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Numbers 14:25
(Now the Amalekites and the Canaanites dwelt in the valley.) To morrow turn you, and get you into the wilderness by the way of the Red sea.

2 Chronicles 24:20
And the Spirit of God came upon Zechariah the son of Jehoiada the priest, which stood above the people, and said unto them, Thus saith God, Why transgress ye the commandments of the LORD, that ye cannot prosper? because ye have forsaken the LORD, he hath also forsaken you.

but it shall

Job 4:9
By the blast of God they perish, and by the breath of his nostrils are they consumed.

Jeremiah 2:37
Yea, thou shalt go forth from him, and thine hands upon thine head: for the LORD hath rejected thy confidences, and thou shalt not prosper in them.

Jeremiah 32:5
And he shall lead Zedekiah to Babylon, and there shall he be until I visit him, saith the LORD: though ye fight with the Chaldeans, ye shall not prosper?

“Why are you transgressing the commandment of the LORD?
The Israelites had been given specific instructions by God, and their decision to act against these instructions is described as a transgression. This reflects the broader biblical theme of obedience to God's commands, which is central to the covenant relationship between God and His people. The term "transgressing" implies a deliberate act of disobedience, which is a recurring issue throughout the Israelites' journey in the wilderness. This echoes the warnings given inDeuteronomy 28 about the consequences of disobedience.

This will not succeed!
Moses warns the Israelites that their actions, which are contrary to God's command, will not prosper. This statement underscores the biblical principle that success and blessing are contingent upon obedience to God. The Israelites' history is replete with examples where disobedience led to failure and disaster, such as the defeat at Ai inJoshua 7. This phrase also serves as a reminder of the futility of human efforts when they are not aligned with divine will, a theme that resonates throughout Scripture, including inProverbs 19:21, which states, "Many are the plans in a person’s heart, but it is the LORD’s purpose that prevails."

• The people had just rebelled at the spies’ report; now, in a swing to the opposite extreme, they planned to storm Canaan on their own (Numbers 14:40).

• Moses, the God–appointed mediator (Exodus 32:11–14;Hebrews 3:5), immediately steps in. His word carries weight because he speaks for the LORD, not personal preference (Deuteronomy 18:18).

• By beginning with a simple statement—“But Moses said”—Scripture highlights the contrast between rash human plans and divinely given leadership.

• “Transgress” signals deliberate overstepping, much like Israel’s earlier refusal to enter the land (Numbers 14:22) or Saul’s disobedience with Amalek (1 Samuel 15:22–23).

• God had just issued a clear command: turn back toward the wilderness (Numbers 14:25). Attempting the invasion now would be willful defiance.

• The question exposes a heart problem: unbelief and pride (Deuteronomy 1:26–32;Hebrews 3:12).

• Obedience is better than zeal without submission; the people’s energy, divorced from God’s word, becomes sin (Proverbs 21:4;James 4:17).

• Moses delivers a certain verdict, echoing truths found elsewhere:

– “Unless the LORD builds the house, its builders labor in vain” (Psalm 127:1).

– “No wisdom, no understanding, and no counsel can prevail against the LORD” (Proverbs 21:30).

• God’s presence, withdrawn because of rebellion (Numbers 14:42–43), guarantees defeat; similar loss befell Israel at Ai when sin remained in the camp (Joshua 7:12).

• Success in Scripture is consistently tied to walking in covenant faithfulness (Deuteronomy 28:1–7;Joshua 1:8). Any venture barging past God’s boundaries courts disaster.

Numbers 14:41 shows Moses confronting Israel’s impulse to act independently of God. Disobedience—even when wrapped in bold ambition—remains transgression, and efforts launched outside the LORD’s command are doomed. True success flows from humble submission to God’s revealed word, not from human enthusiasm or timing.