Numbers 14 36

Numbers 14:36 kjv

And the men, which Moses sent to search the land, who returned, and made all the congregation to murmur against him, by bringing up a slander upon the land,

Numbers 14:36 nkjv

Now the men whom Moses sent to spy out the land, who returned and made all the congregation complain against him by bringing a bad report of the land,

Numbers 14:36 niv

So the men Moses had sent to explore the land, who returned and made the whole community grumble against him by spreading a bad report about it?

Numbers 14:36 esv

And the men whom Moses sent to spy out the land, who returned and made all the congregation grumble against him by bringing up a bad report about the land ?

Numbers 14:36 nlt

The ten men Moses had sent to explore the land ? the ones who incited rebellion against the LORD with their bad report ?

Numbers 14 verses

Numbers 14 36 Meaning

Numbers 14:36 highlights the direct culpability of the specific men, the ten faithless spies, who were sent by Moses to reconnoiter the land of Canaan. These individuals, upon their return, maliciously discredited the Promised Land, presenting an "evil report" (Hebrew: dibbah) designed to provoke fear and doubt within the Israelite congregation. Their actions succeeded in stirring up widespread murmuring and rebellion against Moses, and implicitly against God, ultimately causing the entire assembly to reject God's command to enter and possess the land. This verse sets the stage for the swift divine judgment upon these instigators, revealing the serious consequences of sowing distrust and slandering God's promises.

Numbers 14 36 Context

Numbers chapter 14 represents a pivotal turning point in the Israelites' journey from Egypt to the Promised Land. It immediately follows the return of the twelve spies from their reconnaissance mission in Canaan, detailed in Numbers chapter 13. Ten of these spies delivered a demoralizing report, emphasizing the strength of the land's inhabitants and fortified cities, casting grave doubts on Israel's ability to conquer the land. This "evil report" caused the entire congregation to erupt in tears, fear, and deep-seated murmuring against Moses, Aaron, and God Himself. They even suggested appointing a new leader to return to Egypt, rejecting the divine promise and the land God intended for them. The steadfast faith and encouraging words of Joshua and Caleb, the two faithful spies, were met with threats of stoning. Numbers 14:36 precisely isolates and identifies these ten men as the direct instigators of the people's rebellion, highlighting their specific role in creating the widespread disaffection that led to the pronouncement of forty years of wilderness wandering and the death of an entire generation.

Numbers 14 36 Word analysis

• And the men: (Hebrew: וְהָאֲנָשִׁים, vəhāʾănāšîm) This phrase, coupled with the previous context of Numbers 13, clearly distinguishes the specific ten spies who gave the negative report from Joshua and Caleb. The definite article "the" indicates these particular individuals were well-known and their actions had specific consequences.
• whom Moses sent: (אֲשֶׁר שָׁלַח מֹשֶׁה, ʾăšer šālach Mōšeh) Emphasizes their official commissioning. They were entrusted with a divine mission through God's appointed leader, Moses. Their subsequent actions represented a betrayal of this trust and a defiance of the authority that commissioned them.
• to spy out the land: (לָתוּר אֶת־הָאָרֶץ, lātūr ʾet-hāʾāreṣ) The verb tûr (תּוּר) denotes exploration or searching out, often for reconnaissance. While a valid military task, it was within a context of God's explicit promise to give them the land. Their role was to assess, not to judge God's power or contradict His word.
• who returned: (אֲשֶׁר שָׁבוּ, ʾăšer šāvu) This simple statement marks the completion of their assigned task, setting the stage for the delivery of their report. It signals the critical moment of transition from observation to communication, which proved disastrous.
• and made all the congregation murmur: (וַיַּלִּינוּ אֶת־כָּל־הָעֵדָה, vayyallīnū ʾet-kol-hāʿēdâ) The Hebrew verb lūn (לוּן) means "to complain" or "to murmur." In the Hiphil causative stem (vayyallīnū), it clearly signifies that these men caused or induced the entire assembly (hāʿēdâ) to complain. This highlights their active and instrumental role in inciting rebellion. Murmuring against Moses was seen as murmuring against God Himself (Exod 16:7-8).
• against him: (עָלָיו, ʿālāyw) Refers to Moses. This identifies the direct object of the people's grumbling, underscoring the challenge to God's leadership exercised through His chosen servant.
• by bringing up: (בְּהוֹצִיאָם, bəhōṣīʾām) Also a causative form (Hiphil infinitive construct from yāṣāʾ), meaning "by causing to go forth" or "by producing/presenting." It underscores their active dissemination of the report. It was a deliberate act, not an accidental slip.
• an evil report: (דִּבַּת, dibbat) This is a profoundly significant term. Dibbah (דִּבָּה) denotes a "slander," "malicious rumor," "defamation," or "bad report" with connotations of deceit or misrepresentation. It's stronger than merely a "bad account"; it suggests deliberate malice or exaggeration intended to discourage. This signifies that their report was not objective fact but tainted with negativity and unbelief, thereby disparaging God's gift and promise (cf. Prov 10:18).
• about the land—: (הָאָרֶץ, hāʾāreṣ) Specifically the land of Canaan, the very land God had promised and sworn to give to Israel. To spread an evil report about this land was to slander God's covenant faithfulness and the goodness of His provision.

