Numbers 14:11 Meaning and Explanation
“And the LORD said unto Moses, How long will this people provoke me? and how long will it be ere they believe me, for all the signs which I have shewed among them?”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →God expresses frustration with the people's repeated unbelief despite the signs He has shown.
The Context of Numbers 14:11
God questions the people's persistent unbelief and lack of trust.
What Does Numbers 14:11 Mean?
God's first words after the attempted stoning are a question of patience: How long will this continue? He has demonstrated His power countless times—plagues in Egypt, parting the Red Sea, providing water and manna, defeating Amalek. Yet the people still refuse to believe. Their unbelief is not ignorance but rejection of overwhelming evidence.
God's frustration points to a spiritual reality: belief is not merely intellectual assent but a posture of trust. The people have seen the signs, yet their hearts remain closed. God is marking a threshold: there is a limit to how long rebellion against Him can continue without consequence.
Numbers 14:11 in the Original Language
nassa (נִשָּׂא), 'provoke'—literally to lift up or carry; in this context, to bear with or put up with provocation.
Frequently Asked Questions About Numbers 14:11
What does Numbers 14:11 mean?
God expresses frustration with the people's repeated unbelief despite the signs He has shown.
What is the context of Numbers 14:11?
God questions the people's persistent unbelief and lack of trust.