The Wilderness Years

Amalec dwelleth in the south, the Hethite and the Jebusite and the Amorrhite in the mountains: but the Chanaanite abideth by the sea and near the streams of the Jordan.

In the mean time Caleb, to still the murmuring of the people that rose against Moses, said: Let us go up and possess the land, for we shall be able to conquer it.

But the others, that had been with him, said: No, we are not able to go up to this people, because they are stronger than we.

And they spoke ill of the land, which they had viewed, before the children of Israel, saying: The land which we have viewed, devoureth its inhabitants: the people, that we beheld are of a tall stature.

Therefore the whole multitude crying wept that night.

And all the children of Israel murmured against Moses and Aaron, saying:

Would God that we had died in Egypt: and would God we may die in this vast wilderness, and that the Lord may not bring us into this land, lest we fall by the sword, and our wives and children be led away captives. Is it not better to return into Egypt?

And they said one to another: Let us appoint a captain, and let us return into Egypt.

And when Moses and Aaron heard this, they fell down flat upon the ground before the multitude of the children of Israel.

But Josue the son of Nun, and Caleb the son of Jephone, who themselves also had viewed the land, rent their garments,

And said to all the multitude of the children of Israel: The land which we have gone round is very good:

If the Lord be favourable, he will bring us into it, and give us a land flowing with milk and honey.

Be not rebellious against the Lord: and fear ye not the people of this land, for we are able to eat them up as bread. All aid is gone from them: the Lord is with us, fear ye not.

And when all the multitude cried out, and would have stoned them, the glory of the Lord appeared over the tabernacle of the covenant to all the children of Israel.

And the Lord said to Moses: How long will this people detract me? how long will they not believe me for all the signs that I have wrought before them?

I will strike them therefore with pestilence, and will consume them: but thee I will make a ruler over a great nation, and a mightier than this is.

And Moses said to the Lord: That the Egyptians, from the midst of whom thou hast brought forth this people,

And the inhabitants of this land, (who have heard that thou, O Lord, art among this people, and art seen face to face, and thy cloud protecteth them, and thou goest before them in a pillar of a cloud by day, and in a pillar of fire by night,)

May hear that thou hast killed so great a multitude as it were one man and may say:

He could not bring the people into the land for which he had sworn, therefore did he kill them in the wilderness.

Let then the strength of the Lord be magnified, as thou hast sworn, saying:

The Lord is patient and full of mercy, by taking away iniquity and wickedness, and leaving no man clear, who visitest the sins of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation.

Forgive, I beseech thee, the sins of this people, according to the greatness of thy mercy, as thou hast been merciful to them from their going out of Egypt unto this place.

And the Lord said: I have forgiven according to thy word.

As I live: and the whole earth shall be filled with the glory of the Lord.