The People Complain
1 All night long the people cried out in distress. 2 They complained against Moses and Aaron, and said, “It would have been better to die in Egypt or even here in the wilderness! 3 Why is the Lord taking us into that land? We will be killed in battle, and our wives and children will be captured. Wouldn't it be better to go back to Egypt?” 4 So they said to one another, “Let's choose a leader and go back to Egypt!”
5 Then Moses and Aaron bowed to the ground in front of all the people. 6 And Joshua son of Nun and Caleb son of Jephunneh, two of the spies, tore their clothes in sorrow 7 and said to the people, “The land we explored is an excellent land. 8 If the Lord is pleased with us, he will take us there and give us that rich and fertile land. 9 Do not rebel against the Lord and don't be afraid of the people who live there. We will conquer them easily. The Lord is with us and has defeated the gods who protected them; so don't be afraid.” 10 The whole community was threatening to stone them to death, but suddenly the people saw the dazzling light of the Lord's presence appear over the Tent.
Moses Prays for the People
11 The Lord said to Moses, “How much longer will these people reject me? How much longer will they refuse to trust in me, even though I have performed so many miracles among them? 12 I will send an epidemic and destroy them, but I will make you the father of a nation that is larger and more powerful than they are!”
13 But Moses said to the Lord, “You brought these people out of Egypt by your power. When the Egyptians hear what you have done to your people, 14 they will tell it to the people who live in this land. These people have already heard that you, Lord, are with us, that you appear in plain sight when your cloud stops over us, and that you go before us in a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night. 15 Now if you kill all your people, the nations who have heard of your fame will say 16 that you killed your people in the wilderness because you were not able to bring them into the land you promised to give them. 17 So now, Lord, I pray, show us your power and do what you promised when you said, 18 ‘I, the Lord, am not easily angered, and I show great love and faithfulness and forgive sin and rebellion. Yet I will not fail to punish children and grandchildren to the third and fourth generation for the sins of their parents.’ 19 And now, Lord, according to the greatness of your unchanging love, forgive, I pray, the sin of these people, just as you have forgiven them ever since they left Egypt.”
20 The Lord answered, “I will forgive them, as you have asked. 21 But I promise that as surely as I live and as surely as my presence fills the earth, 22 none of these people will live to enter that land. They have seen the dazzling light of my presence and the miracles that I performed in Egypt and in the wilderness, but they have tried my patience over and over again and have refused to obey me. 23 They will never enter the land which I promised to their ancestors. None of those who have rejected me will ever enter it. 24 But because my servant Caleb has a different attitude and has remained loyal to me, I will bring him into the land which he explored, and his descendants will possess the land 25 in whose valleys the Amalekites and the Canaanites now live. Turn back tomorrow and go into the wilderness in the direction of the Gulf of Aqaba.”
The Lord Punishes the People for Complaining
26 The Lord said to Moses and Aaron, 27 “How much longer are these wicked people going to complain against me? I have heard enough of these complaints! 28 Now give them this answer: ‘I swear that as surely as I live, I will do to you just what you have asked. I, the Lord, have spoken. 29 You will die and your corpses will be scattered across this wilderness. Because you have complained against me, none of you over twenty years of age will enter that land. 30 I promised to let you live there, but not one of you will, except Caleb and Joshua. 31 You said that your children would be captured, but I will bring them into the land that you rejected, and it will be their home. 32 You will die here in this wilderness. 33 Your children will wander in the wilderness for forty years, suffering for your unfaithfulness, until the last one of you dies. 34 You will suffer the consequences of your sin for forty years, one year for each of the forty days you spent exploring the land. You will know what it means to have me against you! 35 I swear that I will do this to you wicked people who have gathered together against me. Here in the wilderness every one of you will die. I, the Lord, have spoken.’”
36-37 The men Moses had sent to explore the land brought back a false report which caused the people to complain against the Lord. And so the Lord struck them with a disease, and they died. 38 Of the twelve spies only Joshua and Caleb survived.
The First Attempt to Invade the Land
(Deuteronomy 1.41-46)39 When Moses told the Israelites what the Lord had said, they mourned bitterly. 40 Early the next morning they started out to invade the hill country, saying, “Now we are ready to go to the place which the Lord told us about. We admit that we have sinned.”
