1Then allthe congregationliftedup their voicesand cried,and the peopleweptthat night.2Allthe sonsof IsraelgrumbledagainstMosesand Aaron;and the wholecongregationsaidto them, "Wouldthat we had diedin the landof Egypt!Orwouldthat we had diedin thiswilderness!3"Whyis the LORDbringingus into thisland,to fallby the sword?Our wivesand our littleoneswill becomeplunder;would it not be betterfor us to returnto Egypt?"4So they saidto oneanother,"Let us appointa leaderand returnto Egypt."
5Then Mosesand Aaronfellon their facesin the presenceof allthe assemblyof the congregationof the sonsof Israel.6Joshuathe sonof Nunand Calebthe sonof Jephunneh,of those who had spiedout the land,toretheir clothes;7and they spoketo allthe congregationof the sonsof Israel,saying,"The landwhichwe passedthroughto spyout is an exceedinglygoodland.8"Ifthe LORDis pleasedwith us, then He will bringus into thislandand giveit to us-- a landwhichflowswith milkand honey.9"Onlydo not rebelagainst the LORD;and do not fearthe peopleof the land,for they will be our prey.Their protectionhas been removedfrom them, and the LORDis with us; do not fearthem."10But allthe congregationsaidto stonethem with stones.Then the gloryof the LORDappearedin the tentof meetingto allthe sonsof Israel.
11The LORDsaidto Moses,"Howlongwill thispeoplespurnMe? And howlongwill they not believein Me, despite allthe signswhichI have performedin their midst?12"I will smitethem with pestilenceand dispossessthem, and I will makeyou into a nationgreaterand mightierthanthey."
13But Mosessaidto the LORD,"Then the Egyptianswill hearof it, for by Your strengthYou broughtup thispeoplefrom their midst,14and they will tell[it] to the inhabitantsof thisland.They have heardthat You, O LORD,are in the midstof thispeople,for You, O LORD,are seeneyeto eye,while Your cloudstandsoverthem; and You gobeforethem in a pillarof cloudby dayand in a pillarof fireby night.15"Now if You slaythispeopleas oneman,then the nationswhohave heardof Your famewill say,16Becausethe LORDcouldnot bringthispeopleinto the landwhichHe promisedthem by oath,therefore He slaughteredthem in the wilderness.'17"But now,I pray,let the powerof the Lordbe great,justas You have declared,18The LORDis slowto angerand abundantin lovingkindness,forgivinginiquityand transgression;but He will by nomeansclear[the guilty], visitingthe iniquityof the fatherson the childrento the thirdand the fourth[generations].'19"Pardon,I pray,the iniquityof thispeopleaccording to the greatnessof Your lovingkindness,justas You also have forgiventhispeople,from Egypteven untilnow."
Pardons and Rebukes
20So the LORDsaid,"I have pardoned[them] according to your word;21but indeed,as I live,allthe earthwill be filledwith the gloryof the LORD.22"Surelyallthe menwho have seenMy gloryand My signswhichI performedin Egyptand in the wilderness,yet have putMe to the testthesetentimesand have not listenedto My voice,23shall by nomeansseethe landwhichI sworeto their fathers,norshall anyof those who spurnedMe seeit.24"But My servantCaleb,becausehe hashada differentspiritand has followedMe fully,I will bringinto the landwhichhe entered,and his descendantsshall takepossessionof it.25"Now the Amalekitesand the Canaaniteslivein the valleys;turntomorrowand setout to the wildernessby the wayof the RedSea."
26The LORDspoketo Mosesand Aaron,saying,27"Howlong[shall I bear] with thisevilcongregationwhoare grumblingagainstMe? I have heardthe complaintsof the sonsof Israel,whichthey are makingagainstMe.28"Sayto them, 'As I live,'saysthe LORD,'justas you have spokenin My hearing,soI will surely doto you;29your corpseswill fallin thiswilderness,even allyour numberedmen, according to your completenumberfrom twentyyearsoldand upward,whohave grumbledagainstMe.30Surelyyou shall not comeinto the landin whichI sworeto settleyou, exceptCalebthe sonof Jephunnehand Joshuathe sonof Nun.31Your children,however, whomyou saidwould becomea prey--I will bringthem in, and they will knowthe landwhichyou have rejected.32But as for you, your corpseswill fallin thiswilderness.33Your sonsshall be shepherdsfor fortyyearsin the wilderness,and they will suffer[for] your unfaithfulness,untilyour corpsesliein the wilderness.34According to the numberof dayswhichyou spiedout the land,fortydays,for everydayyou shall bearyour guilta year,[even] fortyyears,and you will knowMy opposition.35I, the LORD,have spoken,surelythisI will doto allthisevilcongregationwho are gatheredtogether againstMe. In thiswildernessthey shall be destroyed,and therethey will die.'"
36As for the menwhomMosessentto spyout the landand who returnedand made allthe congregationgrumbleagainsthim by bringingout a badreportconcerningthe land,37even those menwho broughtout the very badreportof the landdiedby a plaguebeforethe LORD.38But Joshuathe sonof Nunand Calebthe sonof Jephunnehremainedaliveout of thosemenwho wentto spyout the land.
39When Mosesspokethesewordsto allthe sonsof Israel,the peoplemournedgreatly.40In the morning,however, they roseup earlyand wentup to the ridgeof the hillcountry,saying,"Herewe are; we have indeedsinned,but we will goup to the placewhichthe LORDhas promised."41But Mosessaid,"Whythenare you transgressingthe commandmentof the LORD,when it will not succeed?42"Do not goup, oryou will be struckdownbeforeyour enemies,for the LORDis not amongyou.43"For the Amalekitesand the Canaaniteswill be therein frontof you, and you will fallby the sword,inasmuchas you have turnedbackfrom followingthe LORD.And the LORDwill not be with you."44But they wentup heedlesslyto the ridgeof the hillcountry;neitherthe arkof the covenantof the LORDnorMosesleftthe camp.45Then the Amalekitesand the Canaaniteswho livedin that hillcountrycamedown,and struckthem and beatthem downas faras Hormah.
