They had rebelled against His commands when He bade them go up and take the land that He had promised them, and now, when He directed them to retreat from it, they were equally insubordinate, and declared that they would go to battle with their enemies. They arrayed themselves in warriors’ dress and armor, and presented themselves before Moses, in their own estimation prepared for conflict, but sadly deficient in the sight of God and His sorrowful servant. They refused to listen to the solemn warnings of their leaders that disaster and death would be the consequence of their audacity. {4T 153.3}

De havde gjort oprør mod hans bud da han påbød dem at tage op og tage det land han havde lovet dem og nu, da han bød dem at gå fra det igen, var de ligeså ulydige og erklærede at de ville tage kampen op med deres fjender. (154) De opstillede sig i krigeres klæder og rustninger og stillede sig foran Moses, i egen hensigt at gå i krig, men var frygtelig mangelfulde i Guds og hans bedrøvede tjeners øjne. De nægtede at lytte til deres leders alvorlige advarsler, at ulykke og død ville blive følgen af deres dristighed.