Numbers 14:23 kjv
Surely they shall not see the land which I sware unto their fathers, neither shall any of them that provoked me see it:
Numbers 14:23 nkjv
they certainly shall not see the land of which I swore to their fathers, nor shall any of those who rejected Me see it.
Numbers 14:23 niv
not one of them will ever see the land I promised on oath to their ancestors. No one who has treated me with contempt will ever see it.
Numbers 14:23 esv
shall see the land that I swore to give to their fathers. And none of those who despised me shall see it.
Numbers 14:23 nlt
They will never even see the land I swore to give their ancestors. None of those who have treated me with contempt will ever see it.
Numbers 14 23 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Num 14:11 | "And the Lord said to Moses, 'How long will this people despise me...'" | Their sin was despising God. |
| Num 14:28-30 | "...as you have spoken in My hearing, so I will do to you... You shall not come into the land..." | God's word of judgment fulfilled. |
| Deut 1:34-36 | "The Lord heard the sound of your words, and was angered... 'Not one of these men of this evil generation shall see the good land... except Caleb... and Joshua...'" | Echoes the judgment and names exceptions. |
| Deut 2:14-15 | "The time from our leaving Kadesh-barnea until we crossed the Wadi Zered was thirty-eight years, until all the generation of men of war had perished..." | Fulfillment of the wilderness perishing. |
| Psa 95:10-11 | "For forty years I loathed that generation... therefore I swore in my wrath that they shall not enter my rest." | Connects their testing to divine wrath and denied rest. |
| Heb 3:11 | "As I swore in my wrath, 'They shall not enter my rest.'" | NT citation emphasizing their exclusion from rest due to unbelief. |
| Heb 3:18-19 | "And to whom did He swear that they would not enter His rest, but to those who were disobedient? So we see that they were unable to enter because of unbelief." | Unbelief as the core reason for denial of entry. |
| Heb 4:3-5 | "...for we who have believed enter that rest... although His works were finished from the foundation of the world." | Calls Christians to seek rest; warns against their example. |
| Gen 12:7 | "Then the Lord appeared to Abram and said, 'To your offspring I will give this land.'" | The initial divine promise of the land. |
| Gen 15:18 | "On that day the Lord made a covenant with Abram, saying, 'To your offspring I give this land...'" | Covenant formally establishes the land grant. |
| Exod 6:8 | "I will bring you into the land that I swore to give to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob. I will give it to you for a possession..." | God reaffirms the sworn oath to their fathers. |
| Psa 105:8-11 | "He remembers His covenant forever, the word that He commanded for a thousand generations... saying, 'To you I will give the land of Canaan...'" | Highlights God's faithfulness to His sworn oath. |
| Rom 11:29 | "For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable." | God's oaths remain, even if individuals fail. |
| 2 Tim 2:13 | "If we are faithless, He remains faithful—for He cannot deny Himself." | God remains faithful to His character despite human faithlessness. |
| Josh 14:9 | "And on that day Moses swore, saying, 'Surely the land on which your foot has trodden shall be an inheritance for you and your children forever, because you have wholly followed the Lord your God.'" | Caleb's contrasting faithfulness and reward. |
| 1 Sam 2:30 | "...for those who honor me I will honor, and those who despise me shall be lightly esteemed." | Principle of divine honor for the obedient, contempt for despisers. |
| Pro 1:7 | "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction." | Despising divine guidance leads to folly. |
| Isa 5:24 | "Therefore, as the tongue of fire devours the stubble... so their root will be as rottenness... because they have rejected the law of the Lord of hosts..." | Despising is equivalent to rejecting God's word/law. |
| Gal 3:16-18 | "...the promises were made to Abraham and to his offspring... the Law... does not annul a covenant previously ratified by God..." | The Law does not nullify the Abrahamic promise of land. |
| Rev 21:7-8 | "The one who conquers will inherit these things... But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable... their portion will be in the lake that burns..." | Future consequences for the unbelieving and rebellious. |
Numbers 14 verses
Numbers 14 23 Meaning
Numbers 14:23 declares a divine judgment against the rebellious Israelite generation. It states that the specific individuals who defied the Lord after the spy's report, including those aged twenty and above, will be excluded from entering and possessing the Promised Land—the land God solemnly promised by oath to their patriarchs. Their explicit act of "despising" God's authority and provision is cited as the direct cause for this exclusion.
