וַתִּשָּׂא֙ כָּל־הָ֣עֵדָ֔ה וַֽיִּתְּנ֖וּ אֶת־קוֹלָ֑ם וַיִּבְכּ֥וּ הָעָ֖ם בַּלַּ֥יְלָה הַהֽוּא׃

The entire congregation who were present at the time then raised and sounded their voice; and the people wept that night.

וַיִּלֹּ֙נוּ֙ עַל־מֹשֶׁ֣ה וְעַֽל־אַהֲרֹ֔ן כֹּ֖ל בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וַֽיֹּאמְר֨וּ אֲלֵהֶ֜ם כָּל־הָעֵדָ֗ה לוּ־מַ֙תְנוּ֙ בְּאֶ֣רֶץ מִצְרַ֔יִם א֛וֹ בַּמִּדְבָּ֥ר הַזֶּ֖ה לוּ־מָֽתְנוּ׃

All the children of Israel complained against Moses and against Aaron; and the entire congregation said to them: If only we had died in the land of Egypt, or in this wilderness; if only we had died in peace and tranquility.

וְלָמָ֣ה יְ֠הוָה מֵבִ֨יא אֹתָ֜נוּ אֶל־הָאָ֤רֶץ הַזֹּאת֙ לִנְפֹּ֣ל בַּחֶ֔רֶב נָשֵׁ֥ינוּ וְטַפֵּ֖נוּ יִהְי֣וּ לָבַ֑ז הֲל֧וֹא ט֦וֹב לָ֖נוּ שׁ֥וּב מִצְרָֽיְמָה׃

Why does the Lord bring us to this land, Canaan, to fall by the sword? Rather than living a full life and dying of natural causes, we will instead perish before our time in battle, and our wives and our children will be taken for loot. Faced with such a prospect, isn’t it better for us to return to Egypt?

וַיֹּאמְר֖וּ אִ֣ישׁ אֶל־אָחִ֑יו נִתְּנָ֥ה רֹ֖אשׁ וְנָשׁ֥וּבָה מִצְרָֽיְמָה׃

As a result of the crying and commotion, the people’s bitterness and resentment progressively increased. Finally, they said one to another: It is not wise to continue in the direction of Canaan, so instead let us appoint a leader and return to Egypt.

וַיִּפֹּ֥ל מֹשֶׁ֛ה וְאַהֲרֹ֖ן עַל־פְּנֵיהֶ֑ם לִפְנֵ֕י כָּל־קְהַ֥ל עֲדַ֖ת בְּנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃

Upon hearing this, Moses and Aaron fell upon their faces before the entire assembly of the congregation of the children of Israel.

וִיהוֹשֻׁ֣עַ בִּן־נ֗וּן וְכָלֵב֙ בֶּן־יְפֻנֶּ֔ה מִן־הַתָּרִ֖ים אֶת־הָאָ֑רֶץ קָרְע֖וּ בִּגְדֵיהֶֽם׃

Joshua son of Nun and Caleb son of Yefuneh, who were from those men who had scouted the land, rent their garments.

וַיֹּ֣אמְר֔וּ אֶל־כָּל־עֲדַ֥ת בְּנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל לֵאמֹ֑ר הָאָ֗רֶץ אֲשֶׁ֨ר עָבַ֤רְנוּ בָהּ֙ לָת֣וּר אֹתָ֔הּ טוֹבָ֥ה הָאָ֖רֶץ מְאֹ֥ד מְאֹֽד׃

They said to the entire congregation of the children of Israel, saying: The land through which we passed to scout it, the land is exceedingly good.

אִם־חָפֵ֥ץ בָּ֙נוּ֙ יְהוָ֔ה וְהֵבִ֤יא אֹתָ֙נוּ֙ אֶל־הָאָ֣רֶץ הַזֹּ֔את וּנְתָנָ֖הּ לָ֑נוּ אֶ֕רֶץ אֲשֶׁר־הִ֛וא זָבַ֥ת חָלָ֖ב וּדְבָֽשׁ׃

As for your concerns, if the Lord is favorably disposed to us, He will bring us to this land and will give it to us, a land flowing with milk and honey. The land is excellent, and our success depends only on God’s will.

