Numbers 14 40

Numbers 14:40 kjv

And they rose up early in the morning, and gat them up into the top of the mountain, saying, Lo, we be here, and will go up unto the place which the LORD hath promised: for we have sinned.

Numbers 14:40 nkjv

And they rose early in the morning and went up to the top of the mountain, saying, "Here we are, and we will go up to the place which the LORD has promised, for we have sinned!"

Numbers 14:40 niv

Early the next morning they set out for the highest point in the hill country, saying, "Now we are ready to go up to the land the LORD promised. Surely we have sinned!"

Numbers 14:40 esv

And they rose early in the morning and went up to the heights of the hill country, saying, "Here we are. We will go up to the place that the LORD has promised, for we have sinned."

Numbers 14:40 nlt

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."

Numbers 14 verses

Numbers 14 40 Meaning

Numbers 14:40 describes the Israelites' defiant and presumptuous attempt to enter the Promised Land after God had explicitly declared that the first generation would perish in the wilderness due to their rebellion and lack of faith. Despite their verbal acknowledgment of sin, their actions demonstrated a superficial repentance, driven by regret over consequences rather than genuine obedience to God's immediate command not to ascend the mountain. They sought to achieve God's promise through their own self-willed effort, absent God's presence and sanction.

Numbers 14 40 Context

Numbers 14:40 follows immediately after God's definitive judgment against the murmuring and unbelieving Israelites. In response to the negative report of ten spies and the people's desire to return to Egypt, God decreed that the entire generation aged twenty and above would die in the wilderness, with only Caleb and Joshua entering the Promised Land (Num 14:26-35). This decree also involved sending the people back into the wilderness. The death of the ten unfaithful spies (Num 14:36-37) underscored the finality of God's word. Faced with the immediate, dreadful consequences of their actions, and recognizing the reality of God's judgment, the people in verse 40 display a sudden, though misdirected, surge of zeal. Historically, they had been recently delivered from Egyptian bondage and brought to the threshold of Canaan, a land promised to their forefathers, yet their consistent unbelief had now severed that direct path for this generation. Their attempt to ascend the mountain signifies an attempt to rectify their past sin by human strength, without heeding the divine directive that had now altered the immediate plan for their entry.

Numbers 14 40 Word analysis

• And they rose up early in the morning: wa-yashkîmû babbōqer (וַיַּשְׁכִּ֤ימוּ בַבֹּ֙קֶר֙). This phrase implies great haste, urgency, and determined initiative. It shows a desperate and self-willed effort, arising not from God's command but from their own conviction to "fix" their situation after a dire decree. This is a common Hebrew idiom indicating significant resolve.
• and gat them up: wa-ya'alû (וַיַּֽעֲל֛וּ). From the root alah, "to ascend" or "to go up." It denotes movement upwards, likely towards the highlands of Canaan that bordered the wilderness, symbolizing an aggressive push towards their objective.
• into the top of the mountain: el rō'sh ha-hār (אֶל־רֹאשׁ֙ הָהָ֔ר). This refers to the southern mountain range, likely part of the Negev or Arabah, bordering the Promised Land. By choosing to "go up," they ignored the immediate vulnerability of their position without God's explicit presence, putting themselves in a disadvantageous military position against inhabitants accustomed to such terrain. This action was presumptuous, a direct defiance of the LORD's decree (cf. Num 14:42-44).
• saying, Lo, we be here: hinēnû (הִנֵּ֖נוּ). An emphatic declaration, "Here we are!" or "Behold us!" It conveys a sudden readiness and apparent commitment, a stark contrast to their recent lamenting and desire to return to Egypt (Num 14:2-4). This phrase, often used to signify willingness for service to God (Gen 22:1; Exo 3:4), here signifies human will.
• and will go up unto the place which the LORD hath promised: w'naʿaleh el hammaqom asher-dibber YHVH (וְנַעֲלֶה֙ אֶל־הַמָּקֹ֔ום אֲשֶׁר־דִּבֶּ֥ר יְהוָ֖ה). They quote God's promise of the land, but in defiance of His present word and timing. They presume upon God's promise without His required conditions of faith and obedience, turning a conditional promise into an absolute right to be seized by force, independent of divine favor. This represents a misapplication of divine truth.
• for we have sinned: kî ḥāṭā'nû (כִּֽי־חָטָֽאנוּ). From the verb ḥaṭa, "to miss the mark," "to go astray," "to sin." While a confession of sin, the context indicates it was more of a "worldly sorrow" (2 Cor 7:10) – regret over the painful consequences of their actions, rather than a "godly sorrow" leading to true repentance and obedience. Their subsequent action proves that their confession lacked true humility and willingness to submit to the immediate, altered divine instruction. It was a plea to undo the judgment by self-exertion, not by seeking a renewed word from God.
• Words-group analysis: "And they rose up early in the morning, and gat them up into the top of the mountain": This entire phrase vividly portrays Israel's self-generated zeal and misdirected human initiative. They acted decisively but without divine direction or presence. Their eagerness in the morning starkly contrasts with their lack of faith in God's power just hours earlier. This reflects a human tendency to "do something" even if it's the wrong thing, especially when facing severe consequences. This act can be seen as a polemic against the idea that sincere effort alone can overcome a divine decree pronounced due to rebellion; divine action requires divine enablement and timing.
• Words-group analysis: "saying, Lo, we be here, and will go up unto the place which the LORD hath promised: for we have sinned": This segment reveals the distorted logic and superficiality of their repentance. They acknowledged sin but then sought to resolve it by acting contrary to God's revealed will (as given in verses 30-35). Their confession "for we have sinned" became an excuse for presumptuous action, not a basis for true contrition leading to obedience. They claimed God's promise without fulfilling God's present command. This highlights a fundamental misunderstanding: that one can confess sin and then unilaterally attempt to manipulate God's plan or revert His judgment through self-effort rather than submissive obedience to His new instruction.

