Numbers 14:14

14 and they will tell it to the inhabitants of this land. They have heard that you LORD are in the midst of this people; for you LORD are seen face to face, and your cloud stands over them, and you go before them, in a pillar of cloud by day, and in a pillar of fire by night.

Numbers 14:14 Meaning and Commentary

Numbers 14:14

And they will tell [it] to the inhabitants of this land
The land of Canaan, between which and Egypt there was an intercourse, though not by the way of the wilderness, being neighbours, and their original ancestors brethren, as Mizraim and Canaan were; or "they will say" ^F20, and that with joy, as the Targum of Jonathan adds; but what they would say does not appear so plain; either it was that the Israelites were killed in the wilderness, a tale they would tell with pleasure; but that the Canaanites would hear of doubtless before them, and not need their information, since the Israelites were upon their borders; or that the Lord had brought them out of Egypt indeed, but could carry them no further, could not introduce them into the land he had promised them; or rather they would say to them what follows, for the preposition "for" is not in the text, and may be omitted; and so the sense is, they will tell them,

they have heard that thou Lord [art] among this people;
in the tabernacle that was in the midst of them, in the most holy place of it:

that thou Lord art seen face to face:
as he was by Moses, who was at the head of them:

and [that] thy cloud standeth over them;
and sheltered and protected them from the heat of the sun in the daytime, when it rested upon them in their encampment:

and [that] thou goest before them, by daytime in a pillar of a cloud,
and in a pillar of fire by night;
in their journeys; they will tell of those favours thou hast shown Israel; and yet, after all, will observe that thou hast destroyed them, which will not redound to thine honour and glory.

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FOOTNOTES:

F20 (wrmay) "et dicent", Pagninus, Montanus, Drusius

Numbers 14:14 In-Context

12 I will strike them with the pestilence, and disinherit them, and will make of you a nation greater and mightier than they.

13 Moshe said to the LORD, Then the Mitzrim will hear it; for you brought up this people in your might from among them;

14 and they will tell it to the inhabitants of this land. They have heard that you LORD are in the midst of this people; for you LORD are seen face to face, and your cloud stands over them, and you go before them, in a pillar of cloud by day, and in a pillar of fire by night.

15 Now if you shall kill this people as one man, then the nations which have heard the fame of you will speak, saying,

16 Because the LORD was not able to bring this people into the land which he swore to them, therefore he has slain them in the wilderness.