41 But Moses said, “Then why are you disobeying the Lord now? You will not succeed! 42 Don't go. The Lord is not with you, and your enemies will defeat you. 43 When you face the Amalekites and the Canaanites, you will die in battle; the Lord will not be with you, because you have refused to follow him.”
44 Yet they still dared to go up into the hill country, even though neither the Lord's Covenant Box nor Moses left the camp. 45 Then the Amalekites and the Canaanites who lived there attacked and defeated them, and pursued them as far as Hormah.
Tauta dumpojas
1 Tad visa sapulce sāka brēkt – tauta raudāja visu nakti. 2 Visi Israēla dēli kurnēja pret Mozu un Āronu, visa sapulce viņiem teica: “Kaut mēs būtu miruši Ēģiptes zemē, kaut mēs būtu miruši šajā tuksnesī! 3 Kādēļ Kungs ved mūs uz zemi, kur mums būs jākrīt no zobena?! Mūsu sievas un mazuļi kļūs par laupījumu! Vai mums nebūtu labāk atgriezties Ēģiptē?” 4 Un viņi teica cits citam: “Izvēlēsim sev vadoni un atgriezīsimies Ēģiptē!” 5 Tad Mozus un Ārons krita uz sava vaiga visas Israēla dēlu sapulces priekšā. 6 Un Jozua, Nūna dēls, un Kālebs, Jefunnes dēls, kas arī bija devušies izlūkot to zemi, saplēsa savas drānas. 7 Viņi teica visai Israēla dēlu sapulcei: “Tā zeme, kurai mēs gājām cauri, lai to izlūkotu, – tā zeme ir ļoti, ļoti laba! 8 Ja mēs būsim Kungam tīkami, viņš aizvedīs mūs uz to zemi un dos to mums – zemi, kur piens un medus plūst! 9 Taču pret Kungu jūs nedumpojiet, nebīstieties no tās zemes ļaudīm, mēs ēdīsim tos kā maizi, viņu ēna ir prom, bet ar mums ir Kungs! Nebīstieties no viņiem!” 10 Bet visa sapulce teica: “Nomētājiet viņus akmeņiem!” Un tad Saiešanas teltī visiem Israēla dēliem parādījās Kunga godība.
11 Un Kungs teica Mozum: “Cik ilgi šī tauta mani nievās, cik ilgi viņi man neticēs – par spīti visām tām zīmēm, ko es viņiem esmu darījis?! 12 Es viņus sitīšu ar mēri un atteikšos no viņiem, bet tevi es darīšu par lielāku un varenāku tautu nekā viņi!”
Mozus iestājas par tautu
13 Un Mozus Kungam teica: “Tad ēģiptieši gan zinās, ka tu savā spēkā aizvedi šo tautu no viņiem, 14 un viņi teiks šīs zemes iemītniekiem, ka zina, ka tu, Kungs, esi šīs tautas vidū, ka aci pret aci tu tiki skatīts, ak, Kungs, un pār viņiem stāvēja tavs mākonis, un mākoņu stabā tu gāji tiem pa priekšu dienā un uguns stabā naktī, – 15 bet, ja tu nonāvēsi šo tautu visus kā vienu, tad citas tautas, kas par tavu slavu ir dzirdējušas, teiks: 16 Kungs nevarēja šo tautu aizvest uz zemi, par kuru tiem bija zvērējis, un nonāvēja viņus visus tuksnesī! 17 Un tagad – lai ir liels mana Kunga spēks, un tu taču esi teicis: 18 Kungs ir lēns dusmās un dāsns žēlastībā, tāds, kas piedod vainu, bet pārkāpumu nesodītu neatstāj un piemeklē tēvu vainas pie bērniem līdz trešajai un ceturtajai paaudzei! 19 Piedod jel šīs tautas vainu savā lielajā žēlastībā, kā tu līdz šim esi piedevis šai tautai – no Ēģiptes līdz pat šejienei!” 20 Un Kungs teica: “Es piedodu, kā tu teici! 21 Tiešām – kā es esmu dzīvs! – Kunga godība piepildīs visu zemi! 22 Visi vīri, kas redzēja manu godību un manas zīmes, ko es darīju Ēģiptē un tuksnesī, un pārbaudīja tās desmit reižu un tomēr neklausīja mani, – 23 tie neredzēs zemi, kuru es apzvērēju dot viņu tēviem. To neredzēs visi tie, kas mani nievāja! 24 Bet mans kalps Kālebs gan, jo viņam bija cits gars un viņš vienmēr man sekoja. Viņu es aizvedīšu uz zemi, kurp viņš gāja, un viņa pēcnācēji to iemantos! 25 Bet ielejās mīt amālēkieši un kanaānieši! Rīt nogriezieties un pa tuksnesi ejiet uz Niedru jūru!”