אַ֣ךְ בַּֽיהוָה֮ אַל־תִּמְרֹדוּ֒ וְאַתֶּ֗ם אַל־תִּֽירְאוּ֙ אֶת־עַ֣ם הָאָ֔רֶץ כִּ֥י לַחְמֵ֖נוּ הֵ֑ם סָ֣ר צִלָּ֧ם מֵעֲלֵיהֶ֛ם וַֽיהוָ֥ה אִתָּ֖נוּ אַל־תִּירָאֻֽם׃

However, do not rebel against the Lord by refusing to enter the land. And you, who have received a direct promise from God, do not fear the people of the land, even if others might justifiably do so, as they are like our bread; our triumph over them will be as simple as eating bread. Their protection has withdrawn from them, and they have nowhere to shelter and take refuge, and by contrast the Lord is with us; therefore, do not fear them.

וַיֹּֽאמְרוּ֙ כָּל־הָ֣עֵדָ֔ה לִרְגּ֥וֹם אֹתָ֖ם בָּאֲבָנִ֑ים וּכְב֣וֹד יְהוָ֗ה נִרְאָה֙ בְּאֹ֣הֶל מוֹעֵ֔ד אֶֽל־כָּל־בְּנֵ֖י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ (פ)

The entire congregation said to stone them, referring to Joshua and Caleb and perhaps also to Moses and Aaron, with stones, and the glory of the Lord appeared in the Tent of Meeting to all the children of Israel.

וַיֹּ֤אמֶר יְהוָה֙ אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֔ה עַד־אָ֥נָה יְנַאֲצֻ֖נִי הָעָ֣ם הַזֶּ֑ה וְעַד־אָ֙נָה֙ לֹא־יַאֲמִ֣ינוּ בִ֔י בְּכֹל֙ הָֽאֹת֔וֹת אֲשֶׁ֥ר עָשִׂ֖יתִי בְּקִרְבּֽוֹ׃

It appears that Moses went to the Tent of Meeting, and then the Lord said to Moses: Until when will this people scorn and profane Me, and until when will they not believe in Me, with, and despite, all the signs and miracles that I have performed in their midst?

אַכֶּ֥נּוּ בַדֶּ֖בֶר וְאוֹרִשֶׁ֑נּוּ וְאֶֽעֱשֶׂה֙ אֹֽתְךָ֔ לְגוֹי־גָּד֥וֹל וְעָצ֖וּם מִמֶּֽנּוּ׃

Because of their obstinacy, I will smite them, with the pestilence, and I will destroy them, and will make you, Moses, into a nation greater and mightier than they. God thereby indicated His intention to destroy the people, and to wait for a new nation to evolve from Moses’ descendants. Although this nation would in some way be the continuation of the children of Israel, in a more direct sense it would be a new nation called the children of Moses.

וַיֹּ֥אמֶר מֹשֶׁ֖ה אֶל־יְהוָ֑ה וְשָׁמְע֣וּ מִצְרַ֔יִם כִּֽי־הֶעֱלִ֧יתָ בְכֹחֲךָ֛ אֶת־הָעָ֥ם הַזֶּ֖ה מִקִּרְבּֽוֹ׃

Moses said to the Lord: Egypt will hear what has happened, that You took up this people of Israel with Your might from its midst.

