And all the congregation lifted up their voice, and cried; and the people wept that night.
And all the congregation lifted up their voice, and cried; and the people wept that night.
lifted up their voice. Hebrew idiom "lifted up and gave their voice". Genesis 21:16 . Psalms 18:13 .Jeremiah 2:15 .Psalms 104:12 ; Psalms 77:18 . Habakkuk 3:10 .
cried = cried aloud. What a contrast to Exodus 15:1 , "Then sang". Compare Exodus 15:13-17 , and note 1 Corinthians 10:11 .
And all the children of Israel murmured against Moses and against Aaron: and the whole congregation said unto them, Would God that we had died in the land of Egypt! or would God we had died in this wilderness!
children = sons.
Would God. Figure of speech Eonismus. App-6 .
And wherefore hath the LORD brought us unto this land, to fall by the sword, that our wives and our children should be a prey? were it not better for us to return into Egypt?
wherefore. Figure of speech Erotesis. App-6 .
the LORD. Hebrew. Jehovah.
were it not . . . ? Figure of speech Erotesis. App-6 .
And they said one to another, Let us make a captain, and let us return into Egypt.
captain. At Horeb they made a "calf"; at Kadesh they would make a "captain". Two notable occasions.
Then Moses and Aaron fell on their faces before all the assembly of the congregation of the children of Israel.
And Joshua the son of Nun, and Caleb the son of Jephunneh, which were of them that searched the land, rent their clothes:
Joshua . . . and Caleb. Only t wo out of twelve; only two out of the whole congregation. Let us heed the lesson, and take courage. 1 Corinthians 10:11 .
And they spake unto all the company of the children of Israel, saying, The land, which we passed through to search it, is an exceeding good land.
exceeding. Hebrew "very, very". Figure of speech Epizeuxis. App-6 .
If the LORD delight in us, then he will bring us into this land, and give it us; a land which floweth with milk and honey.
If the LORD delight in us. This is the secret of all blessing. Deuteronomy 10:15 . 2 Samuel 15:25 , 2 Samuel 15:26 ; 2 Samuel 22:20 . 1 Kings 10:9 . Psalms 22:8 ; Psalms 147:10 , Psalms 147:11 .Isaiah 62:4 .
Only rebel not ye against the LORD, neither fear ye the people of the land; for they are bread for us: their defence is departed from them, and the LORD is with us: fear them not.
defence. Hebrew = shadow. Note Figure of speech Ellipsis ( App-6 .) Literally "they [are] like our bread (= manna), their shadow hath turned aside from off them.". The manna when out of the shade melted, though hard (Compare Numbers 11:8 and Exodus 16:21 ): so the hearts of their enemies would melt away, not having Jehovah for their shadow, or defence. Compare Exodus 15:15 .Joshua 2:9 , Joshua 2:11 .Isaiah 13:7 ; Isaiah 19:1 .Ezekiel 21:7 .
But all the congregation bade stone them with stones. And the glory of the LORD appeared in the tabernacle of the congregation before all the children of Israel.
tabernacle = tent. Hebrew. 'ohel. See App-40 .
And the LORD said unto Moses, How long will this people provoke me? and how long will it be ere they believe me, for all the signs which I have shewed among them?
said. See note on Numbers 3:40 .
How long . . . ? = to what point. Compare Numbers 14:27 . Figure of speech Erotesis. App-6 .
I will smite them with the pestilence, and disinherit them, and will make of thee a greater nation and mightier than they.
And Moses said unto the LORD, Then the Egyptians shall hear it, (for thou broughtest up this people in thy might from among them;)
from among. Figure of speech Pleonasm ( App-6 ). = "out of the midst of".
And they will tell it to the inhabitants of this land: for they have heard that thou LORD art among this people, that thou LORD art seen face to face, and that thy cloud standeth over them, and that thou goest before them, by day time in a pillar of a cloud, and in a pillar of fire by night.
face to face. Hebrew eye to eye.
