Bible Strands

Numbers 14:27

“How long will this wicked congregation grumble against Me? I have heard the complaints that the Israelites are making against Me.

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — The LORD addresses Moses and Aaron immediately after the Israelites' rebellion, establishing the moment of formal divine response. The words — מָתַ֗י (ma.Tai) means "when?" and מַלִּינִ֖ים (ma.li.Nim) means "[are] grumbling," structuring the verse as a direct challenge to sustained defiance. The thread — The motif of questioning prolonged rebellion appears in Exodus 16:28 ("How long will you refuse to keep My commandments") and Exodus 16:12 ("I have heard the grumbling of the Israelites"), and is later applied to the Corinthian congregation in 1 Corinthians 10:10 regarding the lethal results of complaining. Why it lands — The text requires readers to recognize that persistent complaint against divine authority is fully recorded and will be met with exact accountability, leaving no room for evasion or delay.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.

The Hebrew words

עַד־'ad-untilמָתַ֗יma.Taiwhen?לָעֵדָ֤הla./'e.Dahto the/ congregationהָֽרָעָה֙ha./ra.'Ah<the>/ evilהַזֹּ֔אתha./Zot<the>/ thisאֲשֶׁ֛ר'a.Sherwhichהֵ֥מָּהHe.mahtheyמַלִּינִ֖יםma.li.Nim[are] grumblingעָלָ֑י'a.La/ion/ meאֶת־'et-<obj.>תְּלֻנּ֞וֹתte.lu.Not[the] grumblings ofבְּנֵ֣יbe.Nei[the] people ofיִשְׂרָאֵ֗לYis.ra.'ElIsraelאֲשֶׁ֨ר'a.Sherwhichהֵ֧מָּהHe.mahtheyמַלִּינִ֛יםma.li.Nim[are] grumblingעָלַ֖י'a.La/ion/ meשָׁמָֽעְתִּי׃sha.Ma.'e.tiI have heard

King James Version

How long shall I bear with this evil congregation, which murmur against me? I have heard the murmurings of the children of Israel, which they murmur against me.

Cross-references