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Numbers Capitolo 14
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Originale inglese
This chapter gives us an account of that fatal quarrel between God and Israel upon which, for their murmuring and unbelief, he swore in his wrath that they should not enter into his rest. Here is, I. The mutiny and rebellion of Israel against God, upon the report of the evil spies, Nu 14:1-4. II. The fruitless endeavour of Moses and Aaron, Caleb and Joshua, to still the tumult, Nu 14:5-10. III. Their utter ruin justly threatened by an offended God, Nu 14:11,12. IV. The humble intercession of Moses for them, Nu 14:13-19. V. A mitigation of the sentence in answer to the prayer of Moses; they shall not all be cut off, but the decree goes forth ratified with an oath, published to the people, again and again repeated, that this whole congregation should perish in the wilderness, and none of them enter Canaan but Caleb and Joshua only, Nu 14:20-35. VI. The present death of the evil spies, Nu 14:36-39. VII. The rebuke given to those who attempted to go forward notwithstanding, Nu 14:40-45. And this is written for our admonition, that we "fall not after the same example of unbelief."
1-4
The Murmuring of the Israelites (1490 BC)
简体中文
以色列人的怨言（公元前1490年）
¹ 当下全会众大声喧嚷，哭号；那夜百姓都哭了。 ² 以色列众人向摩西、亚伦发怨言；全会众对他们说："巴不得我们早死在埃及地，或是死在这旷野！ ³ 耶和华为什么把我们领到那地，使我们倒在刀下呢？我们的妻子和孩子必被掳掠。我们回埃及去岂不好吗？" ⁴ 众人彼此说："我们不如立一个首领，回埃及去吧。"
此处我们看见那些恶探子因不公平的描述所造成的祸害。我们或可设想，这十二位被选定去调查迦南的人，在公开报告之前，已私下彼此商议过；迦勒和约书亚很可能已尽最大努力要使其余的人与他们同心；他们只要同意让迦勒按其提议作为发言人——如同他们的团长——代表他们众人发言，一切便都好了；但那些恶探子看来是蓄意要激起这场叛乱，纯粹为要与摩西和亚伦作对，尽管他们不能从中为自己谋取任何益处——除非他们指望在他们如今所谋划的退回埃及之举中担任首领和统帅。但结果如何呢？在这些经文中，我们看到他们竭力讨好的人陷入了烦恼；而到了本章末了，他们更被带向灭亡。请观察，
I. 百姓如何自己烦恼自己：他们大声喧嚷，哭号（民14:1）；他们信探子的报告过于神的话，又设想自己的境况已绝望，便放纵自己的情感，完全不能自持。如同愚妄任性的孩童，他们哭号起来，却不知自己哭的是什么。等敌人真的前来袭击他们的营盘、他们真的看见亚衲的子孙到了营门口，那时再哭号也不迟；但无事时便哭号的人，该给他们一些值得哭号的事。他们仿佛一切都已失去一般，坐下那夜哭了。注意，不信——就是对神的不信靠——是一种本身就是自己刑罚的罪。不信靠神的人不断折磨自己。世上的哀哭者多于属神的哀哭者，而属世的忧愁是叫人死。
II. 他们如何顶撞他们的治理者——向摩西、亚伦发怨言，并藉此亵渎主，民14:2,3。众长老先开始不满（民14:1），但这传染病很快传遍全营，因为以色列众人发怨言。在不假思索的群众中，猜忌和不满如火蔓延，他们很容易被教唆去轻慢主治、毁谤在尊位的。1. 他们带着无缘无故的不满回顾过去。他们巴不得自己死在埃及，与那里被杀的长子一同灭亡；或死在旷野，与近日因贪欲而死于瘟疫的人一同灭亡。请看放荡之情欲的惊人癫狂，它使人连自然所最看为宝贵的——生命本身——也不惜挥霍。他们出埃及以来所过的这些月份，从未有如此愉快的：满载尊荣，环绕恩惠，常有种种令人惊奇的事消遣；然而他们仿佛这一切都不值得活下去似的，巴不得死在埃及。他们对神为罪而加于他们邻人之可畏的审判看得如此轻，竟愿与他们在灾殃中有分，也不愿冒犯进取迦南的危险。他们宁可作罪犯在神的公义下而死，也不愿在神的恩眷中作征服者而活。有人如此读：巴不得我们死在埃及，或在这旷野！巴不得我们可以死！他们因怕死而愿死；却没有足够的理智像那几个长大麻风的那样思考——他们与其坐以待毙，宁愿冒险进入敌人的军营：他们若杀我们，我们不过死罢了，王下7:4。这些堕落的以色列人心志何其卑鄙，他们宁可（在最糟的情况下）如腐烂的羊一般死在旷野，也不愿手握刀剑、如战士一般死在荣誉的床上。2. 他们带着毫无根据的绝望展望未来，把（民14:3）前进必倒于刀下视为理所当然，并佯称他们的惧怕是出于对妻子孩子的深切关怀——他们断定这些人必成为迦南人的掳物。此处是对神自己最邪恶、最亵渎的讥刺，仿佛他领他们到此是故意要使他们倒于刀下，使他们的妻儿——那些无辜的人——成为掠物。他们实际上就是把那本身就是爱的神，指控为最恶毒的；把永恒的真理指控为最卑鄙的伪善；暗示他迄今对他们所说的一切美言、所行的一切善事，都不过是要引他们入圈套，掩盖一个一直进行着的要毁灭他们的隐秘计谋。何等大胆的放肆！但那被地狱之火点燃的舌头，还有什么话不能对天说呢？魔鬼藉着向人心灌输对神的恶念来维持它在人心中的利益——仿佛他喜悦罪人死亡，并以他仆人的困苦和受苦为乐；其实他知道他对我们的意念（无论我们是否如此知道）是赐平安的意念，不是降灾祸的意念，耶29:11。
III. 他们最终如何落到这一绝望的决定：与其前进迦南，不如退回埃及。这动议起初只是作为一个疑问提出（民14:3）：*我们回埃及去岂不好吗？*但风潮既高，百姓的心又倾向于接受任何乖谬的事，很快就未经辩论地形成决议（民14:4）：我们不如立一个首领回埃及去吧；这事许久之后仍被哀叹（尼9:17）：他们在叛逆中立一个首领要回他们为奴之家；因为他们知道摩西不会作他们退兵的统帅。如今，1. 巴不得自己身在埃及，或以为若在那里境况会比现在更好，乃是世上最大的愚妄。他们既不敢前进迦南，仍照现状为好，也好过退回埃及。他们缺少什么？有什么可抱怨的？他们有丰裕、平安、安息，在良好的治理之下，有好的同伴，有神同在的记号——只要他们有一颗知足的心，就是在旷野中也有足够使他们安逸的。但他们如此急切要去改善自己的光景，是要往何处去？去埃及！他们岂那么快就忘了他们在那里所受的苦役？他们愿再受督工的暴虐，再去作造砖的苦工吗？而且，埃及既为他们受了那么多灾殃，他们还能期望在那里得着比从前更好的待遇，而不是更糟得多吗？在何其短的时间内（不到一年半），他们已忘记了为奴时的一切叹息，和蒙拯救时的一切诗歌！如同牲畜，他们只顾眼前的事；他们的记忆连同理性的其他能力，都为情欲所牺牲。参 诗106:7。我们看见（申28:68）有警告说，他们若悖逆，将被再带回埃及，作为其灾祸的极点——然而这正是他们在此所巴望的。罪人是自己的仇敌；那些不按神的谋略而行的人，正是在策划自己的祸患与毁灭。2. 谈论要穿过旷野退回那里，乃是极其荒唐可笑的事。他们能指望神的云柱引领他们，或吗哪伴随他们吗？若不如此，以色列的千万人必无可避免地在旷野中迷失灭亡。纵然征服迦南的困难如他们所想象的那么大，退回埃及的困难也更大得多。在此让我们看见：(1) 在外在境遇的十字架之下，不满和不耐烦的愚妄。我们对现状不安，抱怨自己的地位和命运，想要更换；但这世上难道有任何地位或境遇，若我们有不安的倾向，不会在其中找到使我们不安的事吗？改善境遇之道，乃在于使我们的心进入更好的状态；与其问"回埃及去岂不好吗？"，不如问"知足并善用现状，岂不好吗？"(2) 背离神的道路之愚妄。天国就是摆在我们面前的迦南——流奶与蜜之地；那些对此报上何等恶信的人，也不得不承认那确是一块好地，只是难以进入。严谨而认真的敬虔被视为不切实际，这使许多起头好的人不再前进；他们宁可承担宗教生活的想象中的艰难，也不愿冒犯了罪之道路的确定而致命的后果；如此他们抄写了以色列的愚妄：当他们离迦南只一步之遥时，竟要立一个首领回埃及去。
Originale inglese
The Murmuring of the Israelites (1490 BC)
¹ And all the congregation lifted up their voice, and cried; and the people wept that night.
² And all the children of Israel murmured against Moses and against Aaron: and the whole congregation said unto them, Would God that we had died in the land of Egypt! or would God we had died in this wilderness!
³ And wherefore hath the LORD brought us unto this land, to fall by the sword, that our wives and our children should be a prey? were it not better for us to return into Egypt?
⁴ And they said one to another, Let us make a captain, and let us return into Egypt.
Here we see what mischief the evil spies made by their unfair representation. We may suppose that these twelve that were impanelled to enquire concerning Canaan had talked it over among themselves before they brought in their report in public; and Caleb and Joshua, it is likely, had done their utmost to bring the rest over to be of their mind, and if they would but have agreed that Caleb, according to his pose, should have spoken for them all, as their foreman, all had been well; but the evil spies, it should seem, wilfully designed to raise this mutiny, purely in opposition to Moses and Aaron, though they could not propose any advantage to themselves by it, unless they hoped to be captains and commanders of the retreat into Egypt they were now meditating. But what came of it? Here in these verses we find those whom they studied to humour put into a vexation, and, before the end of the chapter, brought to ruin. Observe,
I. How the people fretted themselves: They lifted up their voices and cried (Nu 14:1); giving credit to the report of the spies rather than to the word of God, and imagining their condition desperate, they laid the reins on the neck of their passions, and could keep no manner of temper. Like foolish froward children, they fall a crying, yet know not what they cry for. It would have been time enough to cry out when the enemy had beaten up their quarters, and they had seen the sons of Anak at the gate of their camp; but those that cried when nothing hurt them deserved to have something given them to cry for. And, as if all had been already gone, they sat down and wept that night. Note, Unbelief, or distrust of God, is a sin that is its own punishment. Those that do not trust God are continually vexing themselves. The world's mourners are more than God's, and the sorrow of the world worketh death.
