If Moses had told the Israelites they would have to wander the desert for 40 years, what would they have done?

Question

Would they have chosen to follow him or just stay with Pharaoh and keep working for him?

Seems to me they got the shaft either way... personally I'd rather stay in one spot and work than wander around some desert with 1000's of other people for 40 years.

Answer 1

they probably got so lost they couldn't depend on anyone else but moses out in that desert. if moses had told them how long they would be walking out in the sand dunes, id say he wouldn't have freed that many people. they would have looked at him like he was crazy. they would not have seen the walk to be worth their freedom because it really looks so unreal. honestly, if someone said "your free! follow me to freedom!" you would follow. but if someone said "your free! but you have to walk with me for 40 years!" i guarantee you would probably either laugh or just turn your back, thinking its a joke.

Answer 2

The Isrealites would not have had to wander the desert for 40 years if the would have obeyed God. While Moses was up on Mt. Sinai getting the 10 commandments from God the isrealites melted down all the their and made a golden statue of a acalf to worship. The punishment was to wonder for 40 years. During those forty years most of the Israelites perished leaving only the ones that had learned to depend on, fear ,and love God were left. Thus bringing the righteous to the promised land.

Maybe if they knew what kind of ramifications their poor decisions were going to cost, they would have been faithful to the God that was faithful to them.

Answer 3

Here's something else to think about - the average lifespan at that time was about 40 - you were old at 40. Does this mean that entire generations lived and died while they were wandering with only Moses and a select handful living to a ripe old age? Do the math and you'll see that something isn't quite right. Only an ignoramus would get out there and try to raise a family in the desert - the whole story sounds very fishy to me - like maybe it really didn't happen!

Answer 4

Those dimwits would have done the same thing. Look at all the stuff they saw and then just went back to being beyond stupid. Makes you think the stuff never happened in the first place. I mean! If I see a Pillar of Fire holding an army back while i walk across an ocean bed on dry ground I would think things are going my way. If Moses smacked a rock and water started spurting out all over the place ...I would take that as pretty KEEN STUFF. If it rained food down from heaven and I could eat my fill every morning I doubt i would grouse too much. But not them ...they acted like none of it happened. Ingrates. Chosen People my fanny! Then again maybe none of it did happen.

Answer 5

First of all it was the Israelites actions that forced them to wonder the desert for 40 years. This includes moses getting angry and striking rock when they were out of water.

Also that's pretty selfish and short sighted view to say you'd rather skip 40 years of suffering to break your entire race out of hundreds of years of slavery.

Answer 6

I think they probably would've chosen to follow Moses anyway, because the desire for freedom, even at great cost, is so strong in the human spirit. Not to mention the hope to improve the life of one's children and grandchildren. However, that probably wouldn't have stopped them from kvetching the whole time....."Oy, vey! For dis ver da chosen piple? Go figure!" (lol)

Answer 7

They didn't have to wander for forty years, it was a 7-day journey on foot but because of thier ungratefullness and thier attitude God led them through the wilderness for forty years.

I found it somewhere in Exodus

Answer 8

They would have been gone 40 years.

Answer 9

they only had to suver becouse the grumbled despite Gods faithfulness

Answer 10

they would have stayed and kept working for Pharaoh