Les Feldick Bible Study

Did all the Israelites who left Egypt with Moses provoke God in the wilderness?

No. Hebrews 3:16 states that some who heard provoked God, but not all who came out of Egypt by Moses. The ones grieved were those who sinned, whose carcasses fell in the wilderness, and who worshiped the golden calf. So the provocation was not universal among those who left Egypt.

Les explains that Israel at Kadesh Barnea failed to trust God's promise to drive out the Canaanites. God had said He would send hornets ahead and cleanse the land, but the people wanted spies, and ten returned with a faithless report. Hebrews 3:16-18 shows that some provoked God, but not all who came out of Egypt by Moses. The ones with whom God was grieved were those who sinned, whose carcasses fell in the wilderness, and who worshiped the golden calf.

Hebrews 3:16

For some, when they had heard, did provoke: howbeit not all that came out of Egypt by Moses.

More Questions

How many of the Israelites who came out of Egypt escaped God's judgment in the wilderness?

Out of those who came out of Egypt by Moses, only Joshua and Caleb, along with Moses and Aaron, escaped the judgment; the rest of the nation that was old enough to respond died in unbelief, and only a few survived.