14. They will tell the residents of this land about it. Already they have heard that You, Adonai, are in the midst of this people, that You, Adonai, have been seen eye to eye, that Your cloud remains over them, and that in a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night You go before them.
15. If you kill these people all at once, the nations who have heard this report about You will say,
16. ‘Because Adonai was unable to bring this people to the land He had promised them, He has slaughtered them in the wilderness.’
17. “So please, let Adonai show His strength, just as You have spoken saying,
18. ‘Adonai is slow to anger and abundant in lovingkindness, forgiving iniquity and transgression. Still, He does not leave the guilty unpunished, bringing the iniquity of the fathers upon the children to the third and fourth generations.’
19. Forgive now the guiltiness of this people in accordance with the greatness of Your lovingkindness, just as You have pardoned this people from Egypt until now!”
20. Adonai answered, “I have forgiven them just as you have spoken.
21. But as certainly as I live and as certainly as the glory of Adonai fills the entire earth,
22. none of the people who saw My glory and My miraculous signs I performed in Egypt and in the wilderness—yet tested Me these ten times and did not obey My Voice—
23. not one of them will see the land I promised to their forefathers. None of those who treated Me with contempt will see it!
24. However, My servant Caleb, because a different spirit is with him and he is wholeheartedly behind Me, I will bring him into the land where he went—his offspring will inherit it.
25. Now since the Amalekites and Canaanites are inhabiting the valley, turn back tomorrow and set out by the wilderness route toward the Sea of Reeds.”