Numbers 13:1-20

1 The LORD now said to Moses,

2 “Send out men to explore the land of Canaan, the land I am giving to the Israelites. Send one leader from each of the twelve ancestral tribes.”

3 So Moses did as the LORD commanded him. He sent out twelve men, all tribal leaders of Israel, from their camp in the wilderness of Paran.

4 These were the tribes and the names of their leaders: Tribe Leader Reuben Shammua son of Zaccur

5 Simeon Shaphat son of Hori

6 Judah Caleb son of Jephunneh

7 Issachar Igal son of Joseph

8 Ephraim Hoshea son of Nun

9 Benjamin Palti son of Raphu

10 Zebulun Gaddiel son of Sodi

11 Manasseh son of Joseph Gaddi son of Susi

12 Dan Ammiel son of Gemalli

13 Asher Sethur son of Michael

14 Naphtali Nahbi son of Vophsi

15 Gad Geuel son of Maki

16 These are the names of the men Moses sent out to explore the land. (Moses called Hoshea son of Nun by the name Joshua.)

17 Moses gave the men these instructions as he sent them out to explore the land: “Go north through the Negev into the hill country.

18 See what the land is like, and find out whether the people living there are strong or weak, few or many.

19 See what kind of land they live in. Is it good or bad? Do their towns have walls, or are they unprotected like open camps?

20 Is the soil fertile or poor? Are there many trees? Do your best to bring back samples of the crops you see.” (It happened to be the season for harvesting the first ripe grapes.)

Numbers 13:1-20 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.