Paul verified the incident with a spiritual interpretation:
4 And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ. [1 Corinthians 10:4]
One attempt to explain away the light that the Israelites saw leading them is the glorious sunsets that are seen in the deserts in that area. It is claimed that this was a natural phenomenon interpreted by Israel to be a manifestation from God (see footnote 1).
The Inhabitants of the Land (of Canaan) Driven Out
23 So Joshua took the whole land, according to all that the LORD said unto Moses; and Joshua gave it for an inheritance unto Israel according to their divisions by their tribes. And the land rested from war. [Joshua 11:23]