37The LORD became angry with me because of you. He said, "You won't go there either. 38But your assistant Joshua, son of Nun, will go there. Encourage him, because he will help Israel take possession of the land. 39Although you thought the little children would be captured in war, your children, who are still too young to know the difference between good and evil, will enter that land. I will give it to them, and they will take possession of it. 40Turn around, go back into the desert, and follow the road that goes to the Red Sea." 41You responded, "We have sinned against the LORD. We'll go and fight, as the LORD our God commanded us to do." Each of you armed yourself for war, thinking you could easily invade the mountain region. 42But the LORD said to me, "Tell them, 'Don't go and fight, because I won't be with you. You will be defeated by your enemies.'" 43I told you, but you wouldn't listen. You defied the LORD's command and invaded the mountain region. 44The Amorites who lived there came out and attacked you and chased you like a swarm of bees. They defeated you, chasing you from Seir all the way to Hormah. 45When you came back, you cried to the LORD, but the LORD didn't listen to you or hear you. 46That's why you stayed in Kadesh as long as you did.
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