Numbers 14:37

_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,_ The men ... died by the plague before the Lord. Ten of the spies were struck dead on the spot, either by the pestilence or some other judgment-the great and appalling mortality occasioned by which clearly betokened the hand of the Lord (cf. Psalms 90:1, which was composed on the occurrence of those sad events.) The fatal decree that doomed the whole existing generation of Israelites that had come out of Egypt to perish was a severe but a necessary measure; and though it was, in the first instance, a punishment for their unbelief and rebellion, it proved ultimately a great national blessing. They had exhibited frequent and unmistakeable proofs that they were not possessed of a spirit for occupying the promised land as th

36-39 Here is the sudden death of the ten evil spies. They sinned in bringing a slander upon the land of promise. Those greatly provoke God, who misrepresent religion, raise dislike in men's minds toward it, or give opportunity to those to do so, who seek occasion. Justly are murmurers made mourners. If they had mourned for the sin, when they were faithfully reproved, the sentence had been prevented; but as they mourned for the judgment only, it did them no service. There is in hell such mourning as this; but tears will not quench the flames, nor cool the tongue....

Verse Numbers 14:37. _THOSE MEN THAT DID BRING UP THE EVIL REPORT - DIED_] Thus ten of the twelve that searched out the land were struck dead, by the justice of God, on the spot! _Caleb_, of the tribe of Judah, and _Joshua_, of the tribe of Ephraim, alone escaped, because they had followed God fully. Let preachers of God's word take heed how they straiten the way of salvation, or render, by unjust description, that way perplexed and difficult which God has made plain and easy....

EXPOSITION THE REBELLION AT KADESH (continued) (Numbers 13:1, Numbers 14:1). NUMBERS 14:1 AND THE PEOPLE WEPT THAT NIGHT. As the spies repeated their dismal tidings, each to the leading men of his own tribe, and as the report was spread swiftly through the tents (cf. Deuteronomy 1:27) with ever-increasing exaggerations, the lamentation became universal. NUMBERS 14:2 Murmured against Moses

EVEN THOSE MEN THAT DID BRING UP THE EVIL REPORT UPON THE LAND,.... They, and they only at this time: DIED BY THE PLAGUE BEFORE THE LORD; either by the pestilence immediately sent upon them by the Lord, or by a flash of lightning from him, or in some other way; however, by the immediate hand of God, and in his presence, being in the tabernacle of the congregation, Numbers 14:10; though the Jews differently relate the manner of their death; some say worms came out of their navels, and up to their jaws, and ate them and their tongues; and others that they came out of their tongues, and entered their navels, which they take to be a just retaliation for sinning with their tongues: and the time of their death they differ about; some say, as the Targum of Jonathan, that it was upon the seventh, and others that it was on the seventeenth of Elul or August they died

CHAPTER 14 The Rebellion of the People, Moses' Intercession and the Divine Sentence _ 1. The rebellion (Numbers 14:1)_ 2. The intercession of Moses (Numbers 14:11) 3. The divine sentence (Numbers 14:26) 4. The presumption of the people and the defeat (Numbers 14:40) The words of unbelief of the ten spies yielded an awful harvest among the people. The camp was transformed into a camp of despair, weeping and crying during the night. Outspoken rebellion against Moses and Aaron was heard on all sides. Worse than that took place; they accused Jehovah of deception. Such is unbelief. They

NUMBERS 14:26 (P). THE CONDEMNATION OF THE PEOPLE TO FORTY YEARS-' WANDERINGS IN THE WILDERNESS. This passage comes from P, being parallel to, but divergent from, 11- 25, for both Joshua, and Caleb (not the latter alone, as in Numbers 14:24) are exempted from the sentence of exclusion (_cf. Numbers 14:6_). The subsequent history assumes that exemption was extended to Eleazar also (see Numbers 32:28; Joshua 14:1; Joshua 24:33)....

_died by_ A _plague_ This is the meaning of the Heb. idiom, although the definite article is used. The Heb. _maggçphâh_denotes lit. -a smiting," as also do πληγή and _plaga_. It is used of any sudden catastrophe inflicted by Jehovah....

DIED BY THE PLAGUE, &C.— Rather, _were struck dead before the Lord,_ who immediately gave them this terrible proof of his wrath, and pledge of the performance of what he had denounced and promised....

F. GENERAL PARDON; SENTENCE UPON THE PROVOKERS, vv. 20-38 TEXT Numbers 14:20. And the Lord said, I have pardoned according to thy word: 21. But as truly as I live, all the earth shall be filled with the glory of the Lord. 22. 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; 23. Surely they shall not see the land which I sware unto their fathers, neither shall any of them that provoked me see it: 24. But my servant Caleb, because he had another spirit with him, and hath followed me fully, him will I bring into the land where-into he went; and his seed shall possess it. 25. (Now the Amalekites and the Canaanites dwelt in the valley.) Tomorrow turn you, and get you into the wilderness by the way of the Red sea. 26. And the Lord spake unto Mo