(Numbers 14:26-15:7) Sin: Judgement vs. Forgiveness
In the last "Note" on Numbers 14:8-25, we learned the punishment for the unbelief of the Jewish Israelites who were lead astray by the negative reports of the 10 leaders who went to spy out the promised land.
Here, we learn about the dangers of spurning Hashem:
Because the leaders had lead the people into believing that the promised land was not able to be conquered and because the people also said it would be better to go back to Egypt and die because their children would be captured and devoured by the enemy in the promised land, Hashem decrees that He would give the people their wishes (Numbers 14:20-23; Numbers 14:26-35):
Since they thought the land could not be conquered, they would not see the promised land nor enter it.
Since they wanted to die rather than conquer the land promised to them, Hashem said those who were 20…