II. How they flew in the face of their governors—murmured against Moses and Aaron, and in them reproached the Lord, Nu 14:2,3. The congregation of elders began the discontent (Nu 14:1), but the contagion soon spread through the whole camp, for the children of Israel murmured. Jealousies and discontents spread like wildfire among the unthinking multitude, who are easily taught to despise dominions, and to speak evil of dignities. 1. They look back with a causeless discontent. They wish that they had died in Egypt with the first-born that were slain there, or in the wilderness with those that lately died of the plague for lusting. See the prodigious madness of unbridled passions, which make men prodigal even of that which nature accounts most dear, life itself. Never were so many months spent so pleasantly as these which they had spent since they came out of Egypt, loaded with honours, compassed with favours, and continually entertained with something or other that was surprising; and yet, as if all these things had not made it worth their while to live, they wished they had died in Egypt. And such a light opinion they had of God's tremendous judgments executed on their neighbours for their sin that they wished they had shared with them in their plagues, rather than run the hazard of making a descent upon Canaan. They wish rather to die criminals under God's justice than live conquerors in his favour. Some read it, O that we had died in Egypt, or in the wilderness! O that we might die! They wish to die, for fear of dying; and have not sense enough to reason as the poor lepers, when rather than die upon the spot they ventured into an enemy's camp, If they kill us, we shall but die, 2Ki 7:4. How base were the spirits of these degenerate Israelites, who, rather than die (if it come to the worst) like soldiers on the bed of honour, with their swords in their hands, desire to die like rotten sheep in the wilderness. 2. They look forward with a groundless despair, taking it for granted (Nu 14:3) that if they went on they must fall by the sword, and pretend to lay the cause of their fear upon the great care they had for their wives and children, who, they conclude, will be a prey to the Canaanites. And here is a most wicked blasphemous reflection upon God himself, as if he had brought them hither on purpose that they might fall by the sword, and that their wives and children, those poor innocents, should be a prey. Thus do they, in effect, charge that God who is love itself with the worst of malice, and eternal Truth with the basest hypocrisy, suggesting that all the kind things he had said to them, and done for them, hitherto, were intended only to decoy them into a snare, and to cover a secret design carried on all along to ruin them. Daring impudence! But what will not that tongue speak against heaven that is set on fire of hell? The devil keeps up his interest in the hearts of men by insinuating to them ill thoughts of God, as if he desired the death of sinners, and delighted in the hardships and sufferings of his own servants, whereas he knows his thoughts to us-ward (whether we know them so or no) to be thoughts of good, and not of evil, Jer 29:11.
III. How they came at last to this desperate resolve, that, instead of going forward to Canaan, they would go back again to Egypt. The motion is first made by way of query only (Nu 14:3): Were it not better for us to return into Egypt? But the ferment being high, and the spirits of the people being disposed to entertain any thing that was perverse, it soon ripened to a resolution, without a debate (Nu 14:4): Let us make a captain and return to Egypt; and it is lamented long after (Ne 9:17) that in their rebellion they appointed a captain to return to their bondage; for they knew Moses would not be their captain in this retreat. Now, 1. It was the greatest folly in the world to wish themselves in Egypt, or to think that if they were there it would be better with them than it was. If they durst not go forward to Canaan, yet better be as they were than go back to Egypt. What did they want? What had they to complain of? They had plenty, and peace, and rest, were under a good government, had good company, had the tokens of God's presence with them, and enough to make them easy even in the wilderness, if they had but hearts to be content. But whither were they thus eager to go to better themselves? To Egypt! Had they so soon forgotten the sore bondage they were in there? Would they be again under the tyranny of their taskmasters, and at the drudgery of making brick? And, after all the plagues which Egypt had suffered for their sakes, could they expect any better treatment there than they had formerly, and not rather much worse? In how little time (not a year and a half) have they forgotten all the sighs of their bondage, and all the songs of their deliverance! Like brute-beasts, they mind only what is present, and their memories, with the other powers of reason, are sacrificed to their passions. See Ps 106:7. We find it threatened (De 28:68), as the completing of their misery, that they should be brought into Egypt again, and yet this is what they here wish for. Sinners are enemies to themselves; and those that walk not in God's counsels consult their own mischief and ruin. 2. It was a most senseless ridiculous thing to talk of returning thither through the wilderness. Could they expect that God's cloud would lead them or his manna attend them? And, if they did not, the thousands of Israel must unavoidably be lost and perish in the wilderness. Suppose the difficulties of conquering Canaan were as great as they imagined, those of returning to Egypt were much greater. In this let us see, (1.) The folly of discontent and impatience under the crosses of our outward condition. We are uneasy at that which is, complain of our place and lot, and we would shift; but is there any place or condition in this world that has not something in it to make us uneasy if we are disposed to be so? The way to better our condition is to get our spirits into a better frame; and instead of asking, "Were it not better to go to Egypt?" ask, "Were it not better to be content, and make the best of that which is?" (2.) The folly of apostasy from the ways of God. Heaven is the Canaan set before us, a land flowing with milk and honey; those that bring up ever so ill a report of it cannot but say that it is indeed a good land, only it is hard to get to it. Strict and serious godliness is looked upon as an impracticable thing, and this deters many who began well from going on; rather than undergo the imaginary hardships of a religious life, they run themselves upon the certain fatal consequences of a sinful course; and so they transcribe the folly of Israel, who, when they were within a step of Canaan, would make a captain, and return to Egypt.
5-10
The Expostulation of Joshua and Caleb (1490 BC)
简体中文
约书亚与迦勒的劝戒（主前1490年）
⁵ 摩西、亚伦就在以色列全会众面前伏在地上。
⁶ 窥探那地的人中，嫩的儿子约书亚和耶孚尼的儿子迦勒，撕裂衣服，
⁷ 对以色列全会众说："我们所窥探经过之地，是极美之地。
⁸ 耶和华若喜悦我们，就必将我们领进那地，把地赐给我们；那地原是流奶与蜜之地。
⁹ 但你们不可背叛耶和华，也不要怕那地的居民；因为他们是我们的食物：他们的荫庇已经离开他们，耶和华与我们同在；不要怕他们。"
¹⁰ 但全会众说要拿石头打死他们。耶和华的荣光在会幕中向以色列众人显现。
以色列的朋友在此出面干涉，要尽其所能拯救他们免于自取灭亡，却是徒然。他们国家的医师本要医治他们，他们却不肯受医治；他们的守望者向他们发出警戒，他们却不肯受警戒，因此他们的血当归到自己的头上。
I. 为平息骚乱已尽了最大的努力；他们若当时终于肯明白那关乎他们平安的事，此后的一切祸患便可避免。
1. 摩西和亚伦尽了自己的本分（民14:5）。百姓虽然正是向他们发怨言（民14:2），他们却勇敢地不顾自己所受的轻慢和伤害，向那些向他们狂怒为仇的人显出自己是忠信的朋友。百姓的喧嚷和嘈杂极大，以致摩西、亚伦无法被人听见；他们若吩咐仆人宣告肃静，那发怒的群众恐怕会更加喧闹；因此，他们为要在全会众眼前得着发言的机会，便俯伏在地——借此表明：(1.) 他们向神所献谦卑的祷告，求神平息这海的喧嚣——这海波浪的喧嚣——就是百姓的骚动。(2.) 他们自己心中的极大痛苦和忧念。他们如惊骇的人、甚至如被雷震的人一般倒下，看见一百姓抛弃自己的福分便大为震惊：看见那些受教如此之好的人竟如此心术不正，不胜骇然。(3.) 他们对百姓停止发怨言的极大恳切；他们盼望借这谦卑的姿态打动百姓，劝服他们不再坚持背叛。摩西、亚伦恳求他们，正如神借他们恳求他们与神和好一样。摩西在重述这事时，记下了他对百姓所说的话。申1:29、30："不要惧怕……耶和华你们的神必为你们争战。"注意：那作宝贵灵魂之热心朋友的人，为着他们灵魂的拯救，肯屈就任何事。摩西、亚伦虽身居尊位，却向百姓俯伏，求他们不要自取灭亡。
2. 迦勒和约书亚尽了自己的本分：他们撕裂衣服——对百姓的罪发出圣洁的义愤，对神的烈怒怀有圣洁的恐惧，因他们看见这烈怒已蓄势待发，要向百姓发作。这些善人心中格外难过，是因为这次骚乱乃是由那些与他们同受差派的探子所引起的；因此他们觉得自己有责任尽己所能平息同伴所掀起的风波。再没有比他们的论理更中肯、更动人之作了（民14:7-9），而且他们说话带着权柄。
(1.) 他们向百姓保证他们所窥探之地的佳美，证明它确实值得冒险争取；它并不是恶探所描绘的那"吞吃居民之地"。这是"极美之地"（民14:7）——原文是"好得不能再好"；所以他们毫无理由"轻看那美地"。注意：人若彻底认识宗教所获之利益是何等可慕，便不会在宗教的服侍上踟蹰不前。
(2.) 他们把看似挡在他们得业路上的难处视为无足轻重："不要怕那地的居民"（民14:9）。无论别人向你们对那地居民描绘得多么可畏，狮子并不像所画的那样凶。"他们是我们的食物"——意思是："他们摆在我们面前，与其说是要我们去与之争战，不如说是要我们去吞食；我们将要这样容易、这样惬意，并这样有利于自身地制服他们。"诗74:14说神把法老赐给他们作食物，迦南人也必如此。他们指明：无论相反的 suggestion 是什么，优势显然是在以色列一边。因为：[1.] 迦南人虽住在坚城里，却是赤露的——"他们的荫庇已经离开他们"；那保守列国之权利的普遍护理已经弃绝了他们，不再作他们的庇护。别的探子注意他们的强壮，他们却注意他们的恶行，并由此推论：神已经离弃他们，所以"他们的荫庇已经离开"。一国之民若惹神离开他们，便无可保全。[2.] 以色列虽住在帐棚里，却是坚固的——"耶和华与我们同在"，他的名是坚固台；"不要怕他们"。注意：我们既有神与我们同在，便不必惧怕那向我们袭来的最强武力。
(3.) 他们坦白告诉百姓：他们所处的一切危险都来自他们自己的不满；只要他们不作神的仇敌，便必胜过一切仇敌。这事的成败全在于这一点（民14:8）："耶和华若喜悦我们"——他确实喜悦我们，只要我们不惹他——"他必领我们进这美地"；我们必因他的恩惠和他脸的光辉（诗44:3）毫无失败地得此地为业——只要我们不亏损他的恩惠，因自己的愚行使自己的福分转向。如今事情已到了这样的关头（民14:9）："你们不可背叛耶和华。"注意：除了罪人自己的背叛，没有什么能毁灭罪人。神若离开他们，是因为他们把神赶走；他们死亡，是因为他们定意要死。除了那些把自己关在门外的人，无人被拒于属天迦南之外。如今，事情还能说得更明白吗？还能说得更具说服力吗？但结果又如何呢？
II. 这一切都归于无用；他们对这公允的劝戒充耳不闻；不但如此，他们反因此被激怒，越发狂妄："全会众说要拿石头打死他们"（民14:10）。会众的首领和贵人（帕特里克主教如此解）便吩咐百姓下手打他们，敲碎他们的脑壳。他们的首领这样"领他们走迷"，他们的光景实在可悲。注意：那些"心定意行恶"的人，常对那给他们好劝戒的人发怒。恨恶受改正的，也恨恶那要改正他们的，并把他们当作仇敌，因为他们说诚实话。以色列这样早就开始苦待先知，"用石头打死奉差遣到他们那里来的人"，正是这事使他们罪恶的量器满盈（太23:37）。"拿石头打死他们！"——咦，他们作了什么恶呢？他们不能被控以任何罪状；但事实是"这两位见证人折磨了"那些固执不信的人（启11:10）。迦勒和约书亚刚才才说过："耶和华与我们同在；不要怕他们"（民14:9）；以色列若不肯把这些鼓舞的话应用在自己的恐惧上，那些说这话的人却知道怎样用这些话坚固自己，以抵挡这威胁要用石头打死他们的激愤群众，正如大卫在相似境遇中所行的（撒上30:6）。那不能用其劝戒和安慰建立别人的人，至少当设法建立自己。迦勒和约书亚知道他们是为神和他的荣耀而站立，因此毫不怀疑神必为他们和他们的安全而显现。他们并未失望——"耶和华的荣光立即显现"，使那些要谋害神仆的人惊惶混乱。当他们反射于神自己身上时（民14:3），神的荣耀并未显现以止息他们的亵渎；但他们一威胁迦勒和约书亚，就触及了他眼中的瞳人，他的荣光便立即显现。注意：那为神 faithfully 暴露自己的人，必蒙他特别的保护，或在世上、或在天上，被隐藏脱离人的狂怒。
Originale inglese
The Expostulation of Joshua and Caleb (1490 BC)
⁵ Then Moses and Aaron fell on their faces before all the assembly of the congregation of the children of Israel.
