³⁹ What sorrow there was throughout the camp when Moses reported God’s words to the people!

⁴⁰ They were up early the next morning and started toward the Promised Land.

“Here we are!” they said. “We realize that we have sinned, but now we are ready to go on into the land the Lord has promised us.”

⁴¹ But Moses said, “It’s too late. Now you are disobeying the Lord’s orders to return to the wilderness.