25. (The Amalekites and Canaanites are living in the valleys.) Tomorrow you must turn around, go back into the desert, and follow the road that goes to the Red Sea.”
26. Then the Lord said to Moses and Aaron,
27. “How long must I put up with this wicked community that keeps complaining about me? I’ve heard the complaints the Israelites are making about me.
28. So tell them, ‘As I live, declares the Lord, I solemnly swear I will do everything to you that you said I would do.
29. Your bodies will drop dead in this desert. All of you who are at least 20 years old, who were registered and listed, and who complained about me will die.
30. I raised my hand and swore an oath to give you this land to live in. But none of you will enter it except Caleb (son of Jephunneh) and Joshua (son of Nun).
31. You said your children would be taken as prisoners of war. Instead, I will bring them into the land you rejected, and they will enjoy it.
32. However, your bodies will drop dead in this desert.
33. Your children will be shepherds in the desert for 40 years. They will suffer for your unfaithfulness until the last of your bodies lies dead in the desert.