⁶ And Joshua the son of Nun, and Caleb the son of Jephunneh, which were of them that searched the land, rent their clothes:
⁷ And they spake unto all the company of the children of Israel, saying, The land, which we passed through to search it, is an exceeding good land.
⁸ If the LORD delight in us, then he will bring us into this land, and give it us; a land which floweth with milk and honey.
⁹ Only rebel not ye against the LORD, neither fear ye the people of the land; for they are bread for us: their defence is departed from them, and the LORD is with us: fear them not.
¹⁰ But all the congregation bade stone them with stones. And the glory of the LORD appeared in the tabernacle of the congregation before all the children of Israel.
The friends of Israel here interpose to save them if possible from ruining themselves, but in vain. The physicians of their state would have healed them, but they would not be healed; their watchmen gave them warning, but they would not take warning, and so their blood is upon their own heads.
I. The best endeavours were used to still the tumult, and, if now at last they would have understood the things that belonged to their peace, all the following mischief would have been prevented.
1. Moses and Aaron did their part, Nu 14:5. Though it was against them that they murmured (Nu 14:2), yet they bravely overlooked the affront and injury done them, and approved themselves faithful friends to those who were outrageous enemies to them. The clamour and noise of the people were so great that Moses and Aaron could not be heard; should they order any of their servants to proclaim silence, the angry multitude would perhaps be the more clamorous; and therefore, to gain audience in the sight of all the assembly, they fell on their faces, thus expressing, (1.) Their humble prayers to God to still the noise of this sea, the noise of its waves, even the tumult of the people. (2.) The great trouble and concern of their own spirits. They fell down as men astonished and even thunder-struck, amazed to see a people throw away their own mercies: to see those so ill-humoured who were so well taught. And, (3.) Their great earnestness with the people to cease their murmurings; they hoped to work upon them by this humble posture, and to prevail with them not to persist in their rebellion; Moses and Aaron beseech them, as though by them God himself did beseech them, to be reconciled unto God. What they said to the people Moses relates in the repetition of this story. De 1:29,30, Be not afraid; the Lord your God shall fight for you. Note, Those that are zealous friends to precious souls will stoop to any thing for their salvation. Moses and Aaron, notwithstanding the posts of honour they are in, prostrate themselves to the people to beg of them not to ruin themselves.
2. Caleb and Joshua did their part: they rent their clothes in a holy indignation at the sin of the people, and a holy dread of the wrath of God, which they saw ready to break out against them. It was the greater trouble to these good men because the tumult was occasioned by those spies with whom they had been joined in commission; and therefore they thought themselves obliged to do what they could to still the storm which their fellows had raised. No reasoning could be more pertinent and pathetic than theirs was (Nu 14:7-9), and they spoke as with authority.
(1.) They assured them of the goodness of the land they had surveyed, and that it was really worth venturing for, and not a land that ate up the inhabitants, as the evil spies had represented it. It is an exceedingly good land (Nu 14:7); it is very, very good, so the word is; so that they had no reason to despise this pleasant land. Note, If men were but thoroughly convinced of the desirableness of the gains of religion, they would not stick at the services of it.
(2.) They made nothing of the difficulties that seemed to lie in the way of their gaining the possession of it: "Fear not the people of the land, Nu 14:9. Whatever formidable ideas have been given you of them, the lion is not so fierce as he is painted. They are bread for us," that is, "they are set before us rather to be fed upon than to be fought with, so easily, so pleasantly, and with so much advantage to ourselves shall we master them." Pharaoh is said to have been given them for meat (Ps 74:14), and the Canaanites will be so, too. They show that, whatever was suggested to the contrary, the advantage was clear on Israel's side. For, [1.] Though the Canaanites dwell in walled cities, they are naked: Their defence has departed from them; that common providence which preserves the rights of nations has abandoned them, and will be no shelter nor protection to them. The other spies took notice of their strength, but these of their wickedness, and thence inferred that God had forsaken them, and therefore their defence had departed. No people can be safe when they have provoked God to leave them. [2.] Though Israel dwell in tents they are fortified: The Lord is with us, and his name is a strong tower; fear them not. Note, While we have the presence of God with us, we need not fear the most powerful force against us.
(3.) They showed them plainly that all the danger they were in was from their own discontents, and that they would succeed against all their enemies if they did not make God their enemy. On this point alone the cause would turn (Nu 14:8): "If the Lord delight in us, as certainly he does, and will if we do not provoke him, he will bring us into this good land; we shall without fail get it in possession by his favour, and the light of his countenance (Ps 44:3), if we do not forfeit his favour and by our own follies turn away our own mercies." It has come to this issue (Nu 14:9): Only rebel not you against the Lord. Note, Nothing can ruin sinners but their own rebellion. If God leave them, it is because they drive him from them; and they die because they will die. None are excluded the heavenly Canaan but those that exclude themselves. And, now, could the case have been made more plain? could it have been urged more closely? But what was the effect?
II. It was all to no purpose; they were deaf to this fair reasoning; nay, they were exasperated by it, and grew more outrageous: All the congregation bade stone them with stones, Nu 14:10. The rulers of the congregation, and the great men (so bishop Patrick), ordered the common people to fall upon them, and knock their brains out. Their case was sad indeed when their leaders thus caused them to err. Note, It is common for those whose hearts are fully set in them to do evil to rage at those who give them good counsel. Those who hate to be reformed hate those that would reform them, and count them their enemies because they tell them the truth. Thus early did Israel begin to misuse the prophets, and stone those that were sent to them, and it was this that filled the measure of their sin, Mt 23:37. Stone them with stones! Why, what evil have they done? No crime can be laid to their charge; but the truth is these two witnesses tormented those that were obstinate in their infidelity, Re 11:10. Caleb and Joshua had but just said, The Lord is with us; fear them not (Nu 14:9): and, if Israel will not apply those encouraging words to their own fears, those that uttered them know how to encourage themselves with them against this enraged multitude that spoke of stoning them, as David in a like cause, 1Sa 30:6. Those that cannot prevail to edify others with their counsels and comforts should endeavour at least to edify themselves. Caleb and Joshua knew they appeared for God and his glory, and therefore doubted not but God would appear for them and their safety. And they were not disappointed, for immediately the glory of the Lord appeared, to the terror and confusion of those that were for stoning the servants of God. When they reflected upon God (Nu 14:3), his glory appeared not to silence their blasphemies; but, when they threatened Caleb and Joshua, they touched the apple of his eye, and his glory appeared immediately. Note, Those who faithfully expose themselves for God are sure to be taken under his special protection, and shall be hidden from the rage of men, either under heaven or in heaven.
