Why Did Israel Disobey Both Commands?

At first, Israel disobeyed the command to go up because they did not trust God. Later, even after being warned of defeat, they disobeyed the command not to go up. Deuteronomy 1 recounts these two acts of rebellion at Kadesh Barnea in succession. Viewed side by side, they reveal the difference between acting on our own judgment and listening to God’s command.

They Refused to Go Up Even After Hearing That the Land Was Good

Moses first recalled how God had commanded Israel to leave Mount Horeb after they had stayed there long enough. God told them that the land He had sworn to give their ancestors lay before them and that they should enter and take possession of it.

Israel left Mount Horeb, traveled through the vast and terrifying wilderness, and arrived at Kadesh Barnea. There, Moses told them that the land was before them and urged them to go up and take possession of it. He also told them not to be afraid or discouraged.

At the people’s request, twelve men—one from each tribe—went to explore the land. The spies showed them fruit they had brought back from the Valley of Eshkol and reported that the land the Lord was giving them was good. They had confirmation that the land was good, and the command to go up had already been given.

Yet the people were unwilling to go. In their tents, they complained that the Lord hated them and had brought them out of Egypt only to hand them over to the Amorites. They lost heart when they heard about the powerful people, the fortified cities, and the descendants of Anak. They allowed fear to outweigh the report that the land was good, and in the end, they rebelled against God’s command.

Their Journey So Far Did Not Overcome Their Fear

Moses told the people not to be afraid of the Amorites. He reminded them of what God had done in Egypt and how He had brought them through the wilderness to that very place. Throughout their journey, God had carried His people as a father carries his son. He had shown them the way with fire by night and a cloud by day, even finding places where they could camp.

They had received God’s help long before reaching their destination. They had not only seen the land ahead of them but had also experienced His guidance again and again along the way. Even so, they did not trust Him. Verse 32 identifies this unbelief as the reason for their first act of rebellion.

God declared that their generation would not see the good land. Caleb, who had followed the Lord wholeheartedly, would see it, but the rest of the people had to turn back toward the wilderness along the route to the Red Sea. Joshua and the children who had not yet known good from evil would later enter the land.

This Time, They Disobeyed the Command Not to Go Up

After admitting that they had sinned, the people armed themselves and announced that they would go up into the hill country to fight. Earlier, they had refused the command to go up. Now they were determined to go. Their words and actions seemed to have changed, but God’s command had already changed as well.

God commanded them not to go up or fight. He warned that they would be defeated by their enemies because He would not be with them. But the people refused to listen and arrogantly marched into the hill country. The Amorites chased them like a swarm of bees and struck them down as far as Hormah.

Their first act of rebellion was stopping when they had been commanded to go. Their second was advancing when they had been commanded to stop. The two actions moved in opposite directions, but both were the same in one crucial way: the people refused to listen to the command God had given at that moment. Merely admitting their sin and weeping over it did not turn their disobedience into obedience.

One practical step you can take today is to read Deuteronomy 1 and write the two commands alongside the people’s responses. Write down “Go up and take possession of it” and “Do not go up,” then add one sentence describing how the people responded to each command. This will help you see clearly that obedience is not about moving in the direction that seems right to us. It is about listening to the word God has given us now and following it.