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Numbers Chapter
Thirteen
New King James Version (NKJV)
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
Numbers 13:1; and
the names of the twelve persons are given
Numbers 13:4; the
instructions they received from Moses
what part of the land they should enter
into first
and what observations they should make on it
Numbers 13:17;
which they attended to
and on their return brought some of the fruit of the
land with them
Numbers 13:21; and
gave an account of it
that it was a very fruitful land
but the inhabitants
mighty
and their cities walled
Numbers 13:27;
which threw the people into confusion
but that they were stilled by Caleb
one
of the spies
who encouraged them
Numbers 13:30; but
all the rest
excepting Joshua
brought an ill report of it
as not to be
subdued and conquered by them
Numbers 13:31.
Numbers 13:1 And the Lord spoke to Moses
saying
YLT
1And Jehovah speaketh unto
Moses
saying
And the Lord Spake unto Moses
.... When in the
wilderness of Paran
either at Rithmah or Kadesh; this was on the twenty ninth
day of the month Sivan
on which day
the Jews sayF15Ib. ut supra
(Seder Olam Rabba
c. 8. p. 24. & Meyer. Annotat. in ib. p. 338.) Pesikta
Chaskuni.
the spies were sent to search the land
which was a scheme of the
Israelites' own devising
and which they first proposed to Moses
who approved
of it as prudential and political
at least he gave his assent unto it to
please the people
and carried the affair to the Lord
and consulted him about
it; who
rather permitting than approving
gave the following order; for the
motion carried in it a good deal of unbelief
calling in question whether the
land was so good as had been represented unto them
fearing it was not
accessible
and that it would be difficult to get into it
and were desirous of
knowing the best way of getting into it before they proceeded any further; all
which were unnecessary
if they would have fully trusted in the Lord
in his
word
promise
power
providence
and guidance; who had told them it was a land
flowing with milk and honey; that he would show them the way to it
by going
before them in a pillar of cloud and fire; that he would assuredly bring them
into it
having espied it for them
and promised it unto them; so that there
was no need on any account for them to send spies before them; however
to
gratify them in this point
he assented to it:
saying; as follows.
Numbers 13:2 2 “Send men to spy out the land of Canaan
which I am
giving to the children of Israel; from each tribe of their fathers you shall
send a man
every one a leader among them.”
YLT
2`Send for thee men
and
they spy the land of Canaan
which I am giving to the sons of Israel; one man
one man for the tribe of his fathers ye do send
every one a prince among
them.'
Send thou men
.... Which is rather a permission than a
command; so Jarchi interprets it
"send men according to thy mind
I do not
command thee
but if thou pleasest send;'this he observed was agreeable to
Moses
and to the Israelites
and therefore granted it
or allowed them to take
their own way
and which issued badly
as it always does
when men are left to
their own counsel:
that they may search the land of Canaan
which I give unto the
children of Israel; called the land of Canaan
though it consisted of seven nations
from the principal of them; this God had given in promise to the children of
Israel
and had now brought them to the borders of it; nay
had given them
orders to go up and possess it; but they were for searching it first
to know
what sort of a land it was
and which was the best way of entering into it
which
is here permitted them
see Deuteronomy 1:21
of every tribe of their fathers shall ye send a man; excepting the
tribe of Levi; the reason of which was because they were to have no inheritance
in the land
Deuteronomy 10:9;
but then
to make up the number twelve
the two sons of Joseph
Ephraim and
Manasseh
are reckoned as two tribes:
everyone a ruler among them; a prince in his tribe;
so were men of honour and credit
of power and authority
of prudence and
probity
and who might be trusted with such an affair
and their report
believed: they were not indeed princes of the highest rank
not the same that
assisted in taking the numbers of the people
who were captains over their
several tribes
as in Numbers 1:4
&c. but were inferior princes and rulers
perhaps rulers of thousands.
Numbers 13:3 3 So Moses sent them from the Wilderness of Paran
according to the command of the Lord
all of
them men who were heads of the children of Israel.
