Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Numbers 14:27
How long [shall I bear with] this evil congregation, which murmur against me? I have heard the murmurings of the children of Israel, which they murmur against me.
27. How long shall I bear with this evil congregation, which murmur &c.] The words shall I bear represent no part of the Heb. text. Something has perhaps dropped out, but the R.V. gives the general sense.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Bear with, or pardon, as Num 14:19,20, or spare; which words are necessarily and easily understood. It is a short and imperfect speech, which is frequent in case of anger, as Exo 32:32; Psa 6:3; 90:13.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
How long shall I bear with this evil congregation, which murmur against me?…. Bear with their murmurings, spare them, and not cut them off? how long must sparing mercy be extended to them? the Lord speaks as one weary of forbearing, so frequent and aggravated were their murmurings. The Jews understand this not of the whole congregation of Israel, but of the ten spies, from whence they gather, that ten make a congregation; and they interpret the phrase, “which murmur against me”, transitively, “which cause to murmur against me”; made the children of Israel murmur against him, so Jarchi; but rather all the people are meant, as appears from Nu 14:28, and from the following clause:
I have heard the murmurings of the children of Israel, which they murmur against me; for their murmurings were not only against Moses and Aaron, but against the Lord himself, Nu 14:2.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
(27) How long shall I bear with this evil congregation . . .?Or, How long shall I pardon (or forgive), &c. The verb is not expressed in the Hebrew. It is probable that one of the verbs in Num. 14:19, pardon or forgive, should be supplied.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
THE FORMAL SENTENCE OF EXCLUSION, Num 14:26-35.
27. Murmurings are especially offensive to God, because they impeach his wisdom and goodness. Trust in Christ is the cure for all heart troubles, enabling the sinner to rejoice in the forgiveness of the moral evils of his life, and the saint cheerfully to acquiesce in all providential trials as a part of that discipline wisely chosen for the development of the Christian graces. See Joh 14:1, note. Israel’s murmurings are the fruit of his unbelief.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
“Handfuls of Purpose”
For All Gleaners
“How long shall I bear with this evil congregation, which murmur against me?” Num 14:27 .
This is really a parental inquiry. The proof of this is in the very agony of the terms. A tyrant could have crushed the difficulty, a mere ruler might have been haughtily indifferent to it, but where tyrants and rulers are exhausted fatherhood begins to put its most anxious inquiries. God has never been readily received into the human heart. His rejection has in some cases been grounded upon the mystery of his nature; in others, on the difficulties of his providence; and in others upon the love of self-indulgence which characterises all human affections. The terms of the inquiry assume that the forbearance has been long continued. God does not ask such a question at an early period of his attempts to subdue the heart and will of man. The inquiry, which is here put as to a congregation, is addressed to every human creature in his individuality. Every man has justified the inquiry. No man can satisfactorily answer the inquiry. Every man is witness in his own case that the forbearance of God has been continuous and tender. It is evident that forbearance has only been equal to the occasion created by human rebellion. This circumstance having been amply proved, we come upon the discovery that forbearance has been completed by redemption. The cross is not only an expression of forbearing love, it is the mystery of pardon wrought by righteousness. If the cross should fail, God has no other resources so far as revelation can guide us. Our forbearance expresses our love. Where there is little love there will belittle forbearance. Where there is much love the anxious inquiry will often arise, How can I give thee up? This is the inquiry which is culminated in the cross of Christ.
Fuente: The People’s Bible by Joseph Parker
How long . . . ? = to what time. Compare Num 14:11. Figure of speech Erotesis. App-6.
shall I bear with. Figure of speech Ellipsis. App-6.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
How long: Num 14:11, Exo 16:28, Mat 17:7, Mar 9:19
I have heard: Exo 16:12, 1Co 10:10
Reciprocal: Exo 10:3 – How long Exo 16:8 – the Lord heareth Exo 32:34 – the day Num 14:35 – this evil Psa 95:8 – in the Psa 106:25 – murmured Pro 1:22 – How Eze 35:13 – I have Mat 17:17 – how long shall I be Luk 9:41 – how Phi 2:14 – without Heb 3:11 – I sware