11-19
The Intercession of Moses (1490 BC)
简体中文
摩西的代求（公元前1490年）
¹¹ 耶和华对摩西说，这百姓藐视我要到几时呢？我在他们中间行了这一切神迹，他们还不信我要到几时呢？ ¹² 我要用瘟疫击杀他们，使他们不得承受那地，叫你的后裔成为大国，比他们强胜。 ¹³ 摩西对耶和华说，埃及人必听见这事，因为你曾施展大能，将这百姓从他们中间领上来。 ¹⁴ 这地的居民必听见这事；因为他们曾听见你耶和华是在这百姓中间，你耶和华是面对面被人看见的，有你的云彩停在他们以上，你白日以云柱、夜间以火柱在他们前面行。 ¹⁵ 如今你若把这些人如杀一人般统统杀了，那么听见你名声的列邦必议论说， ¹⁶ 耶和华因为不能把这百姓领进他向他们起誓应许之地，所以在旷野把他们杀了。 ¹⁷ 现在求主大显能力，照你所说过的话说， ¹⁸ 耶和华不轻易发怒，大有怜悯，赦免罪孽和过犯，万不以有罪的为无罪，必追讨他的罪，自父及子，直到三四代。 ¹⁹ 求你照你的大慈爱，赦免这百姓的罪孽，好像你从埃及直到如今常赦免这百姓一样。
这里所述：I. 神因以色列发怨言与不信而对他们所宣告的公义判语。这判语后来虽得以减轻，却显明了他们的罪本当受何等的报应，受损的公义有何要求；若不是摩西从中斡旋，本来必要如此行。当耶和华的荣光在会幕中显现时，我们可以推想摩西视之为立即蒙召前去伺候的呼召——正如会幕未立之前，他在类似情形中曾上到山上（出32:30）。这样，当百姓正竭力羞辱他之际，神却公开地加尊荣给他，视他为与神商议的人。此处经文记载了神在那里对他说的话。
1. 神向他指明了百姓之罪的极大可恶（民14:11）。神与以色列之间一切往来都经过摩西的手：百姓对神不满时，他们向摩西陈明（民14:2）；神对他们不悦时，也照样告诉摩西，将奥秘指示他的仆人众先知（摩3:7）。神向摩西公义地申诉两件事：(1.) 他们的罪。他们藐视我，或按这字的原意，他们藐视、轻慢、弃绝我，因为他们不信我。这正是结出苦茵陈的苦根。是他们的不信使这在旷野的日子成了惹神发怒的日子（来3:8）。须知，对神的不信，对他权能与应许的不信靠，本身就是极大的惹动，也是许多别的过犯的根源。不信乃是大罪（约一5:10），也是根本之罪（来3:12）。(2.) 他们在这罪上恒久不改：他们要这样行到几时呢？须知，天上的神也记下罪人坚持其过犯有多久；他们坚持越久，神越不悦。他们罪的加重之处在于：[1.] 他们与神的关系：这百姓，是特殊的子民，是承认信仰的子民。人越在名义与认信上亲近神，他的罪（尤其是不信）就越惹动神怒。[2.] 他们曾经历神的大能与良善，就是在他们中间所行的这一切神迹；人必以为，这些神迹已有效地约束他们去信靠他、跟从他。神为我们行的越多，我们若不信他，所惹动的怒也就越大。
2. 神向他指明公义因此所判定的刑罚（民14:12）。"现在除了将他们尽行除灭，还剩什么呢？这事很快就成。我要用瘟疫击杀他们，不留一人存活，全然涂抹他们的名号与族类，使他们不得承受那地，我也不再因他们烦扰。*我要向我敌人复仇，得了舒展。*他们既愿死，就任凭他们死，根枝一无所留。这样悖逆的儿女，本当被弃绝剥夺产业。"若有人问："那么神与亚伯拉罕所立的约将如何？"这里就有答案："我必在摩西的家族中保存这约：我要使你的后裔成为大国。"这样，(1.) 神要试验摩西，看他是否仍如从前在类似场合所显的，对以色列怀有那样的爱心，宁可把他们的益处置于自己家族的高升之上；结果证明摩西仍是那样以公心为先，不能忍受把己名建立在以色列之名倾覆的废墟上。(2.) 神也要借此教导我们：他不会因罪人灭亡而受亏损。若亚当夏娃被剪除、被剥夺产业，他能另造一个亚当、另一个夏娃，并在他们身上荣耀他的怜悯；正如这里，纵然以色列灭亡，他也能在摩西身上荣耀他的怜悯。
II. 摩西为他们所作谦卑的代求。他们的罪在他们的保障城墙上破了一个致命的缺口，毁灭必从那里进来——若不是摩西及时上前堵住。在此他作了基督的预表：基督为逼迫他的人代求，为那些凌辱他的人祷告，将他自己所立的法则留作我们的榜样（太5:44）。
1. 他恳求的祷告一言以蔽之：求你赦免这百姓的罪孽（民14:19），意思是："不要将他们当受的毁灭降在他们身上。"这正是基督为钉他的人所作的祷告——父啊，赦免他们。国民之罪的赦免，就其作为国民之罪而言，乃在于免去国民当受的刑罚；摩西在这里所恳切求的正是这一点。
2. 理由有许多，且都极力陈明。
(1.) 他最坚持的乃是从神的荣耀所取的理由（民14:13-16）。他由此开始，且颇显突兀，因那可畏的话我要使他们不得承受那地而抓住机会。"主啊，这样埃及人必听见这事。"神的尊荣在他心中比自己的任何利益都更近。请看他如何将这案向神陈明。他辩称：[1.] 埃及与迦南的眼目都盯着他们，对他们也怀有很大的期望。他们不能不听见你耶和华是在这百姓中间（民14:14）。四围的列国都传扬这事——这百姓如何特别蒙天眷顾，为普天下任何国民所未曾有。[2.] 他们若被剪除，这事必大受注意。"埃及人必听见（民14:13），因为他们中间有探子在我们这里，他们必告诉这地的居民"（民14:14）；因为埃及与迦南之间虽不经过这旷野相通，却常有往来。"这素来声势浩大的百姓若全然灭绝，他们夸耀的指望若归于无有，他们的光若如灯残灭，这事必在迦特被乐意传讲，在亚实基伦的街市上被人张扬；外邦人将作怎样的解读？他们绝不能把这看作神公义之举而归荣耀给神，畜类人不晓得这事（诗92:6）；他们必归因于神权能的不济，因而把它变为对神的亵渎（民14:16）。他们必说：他在旷野击杀他们，是因为他不能把他们领进迦南——他的膀臂缩短了，他的奇事库存耗尽了。主啊，求你不要叫一个属性因另一个属性受损而得荣耀；宁可叫怜悯向审判夸胜，也不要叫全能的权能被质疑。"须知，祷告中最好的理由，是从神的尊荣所取的理由；因为这与主祷文的第一祈求相符——*愿你的名为圣。求你不要辱没你荣耀的宝座。*神自己也这样向自己申诉（申32:27）：我怕仇敌惹动；我们也当以此为策励自己的论据，凡事谨慎而行，不给主的仇敌亵渎的机会（提前6:1）。
(2.) 他以神在何烈山所宣告的名作为理由（民14:17-18）：愿主的大能显明。这里"大能"乃指赦免的怜悯；是指他对自己怒气的权能。他若毁灭他们，神的权能必受质疑；他若不顾从仇敌的强盛、又从他们自己的过犯所生的难处，而继续并成就他们的拯救，这就大大彰显神的大能：那能使如此软弱的百姓作征服者、使如此不配的百姓作蒙爱之民的，他还有什么不能作的呢？人越有使人亵渎神权能的危险，我们就越当渴慕看见这权能得荣耀。为加强这恳求，他引用神曾说过的话：耶和华不轻易发怒，大有怜悯。神的良善在那里已被宣告为他的荣耀；神以之为荣（出34:6-7）。于是他在此祷告，求神在此时此事上荣耀它。须知，我们当从神的话语中得着祷告的鼓励——他曾叫我们仰望的话（诗119:49）。"主啊，求你照你所说的成为，照你所说的行事；因为你既说了，岂不照办么？"神曾郑重宣告三件事，摩西在此抓住并加以运用，以加强他的恳求：[1.] 神本性的良善——他不轻易发怒（就是慢于发怒），大有怜悯，不轻易被惹动，对犯罪者温柔怜恤。[2.] 他特别乐于赦罪：赦免罪孽和过犯——各样大小的罪。[3.] 即使刑罚之时，他也不愿走到极端。因为以下的话正可这样领会：绝不至于尽行除灭，纵然追讨列祖的罪，自父及子。神在第二条诫命里诚然说过要这样追讨，但在此他应许不将家族、教会、列国一时全然灭绝；这话十分适用于眼前的场合，因为摩西不能求神完全不罚这罪（若在这罪上毫无不悦的记号，便是对悖逆太大的鼓励），他只求神不要把这些人如杀一人般统统杀了（民14:15）。他所求的不是他们不受管教，而是不被剥夺产业。而且神所宣告的这一名号，与他恳求的目的格外贴切，因为这名乃是在赦免他们造金牛犊之罪时宣告的。他们如今所犯的罪虽也恶劣，却不是拜偶像。
(3.) 他以过去的经历为理由：好像你从埃及直到如今常赦免这百姓一样（民14:19）。这一点似乎对他不利。那些屡蒙赦免之后仍越发背叛、又因神的宽容与忍耐和他们屡得的赦免而似乎更加刚硬、在悖逆中更受鼓励的人，为何还要再蒙赦免？在人看来，在这样的恳求中提及这种情形是不智的，因它可能对求情者不利；然而正如在别的事上，在赦罪的事上也是一样，神的意念与道路无限地高于我们的意念与道路（赛55:9）。摩西却视之为有利的理由：主啊，求你照你素常所赦免的赦免他们。如今赦免，既不会更损你公义的尊荣，也不减少你怜悯的赞美，比之从前并不逊色。所以雅各之子没有消灭，正因他们所面对的，是那不改变的神（玛3:6）。
Originale inglese
The Intercession of Moses (1490 BC)
¹¹ And the LORD said unto Moses, How long will this people provoke me? and how long will it be ere they believe me, for all the signs which I have showed among them?
¹² I will smite them with the pestilence, and disinherit them, and will make of thee a greater nation and mightier than they.
¹³ And Moses said unto the LORD, Then the Egyptians shall hear it, (for thou broughtest up this people in thy might from among them;)
¹⁴ And they will tell it to the inhabitants of this land: for they have heard that thou LORD art among this people, that thou LORD art seen face to face, and that thy cloud standeth over them, and that thou goest before them, by day time in a pillar of a cloud, and in a pillar of fire by night.
¹⁵ Now if thou shalt kill all this people as one man, then the nations which have heard the fame of thee will speak, saying,
¹⁶ Because the LORD was not able to bring this people into the land which he sware unto them, therefore he hath slain them in the wilderness.
¹⁷ And now, I beseech thee, let the power of my Lord be great, according as thou hast spoken, saying,
¹⁸ The LORD is longsuffering, and of great mercy, forgiving iniquity and transgression, and by no means clearing the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation.
¹⁹ Pardon, I beseech thee, the iniquity of this people according unto the greatness of thy mercy, and as thou hast forgiven this people, from Egypt even until now.
Here is, I. The righteous sentence which God gave against Israel for their murmuring and unbelief, which, though afterwards mitigated, showed what was the desert of their sin and the demand of injured justice, and what would have been done if Moses had not interposed. When the glory of the Lord appeared in the tabernacle we may suppose that Moses took it for a call to him immediately to come and attend there, as before the tabernacle was erected he went up to the mount in a similar case, Ex 32:30. Thus, while the people were studying to disgrace him, God publicly put honour upon him, as the man of his counsel. Now here we are told what God said to him there.
1. He showed him the great evil of the people's sin, Nu 14:11. What passed between God and Israel went through the hands of Moses: when they were displeased with God they told Moses of it (Nu 14:2); when God was displeased with them he told Moses, too, revealing his secret to his servant the prophet, Am 3:7. Two things God justly complains of to Moses:—(1.) Their sin. They provoke me, or (as the word signifies) they reject, reproach, despise me, for they will not believe me. This was the bitter root which bore the gall and wormwood. It was their unbelief that made this a day of provocation in the wilderness, Heb 3:8. Note, Distrust of God, of his power and promise, is itself a very great provocation, and at the bottom of many other provocations. Unbelief is a great sin (1Jo 5:10), and a root sin, Heb 3:12. (2.) Their continuance in it: How long will they do so? Note, The God of heaven keeps an account how long sinners persist in their provocations; and the longer they persist the more he is displeased. The aggravations of their sin were, [1.] Their relation to God: This people, a peculiar people, a professing people. The nearer any are to God in name and profession, the more he is provoked by their sins, especially their unbelief. [2.] The experience they had had of God's power and goodness, in all the signs which he had shown among them, by which, one would think, he had effectually obliged them to trust him and follow him. The more God has done for us the greater is the provocation if we distrust him.