YLT
3And Moses sendeth them from
the wilderness of Paran by the command of Jehovah; all of them [are] men
heads
of the sons of Israel they are
And Moses
by the commandment of the Lord
.... By his
power
permission
and leave
as Jarchi
that there might be no delay through
his means:
sent them from the wilderness of Paran; from Rithmah
or Kadeshbarnea
which seem to be one and the same place in that wilderness:
this
as before observed
was on the twenty ninth day of Sivan: See Gill on Numbers 13:1
all those were heads of the children of Israel; were not mean
and vulgar men
but persons of rule
who bore some office of magistracy ant
government among the people in their respective tribes.
Numbers 13:4 4 Now these were their names: from the tribe of
Reuben
Shammua the son of Zaccur;
YLT
4and these their names: For
the tribe of Reuben
Shammua son of Zaccur.
And these were their names
of the tribe of Reuben
Shammua
the son of Zaccur. From Numbers 13:4
there
is nothing but the names of the said persons
whose sons they were
and of what
tribe; and the several tribes are mentioned
not according to the order of the
birth of the patriarchs
nor according to the dignity of their mothers that
bore them
but
very likely
according to the order in which they were sent
two by two
to search the land; for had they gone all twelve in a body
they
would have been liable to suspicion: the signification of their names is of no
importance to know
and will give us no light into their characters or the
reason of their choice
nor are their parents elsewhere taken notice of
nor
any of them but Joshua and Caleb
of whom we shall hear more hereafter.
Numbers 13:5 5 from the tribe of Simeon
Shaphat the son of Hori;
YLT
5For the tribe of Simeon
Shaphat son of Hori.
Of the tribe of Simeon
Shaphat the son of Hori. See Gill on Numbers 13:4.
Numbers 13:6 6 from the tribe of Judah
Caleb the son of Jephunneh;
YLT
6For the tribe of Judah
Caleb son of Jephunneh.
Of the tribe of Judah
Caleb the son of Jephunneh. See Gill on Numbers 13:4.
Numbers 13:7 7 from the tribe of Issachar
Igal the son of Joseph;
YLT
7For the tribe of Issachar
Igal son of Joseph.
Of the tribe of Issachar
Igal the son of Joseph. See Gill on Numbers 13:4.
Numbers 13:8 8 from the tribe of Ephraim
Hoshea[a] the son of
Nun;
YLT
8For the tribe of Ephraim
Oshea
son of Nun.
Of the tribe of Ephraim
Oshea the son of Nun. See Gill on Numbers 13:4.
Numbers 13:9 9 from the tribe of Benjamin
Palti the son of Raphu;
YLT
9For the tribe of Benjamin
Palti son of Raphu.
Of the tribe of Benjamin
Palti the son of Raphu. See Gill on Numbers 13:4.
Numbers 13:10 10 from the tribe of Zebulun
Gaddiel the son of Sodi;
YLT
10For the tribe of Zebulun
Gaddiel son of Sodi.
Of the tribe of Zebulun
Gaddiel the son of Sodi. See Gill on Numbers 13:4.
Numbers 13:11 11 from the tribe of Joseph
that is
from the
tribe of Manasseh
Gaddi the son of Susi;
YLT
11For the tribe of Joseph
(for the tribe of Manasseh
) Gaddi son of Susi.
Of the tribe of Joseph
namely
of the tribe of Manasseh
Gaddi the son of Susi. See Gill on Numbers 13:4.
Numbers 13:12 12 from the tribe of Dan
Ammiel the son of Gemalli;
YLT
12For the tribe of Dan
Ammiel son of Gemalli.
Of the tribe of Dan
Ammiel the son of Gemalli. See Gill on Numbers 13:4.
Numbers 13:13 13 from the tribe of Asher
Sethur the son of Michael;
YLT
13For the tribe of Asher
Sethur son of Michael.
Of the tribe of Asher
Sethur the son of Michael. See Gill on Numbers 13:4.
Numbers 13:14 14 from the tribe of Naphtali
Nahbi the son of Vophsi;
YLT
14For the tribe of Naphtali
Nahbi son of Vopshi.
Of the tribe of Naphtali
Nahbi the son of Vophsi. See Gill on Numbers 13:4.
Numbers 13:15 15 from the tribe of Gad
Geuel the son of Machi.
YLT
15For the tribe of Gad
Geuel
son of Machi.
Of the tribe of Gad
Geuel the son of Machi. See Gill on Numbers 13:4.
Numbers 13:16 16 These are the names of the men whom Moses sent
to spy out the land. And Moses called Hoshea[b] the son of
Nun
Joshua.
