Numbers 13: Spying Out the Promised Land
And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying,
Send thou men, that they may search the land of Canaan, which I give unto the children of Israel: of every tribe of their fathers shall ye send a man, every one a ruler among them.
And Moses by the commandment of the Lord sent them from the wilderness of Paran: all those men were heads of the children of Israel.
And these were their names: of the tribe of Reuben, Shammua the son of Zaccur.
Of the tribe of Simeon, Shaphat the son of Hori.
Of the tribe of Judah, Caleb the son of Jephunneh.
Of the tribe of Issachar, Igal the son of Joseph.
Of the tribe of Ephraim, Oshea the son of Nun.
Of the tribe of Benjamin, Palti the son of Raphu.
Of the tribe of Zebulun, Gaddiel the son of Sodi.
Of the tribe of Joseph, namely, of the tribe of Manasseh, Gaddi the son of Susi.
Of the tribe of Dan, Ammiel the son of Gemalli.
Of the tribe of Asher, Sethur the son of Michael.
Of the tribe of Naphtali, Nahbi the son of Vophsi.
Of the tribe of Gad, Geuel the son of Machi.
These are the names of the men which Moses sent to spy out the land. And Moses called Oshea the son of Nun Jehoshua.
And Moses sent them to spy out the land of Canaan, and said unto them, Get you up this way southward, and go up into the mountain:
And see the land, what it is; and the people that dwelleth therein, whether they be strong or weak, few or many;
And what the land is that they dwell in, whether it be good or bad; and what cities they be that they dwell in, whether in tents, or in strong holds;
And what the land is, whether it be fat or lean, whether there be wood therein, or not. And be ye of good courage, and bring of the fruit of the land. Now the time was the time of the firstripe grapes.
So they went up, and searched the land from the wilderness of Zin unto Rehob, as men come to Hamath.
And they ascended by the south, and came unto Hebron; where Ahiman, Sheshai, and Talmai, the children of Anak, were. (Now Hebron was built seven years before Zoan in Egypt.)
And they came unto the brook of Eshcol, and cut down from thence a branch with one cluster of grapes, and they bare it between two upon a staff; and they brought of the pomegranates, and of the figs.
The place was called the brook Eshcol, because of the cluster of grapes which the children of Israel cut down from thence.
And they returned from searching of the land after forty days.
And they went and came to Moses, and to Aaron, and to all the congregation of the children of Israel, unto the wilderness of Paran, to Kadesh; and brought back word unto them, and unto all the congregation, and shewed them the fruit of the land.
And they told him, and said, We came unto the land whither thou sentest us, and surely it floweth with milk and honey; and this is the fruit of it.
Nevertheless the people be strong that dwell in the land, and the cities are walled, and very great: and moreover we saw the children of Anak there.
The Amalekites dwell in the land of the south: and the Hittites, and the Jebusites, and the Amorites, dwell in the mountains: and the Canaanites dwell by the sea, and by the coast of Jordan.
And Caleb stilled the people before Moses, and said, Let us go up at once, and possess it; for we are well able to overcome it.
But the men that went up with him said, We be not able to go up against the people; for they are stronger than we.
And they brought up an evil report of the land which they had searched unto the children of Israel, saying, The land, through which we have gone to search it, is a land that eateth up the inhabitants thereof; and all the people that we saw in it are men of a great stature.
And there we saw the giants, the sons of Anak, which come of the giants: and we were in our own sight as grasshoppers, and so we were in their sight.
Numbers 13 and 14 stand as pivotal chapters in the narrative of God's people, a profound illustration of the consequences of unbelief that resonates even with modern believers. The apostle Paul, in 1 Corinthians 10:6-10, urged the Corinthians to learn from the wilderness generation's unfaithfulness, reminding them that "these things happened to them as examples, and they were written for our instruction." The Old Testament isn't merely a historical record; it's a spiritually instructive manual for God's people across time and cultures. By heeding its lessons, we can avoid God's judgment and embrace His blessings.
Sending Out the Scouts (Numbers 13:1-16)
With Israel poised on the edge of the Promised Land, God instructed Moses to dispatch men to scout out Canaan, the land He was giving to the Israelites. Moses was to send one man from each of their ancestral tribes (Numbers 13:2). These twelve scouts (Numbers 13:4-15) included Caleb and Hoshea, figures who would later become celebrated heroes in Israel's history (Numbers 14:6, 10, 30, 38; Joshua 14:6). Hoshea is better known as Joshua (Numbers 13:16), the man who would eventually lead Israel into battle at Jericho and succeed Moses as their leader.
Joshua hailed from the tribe of Ephraim, one of the two sons of Joseph and his Egyptian wife (Numbers 13:8; see Genesis 41:50-52). It's worth noting the diverse heritage present in God's plan. Caleb, another key figure in this narrative, was the son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite (Numbers 13:6; see Joshua 14:6). The Kenizzites were part of the Canaanite tribes and descendants of Ham. Caleb also came from the tribe of Judah. Judah, the progenitor of the tribe, fathered twin sons by Tamar, who was a Hamitic descendent (see Genesis 38). These details highlight that people of color played a crucial role in God's program throughout Old Testament history.
