Numbers 14:34

After the number of the days in which ye searched the land, [even] forty days, each day for a year, shall ye bear your iniquities, [even] forty years, and ye shall know my breach of promise.

After the number {H4557} of the days {H3117} in which ye searched {H8446} the land {H776}, even forty {H705} days {H3117}, each day {H3117} for a year {H8141}{H3117}{H8141}, shall ye bear {H5375} your iniquities {H5771}, even forty {H705} years {H8141}, and ye shall know {H3045} my breach of promise {H8569}.

It will be a year for every day you spent reconnoitering the land that you will bear the consequences of your offenses - forty days, forty years. Then you will know what it means to oppose me!

In keeping with the forty days you spied out the land, you shall bear your guilt forty years—a year for each day—and you will experience My alienation.

After the number of the days in which ye spied out the land, even forty days, for every day a year, shall ye bear your iniquities, even forty years, and ye shall know my alienation.

Commentary

Numbers 14:34 delivers a solemn pronouncement from God regarding the consequences of Israel's widespread unbelief and rebellion in the wilderness. Following the pessimistic report of ten of the twelve spies sent to scout the promised land, the people succumbed to fear and despair, choosing to murmur against God and Moses rather than trust in divine provision. This verse reveals God's judgment: for every day the spies explored the land (40 days), the Israelites would wander for a year, totaling 40 years, until the rebellious generation perished in the wilderness.

Context

This verse is a pivotal moment in the book of Numbers, marking a dramatic turning point in Israel's journey from Egypt to Canaan. In Numbers 13, twelve leaders were sent to explore the land of Canaan for forty days. Upon their return, ten spies delivered a fearful report, emphasizing the strength of the inhabitants and the fortified cities, causing the people to lose heart (Numbers 13:28-29). Despite the encouraging, faith-filled testimony of Caleb and Joshua (Numbers 14:6-9), the people rebelled, threatening to stone their leaders and appoint a new one to lead them back to Egypt (Numbers 14:1-4). God's wrath was kindled, and Moses interceded for the nation, leading to this specific judgment, which delayed their entry into the promised land for an entire generation.

Key Themes

  • Consequences of Unbelief: The primary message is that unbelief and disobedience have severe, long-lasting consequences. The Israelites' lack of faith in God's ability to deliver the land led directly to their prolonged wandering and the death of an entire generation.
  • Divine Justice and Patience: God's judgment is just and proportionate. The "day for a year" principle (also seen in Ezekiel 4:6) establishes a clear correlation between their period of rebellion and the duration of their punishment. Yet, even in judgment, God demonstrates patience by allowing the younger, more faithful generation to eventually inherit the land.
  • God's "Breach of Promise": The KJV phrase "ye shall know my breach of promise" can be understood as "you shall know my opposition," "my reversal of purpose," or "my alienation." It does not mean God broke His covenant promise to give them the land; rather, it signifies that they would experience the reversal of His *intended immediate entry* into the land due to their unfaithfulness. They would come to understand the consequences of their rebellion through the hardship of the wilderness.
  • The Wilderness as a Training Ground: The 40 years served not only as punishment but also as a period of purification and training for the next generation, preparing them to trust God and obey His commands before entering the promised land.

Linguistic Insights

The phrase "breach of promise" in the KJV translates the Hebrew word nukra (נוּקְרָה). This term is unique to this verse in the Old Testament and carries the sense of 'estrangement,' 'alienation,' or 'reversal.' It vividly describes the experience of God's turning away from His immediate blessing due to Israel's sin. It emphasizes the profound shift in their relationship with God—from immediate entry into the promised land to a prolonged period of judgment and wandering—all brought about by their own rebellion.

Practical Application

Numbers 14:34 serves as a powerful reminder for believers today:

  • The Importance of Faith: Our faith in God, even in the face of daunting challenges, is crucial. Unbelief can lead to missed blessings and prolonged struggles.
  • Consequences of Disobedience: Sin and rebellion against God's will have real, often long-term, consequences. While God is merciful, He is also just.
  • Learning from History: The experiences of ancient Israel are recorded as warnings and lessons for us (1 Corinthians 10:11). We are called to learn from their mistakes and not repeat their patterns of unbelief and complaint.
  • God's Ultimate Faithfulness: Despite the temporary setback for that generation, God remained faithful to His covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, ultimately bringing their descendants into the promised land (Genesis 12:7). This reminds us that God's plans will prevail, even when human sin causes delays or detours.

Note: If the commentary doesn’t appear instantly, please allow 2–5 seconds for it to load. It is generated by Gemini 2.5 Flash using a prompt focused on Biblical fidelity over bias. While the insights have been consistently reliable, we encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit.

Please note that only the commentary section is AI-generated — the main Scripture and cross-references are stored on the site and are from trusted and verified sources.

Cross-References

  • Ezekiel 4:6

    And when thou hast accomplished them, lie again on thy right side, and thou shalt bear the iniquity of the house of Judah forty days: I have appointed thee each day for a year.

  • Numbers 13:25

    And they returned from searching of the land after forty days.

  • Jeremiah 18:9

    And [at what] instant I shall speak concerning a nation, and concerning a kingdom, to build and to plant [it];

  • Jeremiah 18:10

    If it do evil in my sight, that it obey not my voice, then I will repent of the good, wherewith I said I would benefit them.

  • Daniel 9:24

    Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy.

  • Psalms 95:10

    Forty years long was I grieved with [this] generation, and said, It [is] a people that do err in their heart, and they have not known my ways:

  • 2 Chronicles 36:21

    To fulfil the word of the LORD by the mouth of Jeremiah, until the land had enjoyed her sabbaths: [for] as long as she lay desolate she kept sabbath, to fulfil threescore and ten years.
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