Numbers 14 discusses Israel and their failure to enter the land of Canaan. God had provided them the opportunity to initially occupy this land however because of their lack of faith and disobedience, they didn’t. The Israelites tried a second time without the covering of God and they failed. As a result the Israelites wandered the desert another forty years, and this ultimately weeded out the people that opposed God’s initial instructions and they never reached the promise land.
The Chapter begins with the Children of Israel complaining about Moses and Aaron. Matthew Henry states “They lifted up their voices and cried (v. 1); giving credit to the report of the spies rather than to the word of God, and imagining their condition desperate, they laid the reins on the neck of their passions, and could keep no manner of temper. Like foolish froward children, they fall a crying, yet know not what they cry for.” They wished they were left in Egypt to die instead of the wilderness. Even though they have witness the hand of God, they we so fearful that they even talked about having a new leader that would help them return to Egypt. Moses and Aaron went before God to plead for his mercies for the people of Israel. Joshua and Caleb pleaded with the children of Israel to trust Moses and Aaron. The Israelites threatened to stone Moses and Aaron
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Yet the unselfish heart of Moses interceded on their behalf, that God would have mercy.