Numbers 14 35

Numbers 14:35 kjv

I the LORD have said, I will surely do it unto all this evil congregation, that are gathered together against me: in this wilderness they shall be consumed, and there they shall die.

Numbers 14:35 nkjv

I the LORD have spoken this. I will surely do so to all this evil congregation who are gathered together against Me. In this wilderness they shall be consumed, and there they shall die.' "

Numbers 14:35 niv

I, the LORD, have spoken, and I will surely do these things to this whole wicked community, which has banded together against me. They will meet their end in this wilderness; here they will die."

Numbers 14:35 esv

I, the LORD, have spoken. Surely this will I do to all this wicked congregation who are gathered together against me: in this wilderness they shall come to a full end, and there they shall die."

Numbers 14:35 nlt

I, the LORD, have spoken! I will certainly do these things to every member of the community who has conspired against me. They will be destroyed here in this wilderness, and here they will die!"

Numbers 14 verses

Numbers 14 35 Meaning

This verse declares God's immutable judgment upon the generation of Israelites who rebelled against Him after the negative report of the spies from Canaan. It signifies that the Lord, in His sovereignty and faithfulness to His declared word, will indeed bring about the complete consumption and death of this "wicked congregation" in the wilderness. None of those who were twenty years old or older, except Caleb and Joshua, would enter the Promised Land; instead, they would perish outside of it as a consequence of their deep-seated unbelief and direct opposition to Him.

Numbers 14 35 Context

Numbers chapter 14 describes the pivotal crisis at Kadesh-barnea. Following the return of twelve spies from Canaan, ten delivered a report emphasizing the formidable obstacles—walled cities and giants—instilling fear in the Israelite congregation. This report, despite Joshua and Caleb's faithful testimony of God's ability and promise, provoked widespread grumbling, weeping, and outright rebellion. The people rejected God's promise, proposing to choose a new leader and return to Egypt. Their complaint was directly "against the Lord." God's fury burned against them, and He proposed to destroy them all. Moses interceded, appealing to God's glory among the nations. The Lord relented from immediate annihilation but declared a solemn judgment: because they had repeatedly seen His glory and signs yet still tested Him ten times and refused to obey His voice, they would not see the Promised Land. Instead, the entire adult generation (twenty years old and above), excluding Caleb and Joshua, would die in the wilderness. Verse 35 serves as the definitive, unshakeable pronouncement and confirmation of this divine decree.

Historically, this event marks a profound turning point in Israel's Exodus journey, transforming what could have been a quick entry into a forty-year wandering. The persistent pattern of murmuring throughout the wilderness climaxed here into outright rejection of God's leadership and promises, an act of spiritual wickedness that crossed a boundary, making them "the wicked congregation."

Numbers 14 35 Word analysis

• I, the Lord (אֲנִי יְהוָה - Aní Yahweh): This emphatic divine self-declaration stresses God's absolute sovereignty and personal agency. "Yahweh" is God's covenant name, signifying His unchanging character, faithfulness to His promises (both blessings and curses), and self-existent being. The use of "I" underscores that this is not a third-party report or a prophecy that might happen, but a direct, authoritative decree from the Almighty Himself. It is God Himself upholding His divine honor and word.
• have spoken (דִּבַּרְתִּי - dibbarti): A perfect tense verb in Hebrew, indicating a completed action with lasting effect. The speaking is finished, the decree is final. There is no retraction, negotiation, or appeal possible. This reinforces the unchangeable nature of the judgment.
• Surely I will do this (אִם־לֹא אֶעֱשֶׂה אֹתָהּ - im-lo e'eshe' otah): This is a strong Hebrew oath formula. Literally meaning "If I do not do it," it implies a conditional self-imprecation by God, thereby serving as an absolute assurance: "Truly, I will do it." It signifies divine certainty and the non-negotiable nature of His decision. "This" refers specifically to the judgments just outlined in the preceding verses (e.g., v. 32-34), particularly the perishing in the wilderness.
• to all this wicked congregation (לְכָל־הָעֵדָה הָרָעָה הַזֹּאת - l'chol-ha'edah hara'ah hazot):
  • all (l'chol): Denotes the universal scope of the judgment, including every individual meeting the specified criteria (20 years and older).
  • this congregation (ha'edah hazot): Refers to the collective assembly of Israel that rebelled at Kadesh-barnea. They were united in their sin. The term "congregation" highlights their status as God's covenant people, making their rebellion even more grievous.
  • wicked (hara'ah): From the Hebrew root ra'ah, meaning "evil, bad, injurious." This is a severe divine indictment. Their actions were not merely mistaken or disobedient, but characterized by deep moral corruption, stemming from a fundamental lack of trust in God despite overwhelming evidence of His power and goodness. It underlines the righteous basis for God's judgment.
• who have gathered together against Me (הַנּוֹעָדִים עָלָי - hannoadim alay):
  • gathered together (hannoadim): Implies a deliberate assembly or conspiracy, highlighting the collective and intentional nature of their rebellion. Their grumbling and desire to return to Egypt were not random individual complaints but a unified corporate decision.
  • against Me (alay): Explicitly states the true target of their rebellion. Though they murmured against Moses and Aaron, God interprets their actions as direct opposition to Himself. This emphasizes God's sovereign authority and how challenges to His appointed leaders are ultimately challenges to Him.
• in this wilderness they shall be consumed (בַּמִּדְבָּר הַזֶּה יִתַּמּוּ - bamidbar hazzeh yittammû):
  • in this wilderness (bamidbar hazzeh): Precisely designates the location of their judgment, connecting to their own desperate cry to die in the wilderness (Num 14:2). God grants their impious wish, turning their chosen path into their grave.
  • consumed (yittammû): From the verb tamam, meaning "to be complete, finished, come to an end, perish completely." It denotes absolute destruction or cessation. It highlights the total nature of their demise, signifying that the entire wicked generation would utterly vanish from the earth in that wilderness.
• and there they shall die (וְשָׁם יָמֻתוּ - v'sham yamutu):
  • there (v'sham): Reaffirms the wilderness as the decreed place of death, further emphasizing the specific fulfillment of judgment.
  • shall die (yamutu): A simple, direct statement confirming physical death. While redundant with "consumed," it adds stark, unambiguous finality to their fate.