Numbers 14:9
in Numbers 14Only do not rebel against the LORD, and do not be afraid of the people of the land, for they will be like bread for us. Their protection has been removed, and the LORD is with us. Do not be afraid of them!”
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
Only rebel not against Jehovah, neither fear ye the people of the land; for they are bread for us: their defence is removed from over them, and Jehovah is with us: fear them not.
KJV
Only rebel not ye against the Lord, neither fear ye the people of the land; for they are bread for us: their defence is departed from them, and the Lord is with us: fear them not.
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This verse in Numbers 14
Commentary
9 notes on this verseA commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
Their defense - literally, “their shadow,” i. e. their shelter as from the scorching sun: an Oriental figure. Compare the marginal references.
This site's exposition
The land, which we passed through to search it
on Numbers 14:7-9
Joshua and Caleb dispute none of the facts the other ten reported and draw the opposite conclusion from them. Their argument has three parts: the land is good, the LORD is able if he delight in us, and the people of it are bread for us because their defence is departed from them. The one thing they ask is that Israel not rebel, so they name the danger as the camp rather than as Canaan.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening5 voices
), and they spoke as with authority. (1.) They assured them of the goodness of the land they had surveyed, and that it was really worth venturing for, and not a land that ate up the inhabitants, as the evil spies had represented it. It is an exceedingly good land (
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — leading-punctuation
Whatever formidable ideas have been given you of them, the lion is not so fierce as he is painted. They are bread for us, " that is, "they are set before us rather to be fed upon than to be fought with, so easily, so pleasantly, and with so much advantage to ourselves shall we master them." Pharaoh is said to have been given them for meat ( Ps. lxxiv.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — unbalanced-parens+odd-straight-quotes
), the sentence would have been prevented; but now that they mourned for the judgment only their grief came too late, and did them no service; they found no place for repentance, though they sought it carefully with tears, Heb. xii. Such mourning as this there is in hell, but the tears will not quench the flames, no, nor cool the tongue.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — leading-punctuation+unbalanced-parens
Only rebel not ye against the Lord,....
Note, Nothing can ruin sinners but their own rebellion. If God leave them, it is because they drive him from them; and they die because they will die. None are excluded the heavenly Canaan but those that exclude themselves.
2 more voices on this verse
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
their defence is departed--Hebrew, "their shadow." The Sultan of Turkey and the Shah of Persia are called "the shadow of God," "the refuge of the world." So that the meaning of the clause, "their defence is departed from them," is, that the favor of God was now lost to those whose iniquities were full (Ge 15:16), and transferred to the Israelites.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — starts-lowercase
Their defense - צלם tsillam, their shadow, a metaphor highly expressive of protection and support in the sultry eastern countries. The protection of God is so called; see Psa 91:1; Psa 121:5; see also Isa 51:16; Isa 49:2; Isa 30:2. The Arabs and Persians have the same word to express the same thing. nemayeed zulli doulet mamdood bad. “May the shadow of thy prosperity be extended!” nemayced zulli doulet ber mufareki khayr khwahen mamdood bad. “May the shadow of thy prosperity be spread over the heads of thy well-wishers!” They have also the following elegant distich: - Sayahat kem mubad az seri ma Bast Allah zullikem abeda. “May thy protection never be removed from my head! May God extend thy shadow eternally!” Here the Arabic zull answers exactly to the Hebrew צל tsel, both signifying that which overspreads or overshadows. See the note on Num 14:14.
How the passage was read
What the Jewish commentators add
On the verses either side of this one
לרגום אתם [BUT ALL THE CONGREGATION BADE] TO OVERWHELM THEM WITH STONES — them viz., Joshua and Caleb.
This section is reception history: how the passage was read and kept in the Jewish tradition. Where a reading parts from an essential of the Christian faith, the section says so at that point.
Texts and citation data: Sefaria; each excerpt follows its version’s licence. 2 further sources are cited on this chapter that carry no English text this site may quote or only restate the verse.
