Numbers 14:1–10

The People Rebel

¹Then all the congregation ¹lifted up their voices and cried, and the people wept ²that night.

²All the sons of Israel ^agrumbled against Moses and Aaron; and the whole congregation said to them, “^bWould that we had died in the land of Egypt! Or would that we had died in this wilderness!

³“Why is the Lord bringing us into this land, ^ato fall by the sword? ^bOur wives and our little ones will become plunder; would it not be better for us to return to Egypt?”

⁴So they said to one another, “^aLet us appoint a leader and return to Egypt.”

^5aThen Moses and Aaron fell on their faces in the presence of all the assembly of the congregation of the sons of Israel.

⁶Joshua the son of Nun and Caleb the son of Jephunneh, of those who had spied out the land, tore their clothes;

⁷and they spoke to all the congregation of the sons of Israel, saying, “^aThe land which we passed through to spy out is an exceedingly good land.

⁸“^aIf the Lord is pleased with us, then He will bring us into this land and give it to us—^ba land which flows with milk and honey.

⁹“Only ^ado not rebel against the Lord; and do not ^bfear the people of the land, for they will be our ¹prey. Their ²protection has been removed from them, and the Lord is with us; do not fear them.”

^10aBut all the congregation said to stone them with stones. Then ^bthe glory of the Lord appeared in the tent of meeting to all the sons of Israel.