Numbers 14:22

KJV

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;

KJV (with Strong's)

Because all those men {H582} which have seen {H7200} my glory {H3519}, and my miracles {H226}, which I did {H6213} in Egypt {H4714} and in the wilderness {H4057}, and have tempted {H5254}{H853} me now these ten {H6235} times {H6471}, and have not hearkened {H8085} to my voice {H6963};

Complete Jewish Bible

none of the people who saw my glory and the signs I did in Egypt and in the desert, yet tested me these ten times and did not listen to my voice,

Berean Standard Bible

not one of the men who have seen My glory and the signs I performed in Egypt and in the wilderness—yet have tested Me and disobeyed Me these ten times—

American Standard Version

because all those men that have seen my glory, and my signs, which I wrought in Egypt and in the wilderness, yet have tempted me these ten times, and have not hearkened to my voice;

Commentary

### SUMMARY
Numbers 14:22 serves as a profound divine indictment against the generation of Israelites who, despite being direct witnesses to God's awe-inspiring glory and numerous miraculous interventions in both Egypt and the wilderness, persistently challenged His authority and refused to obey His voice. This pivotal verse articulates the cumulative nature of their chronic unbelief and rebellion, establishing the righteous basis for God's severe judgment and the consequential barring of this disobedient generation from entering the Promised Land.

### CONTEXT
* **Literary Context:** Numbers 14:22 is situated at a critical juncture in the wilderness narrative, immediately following the catastrophic report of the twelve spies dispatched to survey Canaan. In [Numbers 13](/numbers/13 "Numbers 13 - The Spies Sent into Canaan"), ten of the spies delivered a demoralizing assessment, emphasizing the formidable inhabitants and fortified cities, which overshadowed the land's inherent goodness. Only Joshua and Caleb, driven by faith, urged the people to trust God's promise and proceed. However, the congregation succumbed to fear, erupting in grumbling against the Lord and Moses, even proposing to appoint a new leader and revert to their former bondage in Egypt ([Numbers 14:1-4](/numbers/14-1-4 "Numbers 14:1-4 - Israel's Rebellion and Desire to Return to Egypt")). This verse forms an integral part of God's swift and profound response, articulating the divine rationale for His judgment against a generation that had consistently demonstrated profound unbelief despite overwhelming evidence of His power, faithfulness, and covenant commitment. It directly precedes and justifies the decree of forty years of wilderness wandering, a direct and severe consequence of their collective rebellion.
* **Historical & Cultural Context:** The Israelites, having been miraculously delivered from centuries of oppressive slavery in Egypt through a series of dramatic plagues and the awe-inspiring crossing of the Red Sea ([Exodus 14](/exodus/14 "Exodus 14 - The Crossing of the Red Sea")), were on their sacred journey toward the land promised to their patriarchal forefathers. They had entered into a solemn covenant with Yahweh at Mount Sinai, where they received the Law and experienced the tangible manifestation of God's presence through the pillar of cloud by day and fire by night, and the visible glory upon the Tabernacle. Their wilderness sojourn was divinely intended as a period of testing, purification, and spiritual formation, designed to cultivate a deep-seated trust and unwavering obedience to God. Culturally, their repeated complaints, murmuring, and expressed desire to return to Egypt reflected a common human inclination to prefer the perceived security of known hardship over the challenging demands of faith and the uncertainties of the divine path. The act of "testing God" (rooted in the Hebrew _nasah_) was considered a grave offense within the covenant relationship, implying a profound doubt in His character, omnipotence, or fidelity, particularly after such an extensive and undeniable display of His salvific power.
* **Key Themes:** This verse powerfully encapsulates several foundational themes that resonate throughout the Pentateuch and the book of Numbers. Firstly, it highlights the theme of **Divine Patience Tested**, revealing God's immense long-suffering nature, yet simultaneously demonstrating His righteous and just judgment when His forbearance is exhausted by persistent and unrepentant unbelief. The phrase "these ten times" serves as a symbolic representation of a full measure of repeated provocations, underscoring a chronic pattern of disobedience rather than a literal tally, signifying the completeness and depth of Israel's rebellion. Secondly, it profoundly emphasizes the severe **Consequences of Unbelief**, illustrating that despite God's unwavering covenant faithfulness, human rebellion and a fundamental lack of trust inevitably lead to dire outcomes, most notably their exclusion from the Promised Land ([Numbers 14:23](/numbers/14-23 "Numbers 14:23 - The Consequence of Unbelief")). This serves as a solemn and enduring warning against the spiritual perils of a hardened heart. Thirdly, it speaks directly to the **Responsibility of Witness**, asserting that those who had directly experienced God's "glory" and "miracles" were held to a higher standard of accountability. Their sin was particularly egregious because it was committed in the direct face of undeniable, overwhelming evidence of God's power, faithfulness, and abiding presence, rendering their rejection of His voice all the more culpable and inexcusable.

### EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
#### Key Word Analysis
* **Glory (Hebrew, כָּבוֹד, _kâbôwd_):** Derived from the root meaning "weight," _kâbôwd_ here signifies the tangible, weighty presence, honor, and visible manifestation of God's majesty and power. The Israelites had personally witnessed this glory in the pillar of cloud and fire that guided them, the cloud descending on Mount Sinai, and the divine presence filling the Tabernacle. This term refers to the awe-inspiring, undeniable display of God's divine nature and power that they had encountered firsthand.
* **Miracles (Hebrew, אֹתֹת, _ʼôwth_):** While translated as "miracles," the underlying Hebrew term _ʼôwth_ (plural _ʼôthōth_) more precisely means "signs" or "tokens." These were not mere coincidences but deliberate, supernatural acts of God designed to serve as clear demonstrations of His power, authority, and authentication of His word and promises. They were divine interventions intended to reveal God's character and purposes, demanding a response of faith and obedience from His people.
* **Tempted (Hebrew, נָסָה, _nâçâh_):** This primitive root means "to test," "try," or "prove." In the context of Numbers 14:22, it describes the Israelites' repeated and deliberate challenging of God's faithfulness, power, and patience through their incessant complaints, doubts, and acts of disobedience. It implies putting God to the test, as if His character or promises were in question, rather than a sincere inquiry or a test of one's own faith. This pattern of testing God is a recurring motif throughout the wilderness narrative, notably referenced in [Psalm 95:8-11](/psalm/95-8-11 "Psalm 95:8-11 - Do Not Harden Your Hearts") and explicitly cited in [Hebrews 3:7-19](/hebrews/3-7-19 "Hebrews 3:7-19 - Warning Against Unbelief").

#### Verse Breakdown
* **"Because all those men which have seen my glory":** This initial clause establishes the profound culpability of the generation being judged by emphasizing their direct, personal, and undeniable experience of God's visible presence and majesty. They were not recipients of secondhand accounts; they had witnessed God's glory with their own eyes, from the guiding pillar of cloud and fire to the overwhelming glory on Mount Sinai and within the Tabernacle. This direct encounter with divine revelation significantly heightens the gravity of their subsequent rebellion.
* **"and my miracles, which I did in Egypt and in the wilderness":** This section further specifies the overwhelming and continuous evidence of God's power and faithfulness that they had personally witnessed. In Egypt, they were eyewitnesses to the ten plagues and the miraculous parting of the Red Sea ([Exodus 14](/exodus/14 "Exodus 14 - The Crossing of the Red Sea")). Throughout their wilderness journey, they experienced the daily provision of manna ([Exodus 16](/exodus/16 "Exodus 16 - The Provision of Manna")) and water from the rock ([Exodus 17](/exodus/17 "Exodus 17 - Water from the Rock")), among countless other divine interventions. These were not isolated incidents but a continuous, tangible demonstration of God's active presence, benevolent care, and omnipotent power.
* **"and have tempted me now these ten times":** This clause emphatically highlights the repeated, persistent, and cumulative nature of Israel's rebellion and distrust. Despite the overwhelming and undeniable evidence of God's power, love, and provision, they continually challenged His authority, doubted His care, and questioned His leadership. The phrase "these ten times" functions as an idiomatic expression, signifying a full measure or a complete series of provocations, indicating that their unbelief was not an isolated lapse but a deeply ingrained, chronic pattern of distrust and provocation that had reached its breaking point.
* **"and have not hearkened to my voice":** This concluding clause identifies the fundamental core of their transgression: a profound and persistent failure to listen and obey God's commands and instructions. "Hearkening to my voice" implies far more than mere auditory perception; it signifies actively attending to, trusting in, and submitting one's will to God's revealed word. Their repeated testing and rebellion stemmed from a deep-seated unwillingness to align their will with God's divine plan, consistently choosing fear, self-reliance, and immediate gratification over faithful obedience to divine guidance.

#### Literary Devices
Numbers 14:22 masterfully employs several potent literary devices to convey the gravity of Israel's sin and the righteousness of God's judgment. **Repetition** of Israel's rebellious acts is a pervasive and deliberate theme woven throughout the wilderness narrative, and this verse serves as a climactic summation, emphasizing the cumulative and persistent nature of their unfaithfulness. The precise phrase "these ten times" functions as a form of **Hyperbole** or **Symbolism**, signifying a complete and utter measure of provocation rather than a literal numerical count, thereby powerfully underscoring the profound depth and chronic nature of their disobedience. There is also a stark and poignant **Contrast** presented within the verse: God's consistent and overwhelming demonstration of His glory and power stands in direct opposition to Israel's equally consistent and persistent pattern of unbelief and disobedience. This juxtaposition vividly highlights the egregious nature of their sin, as it was committed in the face of undeniable and abundant divine revelation. Furthermore, the verse serves as a powerful **Foreshadowing** of the impending divine judgment, setting the solemn stage for the forty years of wilderness wandering and the tragic exclusion of that entire rebellious generation from the Promised Land.

### THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Numbers 14:22 stands as a profound theological declaration concerning the immutable nature of God's justice, the severe gravity of persistent unbelief, and the inherent demands of a covenant relationship. It unequivocally reveals that while God is boundless in His patience and infinite in His mercy, there exists a righteous limit to His forbearance when His character, commands, and demonstrated faithfulness are persistently and defiantly rejected. The Israelites' sin was not merely an isolated lapse in judgment but a deeply entrenched pattern of rejecting God's proven faithfulness, constituting a direct affront to His divine glory and a fundamental breach of the sacred covenant they had willingly entered. This verse powerfully underscores the timeless principle that great privilege—such as witnessing God's glory and miracles firsthand—invariably brings with it heightened spiritual responsibility, and that persistent rejection of divine truth ultimately leads to severe and unavoidable consequences. It serves as a stark and enduring reminder that genuine faith is not merely intellectual assent but rather active trust and unwavering obedience to God's voice, particularly when circumstances are daunting or seemingly insurmountable.

* [Psalm 95:8-11](/psalm/95-8-11 "Psalm 95:8-11 - Do Not Harden Your Hearts as at Meribah")
* [Hebrews 3:7-19](/hebrews/3-7-19 "Hebrews 3:7-19 - The Danger of Unbelief and Disobedience")
* [Deuteronomy 1:34-35](/deuteronomy/1-34-35 "Deuteronomy 1:34-35 - God's Oath Regarding the Disobedient Generation")

### REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
The sobering account in Numbers 14:22 serves as a powerful and timeless reminder for believers in every generation. It challenges us to deeply examine the authenticity and depth of our own faith, and the consistency of our obedience, particularly when confronted with daunting circumstances, prolonged periods of waiting, or the allure of worldly comforts. Just as the Israelites had been eyewitnesses to God's undeniable glory and experienced His miraculous interventions, we too possess an expansive testimony of God's faithfulness—both through the inspired narratives of Scripture and through His personal, often miraculous, interventions in our individual lives. The crucial question for us today is whether we genuinely "hearken to His voice" and wholeheartedly trust in His promises, or if we allow fear, doubt, and the deceptive allure of perceived security to lead us into a pattern of spiritual rebellion or complacent disobedience. This verse issues a profound call to cultivate a heart characterized by active trust, humble submission, and unwavering obedience, recognizing that while God's grace is boundless and His mercy unfathomable, persistent unbelief that defiantly rejects His clear will and proven character carries profound and eternal spiritual consequences. It encourages us to diligently learn from Israel's tragic mistakes, to walk in diligent obedience, and to eagerly strive to enter into the "rest" that God has graciously prepared for all who truly believe and follow Him.

#### Questions for Reflection
* **In what specific areas of my life have I personally witnessed God's "glory" or experienced His "miracles" (His powerful interventions or provisions)?**
* **Are there ways in which I have, perhaps subtly, "tempted" God or allowed doubt to erode my trust in His faithfulness, even after experiencing His goodness?**
* **Am I truly "hearkening to God's voice" in all aspects of my life, or am I allowing fear, personal desires, or the opinions of others to lead me away from His revealed will?**
* **What concrete steps can I take today to cultivate a deeper, more consistent trust and more unwavering obedience to God's voice in my daily walk?**

### FAQ
**What does "tempted me now these ten times" mean?**

Answer: The phrase "these ten times" (Hebrew: `עֶשֶׂר פְּעָמִים`, _‘eser pe‘amim_) is generally understood to be a symbolic or idiomatic expression, rather than a literal count of exactly ten specific instances of rebellion. It signifies a complete, full measure, or an exhaustive series of repeated provocations and persistent rebellion. It emphasizes that the Israelites had reached a critical threshold of chronic disobedience and distrust, having pushed God's patience to its righteous limit. While more than ten instances of grumbling and rebellion are recorded throughout their wilderness journey, this phrase powerfully conveys the idea that their testing of God was comprehensive, unceasing, and deeply ingrained, demonstrating a profound, deep-seated pattern of unbelief despite overwhelming evidence of His power and faithfulness. It underscores the cumulative gravity of their sin as a continuous and deliberate affront to God's holy character.

