Although God had now cancelled His resolution to annihilate Israel, He
was not yet quite reconciled with them, and they were out of favor
during the following years of their march through the desert, as was
made evident by several circumstances. During these years of disfavor
the north wind did not blow, with the result that the boys who were
born in the desert could not be circumcised, as the absence of the wind
produced and excessively high temperature, a condition that made it
very dangerous for the young boys to have this operation performed upon
them. [548] As the law, however, prohibits the offering of the paschal
lamb unless the boys have been circumcised, Israel could not properly
observe the feast of Passover after the incident of the spies. [549]
Moses also felt the effects of the disfavor, for during this time he
received from God none but the absolutely essential directions, and no
other revelations. This was because Moses, like all other prophets,
received this distinction only for the sake of Israel, and when Israel
was in disgrace, God did not communicate with him affectionately. [550]
Indeed Moses' fate, to die in the desert without entering the promised
land, had been decreed simultaneously with the fate of the generation
led by him out of Egypt. [551]
But the most terrible punishment of all fell upon the spies who, with
their wicked tongues, had brought about the whole disaster. God repaid
them measure for measure. Their tongues stretched to so great a length
that they touched the navel; and worms crawled out of their tongues,
and pierced the navel; in this horrible fashion these men died. [552]
Joshua and Caleb, however, who had remained true to God and had not
followed the wicked counsel of their colleagues, were not only exempted
from death, but were furthermore rewarded by God, by receiving in the
Holy Land the property that had been allotted to the other spies. [553]
Caleb was forty years of age at the time when he was sent out as a spy.
He had married early, and at the age of ten had begot a son, still at
the age of eighty-five he was sturdy enough to enjoy his possession in
the Holy Land. [554]
God's mercy is also extended to sinners, hence He bade Moses say to the
people: "The Amalekites and the Canaanites are now dwelling in the
valley, to-morrow turn you, and get you into the wilderness by the way
of the Red Sea." God did this because He had firmly resolved, in the
event of a war between Israel and the inhabitants of Palestine, not to
aid the former. Knowing that in this cast their annihilation was sure,
He commanded them to make no attempt to enter the land by force. [555]
"It had been My intention," said God, "to exalt you, but now if you
were to attempt to make war upon the inhabitants of Palestine, you
would suffer humiliation." The people did not, however, hearken to the
words of God that Moses communicated to them, and all at once formed in
battle array in order to advance against the Amorites. They thought
that after they had confessed their sin of having been misled by the
spies, God would stand by them in their battles, so they said to Moses:
"Surely these few drops have not filled the bucket." Their
transgression against God seemed to them only a peccadillo that had
long since been forgiven. They were, however, mistaken. Like bees the
enemies swarmed down upon them, and whereas these had in former times
fallen dead of fright upon hearing the names of the Israelites, now a
blow from them sufficed to kill the Israelites. Their attempt to wage
war without the Holy Ark in their midst proved a miserable failure.
Many of them, and Zelophehad among these, met their death, and as many
others returned to camp covered with wounds. The wailing and weeping of
the people was of no avail, God persisted in His resolve, and they
brought upon themselves grave punishment for this new proof of
disobedience, for God said to Moses: "If I were to deal with them now
in accordance with strict justice, they should never enter the land.
After a while, however, I shall let them 'possess the land, which I
sware unto their fathers to give unto them.'" [556]
In order to comfort and encourage Israel in their dejection, Moses
received directions to announce the law of sacrifices, and other
precepts laid down for the life in the Holy Land, that the people might
see that God did not mean to be angry with them forever. When Moses
announced the laws to them, a dispute arose between the Israelites and
the proselytes, because the former declared that they alone and not the
others were to make offerings to God in His sanctuary. God hereupon
called Moses, and said to him: "Why do these always quarrel one with
another?" Moses replied: "Thou knowest why." God: "Have I not said to
thee, 'One law and one ordinance shall be for you and for the stranger
that sojourneth with you?'" [557]
Although the forty years' march through the desert was a punishment for
the sin of Israel, still it had one advantage. At the time when Israel
departed from Egypt, Palestine was in poor condition; the trees planted
in the time of Noah were old and withered. Hence God said: "What! Shall
I permit Israel to enter an uninhabitable land? I shall bid them wander
in the desert for forty years, that the Canaanites may in the meantime
fell the old trees and plant new ones, so that Israel, upon entering
the land, may find it abounding in plenty." So did it come to pass, for
when Israel conquered Palestine, they found the land not only newly
cultivated, [558] but also filled to overflowing with treasures. The
inhabitants of this land were such misers that they would not indulge
in a drop of oil for their gruel; if an egg broke, they did not use it,
but sold it for cash. The hoardings of these miserly Canaanites God
later gave to Israel to enjoy and to use. [559]