Numbers 16 14

Numbers 16:14 kjv

Moreover thou hast not brought us into a land that floweth with milk and honey, or given us inheritance of fields and vineyards: wilt thou put out the eyes of these men? we will not come up.

Numbers 16:14 nkjv

Moreover you have not brought us into a land flowing with milk and honey, nor given us inheritance of fields and vineyards. Will you put out the eyes of these men? We will not come up!"

Numbers 16:14 niv

Moreover, you haven't brought us into a land flowing with milk and honey or given us an inheritance of fields and vineyards. Do you want to treat these men like slaves? No, we will not come!"

Numbers 16:14 esv

Moreover, you have not brought us into a land flowing with milk and honey, nor given us inheritance of fields and vineyards. Will you put out the eyes of these men? We will not come up."

Numbers 16:14 nlt

What's more, you haven't brought us into another land flowing with milk and honey. You haven't given us a new homeland with fields and vineyards. Are you trying to fool these men? We will not come."

Numbers 16 verses

Numbers 16 14 Meaning

This verse records the defiant accusation of Dathan and Abiram directed at Moses. They claim Moses has failed to bring them into the promised "land flowing with milk and honey" and establish them with the tangible blessings of "inheritance of fields and vineyards." They then challenge Moses, asking if he intends to deceive or blind them regarding their situation, before issuing a final, absolute refusal: "We will not come up!" The verse showcases their deep-seated resentment, unbelief, and a complete rejection of Moses' authority, falsely attributing their prolonged wilderness journey to his purported failure rather than to their own and the nation's consistent rebellion and spiritual blindness.

Numbers 16 14 Context

Numbers chapter 16 details the intense rebellion of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram, along with 250 prominent leaders, against Moses and Aaron. Their challenge strikes at the heart of God's chosen leadership and the unique priesthood He established. Numbers 16:14 is Abiram and Dathan's scathing response to Moses' summons (implied from 16:12-13, where Moses sends for them and they refuse to come down). They directly accuse Moses of bringing them out of Egypt only to lead them astray, rather than into the promised land of abundance. This accusation arises from their dissatisfaction with their prolonged wilderness journey, a direct consequence of their own and the previous generation's rebellion and unbelief at Kadesh Barnea (Numbers 14). They project their own spiritual blindness onto Moses and defy his authority, which ultimately brings swift and decisive divine judgment upon them. The immediate historical setting is the long, wearying wilderness wandering, during which many grew impatient and challenged the divinely ordained order.

Numbers 16 14 Word analysis

• "Moreover, you have not brought us" (וְגַם לֹא הֵבֵאתָנוּ, v'gam lo heve'tanu):

  • וְגַם (v'gam): "Moreover," or "And also," adding emphasis to this further accusation. It implies this is not their only grievance, but a summary and cumulative indictment.
  • לֹא (lo): A strong, absolute negation ("not"), highlighting their complete repudiation of Moses' leadership in this crucial matter.
  • הֵבֵאתָנוּ (heve'tanu): "you have brought us." This active voice verb, pointed directly at "you" (Moses), assigns full blame to him personally. They fail to acknowledge divine providence or their own corporate responsibility for their current predicament in the wilderness.

• "into a land flowing with milk and honey" (אֶל אֶרֶץ זָבַת חָלָב וּדְבַשׁ, el eretz zavat chalav u'devash):

  • אֶרֶץ (eretz): "land." Refers to Canaan, the Promised Land.
  • זָבַת (zavat): "flowing," derived from the root זוב (zub), meaning "to flow abundantly." This is a divine descriptor (Ex 3:8), used ironically by the rebels to accuse God's messenger. It symbolizes natural richness, easy sustenance, and overflowing provision.
  • חָלָב (chalav): "milk," representing pastoral wealth.
  • וּדְבַשׁ (u'devash): "and honey," likely referring to date syrup or natural sweeteners, signifying agricultural lushness and delightful abundance. The phrase signifies a land of exceptional fertility and blessing, promised by God Himself.