The Reconnaissance Mission (Numbers 13:17-27)
Moses gave the scouts specific instructions and questions (Numbers 13:17-20). He wanted to know about the land's condition, the nature of its inhabitants, and the strength of their cities. The spies diligently carried out their reconnaissance, returning with both verbal and visual reports. As proof of the land's fertility, they brought back a single cluster of grapes, along with pomegranates and figs harvested during their forty-day expedition (Numbers 13:23-25). They reported that the land was indeed bountiful, "flowing with milk and honey" (Numbers 13:27)—just as God had promised (see Exodus 3:8, 17).
A Tale of Two Reports (Numbers 13:28-33)
Despite the evidence of the land's richness, a division arose among the scouts. While Caleb and Joshua remained confident in God's ability to deliver the land to them (Numbers 13:30; 14:6-9, 24, 30, 38), the other ten scouts succumbed to fear (Numbers 13:28-29). Overwhelmed by the size of Canaan's inhabitants and the towering, walled cities (Numbers 13:28-29), they delivered a discouraging report to the Israelites, declaring, "We can't attack...because they are stronger than we are" (Numbers 13:31-32). Despite Caleb's attempt to quiet the crowd and encourage them to seize the land (Numbers 13:30), the other scouts instilled a sense of defeat in the people's hearts (Numbers 13:33).
It's insightful to consider Moses' later retelling of this event in Deuteronomy. He revealed that the initial idea to send scouts actually originated with the Israelites themselves. They approached Moses, saying, "Let’s send men ahead of us, so that they may explore the land for us and bring us back a report about the route we should go up and the cities we will come to.’ The plan seemed good to me, so I selected twelve men from among you, one man for each tribe” (Deuteronomy 1:22-23). This reveals that the Israelites weren't initially afraid to enter the land; they simply sought information about the best route and potential challenges. It was only after the scouts, their supposedly "brave" leaders, lost heart that the people were seized by fear and wanted to retreat to the desert. This context sheds light on the severity of God's judgment upon the ten faithless scouts (see Numbers 14:37).
Numbers 13 serves as a potent reminder that our perception of circumstances significantly impacts our ability to trust in God's promises. The ten scouts focused on the obstacles, while Caleb and Joshua focused on God's power. May we learn from their example, choosing faith over fear and trusting in God's ability to lead us into the abundant life He has promised.
And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying,
Send thou men, that they may search the land of Canaan, which I give unto the children of Israel: of every tribe of their fathers shall ye send a man, every one a ruler among them.
And Moses by the commandment of the Lord sent them from the wilderness of Paran: all those men were heads of the children of Israel.
And these were their names: of the tribe of Reuben, Shammua the son of Zaccur.
Of the tribe of Simeon, Shaphat the son of Hori.
Of the tribe of Judah, Caleb the son of Jephunneh.
Of the tribe of Issachar, Igal the son of Joseph.
Of the tribe of Ephraim, Oshea the son of Nun.
Of the tribe of Benjamin, Palti the son of Raphu.
Of the tribe of Zebulun, Gaddiel the son of Sodi.
Of the tribe of Joseph, namely, of the tribe of Manasseh, Gaddi the son of Susi.
Of the tribe of Dan, Ammiel the son of Gemalli.
Of the tribe of Asher, Sethur the son of Michael.
Of the tribe of Naphtali, Nahbi the son of Vophsi.
Of the tribe of Gad, Geuel the son of Machi.
These are the names of the men which Moses sent to spy out the land. And Moses called Oshea the son of Nun Jehoshua.
And Moses sent them to spy out the land of Canaan, and said unto them, Get you up this way southward, and go up into the mountain:
And see the land, what it is; and the people that dwelleth therein, whether they be strong or weak, few or many;
And what the land is that they dwell in, whether it be good or bad; and what cities they be that they dwell in, whether in tents, or in strong holds;
And what the land is, whether it be fat or lean, whether there be wood therein, or not. And be ye of good courage, and bring of the fruit of the land. Now the time was the time of the firstripe grapes.
So they went up, and searched the land from the wilderness of Zin unto Rehob, as men come to Hamath.
And they ascended by the south, and came unto Hebron; where Ahiman, Sheshai, and Talmai, the children of Anak, were. (Now Hebron was built seven years before Zoan in Egypt.)
And they came unto the brook of Eshcol, and cut down from thence a branch with one cluster of grapes, and they bare it between two upon a staff; and they brought of the pomegranates, and of the figs.
The place was called the brook Eshcol, because of the cluster of grapes which the children of Israel cut down from thence.
And they returned from searching of the land after forty days.
And they went and came to Moses, and to Aaron, and to all the congregation of the children of Israel, unto the wilderness of Paran, to Kadesh; and brought back word unto them, and unto all the congregation, and shewed them the fruit of the land.
