Numbers 14:27

KJV

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.

KJV (with Strong's)

How long shall I bear with this evil {H7451} congregation {H5712}, which murmur {H3885} against me? I have heard {H8085} the murmurings {H8519} of the children {H1121} of Israel {H3478}, which they murmur {H3885} against me.

Complete Jewish Bible

"How long am I to put up with this evil community who keep grumbling about me? I have heard the complaints of the people of Isra'el, which they continue to raise against me.

Berean Standard Bible

“How long will this wicked congregation grumble against Me? I have heard the complaints that the Israelites are making against Me.

American Standard Version

How long shall I bear with this evil congregation, that murmur against me? I have heard the murmurings of the children of Israel, which they murmur against me.

Commentary

### SUMMARY
Numbers 14:27 captures God's profound exasperation and judicial declaration against the Israelite congregation following their widespread rebellion and persistent murmuring in the wilderness. This verse immediately follows the people's defiant rejection of the Promised Land, spurred by the fearful report of ten spies, and their expressed desire to return to Egypt. It reveals God's righteous anger at their chronic unbelief and direct affront to His authority and faithfulness, signaling a pivotal moment where divine patience reaches its limit and severe consequences are pronounced.

### CONTEXT
* **Literary Context:** Numbers 14:27 is a direct divine pronouncement, serving as the climax of the rebellion narrative initiated in Numbers 13. The preceding verses detail the return of the twelve spies from Canaan, with ten delivering a faithless report emphasizing the strength of the inhabitants and fortified cities, while only Caleb and Joshua urged faith in God's promise. This negative report ignited a fervent, collective lament among the Israelites, who wept, grumbled against Moses and Aaron, and even plotted to appoint a new leader to guide them back to Egypt. Their rejection of the land was a direct rejection of God Himself and His covenant promises. Verse 27, therefore, is God's immediate and definitive response to this profound act of corporate unbelief, setting the stage for the judgment of the wilderness wandering.
* **Historical & Cultural Context:** The Israelites were a newly liberated people, recently delivered from Egyptian bondage through a series of miraculous interventions and now bound by covenant at Mount Sinai. Their journey through the wilderness was intended to be a period of purification, instruction, and preparation for entering the Promised Land. Culturally, murmuring against leadership was a serious offense, often viewed as a challenge to divine authority, especially when the leaders were divinely appointed. The concept of a "congregation" (עֵדָה, *‘edah*) in ancient Israel implied a collective identity and responsibility before God, meaning that the sin of the many could bring corporate judgment. Geographically, they were at the doorstep of Canaan, a land promised to their patriarchs, making their refusal to enter a profound act of defiance against their divine inheritance.
* **Key Themes:** This verse powerfully underscores several recurring themes within the book of Numbers and the Pentateuch. It highlights the **gravity of unbelief and disobedience**, demonstrating how a lack of faith in God's power and promises leads to severe consequences, as seen in the subsequent judgment of the wilderness generation. It also emphasizes **God's long-suffering patience** which, though vast, is not infinite, ultimately giving way to righteous judgment when persistently spurned. The theme of **corporate responsibility** is prominent, as the entire "evil congregation" is held accountable for their collective sin. Furthermore, it reveals **God's omniscience and active involvement** in human affairs, as He "hears" and responds to every complaint, underscoring that murmuring is not merely against human leaders but directly against the divine. This episode serves as a stark warning against testing God, a theme echoed in [the lament of Psalm 95](/psalms/95-8-11 "Psalm 95:8-11 - Do Not Harden Your Hearts") and the New Testament admonition found in [Hebrews 3:7-19](/hebrews/3-7-19 "Hebrews 3:7-19 - Warning Against Unbelief and Disobedience").

### EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS

#### Key Word Analysis
* **Murmur (Hebrew, _lûwn_):** The verb לון (*lûwn*), translated "murmur," signifies an act of stopping or staying, which by implication extends to being obstinate, especially in words, leading to complaint or grumbling. It denotes a deep-seated, often persistent, expression of dissatisfaction that implicitly or explicitly challenges authority. In the wilderness narrative, this "murmuring" consistently reveals a profound lack of faith and trust in God's divine leadership and provision, often escalating into open rebellion. Its repetition in Numbers 14:27 underscores the chronic and pervasive nature of the Israelites' grumbling, highlighting their obstinacy in unbelief.
* **Evil (Hebrew, _raʻ_):** The Hebrew word רַע (*raʻ*), describing the "evil congregation," denotes something "bad" or "wicked" in a moral and spiritual sense. It signifies that which is displeasing, harmful, or calamitous. Here, it points to a congregation whose actions are morally corrupt in God's sight, destructive to their covenant relationship, and ultimately leading to their undoing. Their "evil" is rooted in their active rebellion and profound unbelief against God's revealed plan and promises, demonstrating a deep moral failing.
* **Congregation (Hebrew, _ʻêdâh_):** The noun עֵדָה (*ʻêdâh*) refers to a "stated assemblage," "company," or "multitude." It emphasizes the collective nature of the Israelite people as a divinely constituted assembly. In this context, calling them an "evil congregation" highlights the corporate sin and shared responsibility of the entire community. It underscores that their murmuring was not isolated individual complaints but a pervasive, collective act of rebellion by the assembled people, making them corporately accountable before God.

#### Verse Breakdown
* **"How long [shall I bear with] this evil congregation, which murmur against me?"**: This rhetorical question from God conveys His profound exasperation and the exhaustion of His divine patience. The implied phrase "shall I bear with" (the Hebrew is more direct, "How long this evil congregation to me?") communicates God's long-suffering endurance that has now reached its critical limit. He identifies the "congregation" as "evil" due to their persistent, collective, and morally displeasing sin of murmuring, which is a direct challenge to His authority and faithfulness. The explicit "against me" underscores that their complaints, though voiced against Moses and Aaron, are ultimately a direct affront to God Himself, the true leader and provider.
* **"I have heard the murmurings of the children of Israel, which they murmur against me."**: This declaration emphatically highlights God's omniscience and active awareness. He is neither distant nor unaware of their actions; He has heard every complaint, every whisper of discontent, and every act of rebellion. The repetition of "murmur against me" serves as a powerful and emphatic reinforcement of the nature of their sin—a chronic, direct assault on God's character and sovereignty—and its precise target. This divine hearing is not passive observation but a prelude to a just and decisive judicial response, demonstrating that their actions are fully known and will be addressed.

#### Literary Devices
Numbers 14:27 employs several potent literary devices to convey God's righteous indignation and the gravity of the Israelites' sin. The opening **Rhetorical Question**, "How long [shall I bear with] this evil congregation, which murmur against me?", powerfully communicates God's exasperation and the nearing end of His immense patience. It functions as a divine lament and a solemn prelude to impending judgment, inviting no direct answer but profoundly emphasizing the severity of the situation. **Repetition** is central to the verse's impact, with the phrase "murmur against me" appearing twice, first as a verb and then implicitly as a noun ("murmurings"). This reiteration underscores the chronic, pervasive, and direct nature of the Israelites' sin against God, highlighting their persistent rebellion. Furthermore, the verse utilizes **Anthropomorphism**, attributing human-like qualities to God, such as "bearing with" and "hearing." While God is spirit and transcendent, these expressions help human readers grasp the depth of His emotional response to human sin and His active, personal engagement in their affairs. The overall tone is one of divine **Exasperation** and righteous **Indignation**, marking a critical and irreversible turning point in the wilderness narrative.

### THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Numbers 14:27 is a profound theological statement on the nature of God, the gravity of sin, and the consequences of persistent unbelief. It reveals God as both long-suffering and perfectly just, whose patience, while immense, is not infinite. The Israelites' murmuring, rooted in a fundamental lack of faith in God's ability and willingness to fulfill His promises, is exposed as a direct rebellion against His divine authority and covenant faithfulness. This episode serves as a foundational narrative for understanding the dangers of a hardened heart and the absolute necessity of trusting God's providence even in challenging circumstances. It underscores that true faith is demonstrated not just in moments of miraculous deliverance but in sustained obedience and unwavering trust during trials. The divine hearing of their complaints leads directly to a judicial response, emphasizing that God is not passive concerning human sin.
* [Exodus 16:2](/exodus/16-2 "Exodus 16:2 - Early Murmuring for Food in the Wilderness")
* [Psalm 95:10](/psalms/95-10 "Psalm 95:10 - Forty Years of Provocation in the Wilderness")
* [1 Corinthians 10:10](/1_corinthians/10-10 "1 Corinthians 10:10 - Do Not Grumble, As Some of Them Did")

### REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Numbers 14:27 stands as a timeless caution against the insidious nature of unbelief and the destructive power of a complaining spirit. For believers today, this passage serves as a stark reminder that our grumbling, discontent, and lack of trust are not merely human frailties but can be direct affronts to God's sovereignty and goodness. When we complain about our circumstances, we often implicitly question God's wisdom, provision, or love, revealing a heart that struggles to fully surrender to His perfect will. This verse calls us to cultivate a heart of profound gratitude and unwavering trust, even when faced with daunting challenges, delayed promises, or seemingly insurmountable obstacles. It challenges us to examine the true root of our discontent: is it a temporary frustration, or a deeper rebellion stemming from a fundamental lack of faith in God's power and faithfulness to work all things for our ultimate good and His glory? Embracing a spirit of thanksgiving and patient endurance, rather than succumbing to murmuring, transforms our perspective, aligns our hearts with God's will, and enables us to experience His steadfast faithfulness more fully in every season of life.

#### Questions for Reflection
* **In what specific areas of your life do you find yourself most prone to murmuring or complaining, and what might be the underlying unbelief or lack of trust fueling this discontent?**
* **How does recognizing that your complaints are ultimately directed against God, not just circumstances or people, change your perspective and response?**
* **What practical steps can you commit to taking this week to cultivate a spirit of gratitude, patient endurance, and unwavering trust in God, even when facing difficult or uncertain situations?**

### FAQ

**What was the specific "evil" of the congregation mentioned in Numbers 14:27?**

Answer: The "evil" of the congregation was primarily their profound and persistent unbelief, which manifested as widespread murmuring and outright rebellion against God and His appointed leaders (Moses and Aaron). After hearing the fearful report of ten spies, they refused to trust God's explicit promise to give them the land of Canaan, despite His miraculous deliverance from Egyptian bondage and sustained provision in the wilderness. Their "evil" was a rejection of God's covenant faithfulness and a profound act of despising their divine inheritance. They desired to return to slavery in Egypt rather than advance into the Promised Land, effectively spurning the God who had redeemed them. This collective act of faithlessness provoked God's righteous anger and led directly to severe judgment, demonstrating the gravity of their sin, which was not merely against human authority but directly against the Lord Himself, as the verse states, they "murmur against me."

### CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Numbers 14:27, with its stark depiction of a rebellious, murmuring congregation facing divine judgment for their unbelief, finds its ultimate fulfillment and profound contrast in the person and redemptive work of Jesus Christ. The Israelites' chronic unbelief and rejection of God's promised land foreshadow the world's rejection of God's ultimate provision: His Son. While the Israelites grumbled for physical bread and water in the wilderness, Jesus declares Himself to be the [Bread of Life](/john/6-35 "John 6:35 - Jesus, the Bread of Life") and the [Living Water](/john/4-10 "John 4:4-10 - Jesus, the Living Water"), offering eternal sustenance that truly satisfies and against which no one who believes will ever murmur. Unlike Moses, who could not lead the murmuring generation into the earthly Promised Land due to their sin, Jesus, the greater Joshua, faithfully leads His people into the true rest and eternal inheritance of God's heavenly kingdom, not based on their fleeting obedience but on His perfect life, atoning death, and glorious resurrection. He is the [Lamb of God](/john/1-29 "John 1:29 - Jesus, the Lamb of God") who bore the ultimate burden of human sin and rebellion, enduring far greater opposition, rejection, and murmuring than the Israelites ever offered, yet He never complained but submitted perfectly to the Father's will. Through His perfect obedience, Jesus secured a new covenant where God's Spirit transforms hearts of stone into hearts of flesh, enabling genuine faith and obedience, and guaranteeing entry into the true, heavenly Canaan for all who believe.

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

Exodus 16:12

I have heard the murmurings of the children of Israel: speak unto them, saying, At even ye shall eat flesh, and in the morning ye shall be filled with bread; and ye shall know that I [am] the LORD your God.

1 Corinthians 10:10

Neither murmur ye, as some of them also murmured, and were destroyed of the destroyer.

Exodus 16:28

And the LORD said unto Moses, How long refuse ye to keep my commandments and my laws?

Numbers 14:11

¶ 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 shewed among them?

Mark 9:19

He answereth him, and saith, O faithless generation, how long shall I be with you? how long shall I suffer you? bring him unto me.

Matthew 17:7

And Jesus came and touched them, and said, Arise, and be not afraid.