Chapter 14:
| Darby
| Geneva
| Gill
| Jamieson Faussett Brown
| Matthew Henry
| Matthew Henry Concise
| Wesley
| Index
| Bible Gateway |
Introduction 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 Leviticus Deuteronomy
Numbers 14
Concise Complete
The people murmur at the account of the spies. (1-4)
Joshua and Caleb labour to still the people. (5-10) The Divine threatenings, The
intercession of Moses. (11-19) The murmurers forbidden to enter the promised
land. (20-35) Death of the evil spies. (36-39) Defeat of the people, who now
would invade the land. (40-45)
Verses 1-4 Those
who do not trust God, continually vex themselves. The sorrow of the world
worketh death. The Israelites murmured against Moses and Aaron, and in them
reproached the Lord. They look back with causeless discontent. See the madness
of unbridled passions, which makes men prodigal of what nature accounts most
dear, life itself. They wish rather to die criminals under God's justice, than
to live conquerors in his favour. At last they resolve, that, instead of going
forward to Canaan, they would go back to Egypt. Those who walk not in God's
counsels, seek their own ruin. Could they expect that God's cloud would lead
them, or his manna attend them? Suppose the difficulties of conquering Canaan
were as they imagined, those of returning to Egypt were much greater. We
complain of our place and lot, and we would change; but is there any place or
condition in this world, that has not something in it to make us uneasy, if we
are disposed to be so? The way to better our condition, is to get our spirits in
a better frame. See the folly of turning from the ways of God. But men run on
the certain fatal consequences of a sinful course.
Verses 5-10
Moses and Aaron were astonished to see a people throw away their own mercies.
Caleb and Joshua assured the people of the goodness of the land. They made
nothing of the difficulties in the way of their gaining it. If men were
convinced of the desirableness of the gains of religion, they would not stick at
the services of it. Though the Canaanites dwell in walled cities, their defence
was departed from them. The other spies took notice of their strength, but these
of their wickedness. No people can be safe, when they have provoked God to leave
them. Though Israel dwell in tents, they are fortified. While we have the
presence of God with us, we need not fear the most powerful force against us.
Sinners are ruined by their own rebellion. But those who, like Caleb and Joshua,
faithfully expose themselves for God, are sure to be taken under his special
protection, and shall be hid from the rage of men, either under heaven or in
heaven.
Verses 11-19
Moses made humble intercession for Israel. Herein he was a type of Christ, who
prayed for those that despitefully used him. The pardon of a nation's sin, is
the turning away the nation's punishment; and for that Moses is here so earnest.
Moses argued that, consistently with God's character, in his abundant mercies,
he could forgive them.
Verses 20-35
The Lord granted the prayer of Moses so far as not at once to destroy the
congregation. But disbelief of the promise forbids the benefit. Those who
despise the pleasant land shall be shut out of it. The promise of God should be
fulfilled to their children. They wished to die in the wilderness; God made
their sin their ruin, took them at their word, and their carcases fell in the
wilderness. They were made to groan under the burden of their own sin, which was
too heavy for them to bear. Ye shall know my breach of promise, both the causes
of it, that it is procured by your sin, for God never leaves any till they first
leave him; and the consequences of it, that will produce your ruin. But your
little ones, now under twenty years old, which ye, in your unbelief, said should
be a prey, them will I bring in. God will let them know that he can put a
difference between the guilty and the innocent, and cut them off without
touching their children. Thus God would not utterly take away his loving
kindness.
Verses 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.
Verses 40-45
Some of the Israelites were now earnest to go forward toward Canaan. But it came
too late. If men would but be as earnest for heaven while their day of grace
lasts, as they will be when it is over, how well would it be for them! That
which has been duty in its season, when mistimed, may be turned into sin. Those
who are out of the way of their duty, are not under God's protection, and go at
their peril. God bade them go, and they would not; he forbade them, and they
would go. Thus is the carnal mind enmity against God. They had distrusted God's
strength; they now presume upon their own without his. And the expedition fails
accordingly; now the sentence began to be executed, that their carcases should
fall in the wilderness. That affair can never end well, which begins with sin.
The way to obtain peace with our friends, and success against our enemies, is,
to have God, as our Friend, and to keep in his love. Let us take warning from
the fate of Israel, lest we perish after the same example of unbelief. Let us go
forth, depending on God's mercy, power, promise, and truth; he will be with us,
and bring our souls to everlasting rest.
Chapter 14:
| Darby
| Geneva
| Gill
| Jamieson Faussett Brown
| Matthew Henry
| Matthew Henry Concise
| Wesley
| Index
| Bible Gateway |
Introduction 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 Leviticus Deuteronomy
Genesis
Exodus
Leviticus
Numbers
Deuteronomy
Joshua
Judges
Ruth
1 Samuel
2 Samuel
1 Kings
2 Kings
1 Chronicles
2 Chronicles
Ezra
Nehemiah
Esther
Job
Psalm
Proverbs
Ecclesiastes
Song of Solomon
Isaiah
Jeremiah
Lamentations
Ezekiel
Daniel
Hosea
Joel
Amos
Obadiah
Jonah
Micah
Nahum
Habakkuk
Zephaniah
Haggai
Zechariah
Malachi
Matthew
Mark
Luke
John
Acts
Romans
1 Corinthians
2 Corinthians
Galatians
Ephesians
Philippians
Colossians
1 Thessalonians
2 Thessalonians
1 Timothy
2 Timothy
Titus
Philemon
Hebrews
James
1 Peter
2 Peter
1 John
2 John
3 John
Jude
Revelation