2. He showed him the sentence which justice passed upon them for it, Nu 14:12. "What remains now but that I should make a full end of them? It will soon be done. I will smite them with the pestilence, not leave a man of them alive, but wholly blot out their name and race, and so disinherit them, and be no more troubled with them. Ah, I will ease me of my adversaries. They wish to die; and let them die, and neither root nor branch be left of them. Such rebellious children deserve to be disinherited." And if it be asked, "What will become of God's covenant with Abraham then?" here is an answer, "I shall be preserved in the family of Moses: I will make of thee a greater nation." Thus, (1.) God would try Moses, whether he still continued that affection for Israel which he formerly expressed upon a like occasion, in preferring their interests before the advancement of his own family; and it is proved that Moses was still of the same public spirit, and could not bear the thought of raising his own name upon the ruin of the name of Israel. (2.) God would teach us that he will not be a loser by the ruin of sinners. If Adam and Eve had been cut off and disinherited, he could have made another Adam and another Eve, and have glorified his mercy in them, as here he could have glorified his mercy in Moses, though Israel had been ruined.
II. The humble intercession Moses made for them. Their sin had made a fatal breach in the wall of their defence, at which destruction would certainly have entered if Moses had not seasonably stepped in and made it good. Here he was a type of Christ, who interceded for his persecutors, and prayed for those that despitefully used him, leaving us an example to his own rule, Mt 5:44.
1. The prayer of his petition is, in one word, Pardon, I beseech thee, the iniquity of this people (Nu 14:19), that is, "Do not bring upon them the ruin they deserve." This was Christ's prayer for those that crucified him, Father forgive them. The pardon of a national sin, as such, consists in the turning away of the national punishment; and that is it for which Moses is here so earnest.
2. The pleas are many, and strongly urged.
(1.) He insists most upon the plea that is taken from the glory of God, Nu 14:13-16. With this he begins, and somewhat abruptly, taking occasion from that dreadful word, I will disinherit them. Lord (says he), then the Egyptians shall hear it. God's honour lay nearer to his heart than any interests of his own. Observe how he orders this cause before God. He pleads, [1.] That the eyes both of Egypt and Canaan were upon them, and great expectations were raised concerning them. They could not but have heard that thou, Lord, art among this people, Nu 14:14. The neighbouring countries rang of it, how much this people were the particular care of heaven, so as never any people under the sun were. [2.] That if they should be cut off great notice would be taken of it. "The Egyptians will hear it (Nu 14:13), for they have their spies among us, and they will tell it to the inhabitants of the land" (Nu 14:14); for there was great correspondence between Egypt and Canaan, although not by the way of this wilderness. "If this people that have made so great a noise be all consumed, if their mighty pretensions come to nothing, and their light go out in a snuff, it will be told with pleasure in Gath, and published in the streets of Askelon; and what construction will the heathen put upon it? It will be impossible to make them understand it as an act of God's justice, and as such redounding to God's honour; brutish men know not this (Ps 92:6): but they will impute it to the failing of God's power, and so turn it to his reproach, Nu 14:16. They will say, He slew them in the wilderness because he was not able to bring them to Canaan, his arm being shortened, and his stock of miracles being spent. Now, Lord, let not one attribute be glorified at the expense of another; rather let mercy rejoice against judgment than that almighty power should be impeached." Note, The best pleas in prayer are those that are taken from God's honour; for they agree with the first petition of the Lord's Prayer, Hallowed be thy name. Do not disgrace the throne of thy glory. God pleads it with himself (De 32:27), I feareth the wrath of the enemy; and we should use it as an argument with ourselves to walk so in every thing as to give no occasion to the enemies of the Lord to blaspheme, 1Ti 6:1.
(2.) He pleads God's proclamation of his name at Horeb (Nu 14:17,18): Let the power of the Lord be great. Power is here put for pardoning mercy; it is his power over his own anger. If he should destroy them, God's power would be questioned; if he should continue and complete their salvation, notwithstanding the difficulties that arose, not only from the strength of their enemies, but from their own provocations, this would greatly magnify the divine power: what cannot he do who could make so weak a people conquerors and such an unworthy people favourites? The more danger there is of others reproaching God's power the more desirous we should be to see it glorified. To enforce this petition, he refers to the word which God had spoken: The Lord is long-suffering and of great mercy. God's goodness had there been spoken of as his glory; God gloried in it, Ex 34:6,7. Now here he prays that upon this occasion he would glorify it. Note, We must take our encouragement in prayer from the word of God, upon which he has caused us to hope, Ps 119:49. "Lord, be and do according as thou hast spoken; for hast thou spoken, and wilt thou not make it good?" Three things God had solemnly made a declaration of, which Moses here fastens upon, and improves for the enforcing of his petition:—[1.] The goodness of God's nature in general, that he is long-suffering, or slow to anger, and of great mercy; not soon provoked, but tender and compassionate towards offenders. [2.] His readiness in particular to pardon sin: Forgiving iniquity and transgression, sins of all sorts. [3.] His unwillingness to proceed to extremity, even when he does punish. For in this sense the following words may be read: That will by no means make quite desolate, in visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children. God had indeed said in the second commandment that he would thus visit, but here he promises not to make a full end of families, churches, and nations, at once; and so it is very applicable to this occasion, for Moses cannot beg that God would not at all punish this sin (it would be too great an encouragement to rebellion if he should set no mark of his displeasure upon it), but that he would not kill all this people as one man, Nu 14:15. He does not ask that they may not be corrected, but that they may not be disinherited. And this proclamation of God's name was the more apposite to his purpose because it was made upon occasion of the pardoning of their sin in making the golden calf. This sin which they had now fallen into was bad enough, but it was not idolatry.
(3.) He pleads past experience: As thou hast forgiven this people from Egypt, Nu 14:19. This seemed to make against him. Why should those be forgiven any more who, after they had been so often forgiven, revolted yet more and more, and seemed hardened and encouraged in their rebellion by the lenity and patience of their God, and the frequent pardons they had obtained? Among men it would have been thought impolitic to take notice of such a circumstance in a request of this nature, as it might operate to the prejudice of the petitioner: but, as in other things so in pardoning sin, God's thoughts and ways are infinitely above ours, Isa 55:9. Moses looks upon it as a good plea, Lord, forgive, as thou hast forgiven. It will be no more a reproach to thy justice, nor any less the praise of thy mercy, to forgive now, than it has been formerly. Therefore the sons of Jacob are not consumed, because they have to do with a God that changes not, Mal 3:6.
20-35
God's Answer to Moses; The Israelites Threatened (1490 BC)
简体中文
神对摩西的回答；以色列人受威吓（公元前1490年）
