
BENSON, "Numbers 14:6. Rent their clothes — To testify their hearty grief for the
people’s blasphemy against God and sedition against Moses, and that dreadful
judgment which they easily foresaw this must bring upon the congregation.
WHEDON, " JOSHUA AND CALEB’S MINORITY REPORT, Numbers 14:6-10.
The two believing spies, having been rudely interrupted in their report by the
cowardly ten, (Numbers 13:30-31,) now come forward, evincing the deepest
emotion, and attempt to continue their narration of their view of the situation. They
succeed in uttering a few cheering words, when their voices are drowned in the
hoarse clamour of the mob, now excited to a frenzy which imperils the lives of the
speakers, “faithful among the faithless found.”
PULPIT, "And Joshua. In a last hopeless effort to bring the people to a better mind,
or at least to deliver their own souls, there was no reason why Joshua should hold
25

back any more. Rent their clothes. Another token of grief and hinter practiced from
patriarchal times (cf. Genesis 37:29, Genesis 37:34; Job 1:20).
PETT, "Verses 6-9
Joshua and Caleb Plead With Israel (Numbers 14:6-9).
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 and Caleb, the only two scouts who had not spoken against going forward,
now tore their clothes in order to demonstrate their anguish, before they pleaded
with the people. The tearing of the clothes was a deliberate expression of deep
emotion intended to gain the greatest effect (see Genesis 37:29; Genesis 37:34;
Leviticus 13:45; 2 Samuel 13:31; Jeremiah 36:24).
The time for diplomacy was past and Joshua now took his stand with Caleb, and is
named first as being of senior position. It was no longer a matter of prudence in
allowing parties seen as unbiased to speak up, but a matter of desperation where
every effort had to be used. He hoped that his added authority might carry some
weight. They had after all become used to receiving Moses’ orders from him.
BI 6-9, "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 endeavoured to arrest the rebellion of the nation.
1. They reassert the excellence of the land.
2. They declare the attainableness of the land.
3. They exhort the people not to violate the conditions of its attainment.
(1) By rebelling against the Lord.
(2) By dreading the people of the land.
III. Joshua and Caleb were in danger by reason of their effort to arrest the rebellion of
the nation. “All the congregation bade stone them with stones.” See here—
1. The tactics of an excited mob when defeated in argument.
2. The folly of an excited mob. This proposal to stone Joshua and Caleb was insane.
(1) Stoning would not disprove the testimony, or take away the wisdom from the
counsel of the two brave explorers.
(2) Stoning would involve the nation in deeper guilt and disgrace.
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3. The perils of faithfulness.
IV. Joshua and Caleb rescued from danger by the interposition of God. (W. Jones.)
An encouraging declaration
I. A supposition. “If the Lord delight in us” (Pro_8:30). God delights in His Son, &c. He
delights in His holy angels, &c. But have we reason to suppose that He delights in His
saints?
1. We might conclude, indeed, that He could not delight in them, when we reflect—
(1) On their nothingness and vanity. “Man at His best estate,” &c.
(2) On their guilt and rebellion. Not one but is a sinner.
(3) On their pollution and want of conformity to His likeness.
(4) And more especially when we reflect on His greatness, independence and
purity.
2. But there are the most satisfactory evidences that He does delight in His people.
(1) Observe the names by which He distinguishes them. His “jewels”—
“inheritance”—“treasure”—“diadem”—“crown” and “portion.” See the very term
in the text. And Pro_11:20.
(2) Observe the declarations He has made respecting them. “He that toucheth
you, toucheth the apple of Mine eye.”
(3) Observe what He has done for them. Favoured—sustained—redeemed
them—given His Son—Spirit—promises.
(4) What He has provided for them. “The Lord God is a sun,” &c. “My God shall
supply,” &c. “Eye hath not seen,” &c.
(5) Eternal life and unceasing glory.
II. An inference. “Then He will bring us into this land,” &c. Observe here—
1. The land specified. It is “the land afar off.” The good land. The heavenly Canaan.
Tile region of immortality.
2. This land is God’s gift. Not the result of merit. It is given in promise—given in
Christ.
3. To this land God must bring His saints. Difficulties, enemies, and dangers
intervene. He will guide to it. Keep—safely conduct, and at length put people into it,
as He did Israel. “Fear not, little flock,” &c. “Let not your hearts be troubled,” &c.
