Saadia's Tafsir on Bamidbar 14 (Parashat Sh’lach)

Bamidbar 14:1

וַתִּשָּׂא כָּל-הָעֵדָה וַיִּתְּנוּ אֶת-קוֹלָם וַיִּבְכּוּ הָעָם בַּלַּיְלָה הַהוּא

.

Then the assembly raised their voices, and they wept in that night.

Bamidbar 14:2

וַיִּלֹּנוּ עַל-מֹשֶׁה וְעַל-אַהֲרֹן כֹּל בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל וַיֹּאמְרוּ אֲלֵהֶם כָּל-הָעֵדָה לוּ-מַתְנוּ בְּאֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם אוֹ בַּמִּדְבָּר הַזֶּה לוּ-מָתְנוּ

. . . . .

And the congregation of the sons of Israel grumbled against Moses and Aaron, and said to them: 'Would that we had died in the land of Egypt — or would that we had died in this wilderness!'

Bamidbar 14:3

וְלָמָה יְהוָה מֵבִיא אֹתָנוּ אֶל-הָאָרֶץ הַזֹּאת לִנְפֹּל בַּחֶרֶב--נָשֵׁינוּ וְטַפֵּנוּ יִהְיוּ לָבַז הֲלוֹא טוֹב לָנוּ שׁוּב מִצְרָיְמָה

. . .

'And why would God bring us into that land, that we should fall by the sword, so that our wives and our children become spoil? Is it not better for us to return to Egypt?'

Bamidbar 14:4

וַיֹּאמְרוּ אִישׁ אֶל-אָחִיו נִתְּנָה רֹאשׁ וְנָשׁוּבָה מִצְרָיְמָה

.

Then some of them said to one another: 'Let us appoint a head, and return to Egypt.'

Bamidbar 14:5

וַיִּפֹּל מֹשֶׁה וְאַהֲרֹן עַל-פְּנֵיהֶם לִפְנֵי כָּל-קְהַל עֲדַת בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל

.

And Moses and Aaron fell upon their faces before the assembly of the congregation of the sons of Israel.

Bamidbar 14:6

וִיהוֹשֻׁעַ בִּן-נוּן וְכָלֵב בֶּן-יְפֻנֶּה מִן-הַתָּרִים אֶת-הָאָרֶץ--קָרְעוּ בִּגְדֵיהֶם

. . .

And Joshua son of Nun, and Caleb son of Jephunneh — among those who had scouted the land — tore their garments.

Bamidbar 14:7

וַיֹּאמְרוּ אֶל-כָּל-עֲדַת בְּנֵי-יִשְׂרָאֵל לֵאמֹר הָאָרֶץ אֲשֶׁר עָבַרְנוּ בָהּ לָתוּר אֹתָהּ--טוֹבָה הָאָרֶץ מְאֹד מְאֹד

. . . .

And they said to the congregation of the sons of Israel, saying: 'The land which we passed through to seek it out — it is a very, very good land.'

Bamidbar 14:8

אִם-חָפֵץ בָּנוּ יְהוָה--וְהֵבִיא אֹתָנוּ אֶל-הָאָרֶץ הַזֹּאת וּנְתָנָהּ לָנוּ אֶרֶץ אֲשֶׁר-הִוא זָבַת חָלָב וּדְבָשׁ

. .

'If God has a will toward us, He will bring us into it and give it to us as a gift — a land flowing with milk and honey.'

Bamidbar 14:9

אַךְ בַּיהוָה אַל-תִּמְרֹדוּ וְאַתֶּם אַל-תִּירְאוּ אֶת-עַם הָאָרֶץ כִּי לַחְמֵנוּ הֵם סָר צִלָּם מֵעֲלֵיהֶם וַיהוָה אִתָּנוּ אַל-תִּירָאֻם

. . . .

'Only do not grumble against God, and do not fear the people of the land, for they are our food; their shadow has already departed from them. And God is with us — do not fear them.'

