1全會眾都大聲喧嚷，人民哭了一夜。 1Wherefore the whole multitude crying wept that night.
2以色列子民都抱怨梅瑟和亞郎；全會眾對他們說：「巴不得我們都死在埃及地，都死在曠野裡！ 2And all the children of Israel murmured against Moses and Aaron, saying:
3為什麼上主引我們到那地方死在刀下，叫我們的妻子兒女當作戰利品？再回埃及去，為我們豈不更好？」 3Would God that we had died in Egypt and would God we may die in this vast wilderness, and that the Lord may not bring us into this land, lest we fall by the sword, and our wives and children be led away captives. Is it not better to return into Egypt?
4於是彼此說：「我們另立頭目，回埃及去。」 4And they said one to another: Let us appoint a captain, and let us return into Egypt.
5梅瑟和亞郎遂俯伏在以色列子民全會眾前。 5And when Moses and Aaron heard this, they fell down flat upon the ground before the multitude of the children of Israel.
6偵探那地方的人中，有農的兒子若蘇厄和耶孚乃的兒子加肋布，他們撕裂了自己的衣服， 6But Josue the son of Nun, and Caleb the son of Jephone, who themselves also had viewed the land, rent their garments,
7告訴以色列子民全會眾說：「我們偵探所經過的地方，確是一片極好的地方。 7And said to all the multitude of the children of Israel: The land which we have gone round is very good:
8若上主恩待我們，必引我們到那裡去，將那地方賜給我們。那實在是一塊流奶流蜜的地方。 8If the Lord be favourable, he will bring us into it, and give us a land flowing with milk and honey.
9只要你們不反抗上主，就不必怕那地方的人民，因為他們要作我們的掠物；護佑他們的，離開了他們，上主卻與我們同在；所以不要怕他們。」 9Be not rebellious against the Lord: and fear ye not the people of this land, for we are able to eat them up as bread. All aid is gone from them: the Lord is with us, fear ye not.
10全會眾正說要用石頭砸死他們時，上主的榮耀在會幕上顯示給全以色列子民。 10And when all the multitude cried out, and would have stoned them, the glory of the Lord appeared over the tabernacle of the covenant to all the children of Israel.
11上主對梅瑟說：「這人民輕慢我要到幾時呢？我雖在他們中行了那些神蹟，他們仍不相信我，要到幾時呢？ 11And the Lord said to Moses: How long will this people detract me? how long will they not believe me for all the signs that I have wrought before them?
12我要用瘟疫打擊他們，剷除他們，使你成為一個比他們更強大，更昌盛的民族。」 12I will strike them therefore with pestilence, and will consume them: but thee I will make a ruler over a great nation, and a mightier than this is.
13但是梅瑟對上主說：「埃及人如果聽說這事，因為你曾用威力由他們中領出這民族來， 13And Moses said to the Lord: That the Egyptians, from the midst of whom thou hast brought forth this people,
14他們將說什麼？這地方的居民也曾聽說：你上主是在這民族中；你上主曾面對面地發顯出來，你的雲彩常停在他們上面；白日你乘雲柱，黑夜你乘火柱，走在他們前面。 14And the inhabitants of this land, (who have heard that thou, O Lord, art among this people, and art seen face to face, and thy cloud protecteth them, and thou goest before them in a pillar of a cloud by day, and in a pillar of fire by night,)
15現在，如果你消滅這民族如消滅一個人一樣，這些曾聽到你聲名的外邦民族必要議論說： 15May hear that thou hast killed so great a multitude as it were one man and may say:
16『由於上主不能引這民族進入他對他們所誓許的地方，就在曠野將他們殺了。』 16He could not bring the people into the land for which he had sworn, therefore did he kill them in the wilderness.
17吾主，如今求你，大發寬容，如你曾聲明說： 17Let their the strength of the Lord be magnified, as thou hast sworn, saying:
18上主緩於發怒，富於仁慈，寬赦過犯和罪過，但決不豁免懲罰，父親的過犯，要向子孫追討，直到三代四代。 18The Lord is patient and full of mercy, taking away iniquity and wickedness, and leaving no man clear, who visitest the sins of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation.
19求你大發仁慈，寬恕這人民的罪過，就如從埃及一直到現在，你寬赦了他們一樣。」 19Forgive, I beseech thee, the sins of this people, according to the greatness of thy mercy, as thou hast been merciful to them from their going out of Egypt unto this place.
20上主回答說：「我就照你祈求的寬赦他們； 20And the Lord said: I have forgiven according to thy word.
21但是我以我的生命，以充滿全地的上主的榮耀起誓： 21As I live: and the whole earth shall be filled with the glory of the Lord.
22這些見了我的榮耀，見了我在埃及和曠野裡所行的神蹟的人，已十次試探了我，不聽我的話， 22But yet all the men that have seen my majesty, and the signs that I have done in Egypt, and in the wilderness, and have tempted me now ten times, and have not obeyed my voice,
23他們決不能見我對他們祖先誓許的地方；凡輕慢我的人，決不會見到那地方。 23Shall not see the land for which I aware to their fathers, neither shall any one of them that hath detracted me behold it.