YLT
16These [are] the names of
the men whom Moses hath sent to spy the land; and Moses calleth Hoshea son of
Nun
Jehoshua.
These are the names of the men which Moses sent to spy out
the land
.... Which is observed after the catalogue is given of them
Numbers 13:4; and
this is repeated that their names may be taken notice of
which stand on record
to the disgrace of the greater number of them
and to the honour of two only
Joshua and Caleb; and on the former the following remark is made:
and Moses called Oshea the son of Nun
Jehoshua; whether it
was at this time that Moses gave him this name is not certain; if it was
then
he is called so before by anticipation
for he is several times called so
before this
and even the first time we hear of him
Exodus 17:9;
wherefore Chaskuni reads it
Moses had called; but Jarchi thinks it was now
given him
and that Moses prayed for him יה יושיעך
"Jah" or "Jehovah" save thee
from the counsel of the spies: the name is the same with Jesus
as appears from
Hebrews 4:8; and a
type he was of Christ the Saviour
whose name is so called
because he saves
his people from their sins
Matthew 1:21; and
brings them to heaven
as Joshua was the instrument of saving the Israelites
and bringing them into the land of Canaan.
Numbers 13:17 17 Then Moses sent them to spy out the land of Canaan
and said to them
“Go up this way into the South
and go up to the
mountains
YLT
17And Moses sendeth them to
spy the land of Canaan
and saith unto them
`Go ye up this [way] into the
south
and ye have gone up the mountain
And Moses sent them to spy out the land of Canaan
.... He sent
them from Kadeshbarnea
as Caleb affirms
Joshua 14:7
and said unto them
go ye up this way southward; pointing as
it were with his finger which way they should go
even up such a hill
southward; and which
as Aben Ezra observes
was not the south of the camp
but
the south of the land of Canaan; and who further observes
that it is well
known that Egypt
from whence the Israelites now came
was to the south of the
land of Israel
of which this is a demonstration; the latitude of Egypt is less
than thirty degrees
and the latitude of Jerusalem is thirty three
and the
wilderness of Paran was in the south of the land of Egypt: it should be
rendered by "the south"
as in Numbers 13:22; or
from the "south"F16בנגב
"per meridianam plagam"
V. L. "hac meridiana plaga"
Junius & Tremellius
Piscator.
since the Israelites must go northward
as
a learned manF17Bishop Clayton's Chronology of the Hebrew Bible
p.
392. observes
to enter into the land of Canaan: now this south part of Canaan
afterwards belonged to the tribe of Judah
and lying southward
and
mountainous
was dry and barren
Joshua 15:1; and
was
as Jarchi says
the dregs of the land of Israel; and here
as he observes
the same method was taken as merchants do
who
when they show their goods
show the worst first
and then the best:
and go up into the mountain; which was inhabited by
the Amorites
Deuteronomy 1:44;
and was afterwards called the mountainous or hill country of Judea
Luke 1:39.
Numbers 13:18 18 and see what the land is like: whether the people who
dwell in it are strong or weak
few or many;
YLT
18and have seen the land what
it [is]
and the people which is dwelling on it
whether it [is] strong or
feeble; whether it [is] few or many;
And see the land what it is
and the people that dwelleth
therein
.... The situation and condition of the country
and the nature
temper
disposition
and constitution of the inhabitants
by which it might be
judged whether it was a desirable thing to possess it
and whether it was
practicable to subdue and take it:
whether they be strong or weak
few or many; whether
able-bodied men fit for war
and of spirit
strength
and courage
or feeble
and pusillanimous
weak and timorous; and whether their number was small or
great
by which they would be capable of judging whether they were in a state
and condition to defend themselves or not
and whether a conquest of them was easy
or not; the last of the two things in the preceding clause is first
particularly explained and enlarged upon
as is usual in the Hebrew language.
