Except for Kalev and Yehoshua, everyone over age 20 was destined to die within the 40 years wandering in the desert.
Was there any criteria used as to how many more years a specific person was to live within those 40 years?
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1 Answer
Rashi to 14:33 says:
לא מת אחד מהם פחות מבן שישים, לכך נגזר ארבעים, כדי שיהיו אותם של בני עשרים מגיעין לכלל ששים.
Not one of them died before the age of sixty. This is why forty [years] was decreed, so that those who were twenty years old would reach the age of sixty.
Each person died at age 60.
answered Jun 8, 2015 at 19:42
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Thanks for the prompt answer. Does this mean that everyone age 60 and above died immediately?– DanFCommented Jun 8, 2015 at 19:44
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They were all at least 60. That's all that means. They weren't all 20 at the time they were sent were they?– user6591Commented Jun 8, 2015 at 19:44
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@DanF The punishment was decreed on those wo were counted in the census between the ages of 20 and 60. Those under 20 or above sixty were excempt. See my answer at judaism.stackexchange.com/questions/40304/… Commented Jun 8, 2015 at 20:26
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@DanF According to the Kli Yakar each person who was going to die, died on the Tish'a B'Av after his sixtieth birthday. Commented Jun 8, 2015 at 20:34
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@sabbahillel Thanks for the ref. to Kli Yakar. the answer in your link didn't completely appear to answer my question.– DanFCommented Jun 8, 2015 at 20:40