1. Then all the community lifted up their voices, and the people wept during that night.
2. And all the Israelites grumbled against Moses and Aaron, and all the community said to them, “If only we had died in the land of Egypt or in this desert!
3. Why did Yahweh bring us into this land to fall by the sword? Our wives and our little children will become plunder; would it not be better for us to return to Egypt?”
4. They said to each other, “Let us appoint a leader, and we will return to Egypt.”
5. Then Moses and Aaron fell on their faces before the assembly of the community of the Israelites.
6. Joshua son of Nun and Caleb son of Jephunneh, from the explorers of the land, tore their garments.
7. And they said to all the community of the Israelites, “The land that we went through to explore is an exceptionally good land.
8. If Yahweh delights in us, then he will bring us into this land, and he will give it to us, a land that is flowing with milk and honey.
9. Only do not rebel against Yahweh, and you will not fear the people of the land, because they will be our food. Their protection has been turned from them; Yahweh is with us. You should not fear them.”
10. And all the community said to stone them with stones, but the glory of Yahweh appeared in the tent of assembly among the Israelites.
11. And Yahweh said to Moses, “How long until this people will despise me, and how long until they will not believe in me, and in all the signs that I have done in their midst?
12. I will strike them with disease, and I will dispossess them; I will make you into a greater and stronger nation than them.”
13. And Moses said to Yahweh, “Then the Egyptians will hear that you brought up this people from their midst in your power,
14. and they will tell it to the inhabitants of this land. They heard that you, Yahweh, are in the midst of this people, that you are seen eye to eye, and your cloud is standing over them, and in a column of cloud you go before them by day and in a column of fire at night.