25. The Amalekites and the Canaanites are living in the valleys. So leave tomorrow and go back. Follow the desert road toward the Gulf of Aqaba.”
26. The Lord said to Moses and Aaron,
27. “How long will these evil people complain about me? I have heard these Israelites’ grumbling and complaining.
28. So tell them, ‘This is what the Lord says. I heard what you said. As surely as I live, I will do those things to you.
29. You will die in this desert. Every one of you who is 20 years old or older and who was counted with the people will die. You complained against me, the Lord.
30. Not one of you will enter and live in the land I promised to you. Only Caleb son of Jephunneh and Joshua son of Nun will go in.
31. You said that your children would be taken away. But I will bring them into the land. They will enjoy what you refused.
32. As for you, you will die in this desert.
33. Your children will be shepherds here for 40 years. They will suffer because you were not loyal. They will suffer until you lie dead in the desert.
34. For 40 years you will suffer for your sins. That is a year for each of the 40 days you explored the land. You will know me as your enemy.’
35. I, the Lord, have spoken. I will certainly do these things to all these evil people. They have come together against me. So they will all die here in this desert.”
36. The men Moses had sent to explore the land had returned. They had spread complaints among all the Israelites. They had given a bad report about the land.
37. They were responsible for the bad report. So the Lord killed them with a terrible sickness.
38. Only two of the men did not die. They were Joshua son of Nun and Caleb son of Jephunneh.
39. When Moses told these things to the Israelites, they were very sad.
40. Early the next morning they started to go toward the beginning of the mountains. They said, “We have sinned. We will go where the Lord told us.”
41. But Moses said, “Why are you disobeying the Lord’s command? You will not win!
42. Don’t go. The Lord is not with you. You will be beaten by your enemies.