Bamidbar 14:10

וַיֹּאמְרוּ כָּל-הָעֵדָה לִרְגּוֹם אֹתָם בָּאֲבָנִים וּכְבוֹד יְהוָה נִרְאָה בְּאֹהֶל מוֹעֵד אֶל-כָּל-בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל

. . . .

Then nearly all the people were about to stone the two of them. Then the light of God appeared in the Tent of Meeting before all the sons of Israel.

Bamidbar 14:11

וַיֹּאמֶר יְהוָה אֶל-מֹשֶׁה עַד-אָנָה יְנַאֲצֻנִי הָעָם הַזֶּה וְעַד-אָנָה לֹא-יַאֲמִינוּ בִי בְּכֹל הָאֹתוֹת אֲשֶׁר עָשִׂיתִי בְּקִרְבּוֹ

. . . .

And God said to Moses: 'How long shall these people defy Me, and how long will they not believe in Me, despite all the signs which I performed among them?'

Bamidbar 14:12

אַכֶּנּוּ בַדֶּבֶר וְאוֹרִשֶׁנּוּ וְאֶעֱשֶׂה אֹתְךָ לְגוֹי-גָּדוֹל וְעָצוּם מִמֶּנּוּ

. .

'They deserve that I strike them with pestilence and wear them down, and make of you a nation more numerous and mightier than they.'

Bamidbar 14:13

וַיֹּאמֶר מֹשֶׁה אֶל-יְהוָה וְשָׁמְעוּ מִצְרַיִם כִּי-הֶעֱלִיתָ בְכֹחֲךָ אֶת-הָעָם הַזֶּה מִקִּרְבּוֹ

. .

And Moses said to God: 'Yet the Egyptians will hear — You who brought these people up from among them by Your power —'

Bamidbar 14:14

וְאָמְרוּ אֶל-יוֹשֵׁב הָאָרֶץ הַזֹּאת שָׁמְעוּ כִּי-אַתָּה יְהוָה בְּקֶרֶב הָעָם הַזֶּה אֲשֶׁר-עַיִן בְּעַיִן נִרְאָה אַתָּה יְהוָה וַעֲנָנְךָ עֹמֵד עֲלֵהֶם וּבְעַמֻּד עָנָן אַתָּה הֹלֵךְ לִפְנֵיהֶם יוֹמָם וּבְעַמּוּד אֵשׁ לָיְלָה

. . . . . .

'and they will tell, together with the inhabitants of this land who have heard that You are God: Your light is among these people, seen eye to eye; and Your clouds rest upon them; and in a pillar of cloud You go before them by day, and in a pillar of fire by night.'

Bamidbar 14:15

וְהֵמַתָּה אֶת-הָעָם הַזֶּה כְּאִישׁ אֶחָד וְאָמְרוּ הַגּוֹיִם אֲשֶׁר-שָׁמְעוּ אֶת-שִׁמְעֲךָ לֵאמֹר

. .

'And if You slay them all as one man, then all the nations who have heard these reports of You will say:'

Bamidbar 14:16

מִבִּלְתִּי יְכֹלֶת יְהוָה לְהָבִיא אֶת-הָעָם הַזֶּה אֶל-הָאָרֶץ אֲשֶׁר-נִשְׁבַּע לָהֶם וַיִּשְׁחָטֵם בַּמִּדְבָּר

. . .

'It was because the Lord was unable to bring these people into the land which He had promised them — so He slew them in the wilderness.'

Bamidbar 14:17

וְעַתָּה יִגְדַּל-נָא כֹּחַ אֲדֹנָי כַּאֲשֶׁר דִּבַּרְתָּ לֵאמֹר

.

'And now, let the greatness of Your power be made manifest, O Lord, as You spoke to me.'

Bamidbar 14:18

יְהוָה אֶרֶךְ אַפַּיִם וְרַב-חֶסֶד נֹשֵׂא עָו‍ֹן וָפָשַׁע וְנַקֵּה לֹא יְנַקֶּה--פֹּקֵד עֲו‍ֹן אָבוֹת עַל-בָּנִים עַל-שִׁלֵּשִׁים וְעַל-רִבֵּעִים

. . . . .

