This chapter is the revolt of the people despising the pleasant land, the fear of the difficulties setting aside faith, and in consequence producing a disparaging report of the land itself- they were gathered together against the Lord.
Besides, the general instruction, I have this to remark that Caleb just brings in what the rest all leave out—the Lord; and then, note, the effect is the heavenly good and joyful blessing is full before his mind—it is a good land, and the difficulties which absorbed the others disappear. "They are bread for us: their defense is departed from them, the Lord is with us: fear them not." Blessings and heavenly joys cannot sustain faith when the Lord is not looked to. The grapes of Eshcol were forgotten, as though they were not, for the others, and if faith be not in exercise, how should heavenly things be seen?
Note too in Ex. 3, we have full grace—here government. There Abraham, Isaac, Israel; hence "My presence shall go with thee, and I will give thee rest," and as we have often noted, the ground of consuming, grace and power comes in, the ground of looking for God to be with us, for He does not impute, but is with us against the sin. Here it is the principles of government there announced, not original absolute grace; hence there is government, judging, chastening. The rest, as far as I am aware, I have noticed elsewhere. But what perverseness, that while they forget the Lord entirely as to the path and difficulties of faith, they remember how to charge Him with bringing them into their present condition when they are discontented with it.
32. Shall pasture—be nomads.
34. Not "my breach of promise," but my turning against them, my hostility—t’nuati (my hostility, my alteration) only found here and in Job 33: to, "He findeth occasions against me." They would learn what it was to have God thus dealing in anger with them. It is to be in a position which brings anger and judgment from God; "My turning away and being hostile to them" is " You shall experience what it is to have Me against you."