Moses and Aaron Plead for Israel (Numbers 14:5).
‘Then Moses and Aaron fell on their faces before all the assembly of the congregation of the children of Israel.'
Moses and Aaron were appalled. Here were the people before the very Dwellingplace of Yahweh, and yet they were talking like this. What could Yahweh be thinking of it? They hardly dared to think. Indeed they were afraid for the people. They fell on their faces in trepidation and pleading before Yahweh (compare 16:4, 22, 45; 20:6; Genesis 37:29; Genesis 37:34; Leviticus 9:24; Leviticus 13:45). Let Him not now come and strike them all dead where they were. It was true that these people were seeking to reverse all that Yahweh had done, but let Him have mercy.