John Calvin Commentary Numbers 14:33

"And your children shall be wanderers in the wilderness forty years, and shall bear your whoredoms, until your dead bodies be consumed in the wilderness." — Numbers 14:33 (ASV)

And your children shall wander in the wilderness.⁶⁷ He pronounces here that their children will be, in some measure, partakers of their punishment, since they will wander in the desert until the prescribed time. For by the word 'shepherds,' He means sojourners,⁶⁸ who have no certain or settled residence. The simile in Hezekiah's song has a similar meaning:

My lodging is departed as a shepherd’s tent.⁶⁹ (Isaiah 38:12)

In short, He declares that they will be wandering and unsettled, and lead a life like shepherds leading their flocks from place to place.

He calls their wicked rebellions, by which they had corrupted themselves, metaphorically whoredoms: for, from the time God had espoused them to Himself, their true chastity would have been to embrace His grace in sincere faith and at the same time to devote themselves to His service; but by rejecting His pure worship, they had broken their sacred marriage-vow like promiscuous harlots.

This example teaches us how God visits the iniquities of the fathers on their children, and yet chastises no one undeservedly, since the descendants here referred to,⁷⁰ although suffering for the fault of others, were still by no means innocent themselves. But in the judgments of God there is always a deep abyss; if you fear being plunged into it, adore what you are not permitted to question.

Nevertheless, there is no doubt that in this way God also provided for the welfare of those towards whom He appeared to show some signs of severity. For He waited not only until they had grown up but also, which was advantageous to them, until they had attained the strength of manhood and until a new generation had arisen.

He assigns a second reason why He postponed the fulfillment of His promise for forty years: namely, that He might repay the ill-spent days with as many years. Then, having spoken of their children, He again returns to the actual criminals themselves, who were to be consumed in all that long period, as if by a lingering disease.

The noun תנואת, tenuoth, which I have translated as vanity,⁷¹ is derived from the verb נוא, nu, which means to make ineffectual. Translators, however, derive various meanings from it. Some interpret it this way: You shall know whether I am false, or whether my word shall be vain. Others, rendering it prohibition, deviate further from the meaning.

But, in my judgment, it is an ironical concession by which God reproves their detestable pride, which aimed only to accuse God of falsehood and to slanderously charge Him with failing to fulfill His words. Unless,⁷² perhaps, one might prefer to take it passively, because the people had tried to annihilate God Himself, so to speak. But I still prefer this meaning: that they would perceive by sure and experiential proof whether God’s promises were frivolous or vain.

Moreover, we must bear in mind the admonition of the Prophet, to which I have referred (Psalms 95:11), and which the Apostle adapts to our present use (Hebrews 4:6): namely, that a better rest is now offered to us, and we should fear that our unbelief might keep us from it. For it is not enough for us that God’s hand was once extended to us, unless we allow ourselves to be directed by it until our earthly wanderings end and it conducts us into our heavenly rest.

⁶⁷ Lat., “shall be shepherds.” “shall be shepherds.” Margin A.V., “or “or feed.”.”

⁶⁸ “Il entend qu’ils seront errans comme estrangers, ayant tousiours un pied leve, et nul arrest;” he means that they shall wander as strangers, having one foot always lifted, and without any stay. — Fr.

⁶⁹ A.V., “Mine age is departed, etc.” A. Barnes’s translation pretty nearly agrees with that of C., which he defends in the following note: “The word ., which he defends in the following note: “The word דורי, which is here used, means properly the revolving period, or circle of human life. The parallelism seems to demand, however, that it should be used in the sense of , which is here used, means properly the revolving period, or circle of human life. The parallelism seems to demand, however, that it should be used in the sense of dwelling, or habitation, so as to correspond with the “shepherd’s tent.” Accordingly, Lowth and Noyes render it or habitation, so as to correspond with the “shepherd’s tent.” Accordingly, Lowth and Noyes render it habitation. So also do Gesenius and Rosenmuller. The Arabic word has this signification; and the Hebrew verb So also do Gesenius and Rosenmuller. The Arabic word has this signification; and the Hebrew verb דור, also means to , also means to dwell, to to remain, as in Chaldee.” as in Chaldee.” C.’s Latin is here Latin is here hospitium; in his Commentary on Isaiah, in his Commentary on Isaiah, habitatio.

⁷⁰ “Ayant porte la paste au four (comme on dit) pour le peche de leurs peres;” having carried the dough to the oven (as they say) for the sin of their fathers. — Fr.

⁷¹ A.V., “My breach of promise. Margin, Or, altering of my purpose.” altering of my purpose.” Fr., “Mensonge.” “Mensonge.”

⁷² “Sinon qu’on aimast mieux prendre ce mot en temps passif, Vous cognoistrez men aneantissement: pource que le peuple s’estoit efforce d’abolir Dieu;” unless it be preferred to take this word in a passive sense, You shall know my annihilation; because the people had striven to annihilate God. — Fr.