In today’s reading, Israel departs from the Sinai wilderness toward the promised land, and the people ungratefully complain about their diet. The LORD in His wrath sends quails and a plague, causing many to die. Miriam and Aaron later speak against Moses, and the LORD answers them with a severe rebuke. Twelve spies are dispatched to gather intelligence about the promised land and its inhabitants, ten of whom return a faithless report of Israel’s military inferiority, and their inability to take the land, causing the people to lose faith and disbelieve. Caleb and Joshua alone of the twelve spies stand firm in the LORD’s promise, and all Israel is turned back by the commandment of God to wander in the wilderness until the faithless elder generations die off, leaving their sons and daughters to come in and take the land.

Into/Outro music: "Unexpectedly" (c) 1995 Alex Grant Used by permission