36. So the men Moses had sent to explore the land, who returned and made the whole community grumble against him by spreading a bad report about it –
37. these men who were responsible for spreading the bad report about the land were struck down and died of a plague before the Lord.
38. Of the men who went to explore the land, only Joshua son of Nun and Caleb son of Jephunneh survived.
39. When Moses reported this to all the Israelites, they mourned bitterly.
40. Early the next morning they set out for the highest point in the hill country, saying, ‘Now we are ready to go up to the land the Lord promised. Surely we have sinned!’
41. But Moses said, ‘Why are you disobeying the Lord’s command? This will not succeed!