Numbers 14:37

Num 14:37-38. By the plague — Either by the pestilence, or by some other sudden and extraordinary judgment, sent from the cloud in which God dwelt, and from whence he spake to Moses, and wherein his glory at this time appeared before all the people, (Num 14:10,) who therefore were all, and these spies among the rest, before the Lord. But Joshua and Caleb lived still — Death never misses his mark, nor takes any by oversight who were designed for life, though in the midst of those that are to die.

Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Verse 37. Those men that did bring up the evil report - died] Thus ten of the twelve that searched out the land were struck dead, by the justice of God, on the spot! Caleb, of the tribe of Judah, and Joshua, of the tribe of Ephraim, alone escaped, because they had followed God fully. Let preachers of God's word take heed how they straiten the way of salvation, or render, by unjust description, that way perplexed and difficult which God has made plain and easy.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

(37) By the plague.—The word maggephah, which is here rendered plague, denotes a stroke. In Exo_9:14 it is used of the ten plagues of Egypt. In Num_16:48-49, it is used of the plague which broke out after the insurrection of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram, and in Num_25:9-18 of that which broke out after the Israelites had joined in the idolatrous and lascivious rites of the Moabites and Midianites. In 1Sa_4:17, 2Sa_17:9; 2Sa_18:7, it is used of destruction by the sword. It appears to denote in this place sudden death, inflicted by the immediate visitation of the Lord.

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

37. died by a plague] This is the meaning of the Heb. idiom, although the definite article is used. The Heb. maggçphâh denotes lit. ‘a smiting,’ as also do πληγή and plaga. It is used of any sudden catastrophe inflicted by Jehovah.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

But Joshua the son of Nun, and Caleb the son of Jephunneh,.... Here Joshua is set first, as Caleb is in Num 14:30; which shows that they were equal in dignity, and therefore are indifferently put, sometimes the one first, and sometimes the other:

which were of the men that went to search the land; were two of the spies, and were for the tribes of Judah and Ephraim, Num 13:6,

lived still; were not stricken with death, when the other spies were; though perhaps upon the very spot, and in the same place, and among them, when they were struck dead; but these remained alive, and continued many years after, and entered the good land, and possessed it.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Lord, by pestilence, (ver. 12; Philo,) or by the exterminating angel, 1 Corinthians x. 10. They were burnt to death before the tabernacle, or at least died suddenly. (Jansenius) The Jews have appointed a fast on the 7th of the 6th month, to bewail this event, ver. 39. (Calmet)

George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).

Either by the pestilence threatened Num 14:12, or by some other sudden and extraordinary judgment, sent from the cloud in which God dwelt, and from whence he spake to Moses, and wherein his glory at this time appeared before all the people, Num 14:10, who therefore were all, and these spies among the rest, before the Lord.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

37. By the plague — Literally, by the stroke. Thus the Vulgate, percussi, SMITTEN in the presence of the Lord, they died. A sudden and fatal epidemic seized upon them in a supernatural manner, as is indicated by the words before the Lord, that is, immediately from Jehovah without the intervention of any second cause. Thus Israel received a practical proof of the awfulness of their sentence from the mouth of God. This solemn judgment, when publicly announced to the people by Moses, caused a vivid realization of the greatness of their guilt, and they mourned greatly.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Died by the plague before the Lord. Septuagint, en th plhgh . "Plague" has here its older signification of "stroke," or visitation of God. We are not told what death they died, but it was sudden and exceptional enough to mark it as the direct consequence of their sinful conduct.

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

By the plague - Either by the pestilence, or by some other sudden and extraordinary judgment, sent from the cloud in which God dwelt, and from whence he spake to Moses, and wherein his glory at this time appeared before all the people, ver. 10, who therefore were all, and these spies among the rest, before the Lord.

John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.

במגפה לפני ה׳ [EVEN THOSE MEN DIED …] BY THE PLAGUE BEFORE THE LORD — by that death which was fitting for them — measure for measure. They had sinned with their tongue, therefore their tongue grew long extending right down to their navels, and worms came from their tongue and entered their navels. This is the reason why it states, they died by “the” plague, and not בְּמַגֵּפָה by “a” plague; this, too, is the meaning of the words “before the Lord” (they died by the plague which was before the Lord) — by that plague which was fitting for them according to the methods of the Holy One, blessed be He, Who metes out “measure for measure” (Sotah 35a).

Rashi on the Tanakh — English translations: “The Judaica Press complete Tanach with Rashi, translated by A. J. Rosenberg” (CC BY 4.0); “Pentateuch with Rashi's commentary by M. Rosenbaum and A.M. Silbermann, 1929-1934” (public domain); “The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J” (CC BY 4.0); and “The Book of Joshua, Metsudah Publications, 1997” (CC BY 4.0). Text via Sefaria.

AND THOSE MEN, THAT DID BRING FORTH ‘DIBATH’ (AN EVIL REPORT) OF THE LAND, DIED. I have already explained that their severe punishment was because of the report which they spread that it is a Land that eateth up the inhabitants thereof, which was a complete falsehood since the Land was full with many people, as it is written in the Book of Joshua, And they went out, they and all their hosts with them, much people, even as the sand that is upon the sea-shore in multitude, with horses and chariots very many. And in the Torah it is written, and He shall cast out many nations before thee … seven nations greater and mightier than thou. The spies also emphasized the strength of the people, saying: the people are fierce, and they are very strong, Verse 31: for they are stronger than we. and did not report back concerning the words of Moses who told them [to ascertain] whether they are few or many, Verse 18. but they told the people afterwards that the Land is one that eateth up the inhabitants thereof! Now Rashi commented: [the spies] made all the congregation to murmur against him by bringing forth ‘dibah’ against the Land. “Whenever Scripture uses the expression ‘he brings forth dibah’ it means bringing forth words which ‘capture’ a person so that he speaks about it, just like ‘doveiv’ (stirring) the lips of those that are asleep. And [the expression ‘bringing forth dibah’] may be for good, or for evil. That is why it says [the men … that did bring forth an “‘evil’ dibath” (report of) the Land], because there may be a dibah which is good.” [Thus far is the language of Rashi.] But it is written: he that bringeth forth ‘dibah’ is a fool, and this cannot [refer] to a good [utterance]. Similarly, bringing forth ‘dibah’ against the Land, and so also, ‘v’dibathcha’ (and thine utterance of ‘dibah’) he will not turn away — all signify speech of evil, as the term dibah itself connotes evil, and when Scripture uses the expression dibah ra’ah [“evil dibah,” as it does in our verse: and those men that did bring up ‘dibath ha’aretz ra’ah’ (an evil report of the Land) died] it is to emphasize the greatness of the evil that they did.

Ramban (Nachmanides) on the Tanakh — English translation: “Commentary on the Torah by Ramban (Nachmanides). Translated and annotated by Charles B. Chavel. New York, Shilo Pub. House, 1971-1976” (CC BY 4.0). Text via Sefaria.