Numbers 13:17-27

17 And Moses sent them to spy out the land of Canaan and said unto them, Go up this way towards the Negev and go up into the mountain

18 and see the land, what it is, and the people that dwell therein, whether they are strong or weak, few or many,

19 and how the land is that they dwell in, whether it is good or bad, and what cities there are that they dwell in, whether in tents, or in strong holds,

20 And what the land is, whether it is fertile or sterile, whether there are trees therein, or not. And be ye of good courage and bring of the fruit of the land. Now the time was the time of the firstripe grapes.

21 So they went up and spied out the land from the wilderness of Zin unto Rehob, as men come to Hamath.

22 And they ascended by the Negev and came unto Hebron, where Ahiman, Sheshai, and Talmai, the sons of Anak, were. (Now Hebron was built seven years before Zoan in Egypt.)

23 And they came unto the brook of Eshcol, and from there they cut down a branch with one cluster of grapes, and they bore it between two upon a staff; and they brought of the pomegranates and of the figs.

24 The place was called the brook Eshcol because of the cluster of grapes which the sons of Israel cut down from there.

25 And they returned from searching of the land after forty days.

26 And they went and came to Moses and to Aaron and to all the congregation of the sons of Israel, unto the wilderness of Paran to Kadesh and brought back word unto them and unto all the congregation and showed them the fruit of the land.

27 And they told him and said, We came unto the land where thou didst send us, and surely it flows with milk and honey; and this is the fruit of it.

Numbers 13:17-27 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.