Numbers 13:19 19 whether the land they dwell in is good or bad;
whether the cities they inhabit are like camps or strongholds;
YLT
19and what the land [is] in
which it is dwelling
whether it [is] good or bad; and what [are] the cities in
which it is dwelling
whether in camps or in fortresses;
And what the land is that they dwell in
whether it be
good or bad
.... Whether the air is good
the climate temperate
and the
earth well watered
and has good convenience of springs
fountains
and rivers
and so wholesome or healthful; or otherwise
which is the first thing they were
directed to observe
though here put in the second place:
and what cities they be they dwell in
whether in tents or
strong holds; whether in tents
as the Israelites now lived
and as the
Kedarenes
as Aben Ezra notes
and other Arabians
who encamped in tents
or
who dwelt in villages
and unwalled towns
unfortified cities
according to the
Targums of Onkelos and Jonathan; or whether in fortified cities
towns
and
garrisons; by which it would appear whether it would be easy to come at them
and fall upon them
or difficult to subdue and conquer them; for if their
cities were fortified
it would not be so easy to take them
and would require
time. Jarchi thinks
that by this it might be known whether they were men of
strength and courage
or whether weak and fearful persons; seeing if they dwelt
in villages they were strong men
and depended on their own strength
but if
they dwelt in fortified cities
they were weak.
Numbers 13:20 20 whether the land is rich or poor; and whether
there are forests there or not. Be of good courage. And bring some of the fruit
of the land.” Now the time was the season of the first ripe grapes.
YLT
20And what the land [is]
whether it [is] fat or lean; whether there is wood in it or not; and ye have
strengthened yourselves
and have taken of the fruit of the land;' and the days
[are] days of the first-fruits of grapes.
And what the land is
whether it be fat or lean
.... That is
what the soil of it is
whether it be rich and fertile
or whether it be poor
and barren
which would be seen by the fruits it produced
this being now the
fruitful season of the year; and so the Targum of Jonathan
"and what is
the praise of the land
whether its fruits are fat or lean;'plump and full
rich and juicy
or otherwise
as their grapes
olives
&c. whether it was a
land flowing with milk and honey
Exodus 33:3
abounding with all good things
and those of the best sort
or not:
whether there be wood thereon or not; timber for
building
and other manual operations
or wood for fuel
which are great
conveniences in a country; though the Targum of Jonathan interprets it of
fruit-bearing trees
which bear fruits fit for eating
or not
as apples
pears
figs
pomegranates
&c.
and be ye of good courage; and not be afraid of
being taken up for spies
suggesting
that the power and providence of God
would protect and preserve them
in which they should put their trust
and be
of good heart:
and bring of the fruit of the land; as a sample and specimen
of what it brought forth
which would serve to encourage and animate the people
in general
to go up and possess it:
now the time was the time of the first ripe grapes; when they and
the other summer fruits were coming to their perfection; and which was a proper
season to see them in
and bring a sample of them; though Chaskuni suggests
that it was a more dangerous time to bring off fruit
because the keepers of
the vineyards were then there; and hence they needed strengthening
and are bid
to be of good courage; the Targum of Jonathan is
"the day on which they
went was the twenty ninth of the month Sivan
the time of the first ripe
grapes;'and as this month answers to part of our May and part of June
and it
being at the latter end of that month
it must be about the middle of June; by
which we may observe the forwardness of grapes in the land of Canaan
the time
of vintage now drawing nigh.
Numbers 13:21 21 So they went up and spied out the land from the
Wilderness of Zin as far as Rehob
near the entrance of Hamath.
YLT
21And they go up and spy the
land
from the wilderness of Zin unto Rehob at the going in to Hamath;
So they went up and searched the land
.... Went up
the mountains as they were directed
and passed through the whole land;
diligently inquired into everything material belonging to it
according to
their instructions
and made their observations on it
and on the inhabitants
and their habitations:
from the wilderness of Zin unto Rehob
as men come to Hamath; this
wilderness
from whence they went
seems to be the same with the wilderness of
Paran
called Zin; perhaps from the multitude of thorns in it; but different
from the wilderness of Sin
Exodus 16:1
which
was nearer Egypt; but this was on the south quarter of the land of Canaan
along by the coast of Edom
Numbers 34:3;
Rehob
they are said to come to first from thence
was in the tribe of Asher in
later times
Joshua 19:28; and
lay to the north or northwest of the land of Canaan. Jerom saysF18De
loc. Heb. fol. 94. A.
that in his times there was a village called Rooba
four miles from Scythopolis. Hamath was the northern boundary of the land of
Israel
and was in the tribe of Naphtali
when it came into the hands of the Israelites
and lay to the northeast
as the former place to the northwest
Numbers 34:7; so
that their direction
as they went
was south and north
and west and east:
their journey is described by Jarchi thus; they went on the borders of it
length and breadth
in the form of the capital of the letter γ
"gamma"; they went on the south border from the east
corner to the west corner
as Moses commanded them: "get you up this way
southward"
Numbers 13:17; the way
of the southeast border unto the sea
which is the western border; and from
thence they returned
and went on all the western border by the sea shore
until they came to Hamath
which is by Mount Hor
at the northwest corner; but
Hamath was on the northeast; nor did they go thither
it was too far off for
them
but they went as far as Rehob
which was "as men go to Hamath"
as it should be rendered
that is
it lay in the way to Hamath.
