Numbers 13:25–14:11

The Spies Return

25 They returned from exploring the land at the end of forty days.l 26 And they camem to Moses and Aaron and to the entire community of the ⌊Israelites⌋n in the desert of Paran at Kadesh; they brought back word to them and to all the community, and they showed them the fruit of the land. 27 And they told him,o “We came to the land that you sent us, and it is flowing of milk and honey; this is its fruit. 28 Yet the people who are inhabiting it are strong and the cities are fortified and very large; moreover, we saw the descendants of the Anakites there. 29 The Amalekites are living in the land of the Negev;p the Hittites, Jebusites, and the Amorites are living in the hill country; and the Canaanites are living at the sea and on the banks of the Jordan.”

30 And Caleb silenced the people before Moses and said, “Surely, let us go up and let us take possession of it because surely we will be able to prevail over it.” 31 And the men who went up with him said, “We are not able to go up to the people because they are stronger than us.” 32 And they presented the report of the land that they explored to the ⌊Israelites⌋,q saying, “The land that we went through to explore is a land that eats its inhabitants, and all the people whom we saw in its midst are ⌊men of great size⌋.r 33 There we saw the Nephilim (the descendantss of Anak came from the Nephilim), and we were like grasshoppers in our own sight, and so we were in their eyes.”

The People Complain

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?