38. ‘Yehoshua the son of Nun, who stands before you, he shall go in there. Strengthen him, for he shall cause Yisra’ĕl to inherit.
39. ‘And your little ones and your children, who you say are for a prey, who today have no knowledge of good and evil, they are going in there. And to them I give it, and they are to possess it.
40. ‘But you, turn and take your journey into the wilderness by the Way of the Sea of Reeds.’
41. “Then you answered and said to me, ‘We have sinned against יהוה. We ourselves are going up, and we shall fight, as יהוה our Elohim commanded us.’ And when each one of you had girded on his battle gear, you were ready to go up into the mountain.
42. “And יהוה said to me, ‘Say to them, “Do not go up nor fight, for I am not in your midst, lest you be smitten before your enemies.” ’
43. “So I spoke to you, but you would not listen and rebelled against the mouth of יהוה, and acted proudly, and went up into the mountain.
44. “Then the Amorites who dwelt in that mountain came out against you and chased you as bees do, and drove you back from Sĕ‛ir to Ḥormah.
45. “And you returned and wept before יהוה, but יהוה would not listen to your voice nor give ear to you.