וְאָמְר֗וּ אֶל־יוֹשֵׁב֮ הָאָ֣רֶץ הַזֹּאת֒ שָֽׁמְעוּ֙ כִּֽי־אַתָּ֣ה יְהוָ֔ה בְּקֶ֖רֶב הָעָ֣ם הַזֶּ֑ה אֲשֶׁר־עַ֨יִן בְּעַ֜יִן נִרְאָ֣ה ׀ אַתָּ֣ה יְהוָ֗ה וַעֲנָֽנְךָ֙ עֹמֵ֣ד עֲלֵהֶ֔ם וּבְעַמֻּ֣ד עָנָ֗ן אַתָּ֨ה הֹלֵ֤ךְ לִפְנֵיהֶם֙ יוֹמָ֔ם וּבְעַמּ֥וּד אֵ֖שׁ לָֽיְלָה׃

And if You destroy them, they will then say to, meaning about, the inhabitants of this land of Canaan, to which the children of Israel were supposed to go; until now they, the Egyptians, had heard that You, the Lord, are to be found in the midst of this people; that with their very eyes You, the Lord, were seen by that people, and Your cloud stands over them; and in a pillar of cloud You go before them by day, and in a pillar of fire by night.

וְהֵמַתָּ֛ה אֶת־הָעָ֥ם הַזֶּ֖ה כְּאִ֣ישׁ אֶחָ֑ד וְאָֽמְרוּ֙ הַגּוֹיִ֔ם אֲשֶׁר־שָׁמְע֥וּ אֶֽת־שִׁמְעֲךָ֖ לֵאמֹֽר׃

But if You now suddenly kill this people as one man in a plague, the Egyptians and the nations that have heard of Your renown will wonder why You have done that. They will conclude that You must have lacked the power to fulfill your promise to them, and say that You therefore killed them. They will thereby desecrate Your name, saying:

מִבִּלְתִּ֞י יְכֹ֣לֶת יְהוָ֗ה לְהָבִיא֙ אֶת־הָעָ֣ם הַזֶּ֔ה אֶל־הָאָ֖רֶץ אֲשֶׁר־נִשְׁבַּ֣ע לָהֶ֑ם וַיִּשְׁחָטֵ֖ם בַּמִּדְבָּֽר׃

Although the Lord did manage to take them out of Egypt, at this time He lacks ability to bring this people into the land with regard to which He took an oath to them. He is obviously unable to defeat the nations of Canaan, and for that reason He slaughtered them in the wilderness.

וְעַתָּ֕ה יִגְדַּל־נָ֖א כֹּ֣חַ אֲדֹנָ֑י כַּאֲשֶׁ֥ר דִּבַּ֖רְתָּ לֵאמֹֽר׃

Now, therefore, please, let the might of my Lord be great. Let Your power be revealed to Israel in a more exalted and loftier way, as You spoke and promised me, by teaching Me Your attributes of mercy after the sin of the Golden Calf, saying:

יְהוָ֗ה אֶ֤רֶךְ אַפַּ֙יִם֙ וְרַב־חֶ֔סֶד נֹשֵׂ֥א עָוֺ֖ן וָפָ֑שַׁע וְנַקֵּה֙ לֹ֣א יְנַקֶּ֔ה פֹּקֵ֞ד עֲוֺ֤ן אָבוֹת֙ עַל־בָּנִ֔ים עַל־שִׁלֵּשִׁ֖ים וְעַל־רִבֵּעִֽים׃

The Lord is patient and slow to anger and abounding in kindness, bearing iniquity and transgression. But at the same time, though, He will not completely exonerate the iniquity. Although God awaits the sinner’s repentance and the sin is then forgiven, it is not entirely cleansed. Rather, He will continue reckoning the iniquity of the fathers and enacting restitution for it upon the children, upon the third and upon the fourth generation. God is exceedingly merciful, and consequently does not punish one’s descendants eternally for their forefathers’ sins. But He also does not bring the complete punishment upon the sinner at one time, as this would lead to the sinner’s total destruction. Instead, He extends the punishment over several generations and places some of the burden upon the sinner’s descendants, but only until the fourth generation. Furthermore, if the children refrain from committing additional sins, and thereby refrain from evoking the memory of their ancestor’s iniquity, the sin is erased completely and they are not punished at all. These attributes of God are similar to the ones God Himself mentioned in Exodus 34, after the sin of the Golden Calf. However, there are some differences between them; see the chart below.

