Num 14:33 | NETfull | STEP | and your children will wander in the wilderness forty years and suffer for your unfaithfulness, until your dead bodies lie finished in the wilderness.

Numbers 14:33

33 and your children will wander ^{▼▼ The word is “shepherds.” It means that the people would be wilderness nomads, grazing their flock on available land.} in the wilderness forty years and suffer for your unfaithfulness, ^{▼▼ Heb “you shall bear your whoredoms.” The imagery of prostitution is used throughout the Bible to reflect spiritual unfaithfulness, leaving the covenant relationship and following after false gods. Here it is used generally for their rebellion in the wilderness, but not for following other gods.} until your dead bodies lie finished ^{▼▼ The infinitive is from תָּמַם (tamam), which means “to be complete.” The word is often used to express completeness in a good sense – whole, blameless, or the like. Here and in v. 35 it seems to mean “until your deaths have been completed.” See also Gen 47:15; Deut 2:15.} in the wilderness.