• "nor given us inheritance of fields and vineyards" (וְלֹא נָתַתָּ לָנוּ נַחֲלַת שָׂדֶה וָכָרֶם, v'lo natata lanu nachalat sadeh vacharem):

  • וְלֹא נָתַתָּ לָנוּ (v'lo natata lanu): "nor have you given us," continuing the direct accusation against Moses for personal failure to deliver.
  • נַחֲלַת (nachalat): "inheritance," "possession." This term carries profound covenantal significance for Israel; the land was a permanent, divinely allocated family possession. The denial of this inheritance suggests a feeling of betrayal concerning God's most fundamental promise for His people, a stable and prosperous homeland.
  • שָׂדֶה (sadeh): "field," referring to cultivated land and staple crops.
  • וָכֶרֶם (vacharem): "and vineyard," representing specific, valuable agricultural production (grapes for wine), implying a settled, flourishing life beyond mere subsistence. The absence of these specific, desired features fuels their resentment.

• "Will you put out the eyes of these men?" (הֲתְנַקֵּר אֶת עֵינֵי הָאֲנָשִׁים הָהֵם, hatnaqqer et `einee ha'anashim hahem):

  • הֲתְנַקֵּר (hatnaqqer): "Will you bore out/gouge out/pluck out?" from the root נקרה (naqar). This is a rhetorical question that functions as a venomous accusation. It is an idiom for deceiving, misleading, or figuratively blinding someone to the truth or reality, accusing Moses of manipulating them. In ancient Near Eastern contexts, physical eye gouging was a brutal punishment, making this metaphorical accusation particularly strong.
  • עֵינֵי (`einee): "eyes of," referring to literal and metaphorical sight or perception.
  • הָאֲנָשִׁים הָהֵם (ha'anashim hahem): "these men," referring to themselves and their supporters, portraying themselves as victims of Moses' supposed trickery.

• "We will not come up!" (לֹא נַעֲלֶה, lo na`aleh):

  • לֹא (lo): Another emphatic "Not," denoting absolute refusal.
  • נַעֲלֶה (na`aleh): "we will go up" or "we will ascend." This is a definitive, unyielding refusal to obey Moses' summons to his tent. It represents outright defiance, insubordination, and a total rejection of Moses' authority as God's chosen leader.

• Words-group by words-group analysis:

  • "you have not brought us... nor given us inheritance": This coupled accusation emphasizes the comprehensive nature of Moses' supposed failure to deliver on God's promises—both immediate entry and long-term security in the land.
  • "land flowing with milk and honey... fields and vineyards": This transition from a general promise of abundance to specific agricultural benchmarks demonstrates the rebels' materialistic focus and impatience. They crave immediate, tangible results without acknowledging the divine timetable or their role in its delay.
  • "Will you put out the eyes of these men? We will not come up!": These concluding phrases embody their hardened state of rebellion. The first projects their own spiritual blindness and rebellion onto Moses, accusing him of malicious deception. The second is their overt act of insubordination, sealing their fate.

Numbers 16 14 Bonus section

The deep-rooted nature of Dathan and Abiram's discontent likely stemmed from lingering Egyptian slave mentality, accustomed to tangible returns and resentful of delayed gratification or suffering through consequences. They struggled to reconcile a powerful, promised God with their ongoing nomadic existence and immediate hardships. The complaint regarding "inheritance of fields and vineyards" goes beyond simple hunger; it reveals a longing for the stability, property rights, and settled agricultural lifestyle that signified a true homeland, directly promised through Abraham's covenant. By accusing Moses of withholding this, they challenge the very legitimacy of his God-given mission and their hope as a chosen nation. This incident also serves as a potent reminder of the principle that rejecting God's representative (Moses) is, in essence, rejecting God Himself.

Numbers 16 14 Commentary

Numbers 16:14 provides a vivid insight into the profound discontent and rebellion against God's appointed leadership during Israel's wilderness journey. Dathan and Abiram launch a scathing attack on Moses, charging him with deceit and a complete failure to fulfill the divine promise of the "land flowing with milk and honey" with its "fields and vineyards." This accusation is profoundly unjust, as the delay in entering the land was a direct consequence of the Israelites' own collective unbelief and repeated disobedience, especially detailed in Numbers 14.

The rebels twist God's precious promises into a weapon against Moses, ignoring that it was their rebellion that forfeited the immediate enjoyment of those blessings. Their rhetorical question, "Will you put out the eyes of these men?" is a projection of their own spiritual blindness onto Moses; they are the ones who refuse to see God's truth and their own responsibility. Their final, emphatic declaration, "We will not come up!" marks their unyielding refusal to submit to any authority, cementing their position of outright defiance. This verse powerfully illustrates the human tendency to blame others for consequences stemming from one's own sin, rather than taking responsibility or acknowledging God's righteous judgment. It underscores the danger of challenging God's chosen leadership and distorting divine promises for selfish ends.