1. And all the congregation lifted up their voice, and cried; and the people wept that night.
2. 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 of Egypt! or would God we had died in this wilderness!
3. And why has 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?
4. And they said one to another, Let us choose a leader, and let us return into Egypt.
5. Then Moses and Aaron fell on their faces before all the assembly of the congregation of the children of Israel.
6. And Joshua the son of Nun, and Caleb the son of Jephunneh, who were of them that searched the land, tore their clothes:
7. And they spoke unto all the company of the children of Israel, saying, The land, which we passed through to search it, is an exceedingly good land.
8. If the LORD delights in us, then he will bring us into this land, and give it to us; a land which flows with milk and honey.
9. Only rebel not against the LORD, neither fear you 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.
10. But all the congregation said to stone them with stones. And the glory of the LORD appeared in the tabernacle of meeting before all the children of Israel.
11. And the LORD said unto Moses,
12. I will smite them with the pestilence, and disinherit them, and will make of you a greater nation and mightier than they.
13. And Moses said unto the LORD, Then the Egyptians shall hear it, (for you brought up this people in your might from among them;)
14. And they will tell it to the inhabitants of this land: for they have heard that you LORD are among this people, that you LORD are seen face to face, and that your cloud stands over them, and that you go before them, by daytime in a pillar of a cloud, and in a pillar of fire by night.
15. Now if you shall kill all this people as one man, then the nations which have heard the fame of you will speak, saying,