Thy cloud. Compare Exodus 13:21 .
Now if thou shalt kill all this people as one man, then the nations which have heard the fame of thee will speak, saying,
man. Hebrew. 'ish . App-14 .
Because the LORD was not able to bring this people into the land which he sware unto them, therefore he hath slain them in the wilderness.
And now, I beseech thee, let the power of my Lord be great, according as thou hast spoken, saying,
my LORD = Jehovah. One of the 134 alterations of the Sopherim. See App-32 . Many codices, and first printed edition, read "Jehovah".
The LORD is longsuffering, and of great mercy, forgiving iniquity and transgression, and by no means clearing the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation.
The LORD = Jehovah. Quoted from Exodus 34:6 ; Exodus 20:5 with Exodus 34:7 .
mercy = lovingkindness, or grace.
iniquity. Hebrew. 'avah. App-44 .
transgression. Hebrew. pasha. App-44 . Some codices, with Samaritan Pentateuch, The Targum of Jonathan ben Uzziel and Septuagint, read "transgression and sin", as in Exodus 34:7 .
Pardon, I beseech thee, the iniquity of this people according unto the greatness of thy mercy, and as thou hast forgiven this people, from Egypt even until now.
And the LORD said, I have pardoned according to thy word:
But as truly as I live, all the earth shall be filled with the glory of the LORD.
as I live. Hebrew "assuredly I live; and all the earth", &c. Compare Ezekiel 18:3 ; Ezekiel 20:33 .Romans 14:11 .
all the earth. First occurrence of this expression. Compare Isaiah 6:3 ; Isaiah 11:9 . Psalms 72:19 . Habakkuk 2:14 . Note the unconditional covenant.
Because all those men which have seen my glory, and my miracles, which I did in Egypt and in the wilderness, and have tempted me now these ten times, and have not hearkened to my voice;
men. Hebrew, plural of 'ish or 'enosh. App-14 .
ten times. Not a "round" number: (1) At Red Sea (Exodus 14:11 , Exodus 14:12 ). (2) At Marah (Exodus 15:23 , Exodus 15:24 ). (3) Wilderness of Sin (Exodus 15:23 , Exodus 15:24 ). (4, 5) Twice about manna (Exodus 16:20 , Exodus 16:27 ). (6) At Rephidim (Exodus 17:1-3 ). (7) At Horeb (golden calf) (Exodus 32 ). (8) At Taberah (Numbers 11:1 ). (9) At Kibroth Hattaavah (Numbers 11:4 ). (10) Here, at Kadesh (Numbers 14:2 ).
Surely they shall not see the land which I sware unto their fathers, neither shall any of them that provoked me see it:
But my servant Caleb, because he had another spirit with him, and hath followed me fully, him will I bring into the land whereinto he went; and his seed shall possess it.
another = different. Compare Philippians 1:3 , Philippians 1:15 , "otherwise". Compare Ephesians 4:23 .
spirit. Hebrew. ruach. Spirit put for motions of the mind and character ( App-9 ).
(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.
And the LORD spake unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying,
How long shall I bear with this evil congregation, which murmur against me? I have heard the murmurings of the children of Israel, which they murmur against me.
How long . . . ? = to what time. Compare Numbers 14:11 . Figure of speech Erotesis. App-6 .
shall I bear with. Figure of speech Ellipsis. App-6 .
Say unto them, As truly as I live, saith the LORD, as ye have spoken in mine ears, so will I do to you:
as = according as.
so will I do. Psalms 95:11 . Psa 26:65 ; Psalms 32:11 .Deuteronomy 1:35 .Hebrews 3:17 , Hebrews 3:18 .
Your carcases shall fall in this wilderness; and all that were numbered of you, according to your whole number, from twenty years old and upward, which have murmured against me,
numbered. Compare Numbers 1:45 with Numbers 26:63-65 .
