14That night all the people in the camp began crying loudly. ²All the Israelites complained against Moses and Aaron, and all the people said to them, “We wish we had died in Egypt or in this desert. ³Why is the Lord bringing us to this land to be killed with swords? Our wives and children will be taken away. We would be better off going back to Egypt.” ⁴They said to each other, “Let’s choose a leader and go back to Egypt.”

⁵Then Moses and Aaron bowed facedown in front of all the Israelites gathered there. ⁶Joshua son of Nun and Caleb son of Jephunneh, who had explored the land, tore their clothes. ⁷They said to all of the Israelites, “The land we explored is very good. ⁸If the Lord is pleased with us, he will lead us into that land and give us that fertile land. ⁹Don’t turn against the Lord! Don’t be afraid of the people in that land! We will chew them up. They have no protection, but the Lord is with us. So don’t be afraid of them.”

¹⁰Then all the people talked about killing them with stones. But the glory of the Lord appeared at the Meeting Tent to all the Israelites. ¹¹The Lord said to Moses, “How long will these people ignore me? How long will they not believe me in spite of the miracles I have done among them? ¹²I will give them a terrible sickness and get rid of them. But I will make you into a great nation that will be stronger than they are.”

¹³Then Moses said to the Lord, “The Egyptians will hear about it! You brought these people from there by your great power, ¹⁴and the Egyptians will tell this to those who live in this land. They have already heard about you, Lord. They know that you are with your people and that you were seen face to face. They know that your cloud stays over your people and that you lead your people with that cloud during the day and with fire at night. ¹⁵If you put these people to death all at once, the nations who have heard about your power will say, ¹⁶‘The Lord was not able to bring them into the land he promised them. So he killed them in the desert.’

¹⁷“So show your strength now, Lord. Do what you said: ¹⁸‘The Lord doesn’t become angry quickly, but he has great love. He forgives sin and law breaking. But the Lord never forgets to punish guilty people. When parents sin, he will also punish their children, their grandchildren, their great-grandchildren, and their great-great-grandchildren.’ ¹⁹By your great love, forgive these people’s sin, just as you have forgiven them from the time they left Egypt until now.”

²⁰The Lord answered, “I have forgiven them as you asked.

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