And they told him, and said, We came unto the land whither thou sentest us, and surely it floweth with milk and honey; and this is the fruit of it.
Nevertheless the people be strong that dwell in the land, and the cities are walled, and very great: and moreover we saw the children of Anak there.
The Amalekites dwell in the land of the south: and the Hittites, and the Jebusites, and the Amorites, dwell in the mountains: and the Canaanites dwell by the sea, and by the coast of Jordan.
And Caleb stilled the people before Moses, and said, Let us go up at once, and possess it; for we are well able to overcome it.
But the men that went up with him said, We be not able to go up against the people; for they are stronger than we.
And they brought up an evil report of the land which they had searched unto the children of Israel, saying, The land, through which we have gone to search it, is a land that eateth up the inhabitants thereof; and all the people that we saw in it are men of a great stature.
And there we saw the giants, the sons of Anak, which come of the giants: and we were in our own sight as grasshoppers, and so we were in their sight.
Numbers 13 and 14 stand as pivotal chapters in the narrative of God's people, a profound illustration of the consequences of unbelief that resonates even with modern believers. The apostle Paul, in 1 Corinthians 10:6-10, urged the Corinthians to learn from the wilderness generation's unfaithfulness, reminding them that "these things happened to them as examples, and they were written for our instruction." The Old Testament isn't merely a historical record; it's a spiritually instructive manual for God's people across time and cultures. By heeding its lessons, we can avoid God's judgment and embrace His blessings.
Sending Out the Scouts (Numbers 13:1-16)
With Israel poised on the edge of the Promised Land, God instructed Moses to dispatch men to scout out Canaan, the land He was giving to the Israelites. Moses was to send one man from each of their ancestral tribes (Numbers 13:2). These twelve scouts (Numbers 13:4-15) included Caleb and Hoshea, figures who would later become celebrated heroes in Israel's history (Numbers 14:6, 10, 30, 38; Joshua 14:6). Hoshea is better known as Joshua (Numbers 13:16), the man who would eventually lead Israel into battle at Jericho and succeed Moses as their leader.
Joshua hailed from the tribe of Ephraim, one of the two sons of Joseph and his Egyptian wife (Numbers 13:8; see Genesis 41:50-52). It's worth noting the diverse heritage present in God's plan. Caleb, another key figure in this narrative, was the son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite (Numbers 13:6; see Joshua 14:6). The Kenizzites were part of the Canaanite tribes and descendants of Ham. Caleb also came from the tribe of Judah. Judah, the progenitor of the tribe, fathered twin sons by Tamar, who was a Hamitic descendent (see Genesis 38). These details highlight that people of color played a crucial role in God's program throughout Old Testament history.
The Reconnaissance Mission (Numbers 13:17-27)
Moses gave the scouts specific instructions and questions (Numbers 13:17-20). He wanted to know about the land's condition, the nature of its inhabitants, and the strength of their cities. The spies diligently carried out their reconnaissance, returning with both verbal and visual reports. As proof of the land's fertility, they brought back a single cluster of grapes, along with pomegranates and figs harvested during their forty-day expedition (Numbers 13:23-25). They reported that the land was indeed bountiful, "flowing with milk and honey" (Numbers 13:27)—just as God had promised (see Exodus 3:8, 17).
A Tale of Two Reports (Numbers 13:28-33)
Despite the evidence of the land's richness, a division arose among the scouts. While Caleb and Joshua remained confident in God's ability to deliver the land to them (Numbers 13:30; 14:6-9, 24, 30, 38), the other ten scouts succumbed to fear (Numbers 13:28-29). Overwhelmed by the size of Canaan's inhabitants and the towering, walled cities (Numbers 13:28-29), they delivered a discouraging report to the Israelites, declaring, "We can't attack...because they are stronger than we are" (Numbers 13:31-32). Despite Caleb's attempt to quiet the crowd and encourage them to seize the land (Numbers 13:30), the other scouts instilled a sense of defeat in the people's hearts (Numbers 13:33).
It's insightful to consider Moses' later retelling of this event in Deuteronomy. He revealed that the initial idea to send scouts actually originated with the Israelites themselves. They approached Moses, saying, "Let’s send men ahead of us, so that they may explore the land for us and bring us back a report about the route we should go up and the cities we will come to.’ The plan seemed good to me, so I selected twelve men from among you, one man for each tribe” (Deuteronomy 1:22-23). This reveals that the Israelites weren't initially afraid to enter the land; they simply sought information about the best route and potential challenges. It was only after the scouts, their supposedly "brave" leaders, lost heart that the people were seized by fear and wanted to retreat to the desert. This context sheds light on the severity of God's judgment upon the ten faithless scouts (see Numbers 14:37).
Numbers 13 serves as a potent reminder that our perception of circumstances significantly impacts our ability to trust in God's promises. The ten scouts focused on the obstacles, while Caleb and Joshua focused on God's power. May we learn from their example, choosing faith over fear and trusting in God's ability to lead us into the abundant life He has promised.