Daily Bread

²⁰ The Lord replied, “I have forgiven them,^(A) as you asked. ²¹ Nevertheless, as surely as I live^(B) and as surely as the glory of the Lord^(C) fills the whole earth,^{(D) 22} not one of those who saw my glory and the signs^(E) I performed in Egypt and in the wilderness but who disobeyed me and tested me ten times^(F)— ²³ not one of them will ever see the land I promised on oath^(G) to their ancestors. No one who has treated me with contempt^(H) will ever see it.^{(I) 24} But because my servant Caleb^(J) has a different spirit and follows me wholeheartedly,^(K) I will bring him into the land he went to, and his descendants will inherit it.^{(L) 25} Since the Amalekites^(M) and the Canaanites^(N) are living in the valleys, turn^(O) back tomorrow and set out toward the desert along the route to the Red Sea.^[a](P)”

²⁶ The Lord said to Moses and Aaron: ²⁷ “How long will this wicked community grumble against me? I have heard the complaints of these grumbling Israelites.^{(Q) 28} So tell them, ‘As surely as I live,^(R) declares the Lord, I will do to you^(S) the very thing I heard you say: ²⁹ In this wilderness your bodies will fall^(T)—every one of you twenty years old or more^(U) who was counted in the census^(V) and who has grumbled against me. ³⁰ Not one of you will enter the land^(W) I swore with uplifted hand^(X) to make your home, except Caleb son of Jephunneh^(Y) and Joshua son of Nun.^{(Z) 31} As for your children that you said would be taken as plunder, I will bring them in to enjoy the land you have rejected.^{(AA) 32} But as for you, your bodies will fall^(AB) in this wilderness. ³³ Your children will be shepherds here for forty years,^(AC) suffering for your unfaithfulness, until the last of your bodies lies in the wilderness. ³⁴ For forty years^(AD)—one year for each of the forty days you explored the land^(AE)—you will suffer for your sins and know what it is like to have me against you.’ ³⁵ I, the Lord, have spoken, and I will surely do these things^(AF) to this whole wicked community, which has banded together against me. They will meet their end in this wilderness; here they will die.^(AG)”

³⁶ So the men Moses had sent^(AH) to explore the land, who returned and made the whole community grumble^(AI) against him by spreading a bad report^(AJ) about it— ³⁷ these men who were responsible for spreading the bad report^(AK) about the land were struck down and died of a plague^(AL) before the Lord. ³⁸ Of the men who went to explore the land,^(AM) only Joshua son of Nun and Caleb son of Jephunneh survived.^(AN)

³⁹ When Moses reported this^(AO) to all the Israelites, they mourned^(AP) bitterly. ⁴⁰ Early the next morning they set out for the highest point in the hill country,^(AQ) saying, “Now we are ready to go up to the land the Lord promised. Surely we have sinned!^(AR)”

⁴¹ But Moses said, “Why are you disobeying the Lord’s command? This will not succeed!^{(AS) 42} Do not go up, because the Lord is not with you. You will be defeated by your enemies,^{(AT) 43} for the Amalekites^(AU) and the Canaanites^(AV) will face you there. Because you have turned away from the Lord, he will not be with you^(AW) and you will fall by the sword.”

⁴⁴ Nevertheless, in their presumption they went up^(AX) toward the highest point in the hill country, though neither Moses nor the ark of the Lord’s covenant moved from the camp.^{(AY) 45} Then the Amalekites and the Canaanites^(AZ) who lived in that hill country^(BA) came down and attacked them and beat them down all the way to Hormah.^(BB)