Numbers 14:42

42 Do not go up into the land now. You will only be crushed by your enemies because the LORD is not with you.

Numbers 14:42 Meaning and Commentary

Numbers 14:42

Go not up, for the Lord [is] not among you
And therefore could not expect success, for victory is of the Lord; the Targum of Jonathan adds,

``the ark, and the tabernacle, and the cloud of glory move not,''

which were a plain indication that the Lord would not go with them, and therefore could not hope to prevail over their enemies and enter the land, but on the contrary might expect to be defeated by them, as follows:

that ye be not smitten before your enemies;
of which they would be in great danger should they attempt to go up the hill, and the Lord not with them.

Numbers 14:42 In-Context

40 Then they got up early the next morning and went to the top of the range of hills. “Let’s go,” they said. “We realize that we have sinned, but now we are ready to enter the land the LORD has promised us.”

41 But Moses said, “Why are you now disobeying the LORD ’s orders to return to the wilderness? It won’t work.

42 Do not go up into the land now. You will only be crushed by your enemies because the LORD is not with you.

43 When you face the Amalekites and Canaanites in battle, you will be slaughtered. The LORD will abandon you because you have abandoned the LORD .”

44 But the people defiantly pushed ahead toward the hill country, even though neither Moses nor the Ark of the LORD ’s Covenant left the camp.