In September of 1444 B.C., roughly 17 months after leaving Egypt, God's frustration with Israel reached a tipping point. Although Moses was able to intercede with the Lord and keep the nation from being annihilated (Numbers 14:11 - 20), God decided to punish Israel by causing them to wander the wilderness.
"Because all those men who have seen My glory and My miracles which I did in Egypt and in the wilderness, and have tempted Me now these TEN TIMES, and have not hearkened to My voice, surely they shall not see the land which I swore to their fathers . . ." (Numbers 14:22 - 23).
The Ten Rebellions
What were the ten times Israel tempted God that led them to wander the wilderness for forty long years?
Biblical commentaries such as Jamieson-Fausset-Brown, Bible Knowledge Commentary and others state the "ten times" God mentioned is not to be taken literally. They believe the number is symbolic of "many times." Others, however, such as Bullinger's Companion Notes, Keil and Delitzsch Commentary and Matthew Henry's Commentary, believe the number is to be taken literally.
Since it was God himself that referred to being tempted ten times there is no reason to believe he was offering some kind of round or rough number! Below are the ten times Israel tempted God, trying his love and patience, until they were finally punished to wander the wilderness until they were dead.
Temptation at Red Sea
The first time Israel tempted God was at the Red Sea when the Egyptian army was coming for them.
And they said to Moses, "Have you taken us away to die in the wilderness because there were no graves in Egypt? Why have you dealt this way with us to carry us forth out of Egypt? . . . for it would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than that we should die in the wilderness." (Exodus 14:11 - 12).
At Marah
The second time the Lord was tempted by Israel was at Marah.
And Moses brought Israel from the Red Sea, and they went out into the wilderness of Shur. And they went three days in the wilderness and found no water.
And when they came to Marah, they could not drink of the waters of Marah because it was bitter. Therefore the name of it was called Marah. And the people murmured against Moses, saying, "What shall we drink?" (Exodus 15:23 - 24).
Wilderness of Sin
The third time Israel rebelled was one month after they left Egyptian bondage.
And they took their journey from Elim, and all the congregation of the children of Israel came into the wilderness of Sin . . .
Then the whole congregation of the children of Israel murmured against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness. And the children of Israel said to them, "O that we had died by the hand of the Lord in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the fleshpots, when we ate bread to the full, for you have brought us forth into this wilderness to kill this whole assembly with hunger!" (Exodus 16:1 - 3).
Daily Manna
Israel whined again and God gave them manna. Once they got it, however, they were told not to keep it overnight or else it would go bad. Some, however, refused to obey.
But they did not hearken to Moses, and some of them left part of it (the manna or bread from heaven) until the next morning. And it became rotten with maggots, and stank. And Moses was angry with them (Exodus 16:20).
Gathering on the Sabbath
The people were commanded to collect manna six days each week but not the seventh, God's holy Sabbath day. What they collected on the sixth day would miraculously stay fresh so that they could rest on the seventh day. Some people, again, refused to listen.
And it came to pass that some of the people went out on the seventh day (God's Sabbath) in order to gather (the manna), but they did not find any. And the Lord said to Moses, "How long do you refuse to keep My commandments and My laws? (Exodus 16:27 - 28).
At Rephidim
The sixth time Israel rebelled and tempted God was at Rephidim when they demanded water.
And all the congregation of the children of Israel journeyed from the wilderness of Sin . . . and pitched in Rephidim. And there was no water for the people to drink . . .
And the people thirsted there for water. And the people murmured against Moses and said, "Why is this, that you brought us up out of Egypt to kill us and our children and our livestock with thirst?" . . .
And he called the name of the place Massah and Meribah because of the arguing of the children of Israel and because they tempted the Lord, saying, "Is the Lord among us or not?" (Exodus 17:1, 3, 7).
The Golden Calf
The seventh time the Lord was tempted by Israel was the famous golden calf incident where the people created an idol to worship.
And the Lord said to Moses, "Go! Get you down, for your people, whom you brought out of the land of Egypt, have corrupted themselves.
"They have turned aside quickly out of the way which I commanded them. They have made them a molten calf, and have worshiped it, and have sacrificed to it . . ." (Exodus 32:7 - 8).
At Taberah
Three days after leaving Mount Sinai (Numbers 10:33) Israel, as it was prone to do, began to complain. God heard the complaints and administered, at Taberah, swift punishment!
And the people complained about their distress, speaking evil in the ears of the Lord. And the Lord heard it, and His anger was kindled. And the fire of the Lord burned among them and consumed some in the outermost parts of the camp . . .
And he called the name of the place Taberah because the fire of the Lord burned among them (Numbers 11:1, 3).
The Graves of Lust
The ninth time the Lord was tempted was when some of those who were not Israelites, but had left Egypt with Israel, began to demand flesh to eat. Their whining encouraged God's people to also complain about a lack of meat. The people would indeed be given meat, and a severe punishment!
And the troublemakers in their midst lusted with great lust. And the children of Israel also turned and wept, and said, "Who shall give us flesh to eat? . . ." And the anger of the Lord was kindled greatly. Moses also was displeased . . .
And while the flesh was yet between their teeth, before it was chewed, the wrath of the Lord was kindled against the people, and the Lord struck the people with a very great plague. And he called the name of that place Graves of Lust because there they buried the people that lusted (Numbers 11:4, 10, 33 - 34).
Refusing the Promised Land!
The tenth and final rebellion that finally caused Israel to wander the wilderness for forty years was, ironically, their unwillingness to take the land!
Moses, in August 1444 B.C., sent twelve Israelite spies to stealthily spy out the Promised Land (Numbers 13:1 - 20). When they returned in September ten of the twelve spies relayed both good and bad news.
The good news was that the land of Canaan indeed flowed with milk and honey. The bad news, however, was the following.
"the people that dwell in the land are strong, and the cities are walled, very great . . . We are not able to go up against the people, for they are stronger than we." (Numbers 13:28, 31).
The faithless report of the ten spies swayed Israel to reject entering the Promised Land. They then turned on Moses and Aaron, and even threatened to stone Joshua and Caleb, the only two spies who encouraged the people to take the land (Numbers 14:1 - 10)! Only God's invention kept the men from being killed.
Conclusion
In the end, it was a lack of faith caused the generation that left Egypt to wander and die in the wilderness. It would be their children, under Joshua, who would inherit the land promised by God to his people Israel.