²⁰ 耶和华说，我照着你的话赦免了他们； ²¹ 然我指着我的永生起誓，遍地必被耶和华的荣耀充满。 ²² 这些人虽看见我的荣耀，和我在埃及与旷野所行的神迹，仍然试探我这十次，不听从我的话， ²³ 他们必不得看见我向他们的祖宗起誓应许之地；凡藐视我的，一个也不得看见。 ²⁴ 惟独我的仆人迦勒，因他另有一个心志，专心跟从我，我就必领他进入他所去过的那地；他的后裔也必得那地为业。 ²⁵ （亚玛力人和迦南人住在谷中。）明日你们要转回，从红海的路往旷野去。 ²⁶ 耶和华对摩西、亚伦说， ²⁷ 这恶会众向我发怨言，我要忍耐他们到几时呢？以色列人向我发怨言，我都听见了。 ²⁸ 你告诉他们说，耶和华说，我指着我的永生起誓，我必照你们达到我耳中的话待你们： ²⁹ 你们的尸首必倒在这旷野，并且你们中间凡被数点的、按着共有数目、从二十岁以外向我发怨言的， ³⁰ 必不得进我起誓应许使你们住在的那地；惟有耶孚尼的儿子迦勒和嫩的儿子约书亚才能进去。 ³¹ 但你们的小孩，就是你们所说必被掳掠的，我必领他们进去，他们就得知你们所厌弃的那地。 ³² 至于你们，你们的尸首必倒在这旷野； ³³ 你们的儿女必在旷野飘流四十年，担当你们淫行的罪，直到你们的尸首在旷野消灭。 ³⁴ 按你们窥探那地的日数共有四十日，一日顶一年，你们要担当罪孽四十年，就知道我与你们疏远是怎样一回事。 ³⁵ 我耶和华说过，我必要这样待这一切聚集的恶会众；他们必在这旷野消灭，在那里死亡。
此处是神对摩西祷告的答复，其中既有怜悯，也有审判。先是私下对摩西说的（民14:20-25），继而吩咐向百姓公开宣告（民14:26-35）。其中多次重复同样的话，表明这些决定是不可更改的。请详看各点。
I. 那顶严厉的判语得以撤回（民14:20）：我……赦免了他们——不再一时将他们全然剪除、剥夺其产业。请看祷告的能力，并神何等乐意尊崇祷告。他本定意赦免，但摩西要得着借祷告得着的赞美：这事要照你的话成就；这样，他如君王一般，与神有能，并且得胜。请看神何等鼓励我们为别人代求，使我们能在祷告中存公心。在这里，一个义人恳切的祷告，拯救了整个民族。请看神何等乐意赦罪，何等易于恳求：摩西说赦免（民14:19）；神说我……赦免了（民14:20）。大卫所遇见的神也是这样快显怜悯（诗32:5）。他没有按我们的罪过待我们（诗103:10）。
II. 总而言之，神决定荣耀他自己的名（民14:21）。这话说了，这话也起了誓：遍地必被耶和华的荣耀充满。摩西在祷告中对神的荣耀曾显出极大的关切。神说："由我罢，我要在这事的安排上稳妥地保全、推进它。"全地都要看见神何等恨恶罪——就是在他自己百姓中的罪——并要为之追讨；又看见他何等有恩典、有怜悯，何等不轻易发怒。这样，当我们的救主祷告说父啊，愿你荣耀你的名时，他立即得着回答：我已经荣耀了我的名，还要再荣耀（约12:28）。须知，凡诚心寻求神荣耀的，必得着他们所寻求的。神既把这一为荣耀他自己而发的祷告转为应许，我们便可把它转为赞美，与众天使同声（赛6:3）：全地都充满他的荣耀。
III. 惹动神起来对付这百姓的他们的罪，在此被加重了（民14:22、27）。这罪并未说得比实际更重，乃是显明它实在极其邪恶。这是恶会众——个人固然不好，聚在一起更为恶劣。1. 他们试探神——试探他的权能，看他在艰难中能否救助；试探他的良善，看他愿否；试探他的信实，看他的应许是否成就。他们也试探他的公义，看他是否对他们的过犯动怒、是否刑罚。他们挑激他，实际上向他挑战，正如神向偶像挑战那样（赛41:23），看它能行善或行恶。2. 他们向他发怨言。这点经上多次强调（民14:27）。他们既 questioning 他要作什么，又为他所作或已作的一切与他争吵，不住地烦躁、找岔。看不出他们对神所赐的律例与典章有任何怨言（虽然这些成了沉重的轭），却对所受的引领与所得的供应发怨言。须知，叫自己顺服宗教外表的礼仪、谨守一切敬虔的规条，远比在日常生活行事中过一种倚靠并顺服神护理的生活容易得多。3. 他们在看见神在埃及与旷野所行的神迹之后，仍然如此（民14:22）。他们不信自己的眼睛——这些眼睛正为神作见证，见证他确实在他们中间。4. 他们重复这过犯十次，就是非常多次：犹太作者认为这正合会众曾惹动神的第十次。第一次，在红海（出14:11）。在玛拉（出15:23-24）。在汛的旷野（出16:2）。在利非订（出17:1-2）。金牛犊（出32:1-35）。然后在他备拉。然后在基博罗哈他瓦（民11:1-35）。这样，这就是第十次了。须知，神记下我们重复过犯的次数，迟早必把它们陈列在我们眼前。5. 他们不听从他的话，虽然他已屡屡警戒他们的罪。
IV. 因此罪而加于他们的判语。1. 他们必不得看见应许之地（民14:23），也不得进去（民14:30）。他在怒中起誓说，他们断不可进入他的安息（诗95:11）。须知，对应许的不信，就是对其福分的弃绝。凡藐视那美地的，必被关在门外。神的应许要向他们的后裔成全，却不向他们成全。2. 他们必立即退回旷野（民14:25）。他们下一步的迁移必是退后。他们必须掉转方向，不再向迦南前进——他们如今已在迦南边界——而要再度向红海退去。明日你们要转回；就是说："不久你们必被带回你们所厌倦的那广大荒凉的旷野。如今你们当为自身的安全及早迁移，因为亚玛力人埋伏在谷中，若你们前行，他们必袭击。"他们曾不信地惧怕这些人（民13:29），如今神就公义地借这些人吓阻他们。恶人所害怕的，必临到他。3. 凡现今已成年的人必死在旷野——不是一时都死，乃是渐渐死去。他们曾巴不得死在旷野，神便对他们这冲动的愿望说了阿们，使他们的罪成为他们的毁灭，用他们口中的话缠住他们，使他们自己的舌头落到他们身上，照他们的话待他们，并断定他们的尸首必倒在旷野（民14:28-29、32、35）。请看他们如今因罪使自己卑贱，便被何等轻看；当耶和华的灵离开他们时，那些勇士不过是尸首而已。他们都如死人一般。他们的祖宗曾如此看重迦南，情愿把自己的尸首运到那里埋葬，以表明他们信靠神要使他们得那地为业的应许；这些人既藐视那美地、又不信其应许，就不得有被葬在其中的尊荣，只在旷野得着坟墓。4. 照这判语，他们要在旷野来回飘流四十年——如同迷路的旅客——就是从出埃及到进迦南足有四十年（民14:33-34）。他们被如此长久地飘流：(1.) 为对应探子窥探那地的日数。他们既不肯信神的话，情愿等四十天等人的见证，所以公义地被罚等四十年等神应许的成全。(2.) 为借此使他们悔改，并在来世蒙神怜悯——无论他们在今世结局如何。如今他们有工夫回想自己，省察己路；旷野的艰难也要帮助他们自卑，试验他们，显明他们心中所存的（申8:2）。这样长久，他们担当自己的罪孽，感受神怒气的重量。他们被压在自己罪孽的重担之下——这罪孽原是他们的负担所由来，他们实在担当不起。(3.) 为叫他们切身体会神的圣约百姓与他断绝是何等危险：你们就知道我与你们疏远——既知道其缘由，是因你们的罪招致的（因为神总不离开任何一个人，直到那人先离开他）；又知道其后果，必招致你们的毁灭；你们被逐出圣约之外，便是全然败亡。(4.) 为在这段时期中，兴起一代新人——这不能一蹴而就。儿女既在神向他们父辈不悦的记号下长大，这样担当他们淫行的罪（就是担当他们罪的刑罚，尤其是他们围绕金牛犊的拜偶像之罪——这罪神如今追讨他们），就当受警诫，不可随他们父辈悖逆的脚踪行。他们在旷野长久飘流，也必使迦南至终更受欢迎。看来摩西正是在这判语之时写了诗篇第90篇，该篇十分贴切于以色列当时的处境，其中教导他们祷告：这判语既不能撤回，就求它成为叫人成圣的判语，使他们学会把心归于智慧。
V. 与这严厉判语相掺的怜悯。
1. 对迦勒和约书亚的怜悯：他们虽要与其余的人一同在旷野飘流，但在一切现今二十岁以上的人中，惟独他们两人要存活过被放逐的年日，活到进迦南。这里只提到迦勒（民14:24），并给他特别的尊荣印记：(1.) 在他所受的描写上：他另有一个心志——与其余探子不同，是后来之心（就是给他第二念头的），他专心跟从耶和华——紧守本分，贯彻到底，纵然被孤立、受威吓；(2.) 在所应许的报答上：*我必在适当的时候领他进入他所去过的那地。*须知：[1.] 我们各人当以此为大关怀、大努力——专心跟从耶和华。我们必须在顺服神旨、服事神荣的路上跟从他——毫无分别地普遍跟从，毫不假冒地正直跟从，毫不争辩地欢然跟从，毫不退后地恒久跟从；这就是专心跟从。[2.] 凡要专心跟从神的，必须有另一个心志——与世界的灵不同，与自己素来的心志也不同。他们必须有迦勒的心志。[3.] 在普遍背道之时专心跟从神的人，神必在普遍灾难之时借特别的保守看顾他们、尊荣他们。属天的迦南必作专心跟从耶和华之人永远的产业。迦勒再被提及时（民14:30），约书亚与他同列，被同样的恩惠环绕，戴同样的冠冕，因他曾与他同在同样的服事中。
2. 对这些悖逆者之儿女的怜悯。他们的后裔要蒙保守，迦南要为他们守住：你们的小孩——如今二十岁以下的——就是你们在不信中所说必被掳掠的，我必领他们进去（民14:31）。他们曾阴险地控告神有意毁灭他们的儿女（民14:3）。神要让他们知道，他能区分有罪与无辜，能剪除他们而不动他们的儿女。这样，所应许亚伯拉罕的话虽似暂时落空，却永不落空；神虽用杖责罚他们的过犯，他的慈爱却永不全然收回。
Originale inglese
God's Answer to Moses; The Israelites Threatened (1490 BC)
²⁰ And the LORD said, I have pardoned according to thy word:
²¹ But as truly as I live, all the earth shall be filled with the glory of the LORD.
²² Because all those men which have seen my glory, and my miracles, which I did in Egypt and in the wilderness, and have tempted me now these ten times, and have not hearkened to my voice;
²³ Surely they shall not see the land which I sware unto their fathers, neither shall any of them that provoked me see it:
²⁴ But my servant Caleb, because he had another spirit with him, and hath followed me fully, him will I bring into the land whereinto he went; and his seed shall possess it.
²⁵ (Now the Amalekites and the Canaanites dwelt in the valley.) To morrow turn you, and get you into the wilderness by the way of the Red sea.
²⁶ And the LORD spake unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying,
²⁷ How long shall I bear with this evil congregation, which murmur against me? I have heard the murmurings of the children of Israel, which they murmur against me.
²⁸ Say unto them, As truly as I live, saith the LORD, as ye have spoken in mine ears, so will I do to you:
²⁹ Your carcases shall fall in this wilderness; and all that were numbered of you, according to your whole number, from twenty years old and upward, which have murmured against me,
³⁰ Doubtless ye shall not come into the land, concerning which I sware to make you dwell therein, save Caleb the son of Jephunneh, and Joshua the son of Nun.
³¹ But your little ones, which ye said should be a prey, them will I bring in, and they shall know the land which ye have despised.
³² But as for you, your carcases, they shall fall in this wilderness.
³³ And your children shall wander in the wilderness forty years, and bear your whoredoms, until your carcases be wasted in the wilderness.
³⁴ After the number of the days in which ye searched the land, even forty days, each day for a year, shall ye bear your iniquities, even forty years, and ye shall know my breach of promise.
³⁵ I the LORD have said, I will surely do it unto all this evil congregation, that are gathered together against me: in this wilderness they shall be consumed, and there they shall die.
We have here God's answer to the prayer of Moses, which sings both of mercy and judgment. It is given privately to Moses (Nu 14:20-25), and then directed to be made public to the people, Nu 14:26-35. The frequent repetitions of the same things in it speak these resolves to be unalterable. Let us see the particulars.
I. The extremity of the sentence is receded from (Nu 14:20): "I have pardoned, so as not to cut them all off at once, and disinherit them." See the power of prayer, and the delight God takes in putting an honour upon it. He designed a pardon, but Moses shall have the praise of obtaining it by prayer: it shall be done according to thy word; thus, as a prince, he has power with God, and prevails. See what countenance and encouragement God gives to our intercessions for others, that we may be public-spirited in prayer. Here is a whole nation rescued from ruin by the effectual fervent prayer of one righteous man. See how ready God is to forgive sin, and how easy to be entreated: Pardon, says Moses (Nu 14:19); I have pardoned, says God, Nu 14:20. David found him thus swift to show mercy, Ps 32:5. He deals not with us after our sins, Ps 103:10.
II. The glorifying of God's name is, in the general, resolved upon, Nu 14:21. It is said, it is sworn, All the earth shall be filled with the glory of the Lord. Moses in his prayer had shown a great concern for the glory of God. "Let me alone," says God, "to secure that effectually, and to advance it, by this dispensation." All the world shall see how God hates sin even in his own people, and will reckon for it, and yet how gracious and merciful he is, and how slow to anger. Thus when our Saviour prayed, Father, glorify thy name, he was immediately answered, I have glorified it, and will glorify it yet again, Joh 12:28. Note, Those that sincerely seek God's glory may be sure of what they seek. God having turned this prayer for the glorifying of himself into a promise, we may turn it into praise, in concert with the angels, Isa 6:3, The earth is full of his glory.
