Numbers 14 37

Numbers 14:37 kjv

Even those men that did bring up the evil report upon the land, died by the plague before the LORD.

Numbers 14:37 nkjv

those very men who brought the evil report about the land, died by the plague before the LORD.

Numbers 14:37 niv

these men who were responsible for spreading the bad report about the land were struck down and died of a plague before the LORD.

Numbers 14:37 esv

the men who brought up a bad report of the land ? died by plague before the LORD.

Numbers 14:37 nlt

were struck dead with a plague before the LORD.

Numbers 14 verses

Numbers 14 37 Meaning

Numbers 14:37 describes the immediate divine judgment upon the ten spies who brought back a negative, faithless report about the promised land. As a direct consequence of their sin of inciting rebellion and slandering God's promise, these specific men died by a direct, supernatural "plague" inflicted by the Lord Himself, openly demonstrating His justice. This event underscores the severe consequences of unbelief and leading others into defiance against God's will.

Numbers 14 37 Context

Numbers 14:37 occurs at a pivotal moment in Israel's journey from Egypt to the Promised Land. The immediate context begins in Numbers 13, where Moses sent twelve tribal leaders, including Joshua and Caleb, to scout the land of Canaan. Upon their return, ten spies delivered a terrifying "evil report" focusing on the giants and fortified cities, completely overlooking God's promises and power. Their report demoralized the entire congregation (Num 14:1-4), leading the people to despair, murmur against God and Moses, and even propose appointing a new leader to return to Egypt. Despite Moses' and Aaron's pleas, and Joshua's and Caleb's impassioned affirmations of God's ability, the people threatened to stone them. It is at this critical juncture, where the people's rebellion and lack of faith reached its peak, that God intervened. Numbers 14:37 recounts the initial, swift divine judgment targeting the very individuals responsible for spreading the unbelief and fear that instigated the nation's rebellion, preceding God's broader sentence that the entire generation of adult Israelites would perish in the wilderness. This incident served as a stark warning and demonstrated the gravity of disbelieving and slandering God's word.

Numbers 14 37 Word analysis

• Even those men: Hebrew: אֲנָשִׁים (anashim) – refers specifically to the ten out of the twelve spies. This precise designation emphasizes the targeted nature of the judgment, singling out the instigators of the people's rebellion and fear, distinguishing them from the faithful Joshua and Caleb.
• that did bring up: Hebrew: הַמּוֹצִיאִים (hammotzi'im) – a participle meaning "the ones causing to go out" or "the ones who brought out/issued." It highlights their active, direct, and responsible role in disseminating the detrimental report. It was not a passive observation but a deliberate act of spreading negativity.
• the evil report: Hebrew: דִּבַּת הָאָרֶץ (dibbat ha'aretz). The term dibbah can mean "report" or "rumor," but consistently carries a negative connotation in Scripture, signifying "slander," "defamation," "malicious rumor," or "scandal." Here, it signifies not merely a pessimistic account of the land, but a faithless denigration of God's ability to fulfill His promise, thereby slandering God Himself. It questioned His faithfulness and power to deliver.
• upon the land: Specifically directs the negative dibbah towards Canaan, the land divinely promised to Israel. It reinforces the direct assault on God's covenant pledge.
• died: Hebrew: וַיָּמֻתוּ (vayyamutu) – "and they died." The Hebrew waw-consecutive verb indicates a swift, decisive, and sequential action following their transgression and the Lord's decree. It denotes certainty and finality.
• by the plague: Hebrew: מַגֵּפָה (maggephah) – a term denoting a "stroke," "blow," or "slaughter," typically indicating a sudden, direct, and calamitous divine judgment. It implies a supernatural, immediate affliction from God, not a natural death. The precise nature of this "plague" is unspecified but points to an unmistakable act of God.
• before the LORD: Hebrew: לִפְנֵי יְהוָה (lifney YHWH) – literally, "in the face of Yahweh" or "in the presence of the Lord." This signifies that their death was not accidental or unobserved. It was a visible, open act of divine judgment, orchestrated by God Himself. This phrase emphasizes the immediacy of divine retribution and God's sovereign involvement in their fate, publicly upholding His holiness and word.

Words-group by words-group analysis

• "those men that did bring up the evil report": This phrase precisely identifies the culprits by their actions—they were the active agents of doubt and sedition. Their report was not merely inaccurate but "evil," suggesting a malicious or destructive intent rooted in unbelief that incited rebellion throughout the congregation. This highlights personal responsibility for their leadership in apostasy.
• "died by the plague before the LORD": This powerful culmination of the verse emphasizes the divine authorship, directness, and public nature of their punishment. Their demise was an undeniable act of God's justice, serving as an immediate, palpable sign to all Israel of the severe consequences of disbelieving His promises and instigating rebellion against His covenant. It signifies that their judgment was executed swiftly and unmistakably in the Lord's presence, signifying His authority and righteous wrath.

Numbers 14 37 Bonus section

The immediate and specific judgment described in Numbers 14:37 contrasts sharply with the broader, more prolonged judgment of forty years of wilderness wandering imposed on the entire nation. This distinction highlights that while the nation as a whole faced consequences for their collective unbelief, the ringleaders responsible for inciting that disbelief faced immediate, individual retribution. This emphasizes a principle of greater accountability for those in positions of influence or leadership who cause others to stumble. Their fate was not a result of natural illness or an ordinary mishap but a precise, divine intervention directly addressing their act of promoting fear and disbelief. Their quick demise served as a clear warning to the living, an unmissable demonstration of God's authority over His creation and His covenant people.

Numbers 14 37 Commentary

Numbers 14:37 is a chilling testament to the severity of God's judgment against unbelief and direct defiance. The "evil report" was more than a mere pessimistic assessment; it was a slander against the faithfulness and power of God Himself, spreading doubt and rebellion through the entire congregation. The "plague" was a precise, immediate, and divinely administered death sentence for these ten spies, demonstrating God's swift justice. Their death occurred "before the LORD," signifying it was an open and undeniable act of divine wrath, not a random occurrence. This particular judgment acted as a critical, immediate example of the consequences of failing to trust God's promises and actively leading others into faithlessness. It set the precedent for the broader forty-year wilderness wandering for the rest of the disbelieving generation, affirming that while God is gracious and slow to anger, He will not tolerate open rebellion and contempt for His holy name and word. The verse underlines that slandering God's character and power carries severe, sometimes immediate, accountability.