'That You are God — long in forbearance, abounding in grace, forgiving iniquity together with transgression — and acquits, yet does not wholly acquit — visiting the iniquities of the fathers upon the sons, and upon the third and upon the fourth generation.'

Bamidbar 14:19

סְלַח-נָא לַעֲו‍ֹן הָעָם הַזֶּה--כְּגֹדֶל חַסְדֶּךָ וְכַאֲשֶׁר נָשָׂאתָה לָעָם הַזֶּה מִמִּצְרַיִם וְעַד-הֵנָּה

. .

'Pardon the iniquity of these people according to the abundance of Your grace, and as You have borne with them from Egypt until now.'

Bamidbar 14:20

וַיֹּאמֶר יְהוָה סָלַחְתִּי כִּדְבָרֶךָ

.

And God said: 'I have pardoned them from immediate punishment, as you have said.'

Bamidbar 14:21

וְאוּלָם חַי-אָנִי וְיִמָּלֵא כְבוֹד-יְהוָה אֶת-כָּל-הָאָרֶץ

'Yet — by My eternal existence, and by My light which fills all the world —'

Bamidbar 14:22

כִּי כָל-הָאֲנָשִׁים הָרֹאִים אֶת-כְּבֹדִי וְאֶת-אֹתֹתַי אֲשֶׁר-עָשִׂיתִי בְמִצְרַיִם וּבַמִּדְבָּר וַיְנַסּוּ אֹתִי זֶה עֶשֶׂר פְּעָמִים וְלֹא שָׁמְעוּ בְּקוֹלִי

. . . .

'Surely all the men who saw My generosity and My signs which I performed in Egypt and in the wilderness, and who tested Me now this tenth time, and did not accept My command —'

Bamidbar 14:23

אִם-יִרְאוּ אֶת-הָאָרֶץ אֲשֶׁר נִשְׁבַּעְתִּי לַאֲבֹתָם וְכָל-מְנַאֲצַי לֹא יִרְאוּהָ

. .

'they shall not see the land which I swore to their fathers; and likewise every one who defies Me shall not see it.'

Bamidbar 14:24

וְעַבְדִּי כָלֵב עֵקֶב הָיְתָה רוּחַ אַחֶרֶת עִמּוֹ וַיְמַלֵּא אַחֲרָי--וַהֲבִיאֹתִיו אֶל-הָאָרֶץ אֲשֶׁר-בָּא שָׁמָּה וְזַרְעוֹ יוֹרִשֶׁנָּה

. . . .

'But My servant Caleb — as recompense for his having held a different view, following obedience to Me thereby — him I will bring into the land which he reached, and for his offspring he shall pass it on as an inheritance.'

Bamidbar 14:25

וְהָעֲמָלֵקִי וְהַכְּנַעֲנִי יוֹשֵׁב בָּעֵמֶק מָחָר פְּנוּ וּסְעוּ לָכֶם הַמִּדְבָּר--דֶּרֶךְ יַם-סוּף

. .

'And now, the Amalekites and the Canaanites are dwelling in the valley. Turn back tomorrow and set out into the wilderness by the way of the Sea of Qulzum.'

Bamidbar 14:26

וַיְדַבֵּר יְהוָה אֶל-מֹשֶׁה וְאֶל-אַהֲרֹן לֵאמֹר

Then God spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying:

Bamidbar 14:27

עַד-מָתַי לָעֵדָה הָרָעָה הַזֹּאת אֲשֶׁר הֵמָּה מַלִּינִים עָלָי אֶת-תְּלֻנּוֹת בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל אֲשֶׁר הֵמָּה מַלִּינִים עָלַי--שָׁמָעְתִּי

. . .

'How long shall I leave this wicked congregation, which has incited the nation against Me? I have indeed heard the grumbling of the sons of Israel, who grumbled against Me.'