III. The sin of this people which provoked God to proceed against them is here aggravated, Nu 14:22,27. It is not made worse than really it was, but is shown to be exceedingly sinful. It was an evil congregation, each bad, but altogether in congregation, very bad. 1. They tempted God—tempted his power, whether he could help them in their straits—his goodness, whether he would—and his faithfulness, whether his promise would be performed. They tempted his justice, whether he would resent their provocations and punish them or no. They dared him, and in effect challenged him, as God does the idols (Isa 41:23), to do good, or do evil. 2. They murmured against him. This is much insisted on, Nu 14:27. As they questioned what he would do, so they quarrelled with him for every thing he did or had done, continually fretting and finding fault. It does not appear that they murmured at any of the laws or ordinances that God gave them (though they proved a heavy yoke), but they murmured at the conduct they were under, and the provision made for them. Note, It is much easier to bring ourselves to the external services of religion, and observe all the formalities of devotion, than to live a life of dependence upon, and submission to, the divine Providence in the course of our conversation. 3. They did this after they had seen God's miracles in Egypt and in the wilderness, Nu 14:2. They would not believe their own eyes, which were witnesses for God that he was in the midst of them of a truth. 4. They had repeated the provocations ten times, that is, very often: the Jewish writers reckon this exactly the tenth time that the body of the congregation had provoked God. First, at the Red Sea, Ex 14:11. In Marah, Ex 15:23,24. In the wilderness of Sin, Ex 16:2. At Rephidim, Ex 17:1,2. The golden calf, Ex 32:1-35. Then at Taberah. Then at Kibroth-Hattaavah, Nu 11:1-35. And so this was the tenth. Note, God keeps an account how often we repeat our provocations, and will sooner or later set them in order before us. 5. They had not hearkened to his voice, though he had again and again admonished them of their sin.
IV. The sentence passed upon them for this sin. 1. That they should not see the promised land (Nu 14:23), nor come into it, Nu 14:30. He swore in his wrath that they should not enter into his rest, Ps 95:11. Note, Disbelief of the promise is a forfeiture of the benefit of it. Those that despise the pleasant land shall be shut out of it. The promise of God should be fulfilled to their posterity, but not to them. 2. That they should immediately turn back into the wilderness, Nu 14:25. Their next remove should be a retreat. They must face about, and instead of going forward to Canaan, on the very borders of which they now were, they must withdraw towards the Red Sea again. To-morrow turn you; that is, "Very shortly you shall be brought back to that vast howling wilderness which you are so weary of. And it is time to shift for your own safety, for the Amalekites lie in wait in the valley, ready to attack you if you march forward." Of them they had been distrustfully afraid (Nu 13:29), and now with them God justly frightened them. The fear of the wicked shall come upon him. 3. That all those who had now grown up to men's estate should die in the wilderness, not all at once, but by degrees. They wished that they might die in the wilderness, and God said Amen to their passionate wish, and made their sin their ruin, snared them in the words of their mouth, and caused their own tongue to fall upon them, took them at their word, and determined that their carcases should fall in the wilderness, Nu 14:28,29, and again, Nu 14:32,35. See with what contempt they are spoken of, now that they had by their sin made themselves vile; the mighty men of valour were but carcases, when the Spirit of the Lord had departed from them. They were all as dead men. Their fathers had such a value for Canaan that they desired to have their dead bodies carried thither to be buried, in token of their dependence upon God's promise that they should have that land for a possession: but these, having despised that good land and disbelieved the promise of it, shall not have the honour to be buried in it, but shall have their graves in the wilderness. 4. That in pursuance of this sentence they should wander to and fro in the wilderness, like travellers that have lost themselves, for forty years; that is, so long as to make it full forty years from their coming out of Egypt to their entrance into Canaan, Nu 14:33,34. Thus long they were kept wandering, (1.) To answer the number of the days in which the spies were searching the land. They were content to wait forty days for the testimony of men, because they could not take God's word; and therefore justly are they kept forty years waiting for the performance of God's promise. (2.) That hereby they might be brought to repentance, and find mercy with God in the other world, whatever became of them in this. Now they had time to bethink themselves, and to consider their ways; and the inconveniences of the wilderness would help to humble them and prove them, and show them what was in their heart, De 8:2. Thus long they bore their iniquities, feeling the weight of God's wrath in the punishment. They were made to groan under the burden of their own sin that brought it upon them, which was too heavy for them to bear. (3.) That they might sensibly feel what a dangerous thing it is for God's covenant-people to break with him: "You shall know my breach of promise, both the causes of it, that it is procured by your sin" (for God never leaves any till they first leave him), "and the consequences of it, that it will produce your ruin; you are quite undone when you are thrown out of covenant." (4.) That a new generation might in this time be raised up, which could not be done all of a sudden. And the children, being brought up under the tokens of God's displeasure against their fathers, and so bearing their whoredoms (that is, the punishment of their sins, especially their idolatry about the golden calf, which God now remembered against them), might take warning not to tread in the steps of their fathers' disobedience. And their wandering so long in the wilderness would make Canaan at last the more welcome to them. It should seem that upon occasion of this sentence Moses penned the Ps 90:1-17, which is very apposite to the present state of Israel, and wherein they are taught to pray that since this sentence could not be reversed it might be sanctified, and they might learn to apply their hearts unto wisdom.
V. The mercy that was mixed with this severe sentence.
1. Mercy to Caleb and Joshua, that though they should wander with the rest in the wilderness, yet they, and only they of all that were now above twenty years old, should survive the years of banishment, and live to enter Canaan. Caleb only is spoken of (Nu 14:24), and a particular mark of honour put upon him, both, (1.) In the character given of him: he had another spirit, different from the rest of the spies, an after-spirit, which furnished him with second thoughts, and he followed the Lord fully, kept close to his duty, and went through with it, though deserted and threatened; and, (2.) In the recompence promised to him: Him will I bring in due time into the land whereinto he went. Note, [1.] It ought to be the great care and endeavour of every one of us to follow the Lord fully. We must, in a course of obedience to God's will and of service to his honour, follow him universally, without dividing,—uprightly, without dissembling,—cheerfully, without disputing,—and constantly, without declining; and this is following him fully. [2.] Those that would follow God fully must have another spirit, another from the spirit of the world, and another from what their own spirit has been. They must have the spirit of Caleb. [3.] Those that follow God fully in times of general apostasy God will own and honour by singular preservations in times of general calamity. The heavenly Canaan shall be the everlasting inheritance of those that follow the Lord fully. When Caleb is again mentioned (Nu 14:30) Joshua stands with him, compassed with the same favours and crowned with the same honours, having stood with him in the same services.
2. Mercy to the children even of these rebels. They should have a seed preserved, and Canaan secured to that seed: Your little ones, now under twenty years old, which you, in your unbelief, said should be a prey, them will I bring in, Nu 14:31. They had invidiously charged God with a design to ruin their children, Nu 14:3. But God will let them know that he can put a difference between the guilty and the innocent, and cut them off without touching their children. Thus the promise made to Abraham, though it seemed to fail for a time, was kept from failing for evermore; and, though God chastened their transgressions with a rod, yet his loving kindness he would not utterly take away.
36-45
Death of the Evil Spies (1490 BC)
简体中文
恶探子之死（公元前1490年）
³⁶ 摩西所打发去窥探那地的人，回来以后使全会众向摩西发怨言，毁谤那地。 ³⁷ 这些报恶信毁谤那地的人，都遭瘟疫，死在耶和华面前。 ³⁸ 其中去窥探那地的人中，嫩的儿子约书亚和耶孚尼的儿子迦勒仍然存活。 ³⁹ 摩西将这些话告诉以色列众人，他们就甚悲哀。 ⁴⁰ 他们清早起来，上到山顶，说，我们在这里，我们要上耶和华所应许的地方去；因为我们有罪了。 ⁴¹ 摩西说，你们为何违犯耶和华的命令呢？这事不能亨通。 ⁴² 不要上去，因为耶和华不在你们中间；免得你们在仇敌面前被杀。 ⁴³ 亚玛力人和迦南人都在你们面前，你们必倒在刀下；因为你们已经转离不跟从耶和华，所以耶和华必不与你们同在。 ⁴⁴ 他们却擅敢上山顶去；然而耶和华的约柜和摩西都没有出营。 ⁴⁵ 于是住在那山地的亚玛力人和迦南人都下来，击打他们，杀败他们，直到何珥玛。
此处所述：I. 十个恶探子突然之死。当判语正临到百姓身上、尚未公布之时，他们遭瘟疫，死在耶和华面前（民14:36-37）。如今：
1. 神借此特别显明他对那些自己犯罪、又使以色列犯罪之人的不悦。(1.) 他们自己犯罪——毁谤了应许之地。须知，那些歪曲宗教、向其投以耻辱、在人心中挑起对其偏见，或给寻机之人留下机会如此行的人，大大惹动神怒。那些把事奉神描写为卑微可鄙、忧郁不乐、艰难难行、不必要、无益的人，就是向那美地报恶信，曲解耶和华的正道，实际上就是把神当作说谎的。(2.) 他们使以色列犯罪——他们有意使全会众向神发怨言。须知，罪的魁首当料想落在神怒气的特别记号之下；神必为如此所流的灵魂之血严厉追讨。
2. 神借此显明他对全会众本可行何事，又作为如今所判之刑执行的凭据。能这样从一支派中剪除一人的，也必能忽然剪除他们的众支派，并要渐渐如此行。须知，恶名昭彰之罪人引人注目的死，乃是不敬虔之人最终灭亡的凭据（彼后2:5-6）。这样，神的怒气便显明出来，叫罪人听见而惧怕。
II. 迦勒与约书亚特别的保全：他们仍然存活（民14:38）。大概十二个探子都站在一起，因以色列众人的眼目如今都注视着他们；所以当十个恶探子因瘟疫——一种恶性传染病——倒地而死时，这二人虽在他们中间却仍然存活、安然无恙，便十分引人注目，全会众也不能不深受感动。神借此印证了他们的见证，又叫那说要拿石头打他们的人蒙羞。神也借此向他们保证：他们在旷野中必继续蒙保守——虽然有千万人仆倒在他们左右（诗91:7）。死亡总不偏离它的目标，也不因疏忽带走那定意要存活的人，纵然他在该死的人中间。
III. 判语向众百姓公布（民14:36）。摩西把已经出来关于他们的、且不能撤回的判令——他们都要死在旷野，迦南要留给下一代——告诉了他们。这对摩西自己也是极大的失望——他切望到迦南去——对众百姓也是这样；然而他顺服，他们却哀哭甚悲哀。摩西因确知神要借这判语得荣耀而心满意足；他们却因自觉有罪、并知道这是自己招来的而极其懊恼。他们曾无故而哭（民14:1），如今神给了他们当哭的因由——发怨言的人这样被变为哀哭的人，真是公道。他们若在受忠心责备之时就为罪哀痛（民14:9），这判语本可免去；如今他们只为刑罚而哀痛，悲伤已晚，对他们毫无益处；他们虽然号哭切求，却得不着门路使父亲的心回转（参来12:17）。这样的哀哭阴间里也有，只是眼泪不能熄灭火焰，连舌头也不能凉一凉。
IV. 一些以色列人不顾判语、想要进入迦南的愚蠢而徒然的尝试。
1. 他们如今急切地要向迦南前进（民14:40）。他们一早起来，集合全军，组成一阵，恳求摩西领他们去迎敌；如今他们再不提另立首领回埃及的话了。他们认罪：我们有罪了；他们表示悔改：*我们在这里，我们要上去。*他们如今渴慕他们曾藐视之地，又信靠他们曾不信的应许。这样，神审判之时必能得胜，迟早必使罪人知罪，晓得他们一切不敬虔的作为、和所说刚愎之话的邪恶，并迫使他们收回自己的话。然而他们的这番反悔虽荣耀了神，他们自己却未从中得益，因为太晚了。判令已出，灭绝已定；他们没有在可寻求之时寻求主，如今主便不被寻见。唉，人若在恩典之日还存留的时候，能像那日子过去之后那样恳切地切慕天国，能像新郎迟延之时那样殷勤地为自己预备油，能像新郎来到之时那样切慕，对他们真是何等好！
2. 摩西完全不准他们的动议，禁止他们所筹划的远征：不要上去（民14:41-43）。(1.) 他警告他们所犯的罪：这是违犯耶和华的命令——神曾明令他们迁移时要回头向红海去。须知，那原本合乎时令是本分的，若用得不是时候，反可成为罪。他所引的命令性质上虽是刑罚，但不遵行律法的人也必须服刑——因为耶和华不但是立法者，也是审判者。(2.) 他又警告他们所面临的危险：这事不能亨通，不要盼望。"迦南人就在你们面前要攻击你们，而耶和华不在你们中间保护你们、为你们争战，所以你们当自慎，免得你们在仇敌面前被杀。"凡偏离本分之路的，便是离开了神的保护，是自己冒险。我们不能盼望神与我们同去的地方，往那里去是危险的。不但如此，他明明预见并预言他们的败亡：你们必倒在（原该倒在他们刀下的）亚玛力人和迦南人的 刀下；因为你们已经转离不跟从耶和华——不跟随他诫命与应许的引导——*所以耶和华必不与你们同在。*须知，神必弃绝那离弃他的人；被神所弃的人便暴露在一切灾祸之下。
3. 他们却仍冒险前去。从来没有一个百姓如此悖谬，凡事上如此决意与神相违。神叫他们去，他们不肯；神禁止他们，他们偏要去。这样，属肉体的心就是与神为仇：他们擅敢上山顶去（民14:44）。在此：(1.) 他们抗拒神圣公义的判语，要不顾一切地强求上进。(2.) 他们轻看神同在的记号，因为他们把摩西和约柜都留在营里自己去了。他们曾不信神的权能，如今却在自己没有神的情况下妄自托大。
4. 远征果然失败（民14:45）。仇敌早已在山顶上把守，要坚守那关口抵挡入侵者；他们既由探子得知以色列人前来，便出来攻击，击败了他们，大概许多以色列人被杀。这样，他们尸首必倒在旷野的判语便开始执行了。须知，凡以罪开始的事，绝不能善终。要得与朋友和睦、胜过仇敌之路，就是以神为我们的朋友，常守在他的爱中。犹太人如同他们的祖宗一样：既拒绝了基督的义，便试图立自己的义，结果也如这次一样失败。
Originale inglese
Death of the Evil Spies (1490 BC)
³⁶ 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,
³⁷ Even those men that did bring up the evil report upon the land, died by the plague before the LORD.
