Reader! stand still, and solemnly review the awful progress of sin. First, it broke out in unavailing cries and tears a whole night. Next, in murmurings against the divine government. Then, in daring wishes, that they had died in Egypt or even in the wilderness, and this in the very moment when they saw before their eyes, GOD'S solemn judgments by death, upon the spies who had brought back an evil report. And still advancing, (if it were possible to proceed further in impiety), they next bring forth blasphemous charges against GOD, as if the LORD had actually had no other design in view, in first bringing them forth from Egypt, but to deliver them and their wives, and their harmless little ones for a prey. And lastly, to crown all, observe the daring act of making a captain to return unto Egypt. It is probable that they actually did appoint a captain for this purpose. See Nehemiah 9:17. Reader! if such be the progress of sin, how much need have we to pray the LORD to keep our hearts for us with all diligence, since out of it are the issues of life. Who should have conceived this of Israel? It was but a little more than a year and a half since they left Egypt. Had they forgotten their bondage so soon? A little straw to have helped them in making bricks, would have been thought a mercy: and now their souls loathed the quails and the manna. Besides what a madness must it have been to have thought of returning to Egypt! Could they expect that the pillar of cloud would have guided them back! Could they propose to themselves the LORD'S dividing the Red Sea for them to go through? And could they suppose, that the Egyptians would have taken them into their arms? But alas! in Israel we behold the universal corruption of human nature! The LORD'S people feel it, and groan under it like others. Happy is it for us, when a sense of our unworthiness leads the soul to GOD, and not from GOD. See a sweet picture of grace in exercise: Jeremiah 31:18-20 and another, Hosea 14:1-4.
Related Commentaries of Numbers 14:2
Numbers 14:2-4
2 And all the children of Israel murmured against Moses and against Aaron: and the whole congregation said unto them, Would God that we had died in the land of Egypt! or would God we had died in this wilderness!
3 And wherefore hath the LORD brought us unto this land, to fall by the sword, that our wives and our children should be a prey? were it not better for us to return into Egypt?
4 And they said one to another, Let us make a captain, and let us return into Egypt.