Deuteronomy 1:28

28 How can we go up? We're trapped in a dead end. Our brothers took all the wind out of our sails, telling us, 'The people are bigger and stronger than we are; their cities are huge, their defenses massive - we even saw Anakite giants there!'"

Deuteronomy 1:28 Meaning and Commentary

Deuteronomy 1:28

Whither shall we go up?
&c.] What way can we go up into the land? where is there any access for us? the mountain we are come to, and directed to go up, is possessed by the Amorites, a strong and mighty people, who keep and guard the passes, that there is no entrance:

our brethren have discouraged our hearts;
ten of the spies; for Joshua and Caleb encouraged them with very powerful arguments, which had they listened to, it would have been well for them:

saying, the people is greater and taller than we;
more in number, larger in bulk of body, and higher in stature:

the cities are great, and walled up to heaven;
an hyperbolical expression; their fears exaggerated the account of the spies; they told them they were great, large, and populous, walled, and strongly fortified; which appeared in their frightened imaginations as if their walls were so high as to reach up to heaven, so that it was impossible to scale them, or get possession of them:

and, moreover, we have seen the sons of the Anakims there;
the giants so called from Anak, the son of Arba, the father of them; their names are given, ( Numbers 13:22 Numbers 13:23 ) ( Joshua 14:15 ) ( Joshua 15:13 Joshua 15:14 ) .

Deuteronomy 1:28 In-Context

26 But then you weren't willing to go up. You rebelled against God, your God's plain word.

27 You complained in your tents: "God hates us. He hauled us out of Egypt in order to dump us among the Amorites - a death sentence for sure!

28 How can we go up? We're trapped in a dead end. Our brothers took all the wind out of our sails, telling us, 'The people are bigger and stronger than we are; their cities are huge, their defenses massive - we even saw Anakite giants there!'"

29 I tried to relieve your fears: "Don't be terrified of them.

30 God, your God, is leading the way; he's fighting for you. You saw with your own eyes what he did for you in Egypt;