Study Desk

So they took Miriam outside the camp for seven days. And the people did not move from that place until she was brought in again.

After that the people left Hazeroth and traveled to the desert of Paran where they set up camp.

So they went to explore the country. They explored the area from the desert of Zin to Rehob and Lebo Hamath.

They entered the country through the Negev and went to Hebron. (The town of Hebron was built seven years before the town of Zoan in Egypt.) Ahiman, Sheshai, and Talmai lived there. These men were descendants of Anak.

Then the men went to Eshcol Valley. There they cut off a branch from a grapevine that had a bunch of grapes on it. They put that branch on a pole, and two men carried it between them. They also carried some pomegranates and figs.

The men explored that country for 40 days, and then they went back to the camp.

The Israelites were camped near Kadesh, in the desert of Paran. The men went to Moses and Aaron and all the Israelites. They told Moses, Aaron, and all the people what they saw and showed them the fruit from the land.

The Lord spoke to Moses and said, "How long will these people continue to turn against me? They show that they don't trust me or believe in my power, in spite of the many miracles I have done among them.

The Egyptians have already told the people in Canaan about it. They already know you are the Lord . They know that you are with your people. They know that the people saw you. Those people know about the special cloud. They know you use the cloud to lead your people during the day. And they know the cloud becomes a fire to lead your people at night.

None of the people I led out of Egypt will ever see the land of Canaan. They saw my glory and the great signs that I did in Egypt and in the desert. But they disobeyed me and tested me ten times.

You were afraid and complained that your enemies in that new land would take your children away from you. But I tell you that I will bring them into the land. They will enjoy what you refused to accept.

"I am the Lord , and I have spoken. And I promise that I will do these things to all these evil people. They have come together against me. So they will all die here in this desert."

But Joshua son of Nun and Caleb son of Jephunneh were among the men who were sent out to explore the land. They are the only ones who did not get the sickness that caused the others to die.

But the people did not believe Moses. They went toward the high hill country. But Moses and the Box of the Lord 's Agreement did not go with the people.

The Lord gave you those commands through Moses, and they have been in effect from the day they were given throughout the generations until today.

"So the priest will make the whole community of Israel pure, and they will be forgiven for the mistake they made. Since they made the mistake, they must bring a gift and a sin offering to the Lord .

"If someone sins and knows they are doing wrong, they are rebelling against the Lord . They must be separated from their people. The same law applies to citizens of Israel and to foreigners living among you.

So the people took him outside the camp and killed him with stones. They did this just as the Lord commanded Moses.

These four men gathered 250 other men from Israel together and came against Moses. They were leaders who had been chosen by the people. All the people knew them.

They came as a group to speak against Moses and Aaron and said, "You have gone too far—you are wrong! All the Israelites are holy—the Lord still lives among them. You are making yourselves more important than the rest of the Lord 's people."