Now, since the Amalekites and the Canaanites dwell in the valleys, turn tomorrow and set out for the wilderness by the way to the Red Sea.”
English Standard Version (ESV)
This verse isn't just stating geography; it’s revealing a stark contrast. While Israel is being directed to retreat into the wilderness, the Amalekites and Canaanites are described as "dwelling in the valley," implying they are settled and ready, waiting to oppose them. This highlights Israel's forced backward step amidst the occupied land, underscoring the consequence of their disbelief.
Now, since the Amalekites and the Canaanites dwell in the valleys, turn tomorrow and set out for the wilderness by the way to the Red Sea.”
English Standard Version (ESV)
After the people rebelled against God and Moses due to the discouraging report from the spies, God declared severe judgment, but Moses interceded. In response to Moses' plea, God relented from immediate destruction but decreed that the generation who refused to enter the land would wander in the wilderness for forty years. Now, God instructs them to turn back from the border of Canaan and head towards the wilderness by the Red Sea, acknowledging that their enemies, the Amalekites and Canaanites, occupied the valleys ahead.
You've just heard God's verdict: a generation’s faithlessness means no entry into the Promised Land. Now, He gives a specific command: turn back. Why mention the Amalekites and Canaanites in the valley right here?
This verse is more than just a geographical note; it’s a sharp reminder of the consequences of the people's rebellion. The "valley" (Emek) represents a place of danger and potential ambush, occupied by fierce enemies.
A Strategic Retreat
God’s command to turn back into the wilderness by the Red Sea wasn't a punishment in itself, but a direct consequence of their fear and disbelief. They refused to trust God for the conquest of the land, and now their path is rerouted – away from their destiny and towards a harsher, more dangerous journey.
The Real Danger
The presence of the Amalekites and Canaanites in the valley highlights the immediate peril they were in. Had they tried to push forward against God's command, they would have faced these enemies unprepared and without divine protection, becoming an easy prey. God's redirection, while painful, was a protective measure born out of their own sin.
The Promised Land is off-limits for this generation. Instead of Canaan, they are commanded to head back towards the Red Sea and into the wilderness. What does this new, arduous path signify?
The command to 'turn tomorrow and set out for the wilderness by the way to the Red Sea' marks a profound shift. It’s not just a detour; it’s a forty-year sentence of wandering, a direct consequence of their faithlessness.
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A Life of Wandering
This route signifies a generation living out the judgment pronounced upon them. They will not see the land they yearned for, but will instead wander in the harshness of the desert. It’s a stark contrast to the flowing milk and honey promised to those who would obey.
The Long Road Back to Trust
This extended period in the wilderness is a painful, yet necessary, school of faith. It's a time for God to refine them, to teach them dependence, and to strip away the self-reliance and fear that led them to rebel. The path by the Red Sea, ironically leading away from Egypt and towards a delayed promise, becomes the path of learning true trust.
The command to turn back into the wilderness is a direct consequence of the Israelites' faithless rebellion and God's judgment. It highlights their lost opportunity to immediately enter the Promised Land and the immediate threat of hostile peoples lying in wait.
c. 1400 BC
Israelites Emerge from Egypt
After 400 years of slavery, the Israelites are dramatically freed by God's mighty acts under Moses. This marks the beginning of their journey toward the Promised Land.
c. 1400 BC
Wilderness Wanderings Begin
Following their exodus, the Israelites begin a long period of wandering in the Sinai wilderness, sustained by God's provision but often testing His patience.
c. 1400 BC
Spies Sent to Canaan
Moses sends twelve spies to scout the Promised Land. Their reports divide the people, with ten spies instilling fear and two (Caleb and Joshua) urging faith.
c. 1400 BC— this verse
Rebellion and Divine Judgment
The Israelites reject God's command to enter Canaan, choosing instead to rebel. God declares that the fearful generation will not enter the land, except for Caleb and Joshua.
c. 1400 BC
Retreat into the Wilderness
Due to their rebellion and God's judgment, the Israelites are commanded to turn back from the border of Canaan and head toward the wilderness by way of the Red Sea.
c. 1400 BC
Amalekite and Canaanite Encampment
The Amalekites and Canaanites are situated in the valleys ahead, posing a threat to the Israelites if they attempt to advance or remain near the border.
c. 1400 BC
Years of Wilderness Wandering
The rebellious generation faces the decreed 40 years of wandering in the wilderness, during which they will eventually perish, while their children will later enter the Promised Land.
This passage reiterates God's command for the Israelites to turn back into the wilderness, echoing the immediate instruction given in Numbers 14:25.
Numbers 14:45This verse describes the defeat of the Israelites who attempted to go forward despite God's command, highlighting the danger from the Amalekites and Canaanites that Numbers 14:25 warned them about.
Joshua 14:12This passage shows Caleb, who exemplified faithfulness contrary to the disobedient generation, claiming his inheritance in the very hill country that the spies had feared.
Psalm 106:26-27This psalm reflects on Israel's rebellion, God's judgment of sending them into the wilderness, and the resulting scattering and suffering, directly paralleling the events surrounding Numbers 14:25.
jfbNumbers 14:25: "(Now the Amalekites and the Canaanites dwelt in the valley.) To morrow turn you, and get you into the wilderness by the way of the Red sea."
- (Now the Amalekites and the Canaanites dwelt in the valley)—that is, on the other side of the Idumean mountain, at whose base they were then encamped. Those nomad tribes had at that time occupied it with a determination to oppose the further progress of the Hebrew people. Hence God gave the command that they seek a safe and timely retre…
calvinNumbers 14:10-38: "But all the congregation bade stone them with stones. And the glory of the LORD appeared in the tabernacle of the congregation before all the children of Israel."
But all the congregation bade stone them with stones. And the glory of the Lord appeared in the tabernacle of the congregation before all the children of Israel.
Tunc dixit tota multitudo, ut eos lapidibus obruerent: et gloria Jehovae apparuit in tabernaculo conventionis omnibus filiis Israel.
And the…
This verse isn't just stating geography; it’s revealing a stark contrast. While Israel is being directed to retreat into the wilderness, the Amalekites and Canaanites are described as "dwelling in the valley," implying they are settled and ready, waiting to oppose them. This highlights Israel's forced backward step amidst the occupied land, underscoring the consequence of their disbelief.
After the people rebelled against God and Moses due to the discouraging report from the spies, God declared severe judgment, but Moses interceded. In response to Moses' plea, God relented from immediate destruction but decreed that the generation who refused to enter the land would wander in the wilderness for forty years. Now, God instructs them to turn back from the border of Canaan and head towards the wilderness by the Red Sea, acknowledging that their enemies, the Amalekites and Canaanites, occupied the valleys ahead.
After the people rebelled against God and Moses due to the discouraging report from the spies, God declared severe judgment, but Moses interceded. In response to Moses' plea, God relented from immediate destruction but decreed that the generation who refused to enter the land would wander in the wilderness for forty years. Now, God instructs them to turn back from the border of Canaan and head towards the wilderness by the Red Sea, acknowledging that their enemies, the Amalekites and Canaanites, occupied the valleys ahead.
"Now, since the Amalekites and the Canaanites dwell in the valleys, turn tomorrow and set out for the wilderness by the way to the Red Sea.”" — This verse isn't just stating geography; it’s revealing a stark contrast. While Israel is being directed to retreat into the wilderness, the Amalekites and Canaanites are described as "dwelling in th…
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Last reviewed October 2026