Numbers 14 23 Context
Numbers chapter 14 describes a pivotal moment in Israel's wilderness journey. Following the spies' negative report about Canaan (Chapter 13), the Israelites respond with widespread fear, grumbling, and a complete lack of faith in God's ability to fulfill His promise. They openly challenge Moses and Aaron, lament their escape from Egypt, and propose choosing a new leader to return. This act is depicted as a direct rebellion not against Moses but against God Himself. Moses and Aaron, along with Caleb and Joshua, fall on their faces and attempt to intercede and persuade the people, but the people threaten to stone them. It is at this critical juncture that the glory of the Lord appears, and God threatens to disinherit them and make a greater nation from Moses. Moses then intercedes, appealing to God's character and glory among the nations. While God forgives them from immediate destruction, He pronounces a severe judgment: this disobedient generation, except for Caleb and Joshua, will die in the wilderness and never enter the Promised Land. Verse 23 is part of this divine pronouncement, explicitly linking their exclusion to their profound contempt for the Lord.
Numbers 14 23 Word analysis
- they: Refers specifically to the adult generation of Israelites, aged 20 years and older at the time of the rebellion (excluding Caleb and Joshua), who showed disbelief and defiance.
- shall not see: Denotes a firm prohibition; it means they will not experience, enter, or possess the land. Not merely a physical observation. The Hebrew verb יראו (yir'u) implies not only sight but often, in this context, possession.
- the land: Refers to the land of Canaan, divinely appointed as Israel's inheritance. It represents the fulfillment of God's covenant promises.
- that I swore: Highlights the sacred and legally binding nature of God's promise. The Hebrew word נשבעתי (nishba'ti), "I swore an oath," emphasizes the unwavering commitment and faithfulness of God to His word.
- to their fathers: Refers to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the patriarchs to whom the promise of the land was first given through solemn covenant. This underscores the ancestral and foundational nature of the promise.
- nor shall any of those who despised me see it: This is the core reason for the judgment. It pinpoints the specific sin. The Hebrew term נאצוני (ni'atzuni), from the root נאץ (na'ats), signifies to spurn, scorn, reject, treat with contempt, or abhor. This was not a minor offense but a profound insult to God's character, power, and faithfulness. Their despising of Him directly resulted in their not seeing (possessing) the promised land.
- they shall not see the land that I swore to their fathers: This phrase highlights God's unyielding judgment on the unfaithful generation despite His unwavering oath to the patriarchs. God's faithfulness to His covenant (to Abraham) is upheld by a new generation entering the land, while His justice against unbelief (this generation) is equally affirmed.
- nor shall any of those who despised me see it: This second part reinforces and clarifies the first part by stating the exact offense and specifying that none of them who committed this grave sin of despising God will experience the promise. It underscores divine accountability for rebellion.
Numbers 14 23 Bonus section
- The judgment delivered in this verse, and the subsequent verses (Num 14:28-35), defines the destiny of the entire exodus generation, condemning them to wander and perish in the wilderness for 40 years, one year for each day the spies explored the land.
- The phrase "see the land" in this context goes beyond mere physical sight, implying active entrance into and possession of the inheritance. This makes the judgment far more severe than just not being allowed to look at it from a distance.
- The steadfastness of God's oath to the fathers (Gen 12:7, Exod 6:8) is upheld, not violated, by this judgment. God keeps His promise by bringing a new, faithful generation into the land, demonstrating His eternal faithfulness even amidst human faithlessness.
- This passage serves as a perpetual warning throughout Scripture, notably referenced in Psalm 95 and Hebrews chapters 3 and 4, highlighting the dangers of unbelief and disobedience, and the importance of entering God's "rest."
Numbers 14 23 Commentary
Numbers 14:23 is a stark declaration of divine judgment. It underscores that while God is faithful to His sworn promises (to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob regarding the land), He is equally righteous in holding His people accountable for their unbelief and direct contempt. The "despising" of God was not merely murmuring but a profound rejection of His power, leadership, and benevolent plan. They effectively disdained the divine invitation and provision. This verse illustrates that God's covenant blessings are conditioned on obedience and faith, though His ultimate promises remain inviolable through a different generation. The consequence, exclusion from the land, directly fit their crime of rejecting the very land and the God who promised it. It's a foundational text illustrating the severity of unbelief and the consequences of scorning the Lord's divine guidance and power, ultimately establishing the necessity of the wilderness wandering.