35. I, Yahweh, have spoken. I swear that I will do this to the entire evil community that has conspired against Me. They will come to an end in the wilderness, and there they will die.”
36. So the men Moses sent to scout out the land, and who returned and incited the entire community to complain about him by spreading a negative report about the land —
37. those men who spread the negative report about the land were struck down by the Lord.
38. Only Joshua son of Nun and Caleb son of Jephunneh remained alive of those men who went to scout out the land.
39. When Moses reported these words to all the Israelites, the people were overcome with grief.
40. They got up early the next morning and went up the ridge of the hill country, saying, “Let’s go to the place the Lord promised, for we were wrong.”
41. But Moses responded, “Why are you going against the Lord’s command? It won’t succeed.
42. Don’t go, because the Lord is not among you and you will be defeated by your enemies.
43. The Amalekites and Canaanites are right in front of you, and you will fall by the sword. The Lord won’t be with you, since you have turned from following Him.”
44. But they dared to go up the ridge of the hill country, even though the ark of the Lord’s covenant and Moses did not leave the camp.
45. Then the Amalekites and Canaanites who lived in that part of the hill country came down, attacked them, and routed them as far as Hormah.