(Rev_2:10; Rev_2:26; Rev_3:5; Rev_3:12). (J. Burns, D. D.)
The boldness and fidelity of Joshua and Caleb
I. How sound was their reasoning!
1. They drew a strong argument from the assurance that the Lord was with them, bat
27

that the defence of the Canaanites had departed from them. They spoke of the
country itself as worthy of the contest.
2. They reminded the people of the danger of disobedience, as appeared from their
past history; and from the character of God. Sin was the only giant that they had
reason to fear. Happy would it have been for the people, had they listened to these
arguments.
II. How resolute was their spirit! Personally, no doubt, it would have been much more
pleasant to remain in the tent; but viewing this as an opportunity of doing good, and
glorifying God, they encountered the shame of uttering sentiments which were
reprobated; and the danger of advising measures which were disliked. Thus numbers in
the present day say, “Religion is all very well in its place”; but they have no idea of
glorifying God, and endeavouring to save souls, by acting with the decision that Caleb
and Joshua did. We, too, may mourn over sin, but we must do something more; we must
use all our influence to put it down, and to lead forward the Israel of God.
III. How undivided was their aim! Their one desire was to get the land; and therefore if
popular opinion coincided with them, well; but if not, they would not be guided by it.
They could do without riches, or honour, or life itself; but they could not do without
Canaan. (George Breay, B. A.)
7 and said to the entire Israelite assembly, “The
land we passed through and explored is
exceedingly good.
GILL, "And they spake unto all the company of the children of Israel,.... To as
many as could hear them, to the heads of them:
saying, the land which we passed through to search it, is an exceeding good
land; they observe that they were of the number of the spies that were appointed and
sent to search the land of Canaan, and they had searched it, and therefore could give an
account of it from their own knowledge; and they had not only entered into it, or just
looked at a part of it, but they had gone through it, and taken a general survey of it; and
they could not but in truth and justice say of it, that it was a good land, delightful,
healthful, and fruitful; yea, "very, very good" (q), exceeding, exceeding good,
superlatively good, good beyond expression; they were not able with words to set forth
the goodness of it; this they reported, in opposition to the ill report the other spies had
given of it.
WHEDON, " 7. They spake unto all the company of the children of Israel —
Literalists like Colenso find an insuperable difficulty here. “No human voice, unless
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strengthened by miracle, of which the Scriptures tell us nothing, could have reached
the ears of a crowded mass of people as large as the whole population of London.”
But the President of the United States performs a greater feat, standing on the east
porch of the capitol and delivering his inaugural address to the whole country, with
incidental remarks to all mankind. King Solomon at the dedication “blessed all the
congregation of Israel.” 1 Kings 8:14. Even the children in the Sunday-school soon
learn to understand that “all” has its reasonable limitations when they read that
“Jerusalem, and all Judea, and all the region round about Jordan, were baptized of
John;” as they do when they read that all New York is taking an airing in Central
Park. See Exodus 9:6, note.
Exceeding good land — Hebrew, good exceedingly exceedingly. The minority report
is more emphatic in its praise than the majority report is in its dispraise of Canaan.
The eye of unbelief had seen the dark cloud, the eye of faith had seen both it and its
silver lining. A craven fear had tinged all the observations of the one with a sombre
hue, while an unfaltering faith had, to the eye of the other, tipped every hilltop with
light and filled every valley with splendour. These opposite reports from an
observation of the same facts resulted from the difference in the spirit and trust of
the men who reported.