Numbers 14 40 Bonus section

• The narrative serves as a strong anti-presumption teaching, challenging any belief that human will or effort can force God's hand or reverse His decided judgment once His patience has been exhausted by consistent unbelief and rebellion.
• This account parallels in principle instances where individuals act outside of God's command or presence, despite seemingly good intentions, leading to severe consequences (e.g., Uzzah touching the Ark, King Saul's unauthorized sacrifice).
• The absence of the Ark of the Covenant and Moses (Num 14:44) explicitly highlighted the lack of divine endorsement or presence in their ill-fated venture. The divine "cloud of the LORD" which indicated His leadership, also would have been absent from their presumptuous advance.
• The resulting defeat by the Amalekites and Canaanites (Num 14:45) confirmed that relying on human strength or belated self-initiated action apart from God's presence and direction leads only to destruction and proves that God’s decree had taken effect.

Numbers 14 40 Commentary

Numbers 14:40 is a pivotal verse, encapsulating a tragic moment of human self-will against divine decree. After the irreversible judgment of wilderness wandering for a generation's rebellion, the Israelites, stung by consequence and perhaps fearing immediate death from their unrepented sin, demonstrate a sudden and zealous, yet entirely misdirected, attempt at "repentance." Their actions, "rising early" and "going up the mountain," symbolize human initiative, haste, and a desperate effort to reclaim a promise they had just forfeited by their unbelief. The confession "for we have sinned" appears more as an expression of regret for the consequences of their actions than genuine, Spirit-led contrition. True repentance demands not only acknowledging sin but also forsaking it and aligning one's actions with God's current revealed will, even when it involves submitting to His painful discipline. Here, God had already declared they would not enter now, and had explicitly commanded them not to proceed (Deut 1:42). Their attempt to "go up" without the Ark of the Covenant or Moses' presence (Num 14:44), key symbols of God's presence and leadership, demonstrated a profound spiritual disconnect. It highlights the futility and danger of presuming upon God, attempting to achieve His promises on human terms, or acting in a zeal that is not according to knowledge or divine instruction.

This historical event serves as a powerful warning against superficial repentance and self-willed obedience that is devoid of true faith and submission to God's authoritative word. It underscores that once God's judgment is declared and a new course is set, human attempts to override it by sheer force of will or belated, self-generated zeal are destined for failure. It teaches that the means and timing of receiving God's promises are as important as the promises themselves, requiring humility, dependence, and strict adherence to divine command, especially when in a disciplinary season.