Numbers 14:27

Translation
King James Version
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.
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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.
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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.
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Berean Standard Bible
“How long will this wicked congregation grumble against Me? I have heard the complaints that the Israelites are making against Me.
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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.
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World English Bible Messianic
“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.
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Geneva Bible (1599)
How long shall I suffer this wicked multitude to murmure against me? I haue heard the murmurings of the children of Israel, which they murmure against me.
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Young's Literal Translation
`Until when hath this evil company that which they are murmuring against Me? the murmurings of the sons of Israel, which they are murmuring against Me, I have heard;
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See also
Exodus 16:121 Corinthians 10:10Exodus 16:28Numbers 14:11Mark 9:19Matthew 17:7
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In the KJVVerse 4,136 of 31,102

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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 and the New Testament admonition found in Hebrews 3:7-19.

EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS

Key Word Analysis

  • Murmur (Hebrew, lûwn, H3885): 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, H7451): 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, H5712): 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.

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 and 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 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.

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Commentary on Numbers 14 verses 20–35

I. II. Main points1. 2. Sub-points

We have here God's answer to the prayer of Moses, which sings both of mercy and judgment. It is given privately to Moses (Num 14:20-25), and then directed to be made public to the people, Num 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 (Num 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 (Num 14:19); I have pardoned, says God, Num 14:20. David found him thus swift to show mercy, Psa 32:5. He deals not with us after our sins, Psa 103:10.

II. The glorifying of God's name is, in the general, resolved upon, Num 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, Num 14:22, Num 14:27. 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, Num 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, Num 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, Exo 14:11. In Marah, Exo 15:23, Exo 15:24. In the wilderness of Sin, Exo 16:2. At Rephidim, Exo 17:1, Exo 17:2. The golden calf, Ex. 32. Then at Taberah. Then at Kibroth-Hattaavah, ch. 11. 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 (Num 14:23), nor come into it, Num 14:30. He swore in his wrath that they should not enter into his rest, Psa 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, Num 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. Tomorrow 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 (Num 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, Num 14:28, Num 14:29, and again, Num 14:32, Num 14:35. 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, Num 14:33, Num 14:34. 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, Deu 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 ninetieth Psalm, 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 (Num 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 (Num 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, Num 14:31. They had invidiously charged God with a design to ruin their children, Num 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.

Matthew Henry (1662–1714) — Commentary on the Whole Bible. This section covers verses 20–35. Public domain.
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Source: Quotations drawn from early Church Fathers and historical Christian theologians (AD 100–1500). Some quotes address the surrounding passage context rather than this verse alone.
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