Numbers 14:1–25
14 Then all the community ⌊lifted up their voices⌋,a and the people wept during that night. 2 And all the ⌊Israelites⌋b grumbled against Moses and Aaron, and all the community said to them, “If only we had died in the land of Egypt or in this desert! 3 Why did Yahweh bring us into this land to fall by the sword? Our wives and our little children will become plunder; would it not be better for us to return to Egypt?” 4 ⌊They said to each other⌋,c “Let us appoint a leader, and we will return to Egypt.”
5 Then Moses and Aaron fell on their faces ⌊before⌋d the assembly of the community of the ⌊Israelites⌋.e 6 Joshua son of Nun and Caleb son of Jephunneh, from the explorers of the land, tore their garments. 7 And they said to all the community of the ⌊Israelites⌋,f “The land that we went through to explore is an ⌊exceptionally good land⌋.g 8 If Yahweh delights in us, then he will bring us into this land, and he will give it to us, a land that is flowing with milk and honey. 9 Only do not rebel against Yahweh, and you will not fear the people of the land, because they will be our food. ⌊Their protection⌋h has been turned from them; Yahweh is with us. You should not fear them.” 10 And all the community said to stone them with stones, but the glory of Yahweh appeared in the tent of assembly among the ⌊Israelites⌋.i
11 And Yahweh said to Moses, “How long until this people will despise me, and how long until they will not believe in me, and in all the signs that I have done in theirj midst? 12 I will strike themk with disease, and I will dispossess them;l I will make you into a greater and stronger nation than them.”m
13 And Moses said to Yahweh, “Then the Egyptians will hear that you brought up this people from theirn midst in your power, 14 and they will ⌊tell it⌋o to the inhabitants of this land. They heard that you, Yahweh, are in the midst of this people, that you are seen eye to eye, and your cloud is standing over them, and in a column of cloud you go before them by day and in a column of fire at night. 15 But if you destroy this people ⌊all at once⌋,p the nations that will have heard your message will say, 16 ‘Yahweh was unable to bring this people in the land that he swore by an oath, and he slaughtered them in the desert.’ 17 But now, please, let the power of my Lord be great, just as you spoke,
18 ‘Yahweh is ⌊slow to anger⌋q
and great of loyal love,
⌊forgiving⌋r sin and rebellion;
but surely he leaves nothing unpunished,
visiting the sin of the fathers on the sons
to the third and fourth generations.’
19 Please forgive the sin of this people according to the greatness of your loyal love, just as you ⌊forgave⌋s this people, from Egypt until now.”
20 Yahweh said, “I have forgiven them according to your word; 21 but as I am alive, the glory of Yahweh will fill all the earth. 22 But because all the men who have seen my glory and my signs that I did in Egypt and in the desert yet tested me these ten times and did not listen to my voice, 23 they will not see the land that I swore by oath to their ancestors,t and all those who despised me will not see it. 24 But my servant Caleb, because another spirit was with him, he remained true after me, and I will bring him into the land that ⌊he entered⌋,u and his offspring will take possession of it. 25 And the Amalekites and the Canaanites live in the valleys; tomorrow turn and set out for the desert by way of the ⌊Red Sea⌋.”v