Why didn't the Israelites want to live in the promised land?

Answer 1

They did not have to leave, they where dispersed by the Romans 1900 years ago. The Jews refused to become Roman Citizens unlike most people conquered by Rome. Eventually the Romans tired of the revolts by the Jews every other generation and threw them out!

Answer 2

A:In the Book of Numbers, Moses sent spies to search the land of Canaan, but the narrative is actually two versions of the same story, by two different authors, blended together in the same book. As a result, there are two different reports about the land of Canaan and two different responses to those reports.

The Yahwist Source was only interested in providing an account of the conquest of the future kingdom of Judah, and (Numbers 13:22-25) the spies travelled only as far north as Hebron in Judah. The spies returned and issued their report to Moses alone, stating that the land was 'flowing with milk and honey', but that the inhabitants were giants and their cities fortified. Caleb alone tried to encourage the Israelites to proceed with the conquest; the spies countered Caleb's claim, stating that the land was unconquerable. (13:30-31,33). Because the inhabitants were giants and their cities were fortified, the people refused to enter the Promised Land and plotted to elect a new captain to lead them back to Egypt (14:1b, 4).

The Priestly Source, writing during the Babylonian Exile, wanted to further Judah's interest in reclaiming the former kingdom of Israel and always included Israel in his stories. In his story, the spies toured the entire Promised Land, 'from the Wilderness of Zin to the entrance to Hamath' (Numbers 13:21). The spies returned and displayed the land's fruit and issued their report to Moses and Aaron, and to all the congregation. Their report stated that Canaan was not only unconquerable, but a 'land that devours its inhabitants' (13:32-33). For this reason, the Israelites refused to enter the Promised Land (14:1a, 2-3). Joshua is closely identified with the traditions of the northern kingdom and, in the Priestly account, plays a much bigger part in the response. Caleb and Joshua both tried to encourage the Israelites to proceed with the conquest, but the Israelites responded by calling for them to be stoned.