Soon after leaving Mount Hor the Israelites suffered defeat 428 in an engagement with Arad, one of the Canaanite kings. But as they earnestly sought help from God, divine aid was granted them, and their enemies were routed. This victory, instead of inspiring gratitude and leading the people to feel their dependence upon God, made them boastful and self-confident. Soon they fell into the old habit of murmuring. They were now dissatisfied because the armies of Israel had not been permitted to advance upon Canaan immediately after their rebellion at the report of the spies nearly forty years before. They pronounced their long sojourn in the wilderness an unnecessary delay, reasoning that they might have conquered their enemies as easily heretofore as now.

Kort efter opbruddet fra bjerget Hor led israelitterne et nederlag i kampen mod Arad, en af kanaanæerkongerne, men på deres indtrængende bøn hjalp Gud dem, og deres fjender blev besejret. I stedet for at være taknemmelige og føle deres afhængighed af Gud blev de stolte og selvsikre efter denne sejr. Det varede ikke længe, før de atter gav sig til at knurre. Denne gang var de utilfredse med, at Israels hære ikke havde fået lov til at rykke ind i Kanaan umiddelbart efter deres oprør, da spejderne aflagde rapport for fyrre år siden. De sagde, at deres lange ophold i ørkenen var en ganske unødvendig forsinkelse, og kom til det resultat, at de lige så godt kunne have besejret deres fjender dengang som nu.