But with many of them God was not well pleased: for they were overthrown in the wilderness.
But {G235} with {G1722} many {G4119} of them {G846} God {G2316} was {G2106} not {G3756} well pleased {G2106}: for {G1063} they were overthrown {G2693} in {G1722} the wilderness {G2048}.
Yet with the majority of them God was not pleased, so their bodies were strewn across the desert.
Nevertheless, God was not pleased with most of them, for they were struck down in the wilderness.
Howbeit with most of them God was not well pleased: for they were overthrown in the wilderness.
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Hebrews 3:17
But with whom was he grieved forty years? [was it] not with them that had sinned, whose carcases fell in the wilderness? -
Jude 1:5
I will therefore put you in remembrance, though ye once knew this, how that the Lord, having saved the people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed them that believed not. -
Numbers 26:64
But among these there was not a man of them whom Moses and Aaron the priest numbered, when they numbered the children of Israel in the wilderness of Sinai. -
Numbers 26:65
For the LORD had said of them, They shall surely die in the wilderness. And there was not left a man of them, save Caleb the son of Jephunneh, and Joshua the son of Nun. -
Numbers 14:37
Even those men that did bring up the evil report upon the land, died by the plague before the LORD. -
Numbers 14:28
Say unto them, [As truly as] I live, saith the LORD, as ye have spoken in mine ears, so will I do to you: -
Numbers 14:35
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.
1 Corinthians 10:5 serves as a stark warning within Paul's letter to the Corinthian church, drawing a powerful lesson from the history of ancient Israel. Following his enumeration of the Israelites' spiritual privileges in the wilderness (the cloud, the Red Sea crossing, the manna, and water from the spiritual Rock, identified as Christ), Paul abruptly shifts to the tragic outcome for the majority of that generation.
Context
In 1 Corinthians 10:1-4, Paul reminds the Corinthians that the Israelites enjoyed extraordinary divine provision and presence. They were "under the cloud" and "passed through the sea," were "baptized unto Moses," and ate "spiritual meat" and drank "spiritual drink." These historical events, recounted in Exodus and Numbers, are presented as spiritual types or parallels to Christian experiences like baptism and communion. However, despite these profound blessings, the majority of that generation failed to enter the Promised Land. This verse, 1 Corinthians 10:5, introduces the consequence of their disobedience, setting the stage for Paul's subsequent warnings against idolatry, immorality, and grumbling.
Key Themes
Linguistic Insights
The Greek word translated "overthrown" is katestromen (κατεστρώθησαν), which literally means "to be cast down," "laid low," or "destroyed." It conveys a sense of utter defeat and ruin, emphasizing the finality of their judgment. The phrase "not well pleased" comes from ouk eudokesen (οὐκ εὐδόκησεν), indicating God "did not delight in" or "did not approve" of their conduct. It signifies a profound lack of divine favor, leading to their downfall.
Practical Application
This verse serves as a crucial reminder for all believers to avoid spiritual complacency. Paul uses the Israelites' history to caution the Corinthians against the dangers of idolatry, sexual immorality, testing Christ, and grumbling, which were prevalent sins in Corinth and led to Israel's downfall (as detailed in 1 Corinthians 10:7-10). The lesson is clear: possessing spiritual gifts or experiencing divine blessings does not negate the need for ongoing vigilance, faith, and obedience. We are called to learn from the past, to pursue holiness, and to persevere in our faith so that we may not fall short of God's promised inheritance, just as the generation in the wilderness did not enter the earthly Promised Land.