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Spiritual Gifts, Volume 4a
of the giants. And we were in our own sight as grasshoppers, and so
we were in their sight. And all the congregation lifted up their voice,
and cried, and the people wept that night. And all the children of
Israel murmured against Moses and against Aaron. And the whole
congregation said unto them, Would God that we had died in the land
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of Egypt! or would God that we had died in this wilderness! And
wherefore hath the Lord brought us unto this land, to fall by the sword,
that our wives and our children should be a prey? Were it not better
for us to return into Egypt? And they said one to another, Let us make
a captain, and let us return into Egypt. Then Moses and Aaron fell on
their faces before all the assembly of the congregation of the children
of Israel.”
The Israelites not only gave vent to their complaints against Moses,
but accused God himself of dealing deceitfully with them, by promis-
ing them a land which they were unable to possess. Their rebellious
spirit here arose so high that, forgetful of the strong arm of Omnipo-
tence, which had brought them out of the land of Egypt, and had thus
far conducted them by a series of miracles, they resolved to choose a
commander to lead them back to Egypt, where they had been slaves,
and had suffered so many hardships. They actually appointed them
a captain, thus discarding Moses, their patient, suffering leader, and
they murmured bitterly against God.
Moses and Aaron fell upon their faces before the Lord in the
presence of all the assembly of the congregation, to implore the mercy
of God in favor of a rebellious people. But their distress and grief
was too great for utterance. They remained upon their faces in utter
silence. Caleb and Joshua rent their clothes, as an expression of the
greatest sorrow. “And they spake unto all the company of the children
of Israel, saying, The land, which we passed through to search it, is
an exceeding good land. If the Lord delight in us, then he will bring
us into this land, and give it us; a land which floweth with milk and
honey. Only rebel not ye against the Lord, neither fear ye the people
of the land; for they are bread for us. Their defense is departed from
them, and the Lord is with us. Fear them not.”
“Their defense is departed from them.” That is, the Canaanites
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had filled up the measure of their iniquity, and the divine protection
was withdrawn from them, and they felt perfectly secure and were
unprepared for battle, and by the covenant of God the land is insured to