**What specific "glory" and "miracles" did they see?**

Answer: The Israelites had witnessed an unparalleled and continuous display of God's glory and miraculous power. In Egypt, they were direct observers of the ten devastating plagues ([Exodus 7-12](/exodus/7 "Exodus 7 - The First Plague") to [Exodus 12](/exodus/12 "Exodus 12 - The Tenth Plague")), the miraculous parting of the Red Sea ([Exodus 14](/exodus/14 "Exodus 14 - The Crossing of the Red Sea")), and the subsequent destruction of the formidable Egyptian army. Throughout their journey in the wilderness, they experienced the daily, supernatural provision of manna and quail ([Exodus 16](/exodus/16 "Exodus 16 - The Provision of Manna")), water miraculously supplied from the rock ([Exodus 17](/exodus/17 "Exodus 17 - Water from the Rock")), the tangible, visible presence of God in the guiding pillar of cloud by day and fire by night, the awe-inspiring glory of God descending upon Mount Sinai, and His divine presence filling the Tabernacle. These were not isolated occurrences but a continuous, visible, and undeniable demonstration of God's omnipotent power, unwavering faithfulness, and intimate presence among His people.

**Why was their sin so grievous?**

Answer: Their sin was particularly grievous and offensive to God because it was committed in the direct face of overwhelming, undeniable, and continuous evidence of God's power, faithfulness, and intimate presence. They had personally seen God's "glory" and experienced His "miracles" firsthand, establishing a profound level of accountability and responsibility. Their unbelief was not a result of ignorance or a lack of divine revelation, but rather a willful, persistent refusal to trust and obey God's voice despite His clear and repeated demonstrations of His character and benevolent intentions. This chronic and defiant rebellion constituted a direct rejection of their covenant relationship with God and His compassionate, sovereign leadership, rendering their actions profoundly offensive and justly deserving of the severe judgment pronounced against them.

### CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Numbers 14:22, while vividly portraying Israel's profound failure and the consequences of their unbelief, simultaneously serves as a powerful backdrop that illuminates the perfect obedience and ultimate faithfulness of Jesus Christ. The generation in the wilderness "tempted" God and "did not hearken to His voice," resulting in their tragic exclusion from the promised earthly rest. In stark and glorious contrast, Jesus, the true and faithful Israel, perfectly "hearkened to His Father's voice" ([John 8:29](/john/8-29 "John 8:29 - Jesus Always Does What Pleases the Father")), demonstrating unwavering obedience even to the point of His sacrificial death on the cross ([Philippians 2:8](/philippians/2-8 "Philippians 2:8 - Christ's Obedience to Death")). Where Israel failed in the wilderness by grumbling over physical provision, Jesus triumphantly overcame every temptation in the wilderness, relying solely on God's sustaining word ([Matthew 4:1-11](/matthew/4-1-11 "Matthew 4:1-11 - The Temptation of Jesus")). The "glory" that Israel saw was but a veiled shadow of the true, incandescent glory of God incarnate in Jesus, who is "full of grace and truth" ([John 1:14](/john/1-14 "John 1:14 - The Word Became Flesh")). He is the ultimate Lamb of God, who perfectly takes away the sin of the world ([John 1:29](/john/1-29 "John 1:29 - Jesus, the Lamb of God")), providing the all-sufficient atonement necessary for the very unbelief and rebellion that Israel displayed. Through His perfect life, atoning death, and glorious resurrection, Jesus secures true and lasting rest for all who believe, leading His redeemed people into the heavenly Canaan, a spiritual rest infinitely greater than the earthly one Israel forfeited ([Hebrews 4:1-11](/hebrews/4-1-11 "Hebrews 4:1-11 - The Promise of Rest Remains")). He perfectly fulfills the covenant promises that Israel so tragically broke, offering a new and living way to God, not based on human merit or flawed obedience, but solely on His perfect righteousness and finished work.

Note: Commentary is generated by AI with a directive for Biblical fidelity. Always rely on the Holy Spirit for discernment. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

Cross-References

Job 19:3

These ten times have ye reproached me: ye are not ashamed [that] ye make yourselves strange to me.

Genesis 31:7

And your father hath deceived me, and changed my wages ten times; but God suffered him not to hurt me.

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?

Hebrews 3:18

And to whom sware he that they should not enter into his rest, but to them that believed not?

Psalms 106:26

Therefore he lifted up his hand against them, to overthrow them in the wilderness:

Deuteronomy 1:31

And in the wilderness, where thou hast seen how that the LORD thy God bare thee, as a man doth bear his son, in all the way that ye went, until ye came into this place.

Deuteronomy 1:35

Surely there shall not one of these men of this evil generation see that good land, which I sware to give unto your fathers,