סְלַֽח־נָ֗א לַעֲוֺ֛ן הָעָ֥ם הַזֶּ֖ה כְּגֹ֣דֶל חַסְדֶּ֑ךָ וְכַאֲשֶׁ֤ר נָשָׂ֙אתָה֙ לָעָ֣ם הַזֶּ֔ה מִמִּצְרַ֖יִם וְעַד־הֵֽנָּה׃

Please pardon the iniquity of this people in accordance with the greatness of Your kindness, and reduce their severe punishment to a lighter penalty, as You have patiently borne and forgiven the sin of this people, from Egypt until now.

וַיֹּ֣אמֶר יְהוָ֔ה סָלַ֖חְתִּי כִּדְבָרֶֽךָ׃

The Lord said: I have pardoned in accordance with your word, as you requested, since your reasoning is valid. Moses’ prayer succeeded insofar as God annulled the original decree to destroy the entire people at once and replace them with a new nation descended from Moses.

וְאוּלָ֖ם חַי־אָ֑נִי וְיִמָּלֵ֥א כְבוֹד־יְהוָ֖ה אֶת־כָּל־הָאָֽרֶץ׃

However, as I live, I swear by My life, the entire earth shall be filled with the glory of the Lord. This was an additional expression of an oath:

כִּ֣י כָל־הָאֲנָשִׁ֗ים הָרֹאִ֤ים אֶת־כְּבֹדִי֙ וְאֶת־אֹ֣תֹתַ֔י אֲשֶׁר־עָשִׂ֥יתִי בְמִצְרַ֖יִם וּבַמִּדְבָּ֑ר וַיְנַסּ֣וּ אֹתִ֗י זֶ֚ה עֶ֣שֶׂר פְּעָמִ֔ים וְלֹ֥א שָׁמְע֖וּ בְּקוֹלִֽי׃

For all the people who have seen My glory, and My signs, which I performed in Egypt and in the wilderness, meaning the entire people of Israel, and they have tested Me these ten times, and have not heeded My voice,

אִם־יִרְאוּ֙ אֶת־הָאָ֔רֶץ אֲשֶׁ֥ר נִשְׁבַּ֖עְתִּי לַאֲבֹתָ֑ם וְכָל־מְנַאֲצַ֖י לֹ֥א יִרְאֽוּהָ׃

I swear that they shall not see the land with regard to which I took an oath to their fathers. And certainly all those who scorned Me, whether they were among those who incited others to rebel, or were themselves incited by others; whether they were seized by terror as a result of the negative report they heard from the scouts, or they objected to Moses’ leadership for personal reasons; they all shall not see it.

וְעַבְדִּ֣י כָלֵ֗ב עֵ֣קֶב הָֽיְתָ֞ה ר֤וּחַ אַחֶ֙רֶת֙ עִמּ֔וֹ וַיְמַלֵּ֖א אַחֲרָ֑י וַהֲבִֽיאֹתִ֗יו אֶל־הָאָ֙רֶץ֙ אֲשֶׁר־בָּ֣א שָׁ֔מָּה וְזַרְע֖וֹ יוֹרִשֶֽׁנָּה׃

But in contrast to them, My servant Caleb, because another spirit was with him, and although he had been one of the scouts, he remained fully faithful to My wishes and commands and he followed Me wholeheartedly, will I therefore bring him at a future time to the land into which he already came. This time he will enter the land as a conqueror, and his descendants shall take possession of it.

וְהָֽעֲמָלֵקִ֥י וְהַֽכְּנַעֲנִ֖י יוֹשֵׁ֣ב בָּעֵ֑מֶק מָחָ֗ר פְּנ֨וּ וּסְע֥וּ לָכֶ֛ם הַמִּדְבָּ֖ר דֶּ֥רֶךְ יַם־סֽוּף׃ (פ)

If you insist on trying to enter the land despite My decree, you will not succeed, as the Amalekites and the Canaanites dwell in the valley, and they will prevent you from entering. Therefore, tomorrow, turn back and travel you to the wilderness, and travel back by way of the Red Sea.

