36. So the Lord struck down the men Moses had sent to check out the land. They had returned and had spread a bad report about the land. And that had made the whole community speak out against Moses.
37. Those men were to blame for spreading the bad report. So the Lord struck them down. They died of a plague.
38. Only two of the men who went to check out the land remained alive. One of them was Joshua, the son of Nun. The other was Caleb, the son of Jephunneh.
39. Moses reported to all of the people of Israel what the Lord had said. And they became very sad.
40. Early the next morning they went up toward the high hill country. "We have sinned," they said. "We will go up to the place the Lord promised to give us."
41. But Moses said, "Why aren't you obeying the Lord's command? You won't succeed.
42. So don't go up. The Lord isn't with you. Your enemies will win the battle over you.
43. The Amalekites and Canaanites will meet you on the field of battle. You have turned away from the Lord. So he won't be with you. And you will be killed with swords."
44. But they wouldn't listen. They still went up toward the high hill country. They went up even though Moses didn't move from the camp. They went even though the ark of the Lord's covenant didn't move from the camp.