Numbers 13:22 22 And they went up through the South and came to Hebron;
Ahiman
Sheshai
and Talmai
the descendants of Anak
were there. (Now
Hebron was built seven years before Zoan in Egypt.)
YLT
22and they go up by the
south
and come in unto Hebron
and there [are] Ahiman
Sheshai
and Talmai
children of Anak (and Hebron was built seven years before Zoan in Egypt)
And they ascended by the south
.... When they returned
after they had searched the land
then they came into the south country again
which was in their way to Kadesh
where the camp of Israel remained; they are
said to ascend
because of the hill country they again came to; for their
coming to Hebron
and carrying a cluster of grapes from that place
not far
from thence
was upon their return:
and came unto Hebron; which was in the hill
country of Judea
in the tribe of Judah afterwards
which before was called
Kirjatharba; in the original text it is
"he came"F19ויבא "et venit"
Montanus
Tigurine version
Drusius
so Onkelos; "et venit Caleb"
Junius & Tremellius.
Caleb
and he only
according to Jarchi and the Rabbins in Abendana; and
certain it is that he was there
and he had this place on which his feet trod
given him for an inheritance
Joshua 14:9; and it
is very probable that the spies did not go together
but perhaps singly
and at
most but two together
which seems to be the case here by what follows:
where Ahiman
Sheshai
and Talmai
the children of Anak
were; where Anak
and these his three sons
dwelt
who were giants; and perhaps from thence
Hebron before this was called Kirjatharbah
"the city of the four";
or from Arba
the father of Anak:
now Hebron was built seven years before Zoan in Egypt; or Tanais
as
the Targum of Jonathan
whence one of the nomes of Egypt was called the Tanitic
nome: it was the metropolis of that country
and may be observed
to abate the
pride and vanity of that kingdom
which boasted of its antiquity. Josephus saysF20De
Bello Jud. l. 5. c. 9. sect. 7.
that the inhabitants of Hebron not only
reckoned it more ancient than any of the cities of the land
but than Memphis
in Egypt
accounting it (then in his time) 2300 years old; but who it was built
by is not certain; Jarchi thinks it is possible that Ham built Hebron for
Canaan his younger son
before he built Zoan for Mizraim his eldest son; which
does not seem likely.
Numbers 13:23 23 Then they came to the Valley of Eshcol
and there cut
down a branch with one cluster of grapes; they carried it between two of them
on a pole. They also brought some of the pomegranates and figs.
YLT
23and they come in unto the
brook of Eshcol
and cut down thence a branch and one cluster of grapes
and
they bear it on a staff by two
also [some] of the pomegranates
and of the
figs.
And they came unto the brook of Eshcol
.... Or
"valley of Eshcol"F21נחל
"vallem"
Pagninus
Junius & Tremellius
Piscator
Drusius.
which is here so called by anticipation from the following circumstance; and
perhaps had not this name given it
until the children of Israel were possessed
of the land
and then they called it so
in memory of what was done here at
this time; it was not far from Hebron
as may be concluded from thence; and so
Jerom
relating the travels of Paula in those parts
saysF23Epitaph.