וַיְדַבֵּ֣ר יְהוָ֔ה אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֥ה וְאֶֽל־אַהֲרֹ֖ן לֵאמֹֽר׃

The Lord spoke to Moses and to Aaron, saying:

עַד־מָתַ֗י לָעֵדָ֤ה הָֽרָעָה֙ הַזֹּ֔את אֲשֶׁ֛ר הֵ֥מָּה מַלִּינִ֖ים עָלָ֑י אֶת־תְּלֻנּ֞וֹת בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל אֲשֶׁ֨ר הֵ֧מָּה מַלִּינִ֛ים עָלַ֖י שָׁמָֽעְתִּי׃

Until when shall I have tolerance for this evil congregation that bring complaints against Me? In this context, the term “congregation” refers mainly to the scouts themselves. I have heard the complaints of the children of Israel that they, the scouts, brought against Me.

אֱמֹ֣ר אֲלֵהֶ֗ם חַי־אָ֙נִי֙ נְאֻם־יְהוָ֔ה אִם־לֹ֕א כַּאֲשֶׁ֥ר דִּבַּרְתֶּ֖ם בְּאָזְנָ֑י כֵּ֖ן אֶֽעֱשֶׂ֥ה לָכֶֽם׃

Therefore, say to them: I swear as I live – the utterance of the Lord – surely as you yourselves spoke in My ears, when you said that you will die without succeeding to conquer the land, so I shall do to you.

בַּמִּדְבָּ֣ר הַ֠זֶּה יִפְּל֨וּ פִגְרֵיכֶ֜ם וְכָל־פְּקֻדֵיכֶם֙ לְכָל־מִסְפַּרְכֶ֔ם מִבֶּ֛ן עֶשְׂרִ֥ים שָׁנָ֖ה וָמָ֑עְלָה אֲשֶׁ֥ר הֲלִֽינֹתֶ֖ם עָלָֽי׃

Your carcasses shall fall in this wilderness, and this fate will befall all those of you who were counted in any of your censuses taken for any reason, meaning all those from twenty years old and above, who brought complaints against Me. Your predictions will come true: You will all die. However, this will not happen as a result of war, but rather after years of wandering in the wilderness.

אִם־אַתֶּם֙ תָּבֹ֣אוּ אֶל־הָאָ֔רֶץ אֲשֶׁ֤ר נָשָׂ֙אתִי֙ אֶת־יָדִ֔י לְשַׁכֵּ֥ן אֶתְכֶ֖ם בָּ֑הּ כִּ֚י אִם־כָּלֵ֣ב בֶּן־יְפֻנֶּ֔ה וִיהוֹשֻׁ֖עַ בִּן־נֽוּן׃

You shall not come into the land, with regard to which I raised My hand and took an oath that I would settle you in it. None of those who are adults today shall reach the Promised Land, except for two single individuals who will be exempt from this decree: Caleb son of Yefuneh and Joshua son of Nun.

וְטַ֨פְּכֶ֔ם אֲשֶׁ֥ר אֲמַרְתֶּ֖ם לָבַ֣ז יִהְיֶ֑ה וְהֵבֵיאתִ֣י אֹתָ֔ם וְיָֽדְעוּ֙ אֶת־הָאָ֔רֶץ אֲשֶׁ֥ר מְאַסְתֶּ֖ם בָּֽהּ׃

Instead, I will fulfill My promise to your children, about whom you said they would be taken by the Canaanites for loot. I will bring them into the land, and they shall know the land that you have despised.

וּפִגְרֵיכֶ֖ם אַתֶּ֑ם יִפְּל֖וּ בַּמִּדְבָּ֥ר הַזֶּֽה׃

But your carcasses, you, shall fall in this wilderness, which you will not escape.