COKE, "Numbers 14:7. The land which we passed through to search it, &c.— This
account of the land of Canaan, given by Joshua and Caleb, is plainly in opposition
to that given in the former chapter, Numbers 14:32. They first declare it to be an
exceeding good land, a land flowing with milk and honey; they then assert, that if
the Lord delight in them, (Numbers 14:8.) if they do not forfeit his favour and
protection, he will assuredly enable them to drive out the Canaanites, and give them
a quiet possession of the land: they therefore wisely counselled them not to rebel
against the Lord, (Numbers 14:9.) who was their sole protection and defence; nor,
secure in that protection, to fear the people of the land,—because they are bread for
us, continued they, that is, an easy prey, and sure to be consumed by us. The same
phrase occurs, ch. Numbers 24:8 and in Psalms 14:4 and in like manner the Greeks
use this expression of eating up their enemies, for destroying them; see Homer, Iliad
4: Numbers 14:35 and Mr. Pope's note on Numbers 14:35 of his translation. The
reason that they urge why the Canaanites should be thus easily destroyed by them,
is a very fine one; their defence, say they, is departed from them; and Jehovah, our
defence, is with us. The original is more expressive: their shade is departed from
them; for as a shade covers from the heat of the sun, so the favour of God is a screen
from every danger. This image, as Dr. Beaumont observes, is frequently used in the
Scripture; see Psalms 91:1; Psalms 121:5. Isaiah 30:2; Isaiah 49:2; Isaiah 51:16 and
was particularly expressive in those warm countries.
PETT, "Numbers 14:7-8
‘And they spoke to all the congregation of the children of Israel, saying, “The land,
which we passed through to spy it out, is an exceedingly good land. If Yahweh
29

delight in us, then he will bring us into this land, and give it to us, a land which
flows with milk and honey.” ’
They assured the people that the land that they had passed through was an
exceedingly good land. And that Yahweh, if He delighted in them because they
trusted Him, was well able to bring them in to it, and give it to them. They assured
them that it really was a land flowing with milk and honey, the land that Yahweh
had promised to give them.
8 If the Lord is pleased with us, he will lead us
into that land, a land flowing with milk and
honey, and will give it to us.
GILL, "If the Lord delight in us,.... Continue to delight in them as he had, and as
appears by what he had done for, them in Egypt, at the Red sea, and in the wilderness;
see Deu_10:15,
then he will bring us into this land, and give it us, as he has promised:
a land which floweth with milk and honey; as the Lord himself hath described it,
and as the unbelieving spies themselves had owned it; Num_13:27.
JAMISON, "a land flowing with milk and honey — a general expression,
descriptive of a rich and fertile country. The two articles specified were among the
principal products of the Holy Land.
BENSON, "Numbers 14:8-9. 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 defence — Their conduct
and courage, and especially God, who was pleased to afford them his protection, till
their iniquities were full, is utterly departed from them, and hath given them up as a
prey to us. The Lord is with us — By his special grace and almighty power, to save
us from them and all our enemies. Only rebel not against the Lord — Nothing can
ruin sinners but their own rebellion. If God leave them, it is because they drive him
from them, and they die, because they will die.
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WHEDON, " 8. If the Lord delight in us — Here Joshua and Caleb revealed the
ground of their confidence — the ability of Jehovah to make good his promise,
which they viewed not as absolute, but as conditioned upon the demeanour of the
nation. The weakness of the report of the ten lies in its Godlessness. In estimating
the possibility of the conquest Jehovah is counted out.
Milk and honey — This is a poetical description of a country rich in pasturage and
flowers. For the abundance of honey in ancient Canaan see Judges 14:8; 1 Samuel
14:25-26; of both wheat and honey, see Psalms 81:16. Sceptics, in view of the
comparative sterility of modern Palestine, allege that this must be a false view of
Canaan, and they question the inspiration of the Scriptures containing this oft-
repeated statement. But there are causes which make modern Palestine barren: 1.)
The destruction of the timber in the long series of sieges and invasions which that
unhappy land has suffered has greatly reduced the moisture of the atmosphere by
cutting off evaporation through the leaves. Hence rains are less frequent, and the
sources of artificial irrigation are diminished. 2.) The decay of the terraces
necessary to retain the soil on the steep slopes of the round hills. This is owing to the
misrule and lack of security to the fruits of industry which have for generations
been the lot of the cultivators.
9 Only do not rebel against the Lord. And do not
be afraid of the people of the land, because we will
devour them. Their protection is gone, but the
Lord is with us. Do not be afraid of them.”
BARNES, "Their defense - literally, “their shadow,” i. e. their shelter as from the
scorching sun: an Oriental figure. Compare the marginal references.
CLARKE, "Their defense - ‫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 Psa_91:1; Psa_121:5; see also Isa_51:16; Isa_49:2; Isa_30:2.
The Arabs and Persians have the same word to express the same thing.
nemayeed zulli doulet mamdood bad.
“May the shadow of thy prosperity be extended!”