Paulae
fol. 59. G. H.
she came from Betzur to Eshcol
where having seen the
little cells of Sarah
the cradle of Isaac
and the traces of the oak of
Abraham
under which he saw the day of Christ
and was glad
rising up from
thence
she went up to Hebron; which shows this Eshcol to be near Hebron
and
to lie low
and was a valley; see Deuteronomy 1:24
and cut down from thence a branch
with one cluster of grapes; in this
valley was a vineyard
or at least a vine tree
on which they observed one
cluster
which perhaps was of an uncommon size
as it seems by what follows
and they cut down the branch
and that with it:
and they bare it between two upon a staff; it was so
big; and which was not done only for the ease of carrying it
but that it might
not have any of its grapes squeezed
bruised
and broken off
but that they
might carry it entire and whole for the Israelites to behold: these two men
were probably Caleb and Joshua; though Jarchi says they carried nothing
which
is more than he could say with certainty. Some historians report very
surprising things of the size of vines
and the largeness of their clusters
which
when observed
this account will not at all seem incredible. Strabo saysF24Geograph.
l. 2. p. 50.
it is reported
that in Hyrcania
a vine produced a firkin of
wine
and
the trunk of a vine was so large
that it was as much as two men
could grasp with both arms
and bore clusters of two cubits longF25Ibid.
; the same he saysF26lbid. l. 17. p. 568. of the size of vines in
Mauritania
and of their clusters being a cubit long; and of others in Carmania
being two cubits long
as beforeF1Ibid. l. 15. p. 500. : it is
reported of the Indian fig tree
that it sometimes has an hundred figs more or
less on a branch
and all in a cluster like grapes; and some of the clusters
are sometimes so large as to be carried by two men on a staffF2Salmuth.
in Pancirol. rer. memorab. par. 2. p. 55.
as here; and some have thought
that it is the fruit here meant; but this is expressly called a cluster of
grapes. About half a mile from Eshcol
as AdrichomiusF3Theatrum
Terrae Sacr. p. 24. says
was the brook or valley of Sorek
which was famous
for vines; and it is affirmed by many writers and travellers
that to this day
there are vines in that place
which produce clusters of twenty five pounds
weight and more; and that in Lebanon
and other parts of Syria
the kernels of
grapes are as big as a man's thumbF4Huet. Alnetan. Quaest. l. 2. c.
12. sect. 22. . Leo Africanus speaksF5Descript. Africae
l. 2. p.
204. of grapes in some parts of Africa somewhat red
which
from their size
are called hens' eggs: and the TalmudistsF6T. Bab. Cetubot
fol.
111. 2. are extravagant
and beyond all belief
in the account they give of the
vines in the land of Canaan
and of the clusters of them
and the quantity of
wine they had from them; and of this cluster they supposeF7T. Bab.
Sotah
fol. 34. 1.
that the "two" spoken of are not to be
understood of men
but of bars or staves; and that this cluster was carried by
eight
four at the four ends of the two staves
and that there were
besides
two staves or bars that went across
at the ends of which were four more men
who carried the cluster hanging in the middle; a figure of which WagenseilF8Sotah
p. 707
708. has given us: but Philo the JewF9De Vita Mosis
l. 1.
p. 638. has given a better account of it
and more agreeable to the Scripture
as that it was put upon a staff
and hung at the middle of it
the ends of
which were laid on the shoulders of two young men
who carried it; though he
adds
that such was the weight of it
that these were relieved by others in
succession:
and they brought of the pomegranates
and of the figs; that is
others of them did; which seems to favour the notion that they were in a body
and that there were more than two together at this place; but even these two
might be able to bring some of this sort of fruit along with them
as well as
bear the cluster of grapes; besides
the text does not oblige us to understand
it of the same persons in the same place.
Numbers 13:24 24 The place was called the Valley of Eshcol
[c] because of
the cluster which the men of Israel cut down there.
YLT
24That place hath [one]
called Brook of Eshcol
because of the cluster which the sons of Israel cut
from thence.
The place was called the brook of Eshcol
.... That is
in later times:
because of the cluster of grapes which the children of Israel cut
down from thence; the word "Eschol" signifying a "cluster";
and this cluster was typical of Christ
who may be compared to this
as he is
to a cluster of camphire
Song of Solomon 1:14;
there being in him a "cluster" of all perfections
of all the
perfections of deity
the whole fulness of the Godhead dwelling bodily in him;
and of all human perfections
he being in all things like unto his people
excepting sin; and there being also a cluster of all the graces and gifts of
the Spirit without measure in him
as man; and of all the blessings of grace
for his people
as Mediator; and of all the exceeding great and precious
promises of the covenant of grace. The "staff"
on which this was
carried
may denote the ministration of the Gospel
which may seem mean and
despicable in itself
but is the means of carrying the name of Christ
and the
things of Christ
about in the world; see Acts 9:15; and the
"two" men which bore it
may signify the prophets of the Old
Testament
and the ministers of the New
who both agree and join together in
setting forth the person
offices
and grace of Christ. Moreover
this cluster
may be an emblem of the Spirit of God
and his grace
and of the rich
experience the people of God have of it in this present lift
while travellers
in the wilderness
as a taste and earnest of the future glory and happiness in
the heavenly Canaan.