Bamidbar 14:28

אֱמֹר אֲלֵהֶם חַי-אָנִי נְאֻם-יְהוָה אִם-לֹא כַּאֲשֶׁר דִּבַּרְתֶּם בְּאָזְנָי כֵּן אֶעֱשֶׂה לָכֶם

. . .

'Say to them: By My eternal existence — says God — if I do not deal with you as you have said in My presence!'

Bamidbar 14:29

בַּמִּדְבָּר הַזֶּה יִפְּלוּ פִגְרֵיכֶם וְכָל-פְּקֻדֵיכֶם לְכָל-מִסְפַּרְכֶם מִבֶּן עֶשְׂרִים שָׁנָה וָמָעְלָה אֲשֶׁר הֲלִינֹתֶם עָלָי

. . .

'In this wilderness shall your bodies fall — from every one counted and numbered among you, from twenty years of age and upward — even as you grumbled against Me.'

Bamidbar 14:30

אִם-אַתֶּם תָּבֹאוּ אֶל-הָאָרֶץ אֲשֶׁר נָשָׂאתִי אֶת-יָדִי לְשַׁכֵּן אֶתְכֶם בָּהּ--כִּי אִם-כָּלֵב בֶּן-יְפֻנֶּה וִיהוֹשֻׁעַ בִּן-נוּן

. . . .

'You shall not enter the land concerning which I swore by My word to settle you in it — except Caleb son of Jephunneh and Joshua son of Nun.'

Bamidbar 14:31

וְטַפְּכֶם--אֲשֶׁר אֲמַרְתֶּם לָבַז יִהְיֶה וְהֵבֵיאתִי אֹתָם--וְיָדְעוּ אֶת-הָאָרֶץ אֲשֶׁר מְאַסְתֶּם בָּהּ

. . . .

'And your children, whom you said would become spoil — them I will bring in, so that they may know the excellence of the land which you have despised.'

Bamidbar 14:32

וּפִגְרֵיכֶם אַתֶּם--יִפְּלוּ בַּמִּדְבָּר הַזֶּה

.

'But your bodies — you yourselves — shall fall in this wilderness.'

Bamidbar 14:33

וּבְנֵיכֶם יִהְיוּ רֹעִים בַּמִּדְבָּר אַרְבָּעִים שָׁנָה וְנָשְׂאוּ אֶת-זְנוּתֵיכֶם--עַד-תֹּם פִּגְרֵיכֶם בַּמִּדְבָּר

. . .

'And your sons shall remain wandering in the wilderness forty years, and shall bear the burden of your rebellion — until the perishing of your bodies therein.'

Bamidbar 14:34

בְּמִסְפַּר הַיָּמִים אֲשֶׁר-תַּרְתֶּם אֶת-הָאָרֶץ אַרְבָּעִים יוֹם--יוֹם לַשָּׁנָה יוֹם לַשָּׁנָה תִּשְׂאוּ אֶת-עֲו‍ֹנֹתֵיכֶם אַרְבָּעִים שָׁנָה וִידַעְתֶּם אֶת-תְּנוּאָתִי

. . . . .

'By the count of the days in which you sought out the land — forty days, a year for each day — you shall bear your burdens for a full forty years, and you shall come to know the consequence of My displeasure.'

Bamidbar 14:35

אֲנִי יְהוָה דִּבַּרְתִּי אִם-לֹא זֹאת אֶעֱשֶׂה לְכָל-הָעֵדָה הָרָעָה הַזֹּאת הַנּוֹעָדִים עָלָי בַּמִּדְבָּר הַזֶּה יִתַּמּוּ וְשָׁם יָמֻתוּ

. . .

'I, God, have spoken this and I will do it — against all this wicked congregation, gathered against Me: in this wilderness they shall perish by death.'

