Комментарий к Бамидбар 14:44

ויעפלו is an expression for “strength” (doing a thing by insolent force). Similar is, (Habakkuk 2:4) “Behold it is insolent (עפלה)”, engres in O. F., an expression for insolent force. Similar also is, (Micah 4:8), “stronghold (עפל) of the daughter of Zion”; (Jes. 32:14) “the forts (עפל) and towers”. The Midrash Tanchuma 4:4:19, however, explains it (ויעפלו) to be of the same meaning as אופל, darkness, i.e. they went in darkness — without permission.

ויעפילו, they stiffened their attitude, similar to Exodus 6,13 where Pharaoh is reported as stiffening his attitude, and as a result not paying heed to Moses’ and Aaron’s warning.

ויעפילו לעלות אל ראש ההר, But they presumed to go up to the top of the mountain, etc. They erred in thinking that by ascending the mountain they could demonstrate their faith in G'd and that as a result G'd would save them. G'd was not impressed, 1) for their punishment was still too recent to have run its course, and 2) the decree had been made absolute so that G'd could not reverse it. Please compare what I have written on this subject in Deut. 1,43.

משו, from the root לא ימיש, Exodus 13,22, “did not move.” Here too it means “did not move.”

וארון ברית ה' ומשה לא משו, “while the Ark of the covenant of Hashem and Moses did not move.” The Torah mentioned the Ark at the beginning of the verse; we find a similar expression in Samuel I 4,11 when the Ark was taken to battle by the two sons of Eli and captured by the Philistines. The basic difference between here and there is that the two sons of Eli were killed, which is the reason that they were mentioned by name only at the end of that verse.

ויעפילו, the word is derived from עפל, climbing a fortified place and means that they tried to ascend a fortified hill.
A Midrashic approach found in Bamidbar Rabbah (10) compares the word to the root אפל, darkness, i.e. “they walked in darkness,” not having secured approval for their undertaking.which was considered wicked.

V. 44. ויעפלו (siehe Bereschit 4, 1-2). Sie stemmten sich, beharrten hartnäckig dabei.

They defiantly. Rashi explained in the name of the Midrash Tanchuma that ויעפילו connotes darkness. The intention is that there were many of those who went up who believed and knew they would not succeed and would fall in war, but nevertheless they considered it worthwhile to be killed in the Land of Israel and be buried there and not in the desert. However, Hashem annulled their plan.

וארון ברית ה' ומשה לא משו, “and the Ark of the covenant of the Lord as well as Moses had not moved.” In this verse the Torah drew a comparison between Moses and the Ark of the covenant. In Numbers 11,21 we have a formula where the Torah seems to equate Moses to the 600,000 men of military age of the Israelites when it is written: “and Moses said the people are 600,00 foot-soldiers, etc.” The Torah alluded to the spiritual worth of Moses as being equivalent to the people as a whole. If that had not been the intention of the Torah in that verse it should have written: “the people amongst whom I find myself comprise 600,000 foot-soldiers.”