Words-group by words-group analysis:

• "the men whom Moses sent... to spy out the land": This phrase emphasizes the context of their authority and trust. They were appointed officials, carrying the weight of Moses' commission. This official standing made their "evil report" particularly damaging and influential upon the congregation, far more than mere gossip from an ordinary Israelite. It sets up the severe accountability for misusing their position.
• "who returned and made all the congregation murmur against him": This grouping vividly describes the cause-and-effect relationship. Their return was directly followed by a profound collective rebellion. The inclusion of "all the congregation" emphasizes the pervasive and total impact of their report, illustrating how the negative influence of a few leaders can corrupt an entire community. The murmuring against Moses was ultimately against the divine authority he represented.
• "by bringing up an evil report about the land": This segment highlights the precise nature of their transgression. It was not mere fear, but a "slander" (dibbah) of God's good gift. This was a deliberate act of propagating falsehood and negativity that stemmed from their own lack of faith, undermining divine promise and promoting fear over trust. Their words, sourced from unbelief, ignited the nationwide rebellion and the subsequent judgment.

Numbers 14 36 Bonus section

• The judgment for their act of instigating rebellion and slander was swift and specific: Numbers 14:37 records that these ten men died immediately by a plague before the LORD. This demonstrates the seriousness with which God views challenges to His authority and malicious undermining of His people's faith.
• The contrast with Joshua and Caleb's report (Num 14:7-9) is stark. Both groups saw the same giants and fortified cities, but their differing reports reveal their inner spiritual state: fear-driven unbelief versus faith in God's power. The "evil report" thus flowed from a heart that did not trust God.
• The corporate responsibility of the nation, while initiated by these spies, is a recurring theme. The people themselves chose to believe the dibbah rather than the promise of God, demonstrating the shared accountability that led to the wilderness judgment.
• This narrative is often revisited in later biblical texts as a foundational warning. Its mention in New Testament passages like Hebrews 3-4 and 1 Corinthians 10 directly links the Israelite experience of unbelief and murmuring to a perpetual spiritual danger for believers, emphasizing the importance of holding fast to faith and obedience to enter God's "rest."

Numbers 14 36 Commentary

Numbers 14:36 precisely isolates the source of Israel's great rebellion: the ten spies who returned from Canaan. Their "evil report" (Hebrew dibbah), an act of slander and misinformation rather than mere honest fear, directly triggered the congregation's murmuring against Moses and, by extension, against God's direct command. This verse underscores the profound impact of negative influence, particularly from those in positions of trust. The actions of these few men, born of their own unbelief and distrust in God's power and promises, cascaded into a collective act of defiance that earned the entire generation divine judgment. It serves as a potent warning against listening to or spreading faithless reports that undermine divine truth and lead others away from God's purposes. The verse highlights that speech rooted in unbelief can have devastating, generation-altering consequences.