14Then all the community lifted up their voices,^a and the people wept during that night. ²And 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! ³Why 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?” ⁴They said to each other,^c “Let us appoint a leader, and we will return to Egypt.”

⁵Then Moses and Aaron fell on their faces before^d the assembly of the community of the Israelites.^e ⁶Joshua son of Nun and Caleb son of Jephunneh, from the explorers of the land, tore their garments. ⁷And they said to all the community of the Israelites,^f “The land that we went through to explore is an exceptionally good land.^g ⁸If 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. ⁹Only 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.” ¹⁰And all the community said to stone them with stones, but the glory of Yahweh appeared in the tent of assembly among the Israelites.ⁱ

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Footnotes

aHebrew “they lifted up and gave their voice”
bLiterally “sons/children of Israel”
cLiterally “A man said to his brother”
dLiterally “in the presence of”
eLiterally “sons/children of Israel”
fLiterally “sons/children of Israel”
gLiterally “the land is very very good”
hLiterally “Their shadow”
iLiterally “sons/children of Israel”