Numbers 13:21-25

Listen to Numbers 13:21-25
21 So they went up and spied out the land 1from the wilderness of Zin to Rehob, 2near Lebo-hamath.
22 They went up into 3the Negeb and came to 4Hebron. 5Ahiman, Sheshai, and Talmai, the 6descendants of Anak, were there. ( 7Hebron was built seven years before 8Zoan in Egypt. )
23 And 9they came to the Valley of Eshcol and cut down from there a branch with a single cluster of grapes, and they carried it on a pole between two of them; they also brought some pomegranates and figs.
24 That place was called the Valley of Eshcol, [a] because of the cluster that the people of Israel cut down from there.

Report of the Spies

25 At the end of forty days they returned from spying out 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.

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Cross References 9

  • 1. 13:21 ch. 20:1; 33:36; 34:3; Josh. 15:1
  • 2. 13:21 ch. 34:8
  • 3. 13:22 [See ver. 17 above]
  • 4. 13:22 See Josh. 14:15
  • 5. 13:22 Josh. 15:14; Judg. 1:10
  • 6. 13:22 ver. 33; Deut. 1:28; 2:10; 9:2; Josh. 11:21, 22
  • 7. 13:22 Ps. 78:12, 43; Isa. 19:11, 13; 30:4; Ezek. 30:14
  • 8. 13:22 Ps. 78:12, 43; Isa. 19:11, 13; 30:4; Ezek. 30:14
  • 9. 13:23 ch. 32:9; Deut. 1:24, 25

Footnotes 1

  • [a] 13:24 'Eshcol' means 'cluster'
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®) © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. All rights reserved. ESV Text Edition: 2025