Numbers 13:21-25

21 So they went up and explored the land from the Desert of Zin as far as Rehob, toward Lebo Hamath.
22 They went up through the Negev and came to Hebron, where Ahiman, Sheshai and Talmai, the descendants of Anak, lived. (Hebron had been built seven years before Zoan in Egypt.)
23 When they reached the Valley of Eshkol,[a] they cut off a branch bearing a single cluster of grapes. Two of them carried it on a pole between them, along with some pomegranates and figs.
24 That place was called the Valley of Eshkol because of the cluster of grapes the Israelites cut off there.
25 At the end of forty days they returned from exploring the land.

Numbers 13:21-25 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO NUMBERS 13

In this chapter an order is given by the Lord, to send twelve men into the land of Canaan, to search and spy it, and which was accordingly executed, Nu 13:1-3; and the names of the twelve persons are given, Nu 13:4-16; the instructions they received from Moses, what part of the land they should enter into first, and what observations they should make on it, Nu 13:17-20; which they attended to, and on their return brought some of the fruit of the land with them, Nu 13:21-26; and gave an account of it, that it was a very fruitful land, but the inhabitants mighty, and their cities walled, Nu 13:27-29; which threw the people into confusion, but that they were stilled by Caleb, one of the spies, who encouraged them, Nu 13:30; but all the rest, excepting Joshua, brought an ill report of it, as not to be subdued and conquered by them, Nu 13:31-33.

Cross References 12

  • 1. Numbers 20:1; Numbers 27:14; Numbers 33:36; Deuteronomy 32:51; Joshua 15:1
  • 2. Joshua 19:28; Judges 1:31; Judges 18:28; 2 Samuel 10:6; 1 Chronicles 6:75
  • 3. Numbers 34:8; Joshua 13:5; Judges 3:3; 1 Kings 8:65; 2 Kings 14:25; 1 Chronicles 13:5; 2 Chronicles 7:8; Jeremiah 52:9; Ezekiel 47:16,20; Amos 6:14
  • 4. S Genesis 13:18; S Genesis 23:19
  • 5. Joshua 15:14; Judges 1:10
  • 6. ver 28; Deuteronomy 2:10; Deuteronomy 9:2; Joshua 11:21; Joshua 15:13; Judges 1:20
  • 7. Psalms 78:12,43; Isaiah 19:11,13; Isaiah 30:4; Ezekiel 30:14
  • 8. S Genesis 14:13
  • 9. S Exodus 28:33
  • 10. Genesis 3:7; Numbers 20:5; Deuteronomy 8:8; 2 Kings 18:31; Nehemiah 13:15
  • 11. S Genesis 7:4
  • 12. Numbers 14:34

Footnotes 1

  • [a]. "Eshkol" means "cluster" ; also in verse 24.
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