Numbers 13:1-10

Spies Sent into Canaan

1 The Lord spoke to Moses, saying,

2 ¹“Send men to spy out the land of Canaan, which I am giving to the people of Israel. From each tribe of their fathers you shall send a man, every one a chief among them. ”

3 So Moses sent them from ²the wilderness of Paran, according to the command of the Lord, all of them men who were heads of the people of Israel.

4 And these were their names: From the tribe of Reuben, Shammua the son of Zaccur;

5 from the tribe of Simeon, Shaphat the son of Hori;

6 ³from the tribe of Judah, ⁴Caleb the son of Jephunneh;

7 from the tribe of Issachar, Igal the son of Joseph;

8 from the tribe of Ephraim, ⁵Hoshea the son of Nun;

9 from the tribe of Benjamin, Palti the son of Raphu;

10 from the tribe of Zebulun, Gaddiel the son of Sodi;

Numbers 13:1-10 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

• 1. 13:2 ch. 32:8; See Deut. 1:22-25
• 2. 13:3 ver. 26; ch. 12:16; 32:8; Deut. 1:19; 9:23
• 3. 13:6 ch. 34:19; 1 Chr. 4:15
• 4. 13:6 ver. 30; ch. 14:6, 30; 26:65; 32:12; Deut. 1:36; See Josh. 14:6-15; 15:13-18; Judg. 1:12-15
• 5. 13:8 ver. 16; ch. 11:28; 14:6, 30, 38; Ex. 24:13; Deut. 32:44; [Neh. 8:17]