וּ֠בְנֵיכֶם יִהְי֨וּ רֹעִ֤ים בַּמִּדְבָּר֙ אַרְבָּעִ֣ים שָׁנָ֔ה וְנָשְׂא֖וּ אֶת־זְנוּתֵיכֶ֑ם עַד־תֹּ֥ם פִּגְרֵיכֶ֖ם בַּמִּדְבָּֽר׃

While this is happening, your children shall be wandering about in the wilderness, drifting from place to place for forty years. And they shall bear the consequences of your harlotry until the demise of your carcasses falling in the wilderness, and all of you have passed away.

בְּמִסְפַּ֨ר הַיָּמִ֜ים אֲשֶׁר־תַּרְתֶּ֣ם אֶת־הָאָרֶץ֮ אַרְבָּעִ֣ים יוֹם֒ י֣וֹם לַשָּׁנָ֞ה י֣וֹם לַשָּׁנָ֗ה תִּשְׂאוּ֙ אֶת־עֲוֺנֹ֣תֵיכֶ֔ם אַרְבָּעִ֖ים שָׁנָ֑ה וִֽידַעְתֶּ֖ם אֶת־תְּנוּאָתִֽי׃

In accordance with the number of the days that you scouted the land, forty days, each day for a year, you shall bear your iniquities, adding up to a total of forty years. And as a result of this punishment, you shall know the extent of My estrangement from you, or how far you have strayed from following Me. Alternatively, this means: You shall know the price of refusing to follow My commands.

אֲנִ֣י יְהוָה֮ דִּבַּרְתִּי֒ אִם־לֹ֣א ׀ זֹ֣את אֶֽעֱשֶׂ֗ה לְכָל־הָעֵדָ֤ה הָֽרָעָה֙ הַזֹּ֔את הַנּוֹעָדִ֖ים עָלָ֑י בַּמִּדְבָּ֥ר הַזֶּ֛ה יִתַּ֖מּוּ וְשָׁ֥ם יָמֻֽתוּ׃

I am the Lord; I have spoken; surely, I will do this to this entire evil congregation that congregated against Me; in this wilderness they shall expire, and there they shall die. Only the next generation will conquer the land.

וְהָ֣אֲנָשִׁ֔ים אֲשֶׁר־שָׁלַ֥ח מֹשֶׁ֖ה לָת֣וּר אֶת־הָאָ֑רֶץ וַיָּשֻׁ֗בוּ וילונו [וַיַּלִּ֤ינוּ] עָלָיו֙ אֶת־כָּל־הָ֣עֵדָ֔ה לְהוֹצִ֥יא דִבָּ֖ה עַל־הָאָֽרֶץ׃

The men whom Moses sent to scout the land and returned and brought the entire congregation to complain against him continued to promulgate a slanderous report of the land.

וַיָּמֻ֙תוּ֙ הָֽאֲנָשִׁ֔ים מוֹצִאֵ֥י דִבַּת־הָאָ֖רֶץ רָעָ֑ה בַּמַּגֵּפָ֖ה לִפְנֵ֥י יְהוָֽה׃

The men, promulgators of the evil slanderous report of the land, died in the plague before the Lord. The scouts themselves were the first to die, and they died a difficult, unnatural death. The definite article in the term "the plague" indicates something well-known and terrible.

וִיהוֹשֻׁ֣עַ בִּן־נ֔וּן וְכָלֵ֖ב בֶּן־יְפֻנֶּ֑ה חָיוּ֙ מִן־הָאֲנָשִׁ֣ים הָהֵ֔ם הַֽהֹלְכִ֖ים לָת֥וּר אֶת־הָאָֽרֶץ׃

But Joshua son of Nun, and Caleb son of Yefuneh, lived from among those men who went to scout the land. This was a clear indication that the scouts did not die as a result of some infectious disease they had contracted during their journey, but rather as a direct punishment that afflicted only those who were guilty of circulating slander about the land.