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nemayced zulli doulet ber mufareki khayr khwahen mamdood bad.
“May the shadow of thy prosperity be spread over the heads of thy well-wishers!”
They have also the following elegant distich: -
Sayahat kem mubad az seri ma
Bast Allah zullikem abeda.
“May thy protection never be removed from my head!
May God extend thy shadow eternally!”
Here the Arabic zull answers exactly to the Hebrew ‫צל‬ tsel, both signifying that which
overspreads or overshadows. See the note on Num_14:14.
GILL, "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 immediate hand, or to deliver them into the hands of
their enemies; for rebellion is a dreadful sin, and highly provoking, 1Sa_15:23,
neither fear ye the people the land; on account of their number, strength, the
walled cities they dwell in; they had nothing to fear from them, so be it they feared the
Lord, and were not disobedient to him:
for they are bread for us; as easy to be cut to pieces, and to be devoured, consumed,
and destroyed as thoroughly, as bread is when eaten; and their fields, vineyards, all they
have without and within, even all their substance, will be a prey to us, and furnish out
sufficient provision for us, on which we may pleasantly and plentifully live, as on bread:
see Psa_14:4,
their defence is departed from them; they had no heart nor spirit left in them; no
courage to defend themselves, and therefore the strength of their bodies and their walled
towns would be of no avail unto them; see Jos_2:9; or "their shadow" (r), which covered
and protected them, the providence of God which was over them, and continued them in
the land, and quiet possession of it, until the measure of their iniquity was filled up, and
the time come for his people Israel to inhabit it; but now it was departed:
and the Lord is with us; as was evident by the cloud upon the tabernacle, and by the
manna being spread around their camp every morning: the Targums of Onkelos and
Jonathan are,"the Word of the Lord is for our help:"
fear them not; the Canaanites, notwithstanding the strength of their bodies, or of their
cities, the Lord is mightier than they.
JAMISON, "their defence is departed — Hebrew, “their shadow.” The Sultan of
32

Turkey and the Shah of Persia are called “the shadow of God,” “the refuge of the world.”
Song that the meaning of the clause, “their defence is departed from them,” is, that the
favor of God was now lost to those whose iniquities were full (Gen_15:16), and
transferred to the Israelites.
TRAPP, "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.
Ver. 9. They are bread for us,] q.d., We shall make but a breakfast of them. So that
valiant Prince of Orange told his soldiers at the battle of Newport, when they had
the sea on the one side, and the Spaniards on the other, that they must either eat up
those Spaniards, or drink up that sea.
POOLE, " 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, who was
pleased to afford them his protection till their iniquities were full, Genesis 15:16, is
utterly departed from them, and hath given them up as a prey to us.
The Lord is with us, by his special grace and almighty power, to save us from them;
and from all our enemies.
WHEDON, " 9. Rebel not… neither fear… the people — Disobedience to God is the
soil out of which the fear of man always grows. If the presence of Napoleon on the
battle-field was equal, in the courage which he inspired, to a re-enforcement of ten
thousand men, how much more inspiring to the Hebrews would be a realizing faith
in the presence of the omnipotent Jehovah.
They are bread for us — We shall destroy them as easily as we eat bread. Psalms
14:4. The simile is natural to a Hebrew, in whose language the verbs to eat, to fight,
to destroy in war, are the same. We have a similar proverb in “Food for our
powder.” As the faint-hearted spies had declared that the Canaanites were giants
before whom the Hebrews were dwarfed to grasshoppers, so the brave spies, with
equal strength of expression, style them “bread for us.”
Their defence — Hebrew, shadow, covering.
Is departed — They are wholly destitute of courage. The Sultan of Turkey and the
Shah of Persia are called “the shadow of God,” “the refuge of the whole world.”
(Critici Sacri.)
PULPIT, "They are bread for us. "They are our food," i.e; we shall easily devour
33

them (cf. Numbers 24:8; Psalms 14:4). Perhaps it has the further significance that
their enemies would be an absolute advantage to them, because they would
(however unwillingly) supply them with the necessaries of life. So apparently the
Septuagint: μὴ φοβηθῆτε τὸν λαὸν τῆς γῆς ὅτι κατάβρωμα ὑμῖν ἐστιν. Their defense
is departed from them. Literally, "their shadow," that which shielded them for a
while from the fierce blast of Divine wrath. This "shadow" was not positively the
Divine protection (as in Psalms 91:1, and elsewhere), but negatively that Providence
which left them a space wherein to walk in their own ways (cf. τὸ κατέχον of 2
Thessalonians 2:6).
