Numbers 32 14

Numbers 32:14 kjv

And, behold, ye are risen up in your fathers' stead, an increase of sinful men, to augment yet the fierce anger of the LORD toward Israel.

Numbers 32:14 nkjv

And look! You have risen in your fathers' place, a brood of sinful men, to increase still more the fierce anger of the LORD against Israel.

Numbers 32:14 niv

"And here you are, a brood of sinners, standing in the place of your fathers and making the LORD even more angry with Israel.

Numbers 32:14 esv

And behold, you have risen in your fathers' place, a brood of sinful men, to increase still more the fierce anger of the LORD against Israel!

Numbers 32:14 nlt

But here you are, a brood of sinners, doing exactly the same thing! You are making the LORD even angrier with Israel.

Numbers 32 verses

Numbers 32 14 Meaning

Numbers 32:14 expresses Moses' stern rebuke to the tribes of Reuben and Gad, accusing them of replicating the sinful rebellion of their ancestors who provoked the Lord's wrath and resulted in forty years of wilderness wandering. He perceives their reluctance to cross the Jordan and fight for the promised land as a direct act of disobedience that will escalate God’s fierce anger against Israel, prolonging or intensifying their punishment and preventing them from entering their inheritance.

Numbers 32 14 Context

Numbers chapter 32 recounts the request by the tribes of Reuben and Gad, joined by half the tribe of Manasseh, to settle in the fertile land east of the Jordan River instead of crossing over into Canaan with the rest of Israel. This proposal, made when Israel was poised to finally enter the Promised Land after decades of wilderness wandering, immediately stirred Moses' deep concern and anger. He viewed their desire to stay put as a clear repetition of the Kadesh Barnea incident (Numbers 13-14), where the previous generation refused to trust God and enter the land, leading to God’s judgment and the death of an entire generation in the wilderness. Moses fears that the tribes' proposed action will weaken the resolve of the other Israelites, leading to a corporate sin that will provoke God's fierce anger once again, delaying or preventing entry into Canaan and extending divine judgment on the whole nation. His outburst in verse 14 reflects this fear and his strong memory of past divine wrath.

Numbers 32 14 Word analysis

• Behold: (Hebrew: הִנֵּה, hinnēh). An interjection meaning "look," "see," or "indeed." It draws immediate, sharp attention to what follows, emphasizing the severity and gravity of Moses' accusation and the urgency of the situation. It conveys a sense of shock or dismay.
• ye: (Hebrew: אַתֶּם, attem). A plural pronoun, explicitly addressing the tribes of Reuben and Gad. The direct address underscores their personal and corporate responsibility for their proposition and its potential consequences, highlighting that they are the active agents in this potential disaster.
• are risen up: (Hebrew: קֻמְתֶּם, qumtem, from קוּם, qum, meaning "to rise," "to stand up"). This verb suggests action, an emerging, a stepping forward. Here, it implies not merely an emergence, but a taking up of the mantle of rebellion, a continuation or re-enactment of past unfaithfulness. It denotes a deliberate choice to follow a detrimental path.
• in your fathers' stead: This phrase directly links the current generation's potential actions to the disastrous choices of their forefathers. It implies a direct succession not in terms of lineage alone, but in terms of spiritual attitude and behavioral pattern. Moses sees history repeating itself. This underscores generational sin or inherited patterns of disobedience, highlighting the importance of breaking such cycles.
• a brood of sinful men: (Hebrew: תַּרְבֻּת אֲנָשִׁים חַטָּאִים, tarbut anashim chatta'im). This is a very strong and condemning phrase. Tarbut means "increase," "produce," "brood," "progeny." It refers to something growing or multiplying. Here, it implies an abundant, perhaps even virulent, crop of wickedness. Chatta'im means "sinners." Moses is not just saying they are doing a sinful thing; he is accusing them of embodying sin, being a degenerate offspring of rebels, perpetuating a wicked lineage or characteristic. This goes beyond a single act, suggesting a foundational corrupt nature or disposition towards rebellion.
• to augment: (Hebrew: לְהוֹסִיף, lehosiph, from יָסַף, yasaph, meaning "to add," "to increase"). This word indicates that their actions would not merely repeat, but actually add to or intensify something already formidable. Their sin is not isolated but contributes to a cumulative negative effect.
• the fierce anger of the Lord: (Hebrew: חֲרוֹן אַף יְהוָה, ḥărōn af Yahweh). Ḥărōn af literally means "burning of nose/nostril," a common idiom for intense, furious anger or wrath, often depicted as God’s passionate displeasure against sin. Yahweh is the covenant name of God, emphasizing that this anger comes from the righteous, holy God with whom Israel has a covenant relationship. Their actions risk invoking divine judgment that is both justified and consuming, as experienced by the previous generation.

Numbers 32 14 Bonus section

• Generational Consequences: This verse highlights a principle observed throughout Scripture where the consequences of one generation's disobedience can affect succeeding generations. While children are not condemned for their parents' sins, they can inherit sinful tendencies, patterns, or societal conditions born from those sins.
• Leadership Responsibility: Moses' reaction also reveals the immense burden of leadership. He sees it as his duty to fiercely correct and guide the people away from sin, recognizing the dire implications for the entire nation.
• Patience and Limits of Divine Forbearance: Although God is patient and slow to anger (Exod 34:6), this verse implies there are limits to His forbearance. Repeated rebellion and adding to past provocations can indeed "augment" His just wrath, leading to severe consequences.
• Trust vs. Comfort: The request from Reuben and Gad exposed a potential preference for immediate comfort and perceived security (fertile lands for livestock) over the challenge and effort required to fully obey God's command and take the entire promised land, risking the national solidarity essential for their ultimate success.

Numbers 32 14 Commentary

Moses' scathing denunciation in Numbers 32:14 serves as a potent warning against spiritual complacency and a historical echo of Israel’s repeated failure. His words reveal a deep concern that the nascent nation, on the cusp of fulfilling God’s promise, might fall into the same trap of faithlessness and self-interest that characterized the previous generation at Kadesh Barnea. The severity of "a brood of sinful men" highlights not just an isolated act, but a perceived disposition towards rebellion, a generational transmission of unbelief. This provocation threatens to further intensify the Lord’s just anger, risking another prolonged delay in entering the Promised Land, or worse, outright forfeiture. It underscores the profound consequences of human disobedience, the interconnectedness of individual actions with corporate destiny, and God's consistent response to covenant unfaithfulness. This serves as a perpetual reminder for God's people to learn from past errors and press on in faithful obedience.