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Scripture: The text alone. Study: The verses explained. Original: The Hebrew and Greek, and the tradition.

Numberschapter 14

45 verses · Moses, by tradition · 15th to 13th century BC · The Law

Original Language

Numbers 14— Hebrew word study · with the Hebrew tradition

In Jewish life

Jewish practice and Jewish teaching both have something to say about Numbers 14. Three things follow: where it is read, what is done because of it, and how the rabbis have taught it. The purpose is to inform a Christian reader what Jews believe and how Judaism was and is practised.

The reading

Weekly portion 37 of 54

שְׁלַח־לְךָ Sh'lach, Numbers 13:1 to 15:41

Read with it: Joshua 2:1 to 2:24.

The verse numbers here are the ones a Hebrew Bible carries, which differ from an English Bible by a verse or two in several places. The Sephardi reading is named only where this site records a difference; communities vary beyond what is listed. What these books are, and how a Christian reader meets them →

Where the rabbis cite this chapter

6 rows sit beside their verses in the text, on 5 verses of this chapter. No row that speaks to the chapter as a whole is recorded. Every quote links to its full source.

Texts and citation data: Sefaria (sefaria.org); excerpts follow each version’s license, and every passage opens at its source.

How to read a word below: the Hebrewword, then how it sounds, then what it means, then its number in Strong’s concordance, a widely used lookup this site follows (H for Hebrew and Aramaic, G for Greek). Square brackets hold a word the English supplies that the Hebrew does not, angle brackets mark the Hebrew’s own grammatical elements that English renders as separate words, and the mark ס or פ is where the Hebrew manuscripts end a paragraph.

Let us choose a captain and go back1

Numbers 14:1· Hebrew and glosses: STEP Bible

וַתִּשָּׂא֙vatisa'and it lifted upH5375כָּל־kol-allH3605הָ֣עֵדָ֔הhaedahthe congregationH5712וַֽיִּתְּנ֖וּvaiyitenuand they gave forthH5414אֶת־ʾet-<obj.>H853קוֹלָ֑םkolamvoice theirH6963וַיִּבְכּ֥וּvaiyivkuand they weptH1058הָעָ֖םhaamthe peopleH5971בַּלַּ֥יְלָהbalaylahin the nightH3915הַהֽוּא׃hahu'<the> thatH1931

Ramban on Numbers 14:1

RambanSpain, 1194–1270· Commentary
The meaning thereof is that the spies went into the [people’s] tents towards evening, after they left Moses, and in the morning they [the people] rose early and they all murmured against Moses and against Aaron [as related in Verse 2]. And likewise Moses said, 78 Deuteronomy:27.

Read it in full at Sefaria · Commentary on the Torah by Ramban (Nachmanides). Translated and annotated by Charles B. Chavel. New York, Shilo Pub. House, 1971-1976

Onkelos Numbers 14:1

Targum
The entire community arose and raised their voices; and the people wept that night.

Read it in full at Sefaria · Metsudah Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009 [with Onkelos translation]

Numbers 14:12· Hebrew and glosses: STEP Bible

אַכֶּ֥נּוּʾakkenuI will strike itH5221בַדֶּ֖בֶרvadeverwith <the> pestilenceH1698וְאוֹרִשֶׁ֑נּוּveorishenuand I will dispossess itH3423וְאֶֽעֱשֶׂה֙veeesehand I may makeH6213אֹֽתְךָ֔ʾotekha<obj.> youH853לְגוֹי־legoy-<into> a nationH1471גָּד֥וֹלgadolgreatH1419וְעָצ֖וּםveatzumand mightyH6099מִמֶּֽנּוּ׃mimenumore than itH4480

Rashi on Numbers 14:12

RashiFrance, 1040–1105· Commentary
ואורישנו is an expression for “driving out” (here, driving out from the world, destroying). — And if you ask what I will do regarding the oath I have sworn to the Patriarchs (viz., to give the Land to their children; cf. Exodus:3—4), then I reply:

Read it in full at Sefaria · Pentateuch with Rashi's commentary by M. Rosenbaum and A.M. Silbermann, 1929-1934

Numbers 14:13· Hebrew and glosses: STEP Bible

וַיֹּ֥אמֶרvaiyomerand he saidH559מֹשֶׁ֖הmoshehMosesH4872אֶל־ʾel-toH413יְהוָ֑הyahwehYahwehH3068וְשָׁמְע֣וּveshameuand they will hearH8085מִצְרַ֔יִםmitzrayimEgyptH4713כִּֽי־ki-thatH3588הֶעֱלִ֧יתָheelitayou brought upH5927בְכֹחֲךָ֛vekhochakhaby strength yourH3581אֶת־ʾet-<obj.>H853הָעָ֥םhaamthe peopleH5971הַזֶּ֖הhazeh<the> thisH2088מִקִּרְבּֽוֹ׃mikirbofrom midst itsH7130

Ramban on Numbers 14:13

RambanSpain, 1194–1270· Commentary
AND THE EGYPTIANS SHALL HEAR ‘KI HE’ELITHA’ IN THY MIGHT. “And the Egyptians shall hear that you have killed them. Ki he’elitha.

Read it in full at Sefaria · Commentary on the Torah by Ramban (Nachmanides). Translated and annotated by Charles B. Chavel. New York, Shilo Pub. House, 1971-1976

Numbers 14:14· Hebrew and glosses: STEP Bible

וְאָמְר֗וּveameruand they will sayH559אֶל־ʾel-toH413יוֹשֵׁב֮yoshev[the] inhabitant[s] ofH3427הָאָ֣רֶץhaaretzthe landH776הַזֹּאת֒hazot<the> thisH2063שָֽׁמְעוּ֙shameuthey have heardH8085כִּֽי־ki-thatH3588אַתָּ֣הʾatahyouH859יְהוָ֔הyahwehO YahwehH3068בְּקֶ֖רֶבbekerev[are] in [the] midst ofH7130הָעָ֣םhaamthe peopleH5971הַזֶּ֑הhazeh<the> thisH2088אֲשֶׁר־ʾasher-whoH834עַ֨יִןʾayineyeH5869בְּעַ֜יִןbeayinin eyeH5869נִרְאָ֣ה׀nirahhe was seenH7200אַתָּ֣הʾatahyouH859יְהוָ֗הyahwehO YahwehH3068וַעֲנָֽנְךָ֙vaananekhaand cloud yourH6051עֹמֵ֣דʾomed[is] standingH5975עֲלֵהֶ֔םʾalehemover themH5921וּבְעַמֻּ֣דuveamudand in a pillar ofH5982עָנָ֗ןʾanancloudH6051אַתָּ֨הʾatahyouH859הֹלֵ֤ךְholekh[are] goingH1980לִפְנֵיהֶם֙lifneihem<to> before themH6440יוֹמָ֔םyomamby dayH3119וּבְעַמּ֥וּדuveamudand in a pillar ofH5982אֵ֖שׁʾeshfireH784לָֽיְלָה׃layelahnightH3915

Ramban on Numbers 14:14

RambanSpain, 1194–1270· Commentary
THAT THOU, ETERNAL, ‘NIR’AH’ (HAST BEEN SEEN) EYE TO EYE. Rabbi Abraham ibn Ezra commented that “[this verse is to be understood in the light of what it says], And the appearance of the Glory of the Eternal etc. in the eyes of the children of Israel. 113 Exodus:17.

Read it in full at Sefaria · Commentary on the Torah by Ramban (Nachmanides). Translated and annotated by Charles B. Chavel. New York, Shilo Pub. House, 1971-1976

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