וַיְדַבֵּ֤ר מֹשֶׁה֙ אֶת־הַדְּבָרִ֣ים הָאֵ֔לֶּה אֶֽל־כָּל־בְּנֵ֖י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וַיִּֽתְאַבְּל֥וּ הָעָ֖ם מְאֹֽד׃

Moses spoke these words to all the children of Israel. He informed all the adults that as they had rejected the land, and there will be no returning to Egypt, it has been decreed that they will remain in the wilderness until their deaths. And upon hearing this, the people mourned greatly, since they believed in God and in Moses.

וַיַּשְׁכִּ֣מוּ בַבֹּ֔קֶר וַיַּֽעֲל֥וּ אֶל־רֹאשׁ־הָהָ֖ר לֵאמֹ֑ר הִנֶּ֗נּוּ וְעָלִ֛ינוּ אֶל־הַמָּק֛וֹם אֲשֶׁר־אָמַ֥ר יְהוָ֖ה כִּ֥י חָטָֽאנוּ׃

Because the children of Israel felt this remorse, they awoke early in the morning, and ascended to the top of the mountain, saying: Here we are, and we will ascend to the place that the Lord said, the land of Canaan. We wish to repair our earlier error, because we sinned by refusing to go to the land.

וַיֹּ֣אמֶר מֹשֶׁ֔ה לָ֥מָּה זֶּ֛ה אַתֶּ֥ם עֹבְרִ֖ים אֶת־פִּ֣י יְהוָ֑ה וְהִ֖וא לֹ֥א תִצְלָֽח׃

But Moses said to them: Why are you violating the directive of the Lord? God has already issued His decree and therefore it, this initiative of yours, shall not succeed.

אַֽל־תַּעֲל֔וּ כִּ֛י אֵ֥ין יְהוָ֖ה בְּקִרְבְּכֶ֑ם וְלֹא֙ תִּנָּ֣גְפ֔וּ לִפְנֵ֖י אֹיְבֵיכֶֽם׃

Do not ascend to try to fight for the land, as the Lord is not in your midst. There is no chance that you will emerge victorious. Consequently, it would be wise to refrain from trying, so that you will not be struck down before your enemies.

כִּי֩ הָעֲמָלֵקִ֨י וְהַכְּנַעֲנִ֥י שָׁם֙ לִפְנֵיכֶ֔ם וּנְפַלְתֶּ֖ם בֶּחָ֑רֶב כִּֽי־עַל־כֵּ֤ן שַׁבְתֶּם֙ מֵאַחֲרֵ֣י יְהוָ֔ה וְלֹא־יִהְיֶ֥ה יְהוָ֖ה עִמָּכֶֽם׃

For the Amalekites and the Canaanites are there before you on the path leading to the land, and if you attempt to enter, you shall fall by the sword; since you have withdrawn from following the Lord, and therefore the Lord will not be with you.

וַיַּעְפִּ֕לוּ לַעֲל֖וֹת אֶל־רֹ֣אשׁ הָהָ֑ר וַאֲר֤וֹן בְּרִית־יְהוָה֙ וּמֹשֶׁ֔ה לֹא־מָ֖שׁוּ מִקֶּ֥רֶב הַֽמַּחֲנֶֽה׃

Nevertheless, they ventured to go up to the top of the moun- tain range that stood before them on the way to Canaan; yet the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord, and Moses, did not move from the midst of the camp.

וַיֵּ֤רֶד הָעֲמָלֵקִי֙ וְהַֽכְּנַעֲנִ֔י הַיֹּשֵׁ֖ב בָּהָ֣ר הַה֑וּא וַיַּכּ֥וּם וַֽיַּכְּת֖וּם עַד־הַֽחָרְמָֽה׃ (פ)

The Amalekites and the Canaanites, who lived on that mountain, came down and smote them and crushed them, chasing them until a place that later became known as Horma, because those people met their destruction [ ḥorbanam ] there. They were routed in battle and retreated in humiliation.