the rebellion which was occasioned by the report made by the spies who
were sent to search out the land. On that occasion Moses prayed
fervently for his people, and not wholly without effect--God had
threatened to "smite them with the pestilence, and disinherit them,"
but receded from his threatening through the prevalence of that
intercessor in their behalf--"the Lord said I have pardoned according
to thy word;" but at the same time, denounced an irrevokable sentence
of death in the wilderness against those rebels. Then Moses was not
ordered to "lead the people to the place of which God had spoken," but
commanded to go back into the wilderness which they had parted--"turn
you, and get ye into the wilderness by the way of the red sea." +

+ Numbers xiv.

At that time, the exception from the general sentence, was not in
favor of Moses and Joshua, who had been on the mount, and taken no
part in Israel's sin in making the golden calf, but in favor of Caleb
and Joshua, who dissented from the report made by the other spies;
though no intimation is given that Caleb was not with the people, and
did not sin with them in the matter of the golden calf. There is
therefore no doubt respecting the sin which shut that generation out
of Canaan. Nor do we apprehend more occasion for doubt relative to the
prayer of Moses, _to be blotted out of God's book_.

But though the sin of Israel on this occasion was pardoned, and Moses
ordered to lead them to Canaan, some temporal chastisements were
inflicted to teach the evil of sin, and serve as a warning to others
to keep themselves in the fear of God; of which Moses was notified
when ordered to advance with the pardoned tribes? "Nevertheless, in
the day when I visit, I will visit their sin upon them. And the Lord