³⁸ But Joshua the son of Nun, and Caleb the son of Jephunneh, which were of the men that went to search the land, lived still.
³⁹ And Moses told these sayings unto all the children of Israel: and the people mourned greatly.
⁴⁰ 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.
⁴¹ And Moses said, Wherefore now do ye transgress the commandment of the LORD? but it shall not prosper.
⁴² Go not up, for the LORD is not among you; that ye be not smitten before your enemies.
⁴³ For the Amalekites and the Canaanites are there before you, and ye shall fall by the sword: because ye are turned away from the LORD, therefore the LORD will not be with you.
⁴⁴ But they presumed to go up unto the hill top: nevertheless the ark of the covenant of the LORD, and Moses, departed not out of the camp.
⁴⁵ Then the Amalekites came down, and the Canaanites which dwelt in that hill, and smote them, and discomfited them, even unto Hormah.
Here is, I. The sudden death of the ten evil spies. While the sentence was passing upon the people, before it was published, they died of the plague before the Lord, Nu 14:36,37. Now,
1. God hereby showed his particular displeasure against those who sinned and made Israel to sin. (1.) They sinned themselves, in bringing up a slander upon the land of promise. Note, Those greatly provoke God who misrepresent religion, cast reproach upon it, and raise prejudices in men's minds against it, or give occasion to those to do so who seek occasion. Those that represent the service of God as mean and despicable, melancholy and uncomfortable, hard and impracticable, needless and unprofitable, bring up an evil report upon the good land, pervert the right ways of the Lord, and in effect give him the lie. (2.) They made Israel to sin. They designedly made all the congregation murmur against God. Note, Ring-leaders in sin may expect to fall under particular marks of the wrath of God, who will severely reckon for the blood of souls, which is thus spilt.
2. God hereby showed what he could have done with the whole congregation, and gave an earnest of the execution of the sentence now passed upon them. He that thus cut off one of a tribe could have cut off their whole tribes suddenly, and would do it gradually. Note, The remarkable deaths of notorious sinners are earnests of the final perdition of ungodly men, 2Pe 2:5,6. Thus the wrath of God is revealed, that sinners may hear and fear.
II. The special preservation of Caleb and Joshua: They lived still, Nu 14:38. It is probable that all the twelve spies stood together, for the eyes of all Israel were now upon them; and therefore it is taken notice of as very remarkable, and which could not but be affecting to the whole congregation, that when the ten evil spies fell down dead of the plague, a malignant infectious distemper, yet these two that stood among them lived, and were well. God hereby confirmed their testimony, and put those to confusion that spoke of stoning them. He likewise gave them an assurance of their continued preservation in the wilderness, when thousands should fall on their right hand and on their left, Ps 91:7. Death never misses his mark, nor takes any by oversight that were designed for life, though in the midst of those that were to die.
III. The publication of the sentence to all the people, Nu 14:36. He told them all what the decree was which had gone forth concerning them, and which could not be reversed, that they must all die in the wilderness, and Canaan must be reserved for the next generation. It was a very great disappointment, we may well think, to Moses himself, who longed to be in Canaan, as well as to all the people; yet he acquiesced, but they wept and mourned greatly. The assurance which Moses had of God's being glorified by this sentence gave him satisfaction, while the consciousness of their own guilt, and their having procured it to themselves, gave them the greatest vexation. They wept for nothing (Nu 14:1), and now they have cause given them to weep; so justly are murmurers made mourners. If they had mourned for the sin when they were faithfully reproved for it (Nu 14:9), the sentence would have been prevented; but now that they mourned for the judgment only their grief came too late, and did them no service; they found no place for repentance, though they sought it carefully with tears, Heb 12:17. Such mourning as this there is in hell, but the tears will not quench the flames, no, nor cool the tongue.
IV. The foolish fruitless attempts of some of the Israelites to enter Canaan, notwithstanding the sentence.
1. They were now eager to go forward towards Canaan, Nu 14:40. They were up early, mustered all their force, got together in a body, and begged of Moses to lead them on against the enemy, and now there is no more talk among them of making a captain to return into Egypt. They confess their fault: We have sinned; they profess reformation: Lo, we be here, and will go up. They now desire the land which they had despised, and put a confidence in the promise which they had distrusted. Thus when God judges he will overcome, and, first or last, will convince sinners of the evil of all their ungodly deeds, and hard speeches, and force them to recall their own words. But, though God was glorified by this recantation of theirs, they were not benefited by it, because it came too late. The decree had gone forth, the consumption was determined; they did not seek the Lord while he might be found, and now he would not be found. O, if men would but be as earnest for heaven while their day of grace lasts as they will be when it is over, would be as solicitous to provide themselves with oil while the bridegroom tarries as they will be when the bridegroom comes, how well were it for them!
2. Moses utterly disallows their motion, and forbids the expedition they were meditating: Go not up, Nu 14:41-43. (1.) He gives them warning of the sin; it is transgressing the commandment of the Lord, who had expressly ordered them, when they did move, to move back towards the Red Sea. Note, That which has been duty, in its season, when it comes to be mistimed may be turned into sin. It is true the command he refers to was in the nature of a punishment, but he that has not obeyed the law is obliged to submit to the penalty, for the Lord is our Judge as well as Lawgiver. (2.) He gives them this warning of the danger: "It shall not prosper, never expect it." Note, It is folly to promise ourselves success in that which we undertake contrary to the mind of God. "The Canaanites are before you to attack you, and the Lord is not among you to protect you and fight for you, and therefore look to yourselves that you be not smitten before your enemies." Those that are out of the way of their duty are from under God's protection, and go at their peril. It is dangerous going where we cannot expect God should go along with us. Nay, he plainly foresees and foretells their defeat: You shall fall by the sword of the Amalekites and Canaanites (who were to have fallen by their sword); Because you are turned away from the Lord, from following the guidance of his precept and promise, therefore the Lord will not be with you. Note, God will certainly leave those that leave him; and those that are left of him lie exposed to all misery.
3. They venture notwithstanding. Never was people so perverse and so desperately resolved in every thing to walk contrary to God. God bade them go, and they would not; he forbade them, and they would. Thus is the carnal mind enmity to God: They presumed to go up unto the hill-top, Nu 14:44. Here, (1.) They struggled against the sentence of divine justice, and would press on in defiance of it. (2.) They slighted the tokens of God's presence, for they would go though they left Moses and the ark of the covenant behind them. They had distrusted God's strength, and now they presume upon their own without his.
4. The expedition speeds accordingly, Nu 14:45. The enemy had posted themselves upon the top of the hill, to make good that pass against the invaders, and, being informed by their scouts of their approach, sallied out upon them, and defeated them, and it is probable that many of the Israelites were killed. Now the sentence began to be executed that their carcases should fall in the wilderness. Note, That affair can never end well that begins with sin. The way to obtain peace with our friends, and success against our enemies, is to make God our friend, and keep ourselves in his love. The Jews, like these their ancestors, when they had rejected Christ's righteousness, attempted to establish their own, and it sped as this.
民数记第十四章
本章记载了神与以色列之间那场致命的争端；因他们的怨言与不信，他在怒中起誓说，他们断不可进入他的安息。这里所记的是：
I. 因恶探的报告，以色列向神发起叛乱与悖逆，民 14:1-4。
II. 摩西、亚伦、迦勒与约书亚竭力平息骚动，却徒劳无功，民 14:5-10。
III. 被触怒的神公义地宣告要将他们全然灭绝，民 14:11,12。
IV. 摩西为他们谦卑代求，民 14:13-19。
V. 因摩西的祷告，判决得着减轻：他们不致全被剪除；然而判决既以起誓确定，便向百姓公布，且再三重复：这整代会众必在旷野灭亡，除迦勒与约书亚之外，无人能进入迦南，民 14:20-35。
VI. 恶探当场死亡，民 14:36-39。
VII. 那些仍执意上前之民受到的责罚，民 14:40-45。
这些事写在经上，正是为警戒我们，叫我们"不要效法那不信的悖逆之人而跌倒"。