At
the end of forty days they returned from spying out the land.1
And they came to Moses and Aaron and to all the congregation of the
Israelites in the wilderness of Paran, at Kadesh; they brought back
word to them and to all the congregation, and showed them the fruit
of the land.2
And they told him, “We came to the land to which you sent us; it
flows with milk and honey, and this is its fruit.3
Yet the people who live in the land are strong,4
and the towns are fortified and very large; and besides, we saw the
descendants of Anak there. The Amalekites live in the land of the
Negeb; the Hittites, the Jebusites, and the Amorites live in the hill
country; and the Canaanites live by the sea, and along the
Jordan.”
But Caleb quieted the people before Moses, and said, “Let us go up at once and occupy it, for we are well able to overcome it.”5
Then the men who had gone up with him said, “We are not able to go up against this people, for they are stronger than we are.”6
So they brought to the Israelites an unfavourable report of the land that they had spied out, saying, “The land that we have gone through as spies is a land that devours its inhabitants; and all the people that we saw in it are of great size. There we saw the Nephilim (the Anakites come from the Nephilim); and to ourselves we seemed like grasshoppers, and so we seemed to them.”7
Then all the congregation raised a loud cry, and the people wept that night.8 And all the Israelites complained against Moses and Aaron; the whole congregation said to them, “Would that we had died in the land of Egypt!9 Or would that we had died in this wilderness! Why is the Lord bringing us into this land to fall by the sword?10 Our wives and our little ones will become booty; would it not be better for us to go back to Egypt?”
So they said to one another, “Let us choose a captain, and go back to Egypt.”11
1 Quite stealthily, apparently.
But Caleb quieted the people before Moses, and said, “Let us go up at once and occupy it, for we are well able to overcome it.”5
Then the men who had gone up with him said, “We are not able to go up against this people, for they are stronger than we are.”6
So they brought to the Israelites an unfavourable report of the land that they had spied out, saying, “The land that we have gone through as spies is a land that devours its inhabitants; and all the people that we saw in it are of great size. There we saw the Nephilim (the Anakites come from the Nephilim); and to ourselves we seemed like grasshoppers, and so we seemed to them.”7
Then all the congregation raised a loud cry, and the people wept that night.8 And all the Israelites complained against Moses and Aaron; the whole congregation said to them, “Would that we had died in the land of Egypt!9 Or would that we had died in this wilderness! Why is the Lord bringing us into this land to fall by the sword?10 Our wives and our little ones will become booty; would it not be better for us to go back to Egypt?”
So they said to one another, “Let us choose a captain, and go back to Egypt.”11
1 Quite stealthily, apparently.
2
So far still obedient.
3
Indeed the fruitful land God had promised.
4
“Yet” implies a problem, though God promised he would give them
the land, which should not depend on the strength of the people
defending it.
5
Caleb sticks out as a different voice, though he does not explicitly
reference God. Joshua is not mentioned.
6
The other spies counter, and yet again fail to note God.
7
The spreading of fear is continued.
8
With the promised land appearing unattainable, people's despondency
becomes great.
9
Yet again speaking of Egypt favorably.
10
They acknowledge God, but not his power.
11
For the third time in quick succession, they suggest that Egypt is
better. This time they form a plan, making it seem like an even
more serious issue than before.
Take-home: The spies follow through in their mission, but spread fear upon returning, trusting in human strength rather than God. In distrust of God the people listening and want to return to Egypt.
Take-home: The spies follow through in their mission, but spread fear upon returning, trusting in human strength rather than God. In distrust of God the people listening and want to return to Egypt.
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