Bamidbar 14:36

וְהָאֲנָשִׁים אֲשֶׁר-שָׁלַח מֹשֶׁה לָתוּר אֶת-הָאָרֶץ וַיָּשֻׁבוּ וילונו (וַיַּלִּינוּ) עָלָיו אֶת-כָּל-הָעֵדָה לְהוֹצִיא דִבָּה עַל-הָאָרֶץ

. .

And the men whom Moses had sent to seek out the land — who returned and incited the congregation against him, and spread a reproach upon the land —

Bamidbar 14:37

וַיָּמֻתוּ הָאֲנָשִׁים מוֹצִאֵי דִבַּת-הָאָרֶץ רָעָה--בַּמַּגֵּפָה לִפְנֵי יְהוָה

.

those men died by a blow before God.

Bamidbar 14:38

וִיהוֹשֻׁעַ בִּן-נוּן וְכָלֵב בֶּן-יְפֻנֶּה חָיוּ מִן-הָאֲנָשִׁים הָהֵם הַהֹלְכִים לָתוּר אֶת-הָאָרֶץ

. . .

But Joshua son of Nun and Caleb son of Jephunneh lived, from among the men who had gone to seek out the land.

Bamidbar 14:39

וַיְדַבֵּר מֹשֶׁה אֶת-הַדְּבָרִים הָאֵלֶּה אֶל-כָּל-בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל וַיִּתְאַבְּלוּ הָעָם מְאֹד

. .

And when Moses spoke these words to the congregation of the sons of Israel, the people grieved greatly.

Bamidbar 14:40

וַיַּשְׁכִּמוּ בַבֹּקֶר וַיַּעֲלוּ אֶל-רֹאשׁ-הָהָר לֵאמֹר הִנֶּנּוּ וְעָלִינוּ אֶל-הַמָּקוֹם אֲשֶׁר-אָמַר יְהוָה--כִּי חָטָאנוּ

. . . .

And they rose early in the morning and went up to the top of the mountain, and said: 'Here we are, and we will go up to the place which God commanded us — for we have indeed sinned.'

Bamidbar 14:41

וַיֹּאמֶר מֹשֶׁה לָמָּה זֶּה אַתֶּם עֹבְרִים אֶת-פִּי יְהוָה וְהִוא לֹא תִצְלָח

. .

Moses said to them: 'O people, do not transgress the command of God — for it will not succeed.'

Bamidbar 14:42

אַל-תַּעֲלוּ כִּי אֵין יְהוָה בְּקִרְבְּכֶם וְלֹא תִּנָּגְפוּ לִפְנֵי אֹיְבֵיכֶם

. . .

'Do not go up — for the light of God is not with you — lest you be struck down before your enemies.'

Bamidbar 14:43

כִּי הָעֲמָלֵקִי וְהַכְּנַעֲנִי שָׁם לִפְנֵיכֶם וּנְפַלְתֶּם בֶּחָרֶב כִּי-עַל-כֵּן שַׁבְתֶּם מֵאַחֲרֵי יְהוָה וְלֹא-יִהְיֶה יְהוָה עִמָּכֶם

. . .

'For the Amalekites and the Canaanites are there before you, and you will fall by the sword — because you have turned back from obedience to God, and God will not be with you.'

Bamidbar 14:44

וַיַּעְפִּלוּ לַעֲלוֹת אֶל-רֹאשׁ הָהָר וַאֲרוֹן בְּרִית-יְהוָה וּמֹשֶׁה לֹא-מָשׁוּ מִקֶּרֶב הַמַּחֲנֶה

. . .

Yet they acted presumptuously and went up to the top of the mountain; but the ark of the covenant of God and Moses did not stir from the midst of the camp.

Bamidbar 14:45

וַיֵּרֶד הָעֲמָלֵקִי וְהַכְּנַעֲנִי הַיֹּשֵׁב בָּהָר הַהוּא וַיַּכּוּם וַיַּכְּתוּם עַד-הַחָרְמָה

. .

And the Amalekites and the Canaanites who dwelt in that mountain came down, and struck them and shattered them as far as Hormah.