Numbers 13:4

4 Of the lineage of Reuben, Shammua, the son of Zaccur.

Numbers 13:4 Meaning and Commentary

Numbers 13:4

And these [were] their names, of the tribe of Reuben, Shammua
the son of Zaccur.
] From ( Numbers 13:4-15 ) , there is nothing but the names of the said persons, whose sons they were, and of what tribe; and the several tribes are mentioned, not according to the order of the birth of the patriarchs, nor according to the dignity of their mothers that bore them, but, very likely, according to the order in which they were sent, two by two, to search the land; for had they gone all twelve in a body, they would have been liable to suspicion: the signification of their names is of no importance to know, and will give us no light into their characters or the reason of their choice, nor are their parents elsewhere taken notice of, nor any of them but Joshua and Caleb, of whom we shall hear more hereafter.

Numbers 13:4 In-Context

2 Send thou men, that shall behold the land of Canaan, which I shall give to the sons of Israel; of each lineage send thou one man of the princes. (Send thou some men, to look over the land of Canaan, which I shall give to the Israelites; send thou one of the leaders from each tribe.)

3 Moses did that that the Lord commanded, and sent from the desert of Paran (the) princes, (the) men of which these be the names. (Moses did what the Lord commanded, and sent from the wilderness of Paran twelve of their leaders, of which these be their names.)

4 Of the lineage of Reuben, Shammua, the son of Zaccur.

5 Of the lineage of Simeon, Shaphat, the son of Hori.

6 Of the lineage of Judah, Caleb, the son of Jephunneh.