PETT, "Numbers 14:9
“Only do not rebel against Yahweh, nor fear you the people of the land, for they are
bread for us. Their defence is removed from over them, and Yahweh is with us, fear
them not.”
So they pleaded with them not to rebel against Yahweh. Nor were they to fear the
people of the land. Against Yahweh the people of the land would have no defence,
their defence was removed. Their protecting shadow was gone. Rather than the land
eating up its inhabitants, they would be eaten up by the Israelites. Defeating them
would be as easy as eating bread. For Yahweh was with Israel, His people, so that
they had no need to be afraid of them.
This paralleling of the killing people with eating bread is found elsewhere. The
Psalmist spoke of those who ‘eat up my people like they eat bread’ (Psalms 14:4;
Psalms 53:4), and Micah describes the unjust rulers of Israel as ‘those who hate the
good and love the evil --- who eat the flesh of my people’ (Micah 3:3). Thus ‘eating
flesh’ or ‘eating people’ signified killing them or doing them great harm. In the same
way Caleb and Joshua saw the task of defeating the people in Canaan as being as
simple as eating bread when they had Yahweh’s power with them.
Note that their words echoed many of those of the other scouts, but as seen from a
different point of view. How we look at things determines how we behave.
“Their defence (literally ‘shadow”) is removed from over them.’ All in that hot
country knew the value of the protecting shadow, and of what it could be like in the
extreme heat if the shadow was removed. Possibly it indicated that they were
dwelling in comfort under the protecting shadow of their gods, but that Yahweh
would tear their shadow away and they would be left to face His blazing sun. More
probable, however, is the meaning that the protecting shadow to be moved from
over them was Yahweh’s restraint which had been held in place until their iniquity
was full (Genesis 15:16)
34

10 But the whole assembly talked about stoning
them. Then the glory of the Lord appeared at the
tent of meeting to all the Israelites.
CLARKE, "The glory of the Lord appeared - This timely appearance of the
Divine glory prevented these faithful servants of God from being stoned to death by this
base and treacherous multitude. “Every man is immortal till his work is done,” while in
simplicity of heart he is following his God.
GILL, "But all the congregation bade stone them with stones,.... Namely,
Joshua and Caleb, who had made such a faithful report of the good land, and had
delivered such an animating and encouraging speech to the people. This is not to be
understood of the body of the people, and of all the individuals thereof, for who then
should they bid to stone Joshua and Caleb? unless the sense is, that they stirred up and
animated one another to it; but rather it means the princes and heads of the
congregation, who commanded the common people to rise up and stone them; for
notwithstanding the affecting behaviour of Moses and Aaron, and the arguments of
Joshua and Caleb, they still persisted in their mutiny and rebellion, until the Lord
himself appeared as he did:
and the glory of the Lord appeared in the tabernacle of the congregation,
before all the children of Israel; the Shechinah, or divine Majesty, which dwelt
between the cherubim in the most holy place, came into the court of the tabernacle; for
neither in the holy nor in the most holy place could the people see it, or the token of it: in
Deu_31:15 it is said, "the pillar of cloud stood over the door of the tabernacle"; and
Noldius (s) renders it here, "and the glory of the Lord appeared above the tabernacle of
the congregation"; with which agree the Targum of Jonathan and the Vulgate Latin and
Septuagint versions; and so Jarchi says, the cloud descended there, and from thence
very probably some coruscations, or flashes of lightning came forth, which plainly
showed the Lord was there; and this was done to terrify the people, and restrain them
from their evil, purposes; and to encourage the servants of the Lord, who hereby might
expect the divine protection.
JAMISON, "the glory of the Lord appeared — It was seasonably manifested on
this great emergency to rescue His ambassadors from their perilous situation.
CALVIN, "10.But all the congregation bade stone them. When these wicked men
began by murmuring against God, and openly casting censure upon Him, no
wonder that they should also rage against His servants; for, when we endeavor to
35

Numbers 14 commentary

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Numbers 14 commentary