Numbers 14:1–10

The People Rebel

14Then all the congregation raised a loud cry, and the people ⁱwept that night. ²And all the people of Israel ^jgrumbled against Moses and Aaron. The whole congregation said to them, “Would that we had died in the land of Egypt! Or ^kwould that we had died in this wilderness! ³Why is the Lord bringing us into this land, to fall by the sword? ^lOur wives and our little ones will become a prey. Would it not be better for us to go back to Egypt?” ⁴And they said to one another, ^m“Let us choose a leader and ⁿgo back to Egypt.”

⁵Then ^oMoses and Aaron fell on their faces before all the assembly of the congregation of the people of Israel. ^6pAnd Joshua the son of Nun and Caleb the son of Jephunneh, who were among those who had spied out the land, tore their clothes ⁷and said to all the congregation of the people of Israel, ^q“The land, which we passed through to spy it out, is an exceedingly good land. ⁸If ^rthe Lord delights in us, he will bring us into this land and give it to us, ^sa land that flows with milk and honey. ⁹Only ^tdo not rebel against the Lord. And ^udo not fear the people of the land, for ^vthey are bread for us. Their protection is removed from them, and the Lord is with us; do not fear them.” ^10wThen all the congregation said to stone them with stones. But ^xthe glory of the Lord appeared at the tent of meeting to all the people of Israel.