Israēliešu iebrukums tiek atsists
(5Moz 1:41–46)26 Un Kungs sacīja Mozum un Āronam: 27 “Cik ilgi šī ļauno sapulce kurnēs pret mani?! Es esmu dzirdējis, kā Israēla dēli kurnēt kurn pret mani! 28 Saki viņiem – kā es esmu dzīvs! – saka Kungs: kā jūs man teicāt, tā es jums darīšu! 29 Šajā tuksnesī kritīs jūsu augumi, visi, kas no jums tika saskaitīti, visi, kam divdesmit gadi un vairāk, kas pret mani kurnējuši! 30 Jūs nenonāksiet tajā zemē, par kuru es zvērēdams pacēlu savu roku, lai jums ļautu tur dzīvot, – vien Kālebs, Jefunnes dēls, un Jozua, Nūna dēls. 31 Un jūsu mazuļi, par kuriem jūs teicāt: tie kļūs par laupījumu, – tos es turp aizvedīšu, un tie iepazīs zemi, no kuras jūs atteicāties. 32 Bet jūsu augumi kritīs šajā tuksnesī! 33 Jūsu dēli būs gani tuksnesī četrdesmit gadus, tie saņems sodu par jūsu maucību, līdz jūsu līķi būs pazuduši tuksnesī! 34 Pēc to dienu skaita, kurās jūs izlūkojāt zemi, – četrdesmit dienas, jūs nesīsiet savu vainu – gadu par dienu, gadu par dienu! Tad jūs zināsiet, kā tas ir – būt naidā ar mani! 35 Es, Kungs, saku, ka tā darīšu visai šai ļauno sapulcei, kas šajā tuksnesī ir sapulcējusies pret mani, – tie iznīks un nomirs šeit!”
36 Bet vīri, kurus Mozus bija sūtījis izlūkot to zemi un kuri atgriezušies bija musinājuši pret viņu visu sapulci, stāstīdami melus par to zemi, – 37 tie vīri, kas bija stāstījuši par to zemi nelāgus melus, nomira Kunga priekšā no sērgas. 38 No tiem vīriem, kas bija gājuši izlūkot zemi, dzīvi palika Jozua, Nūna dēls, un Kālebs, Jefunnes dēls.
39 Un Mozus to pastāstīja visiem Israēla dēliem, un ļaudis ļoti sēroja. 40 Tie cēlās agri no rīta un devās augšup kalnienē, sacīdami: “Redzi, mēs – mēs iesim uz to vietu, par ko Kungs teica, jo mēs esam grēkojuši!” 41 Bet Mozus sacīja: “Kāpēc jūs pārkāpjat Kunga pavēli? Tas neizdosies! 42 Neejiet, jo Kungs nav ar jums, jūs tiksiet satriekti savu ienaidnieku priekšā, 43 jo amālēkieši un kanaānieši jau ir tur jums priekšā, un jūs kritīsiet no zobena, jo esat atkrituši no Kunga! Kungs nebūs ar jums!” 44 Tomēr tie iedrošinājās kāpt augšā kalnos, bet ne Kunga derības šķirsts, ne Mozus nedevās projām no nometnes. 45 Tad nāca lejā amālēkieši un kanaānieši, kas mita kalnienē, sakāva viņus un aiztrieca līdz Hormai.
