Yahweh punished the Israelis

26 Then Yahweh said to Aaron and Moses/me, 27 “How long will the wicked people of this nation keep complaining about me [RHQ]? I have heard everything that they have grumbled/complained against me. 28 So now tell them this: ‘Just as certainly as I, Yahweh, live, I will do exactly what you said would happen. 29 I will cause all of you to die here in this desert! Because you grumbled about me, none of you who are more than 20 years old and who were counted when Moses counted everyone 30 will enter the land that I solemnly promised to give to you. Only Caleb and Joshua will enter that land. 31 You said that your children would be taken from you to become slaves, but I will take them into the land, and they will enjoy living in the land that you ◄rejected/said that you could not conquer►. 32 But as for you adults, you will die here in this desert. 33 And like shepherds wander around in the desert as they take care of their sheep, your children will wander around in this desert for 40 years. Because you adults were not loyal/faithful to me, your children will suffer until you all die in the desert. 34 You will suffer for your sins for 40 years. That will be one year for each of the 40 days that the twelve men explored Canaan land. And I will be like an enemy to you.’ 35 This will certainly happen because I, Yahweh, have said it! I will do these things to every one in this group who conspired against me. They ◄conspired against/decided together to reject► me here in the desert, and they will all die right here in this desert!”

36 Then the ten men who had explored Canaan and who had urged the people to rebel against Yahweh by giving reports that discouraged the people 37 were immediately struck with a plague/disease that Yahweh sent, and they died. 38 Of the twelve men who had explored Canaan, only Joshua and Caleb remained alive.

39 When Moses/I reported to the Israeli people what Yahweh had said, many of them were very sad. 40 So the people got up early the next morning and started to go toward the hilly area in Canaan. They said, “We know that we have sinned, but now we are ready to enter the land that Yahweh promised to give to us.”

41 But Moses/I said, “Yahweh commanded you to return to the desert, so why are you now disobeying him [RHQ]? It will not ◄succeed/be possible►. 42 Do not try to enter the land now! If you try, your enemies will defeat you, because Yahweh will not ◄be with/help► you. 43 When you begin to fight the descendants of Amalek and Canaan, they will slaughter you! Yahweh will abandon you, because you have abandoned him.”

44 But even though Moses/I did not leave the camp, and the sacred chest that contained the Ten Commandments was not taken from the camp, the people began to go towards the hilly area in Canaan. 45 Then the descendants of Amalek and Canaan who lived in that hilly area came down and attacked them and chased them as far south as the town of Hormah.