Deuteronomy 1:22

22 “But you all came to me and said, ‘First, let’s send out scouts to explore the land for us. They will advise us on the best route to take and which towns we should enter.’

Deuteronomy 1:22 Meaning and Commentary

Deuteronomy 1:22

And ye came near unto me everyone of you
Not every individual of them, but the heads of their tribes, that represented them; this is not to be understood of the present generation personally, but of their fathers, who all died in the wilderness, save a very few of them; but they being the same people and nation, it is so expressed:

and said, we will send men before us;
that is, they thought it was proper and prudent so to do, and came to Moses to consult him about it; for we are not to suppose that they had determined upon it, whether he approved of it or not:

and they shall search us out the land:
that they might know what sort of land it was, whether good or bad, fruitful or not, and whether woody or not: see ( Numbers 13:19 Numbers 13:20 )

and bring us word again by what way we must go up;
or, "concerning the way ^F13 in which we must go"; which is the best way of entering it, most easy and accessible, where the passes are most open and least dangerous:

and into what cities we shall come;
which it would be the most proper to attack and subdue first.

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FOOTNOTES:

F13 (Krdh ta) , "de via", Noldius, p. 117. No. 594. so the Arabic version, Junius & Tremellius, Piscator.

Deuteronomy 1:22 In-Context

20 I said to you, ‘You have now reached the hill country of the Amorites that the LORD our God is giving us.

21 Look! He has placed the land in front of you. Go and occupy it as the LORD, the God of your ancestors, has promised you. Don’t be afraid! Don’t be discouraged!’

22 “But you all came to me and said, ‘First, let’s send out scouts to explore the land for us. They will advise us on the best route to take and which towns we should enter.’

23 “This seemed like a good idea to me, so I chose twelve scouts, one from each of your tribes.

24 They headed for the hill country and came to the valley of Eshcol and explored it.