With whom was God grieved during the forty years in the wilderness?
The Israelites who sinned during the forty years were the ones with whom God was grieved—those who came out of Egypt by Moses, provoked Him, and whose carcasses fell in the wilderness. Their unbelief at Kadesh Barnea and worship of the golden calf exemplified the rebellion that kept them from entering His rest.
Les teaches from Hebrews chapter 3, dropping in at verse 15, and connects the provocation directly to Israel in the wilderness. Verse 16 says some, when they had heard, did provoke, though not all who came out of Egypt by Moses did so. Verse 17 asks with whom God was grieved those forty years: it was with them who had sinned, whose carcasses fell in the wilderness. Verse 18 says God swore they should not enter into His rest, identifying them as those who worshipped the golden calf. Les also notes the earlier account at Kadesh Barnea, where God had told Israel to go in and take the land and promised to drive out the enemy, but Israel could not take God at His word. They asked to spy out the land first, and when the spies returned, ten of them said they could not drive out the Canaanites. That unbelief and rebellion stands behind the Hebrews warning.
For some, when they had heard, did provoke: howbeit not all that came out of Egypt by Moses.
But with whom was he grieved forty years? was it not with them that had sinned, whose carcases fell in the wilderness?