24惟有我的僕人加肋布，因懷有另一種精神，全心服從我，我必引他進入他去過的地方，他的後裔必佔有那地方為產業。 24My servant Caleb, who being full of another spirit hath followed me, I will bring into this land which he hath gone round: and his seed shall possess it.
25現今阿瑪肋克人和客納罕人盤據在山谷中，明天你們應轉身向紅海出發，往曠野去。」 25For the Amalecite and the Chanaanite dwell in the valleys. Tomorrow remove the camp, and return into the wilderness by the way of the Red Sea.
26上主吩咐梅瑟和亞郎說： 26And the Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying:
27「這個邪惡的會眾抱怨我要到幾時？以色列子民抱怨我的話我都聽見了。 27How long doth this wicked multitude murmur against me? I have heard the murmurings of the children of Israel.
28你對他們說：我以我的生命起誓：──上主的斷語──我必照你們在我耳中所說的話，對待你們： 28Say therefore to them: As I live, saith the Lord: According as you have spoken in my hearing, so will I do to you.
29你們中凡二十歲以上登過記的，凡抱怨過我的，都要倒斃在這曠野中。 29In the wilderness shall your carcasses lie. All you that were numbered from twenty years old and upward, and have murmured against me,
30你們決不得進入我誓許給你們居住的地方，只有耶孚乃的兒子加肋布和農的兒子若蘇厄除外。 30Shall not enter into the land, over which I lifted up my bend to make you dwell therein, except Caleb the son of Jephone, and Josue the son of Nun.
31至於你們的幼童，你們曾說他們要當戰利品的，我要領他們進去，使他們享受你們所輕視的地方。 31But your children, of whom you said, that they should be a prey to the enemies, will I bring in: that they may see the land which you have despised.
32至於你們，你們必倒斃在這曠野中； 32Your carcasses shall lie in the wilderness.
33你們的子女要在曠野漂流四十年，受你們背信之罰，直到你們的屍首在曠野中爛盡。 33Your children shall wander in the desert forty years, and shall bear your fornication, until the carcasses of their fathers be consumed ill the desert,
34你們偵探那地方的日子，共計四十天，一天算一年，你們應受四十年的罪罰，叫你們知道我放棄你們是什麼一回事。 34According to the number of the forty days, wherein you viewed the land: year shall be counted for a day. And forty years you shall receive your iniquities, and shall know my revenge:
35我上主既說了，也必對這聚集反抗我的邪惡會眾這樣做：在這曠野他們都要滅絕，在這裡都要死盡。」 35For as I have spoken, so will I do to all this wicked multitude, that hath risen up together against me: in this wilderness shall it faint away and die.
36梅瑟派遣去偵探那地方的人，回來以後，對那地方散佈謠言，致使全會眾抱怨梅瑟。 36Therefore all the men, whom Moses had sent to view the land, and who at their return had made the whole multitude to murmur against him, speaking ill of the land that it was naught,
37這些對那地方講說壞話的人，都遭了災罰，死在上主面前； 37Died and were struck in the sight of the Lord.
38前去偵探那地方的人，只有農的兒子若蘇厄和耶孚乃的兒子加肋布，保全了性命。 38But Josue. the son of Nun. and Caleb the son of Jephone lived, of all them that had gone to view the land.
39梅瑟將這些話告訴了全以色列子民；人民都非常憂悶。 39And Moses spoke all these words to all the children of Israel, and the people mourned exceedingly.
40次日清晨他們起來，要上山頂去，說：「我們犯了罪，現在我們已準備好，要往上主所說的地方去。」 40And behold rising up very early in the morning, they went up to the top of the mountain, and said: We are ready to go up to the place, of which the Lord hath spoken: for we have sinned.
41但是梅瑟說：「你們為什麼要違背上主的命令？這事必不會成功。 41And Moses said to them: Why transgress you the word of the Lord, which shall not succeed prosperously with you?
42不要上去，因為上主不在你們中間，難免不被敵人擊敗。 42Go not up, for the Lord is not with you: lest you fall before your enemies.
43因為阿瑪肋克人和客納罕人在那裡要抵擋你們，你們必喪身刀下；你們既背離了上主，上主自然不再與你們同在。」 43The Amalecite and the Chanaanite are before you, and by their sword you shall fall, because you would not consent to the Lord, neither will the Lord be with you.
44他們仍擅自上了山頂；但上主的約櫃和梅瑟沒有由營幕中移動。 44But they being blinded went up to the top of the mountain. But the ark of the testament of the Lord and Moses departed not from the camp.
45住在山中的阿瑪肋克人和客納罕人就下來，擊殺了他們，將他們追擊到曷爾瑪。 45And the Amalecite came down, and the Chanaanite that dwelt in the mountain: and smiting and slaying them pursued them as far as Horma.
14:1-25
撕裂衣服，是极度悲痛和失望的表示。见创37:29等处。22节「十次试探了我」；指多次而言。
14:36-37
那十位散布谣言的侦探，因为使人民丧志，即刻受罚，死在上主面前，即谓死在会幕前。
14:43-45
关於阿玛肋克人，见创36:12-15；客纳罕人，见13:29；曷尔玛原名色法特，在卡德士之北，离贝尔舍巴不远。见苏19:2-4；民1:17。新约中屡将以民受罚，不能立刻进入许地之事，作为基督信徒的 戒。见格前10:11；希3:12-19。