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Numbers 13

World English Bible

WEB

1Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying, 2“Send men, that they may spy out the land of Canaan, which I give to the children of Israel. Of every tribe of their fathers, you shall send a man, every one a prince among them.” 3Moses sent them from the wilderness of Paran according to the commandment of Yahweh. All of them were men who were heads of the children of Israel. 4These were their names: Of the tribe of Reuben, Shammua the son of Zaccur. 5Of the tribe of Simeon, Shaphat the son of Hori. 6Of the tribe of Judah, Caleb the son of Jephunneh. 7Of the tribe of Issachar, Igal the son of Joseph. 8Of the tribe of Ephraim, Hoshea the son of Nun. 9Of the tribe of Benjamin, Palti the son of Raphu. 10Of the tribe of Zebulun, Gaddiel the son of Sodi. 11Of the tribe of Joseph, of the tribe of Manasseh, Gaddi the son of Susi. 12Of the tribe of Dan, Ammiel the son of Gemalli. 13Of the tribe of Asher, Sethur the son of Michael. 14Of the tribe of Naphtali, Nahbi the son of Vophsi. 15Of the tribe of Gad, Geuel the son of Machi. 16These are the names of the men who Moses sent to spy out the land. Moses called Hoshea the son of Nun Joshua. 17Moses sent them to spy out the land of Canaan, and said to them, “Go up this way by the South, and go up into the hill country. 18See the land, what it is; and the people who dwell therein, whether they are strong or weak, whether they are few or many; 19and what the land is that they dwell in, whether it is good or bad; and what cities they are that they dwell in, whether in camps, or in strongholds; 20and what the land is, whether it is fertile or poor, whether there is wood therein, or not. Be courageous, and bring some of the fruit of the land.” Now the time was the time of the first-ripe grapes. 21So they went up, and spied out the land from the wilderness of Zin to Rehob, to the entrance of Hamath. 22They went up by the South, and came to Hebron; and Ahiman, Sheshai, and Talmai, the children of Anak, were there. (Now Hebron was built seven years before Zoan in Egypt.) 23They came to the valley of Eshcol, and cut down from there a branch with one cluster of grapes, and they bore it on a staff between two. They also brought some of the pomegranates and figs. 24That place was called the valley of Eshcol, because of the cluster which the children of Israel cut down from there. 25They returned from spying out the land at the end of forty days. 26They went and came to Moses, to Aaron, and to all the congregation of the children of Israel, to the wilderness of Paran, to Kadesh; and brought back word to them and to all the congregation. They showed them the fruit of the land. 27They told him, and said, “We came to the land where you sent us. Surely it flows with milk and honey, and this is its fruit. 28However, the people who dwell in the land are strong, and the cities are fortified and very large. Moreover, we saw the children of Anak there. 29Amalek dwells in the land of the South. The Hittite, the Jebusite, and the Amorite dwell in the hill country. The Canaanite dwells by the sea, and along the side of the Jordan.” 30Caleb stilled the people before Moses, and said, “Let’s go up at once, and possess it; for we are well able to overcome it!” 31But the men who went up with him said, “We aren’t able to go up against the people; for they are stronger than we.” 32They brought up an evil report of the land which they had spied out to the children of Israel, saying, “The land, through which we have gone to spy it out, is a land that eats up its inhabitants; and all the people who we saw in it are men of great stature. 33There we saw the Nephilim, the sons of Anak, who come from the Nephilim. We were in our own sight as grasshoppers, and so we were in their sight.”

World English Bible, 2020 stable text edition. Public domain; “World English Bible” is a trademark of eBible.org. eBible.org

Overview

Numbers Chapter 13 recounts the significant event of the Israelite spies being sent into the land of Canaan. The chapter begins with the Lord instructing Moses to send one leader from each tribe to explore the land that He promised to give to the Israelites. This mission is crucial as it represents a step towards fulfilling God’s covenant with #Abraham, #Isaac, and #Jacob, and the promise of a land flowing with milk and honey. The twelve spies, including notable figures like #Caleb from the tribe of Judah and #Joshua from the tribe of Ephraim, are chosen to scout the land and report back on its inhabitants, cities, and produce. This act of exploration is not just a military reconnaissance but also a test of faith in God’s promises.

As the spies return after forty days, they bring back a report that highlights the richness of the land, showcasing its abundant produce, including a cluster of grapes so large that it takes two men to carry it. However, they also report that the inhabitants are powerful, and the cities are fortified, leading to fear among the people. While Caleb and Joshua encourage the Israelites to trust in God and take possession of the land, the other ten spies spread a negative report, causing the people to doubt and rebel against Moses and Aaron. This chapter illustrates the tension between faith and fear, as the Israelites grapple with the challenge of entering the promised land. Their response ultimately leads to a significant consequence: a delay in entering Canaan, highlighting the importance of trusting in God’s promises and His power to deliver.

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Referenced by

  1. Deuteronomy 1:21v30Deuteronomy 1:21 encourages the Israelites to take possession of the land without fear, echoing Caleb's encouragement in Numbers 13:30 to go up and take the land, trusting in God's promise.
  2. Joshua 14:6v30Joshua 14:6 references Caleb's faithfulness and confidence in God's promise, which is first demonstrated in Numbers 13:30 when Caleb quiets the people and expresses his trust in God's ability to give them the land.

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