Bible Strands
Numbers 14:39
And when Moses relayed these words to all the Israelites, the people mourned bitterly.
Berean Standard Bible
Follow its threads on the canvas →
Study note
Setting — Moses delivers the preceding divine judgment to the entire Israelite assembly immediately after the spies’ report and God’s decree. The people respond with bitter mourning upon hearing the declaration.
The words — The verb וַיְדַבֵּר (va/y.da.Ber) literally means “and he spoke,” while הַדְּבָרִים הָאֵלֶּה (ha./de.va.Rim ha./'E.leh) translates to “these words,” marking the direct transmission of the immediate prior pronouncement.
The thread — The pattern of hearing a divine decree and responding with mourning appears in Exodus 33:4, and the sequence of emotional reaction followed by rash action mirrors the folly-to-rage dynamic described in Proverbs 19:3.
Why it lands — The text records that mourning preceded the people’s impulsive attempt to climb the hill country the next morning, showing that grief does not automatically yield obedience. It requires the reader to distinguish between mere emotional response to God’s word and the concrete submission that follows.
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
King James Version
And Moses told these sayings unto all the children of Israel: and the people mourned greatly.
Cross-references
- Exodus 33:4 When the people heard this bad news, they went into mourning, and no one put on any of his jewelry.
- Proverbs 19:3 A man’s own folly subverts his way, yet his heart rages against the LORD.
- Matthew 8:12 But the sons of the kingdom will be thrown into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”
- Hebrews 12:17 For you know that afterward, when he wanted to inherit the blessing, he was rejected. He could find no ground for repentance, though he sought the blessing with tears.
- Isaiah 26:16 O LORD, they sought You in their distress; when You disciplined them, they poured out a quiet prayer.