The Wilderness Years

And Caleb stilleth the people concerning Moses, and saith, `Let us certainly go up--and we have possessed it; for we are thoroughly able for it.'

And the men who have gone up with him said, `We are not able to go up against the people, for it is stronger than we;'

and they bring out an evil account of the land which they have spied unto the sons of Israel, saying, `The land into which we passed over to spy it, is a land eating up its inhabitants; and all the people whom we saw in its midst are men of stature;

and there we saw the Nephilim, sons of Anak, of the Nephilim; and we are in our own eyes as grasshoppers; and so we were in their eyes.'

And all the company lifteth up and give forth their voice, and the people weep during that night;

and all the sons of Israel murmur against Moses, and against Aaron, and all the company say unto them, `O that we had died in the land of Egypt, or in this wilderness, O that we had died!

and why is Jehovah bringing us in unto this land to fall by the sword? our wives and our infants are become a prey; is it not good for us to turn back to Egypt?'

And they say one unto another, `Let us appoint a head, and turn back to Egypt.'

And Moses falleth--Aaron also--on their faces, before all the assembly of the company of the sons of Israel.

And Joshua son of Nun, and Caleb son of Jephunneh, of those spying the land, have rent their garments,

and they speak unto all the company of the sons of Israel, saying, `The land into which we have passed over to spy it, is a very very good land;

if Jehovah hath delighted in us, then He hath brought us in unto this land, and hath given it to us, a land which is flowing with milk and honey;

only, against Jehovah rebel not ye: and ye, fear not ye the people of the land, for our bread they are ; their defence hath turned aside from off them, and Jehovah is with us; fear them not.'

And all the company say to stone them with stones, and the honour of Jehovah hath appeared in the tent of meeting unto all the sons of Israel.

And Jehovah saith unto Moses, `Until when doth this people despise Me? and until when do they not believe in Me, for all the signs which I have done in its midst?

I smite it with pestilence, and dispossess it, and make thee become a nation greater and mightier than it.'

And Moses saith unto Jehovah, `Then have the Egyptians heard! for Thou hast brought up with Thy power this people out of their midst,

and they have said it unto the inhabitant of this land, they have heard that Thou, Jehovah, art in the midst of this people, that eye to eye Thou art seen--O Jehovah, and Thy cloud is standing over them, --and in a pillar of cloud Thou art going before them by day, and in a pillar of fire by night.

`And Thou hast put to death this people as one man, and the nations who have heard Thy fame have spoken, saying,

From Jehovah's want of ability to bring in this people unto the land which He hath sworn to them--He doth slaughter them in the wilderness.

`And now, let, I pray Thee, the power of my Lord be great, as Thou hast spoken, saying:

Jehovah is slow to anger, and of great kindness; bearing away iniquity and transgression, and not entirely acquitting, charging iniquity of fathers on sons, on a third generation , and on a fourth; --

forgive, I pray Thee, the iniquity of this people, according to the greatness of Thy kindness, and as Thou hast borne with this people from Egypt, even until now.'

And Jehovah saith, `I have forgiven, according to thy word;

and yet, I live--and it is filled--the whole earth-- with the honour of Jehovah;