The words behind it
20 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| אַ֣ךְ | ʾakh | only | H389 → | 161 times |
| בַּֽיהוָה֮ | bayahweh | against Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
| אַל־ | ʾal- | may not | H408 → | 724 times |
| תִּמְרֹדוּ֒ | timrodu | you rebel | H4775 → | |
| וְאַתֶּ֗ם | veatem | and you | H859 → | 1094 times |
| אַל־ | ʾal- | may not | H408 → | 724 times |
| תִּֽירְאוּ֙ | tireu | you fear | H3372 → | 315 times |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| עַ֣ם | ʾam | [the] people of | H5971 → | 1873 times |
| הָאָ֔רֶץ | haaretz | the land | H776 → | 2504 times |
| כִּ֥י | ki | for | H3588 → | 4482 times |
| לַחְמֵ֖נוּ | lachmenu | [will be] bread our | H3899 → | 298 times |
| הֵ֑ם | hem | they | H1992 → | 553 times |
| סָ֣ר | sar | it has departed | H5493 → | 299 times |
| צִלָּ֧ם | tzilam | shade their | H6738 → | |
| מֵעֲלֵיהֶ֛ם | mealeihem | from over <the> them | H5921 → | 5755 times |
| וַֽיהוָ֥ה | vayahweh | and Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
| אִתָּ֖נוּ | ʾitanu | [is] with us | H854 → | 929 times |
| אַל־ | ʾal- | may not | H408 → | 724 times |
| תִּירָאֻֽם׃ | tiraum | you fear them | H3372 → | 315 times |
אַ֣ךְonly
ʾakhH389 →161 times
בַּֽיהוָה֮against Yahweh
bayahwehH3068 →6520 times
אַל־may not
ʾal-H408 →724 times
תִּמְרֹדוּ֒you rebel
timroduH4775 →
וְאַתֶּ֗םand you
veatemH859 →1094 times
אַל־may not
ʾal-H408 →724 times
תִּֽירְאוּ֙you fear
tireuH3372 →315 times
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
עַ֣ם[the] people of
ʾamH5971 →1873 times
הָאָ֔רֶץthe land
haaretzH776 →2504 times
כִּ֥יfor
kiH3588 →4482 times
לַחְמֵ֖נוּ[will be] bread our
lachmenuH3899 →298 times
הֵ֑םthey
hemH1992 →553 times
סָ֣רit has departed
sarH5493 →299 times
צִלָּ֧םshade their
tzilamH6738 →
מֵעֲלֵיהֶ֛םfrom over <the> them
mealeihemH5921 →5755 times
וַֽיהוָ֥הand Yahweh
vayahwehH3068 →6520 times
אִתָּ֖נוּ[is] with us
ʾitanuH854 →929 times
אַל־may not
ʾal-H408 →724 times
תִּירָאֻֽם׃you fear them
tiraumH3372 →315 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Romans 8:31What then shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?
it leads to
- Psalms 118:6
The LORD is on my side; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?
- Jeremiah 1:19
They will fight against you but will never overcome you, since I am with you to deliver you,” declares the LORD.
- Psalms 56:11
in God I trust; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?
- 1 John 4:4
You, little children, are from God and have overcome them, because greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world.
- Isaiah 54:17
No weapon formed against you shall prosper, and you will refute every tongue that accuses you. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and their vindication is from Me,” declares the…
- Psalms 118:6
Through
Deuteronomy 31:6Be strong and courageous; do not be afraid or terrified of them, for it is the LORD your God who goes with you; He will never leave you nor forsake you.”
it leads to
- Joshua 1:9
Have I not commanded you to be strong and courageous? Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.”
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Ephesians 6:10
Finally, be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power.
- Joshua 1:9
Through
Deuteronomy 31:8The LORD Himself goes before you; He will be with you. He will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid or discouraged.”
it leads to
- Exodus 33:14
And the LORD answered, “My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.”
- Exodus 33:14
Where this verse is studied
On this page
About Numbers
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); Keil and Delitzsch, Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament: The Pentateuch and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.