Doubtless ye shall not come into the land, concerning which I sware to make you dwell therein, save Caleb the son of Jephunneh, and Joshua the son of Nun.
I sware. Hebrew I lifted up my hand. Figure of speech Metonymy (of Adjunct), App-6 , put for swearing. Compare Numbers 14:21 .Deuteronomy 32:40 , &c.
But your little ones, which ye said should be a prey, them will I bring in, and they shall know the land which ye have despised.
ye said. Numbers 14:3 . Compare Deuteronomy 1:39 .
know = get to know, and enjoy. Septuagint = shall inherit.
But as for you, your carcases, they shall fall in this wilderness.
And your children shall wander in the wilderness forty years, and bear your whoredoms, until your carcases be wasted in the wilderness.
wander = be wanderers.
whoredoms. Put by Figure of speech Metonymy (of Cause), App-6 , for the punishment they produced, all caused by idolatry. Compare Jeremiah 3:9 . Ezekiel 16:15-17 . Exodus 34:15 , Exodus 34:16 . Leviticus 17:7 .
After the number of the days in which ye searched the land, even forty days, each day for a year, shall ye bear your iniquities, even forty years, and ye shall know my breach of promise.
forty days. See App-10 . The number of Probation.
each day for a year. No universal law here: "day" means day, and "year" means year. See App-11 .
breach = "my breach of promise (compare Numbers 14:42 and Numbers 14:43 ; [with which ye charge me] meaneth". Compare Deuteronomy 31:16 , Deuteronomy 31:17 . Zechariah 11:10 . Romans 11:22 ; also Job 33:10 .
I the LORD have said, I will surely do it unto all this evil congregation, that are gathered together against me: in this wilderness they shall be consumed, and there they shall die.
said. See note on Numbers 3:40 . Said on 26 Ab (fifth month, second year). The whole period is contained in Numbers (chapter) 15 and Numbers (chapter) 19; Numbers 33:19-36 , inclusive. See App-50 .
shall die. Aaron died on first day of fifth month of fortieth year, Numbers 20:28 ; Numbers 33:38 . The second numbering took place after that.
And the men, which Moses sent to search the land, who returned, and made all the congregation to murmur against him, by bringing up a slander upon the land,
men. Hebrew pi. of 'ish or 'enosh. App-14 . These ten men died by a special plague at the time. Compare 1 Chronicles 13:10 . 2 Samuel 6:7 .
Even those men that did bring up the evil report upon the land, died by the plague before the LORD.
But Joshua the son of Nun, and Caleb the son of Jephunneh, which were of the men that went to search the land, lived still.
And Moses told these sayings unto all the children of Israel: and the people mourned greatly.
And they rose up early in the morning, and gat them up into the top of the mountain, saying, Lo, we be here, and will go up unto the place which the LORD hath promised: for we have sinned.
Lo. Figure of speech Asterismos. App-6 .
sinned. Hebrew. chat'a. App-44 .
And Moses said, Wherefore now do ye transgress the commandment of the LORD? but it shall not prosper.
commandment. Hebrew "mouth". Put by Figure of speech Metonymy (of Cause), App-6 , for the word spoken by it.
Go not up, for the LORD is not among you; that ye be not smitten before your enemies.
For the Amalekites and the Canaanites are there before you, and ye shall fall by the sword: because ye are turned away from the LORD, therefore the LORD will not be with you.
But they presumed to go up unto the hill top: nevertheless the ark of the covenant of the LORD, and Moses, departed not out of the camp.
presumed to go up = were presumptuous to go up. Compare idiom, Numbers 35:31 .Genesis 2:3 ; Genesis 31:27 . Deuteronomy 1:42 , Deuteronomy 1:43 .
Then the Amalekites came down, and the Canaanites which dwelt in that hill, and smote them, and discomfited them, even unto Hormah.
Hormah = destruction.