Numbers 13:25 25 And they returned from spying out the land after forty
days.
YLT
25And they turn back from
spying the land at the end of forty days.
And they returned from searching the land after forty days. The Targum of
Jonathan adds
on the eighth day of the month Ab
which answers to part of July
and part of August; so that this must be towards the latter end of July: some
Jewish writersF11Seder Olam Rabba
c. 8. p. 24. say it was the ninth
of Ab; hence the tradition
that it was decreed on the ninth of Ab concerning
their fathers
that they should not enter into the landF12Misn.
Taanith
c. 4. sect. 7. .
Numbers 13:26 26 Now they departed and came back to Moses and Aaron and
all the congregation of the children of Israel 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.
YLT
26And they go and come in
unto Moses
and unto Aaron
and unto all the company of the sons of Israel
unto the wilderness of Paran
to Kadesh; and they bring them and all the
company back word
and shew them the fruit of the land.
And they went
and came to Moses
and to Aaron
.... They
proceeded on their journey from Eshcol
till they came to the camp of Israel;
and as soon as they came there
went directly to Moses and to Aaron
before
they went into their own tents
as Aben Ezra observes:
and to all the congregation of Israel
unto the wilderness of
Paran
to Kadesh; that is
Kadeshbarnea
as appears from Joshua 14:7; called
for brevity's sake Kadesh; but is by some thought to be different from the
Kadesh in Numbers 20:1; to
which the Israelites came not until thirty eight years after this time: this
Kadesh was in the wilderness of Paran
and the same with Rithmah
or was near
it
where the Israelites were now encamped
and had remained all the time the
spies were gone: the Targums of Onkelos and Jonathan call this place Rekem
as
they do in Genesis 16:14
and brought back word unto them
and to all the congregation: to Moses and
Aaron
and the principal heads of the body of the people assembled together: to
these they related an account of their tour through the land of Canaan
what
they had met with
and what observations they had made
agreeably to the
instructions that had been given them when they set out:
and showed them the fruit of the land; which they
had brought with them
the bunch of grapes
pomegranates
and figs.
Numbers 13:27 27 Then they told him
and said: “We went to the land
where you sent us. It truly flows with milk and honey
and this is its
fruit.
YLT
27And they recount to him
and say
`We came in unto the land whither thou hast sent us
and also it [is]
flowing with milk and honey -- and this [is] its fruit;
And they told him
.... Moses
who was the chief ruler whom
they addressed
and to whom they directed their speech:
and said
we came unto the land whither thou sentest us; the land of
Canaan
which they were sent by Moses to spy; this was said by ten of them or
by one of them as their mouth; for Caleb and Joshua did not join with them in
the following account
as appears from Numbers 13:30
and surely it floweth with milk and honey; they own that
the land answered to the description which the Lord had given of it when it was
promised them by him
Exodus 3:8
and this is the fruit of it; pointing to the bunch of
grapes
the pomegranates and figs; not that these were a proof of its flowing
with milk and honey
at least in a literal sense
but of the goodness and
fruitfulness of the land: though the luxury of Bacchus
the god of wine
is by
the poetF13"Vinique fontem"
&c. Horat. Carmin. l. 2.
Ode 19. described
not only by a fountain of wine
but by rivers of milk and
flows of honey.
Numbers 13:28 28 Nevertheless the people who dwell in the land are
strong; the cities are fortified and very large; moreover we saw
the descendants of Anak there.
YLT
28only
surely the people
which is dwelling in the land [is] strong; and the cities are fenced
very
great; and also children of Anak we have seen there.
Nevertheless the people be strong that dwell in the land
.... Though so
plentiful and fruitful and desirable to enjoy
yet this objection lay against
all hopes and even attempts to possess it
as they thought; the strength of the
people
its present inhabitants
both in body and mind
being persons of a
large
and some of a prodigious stature
and to all appearance men of valour
and courage:
and the cities are walled and very great; and so
inaccessible
and able to hold out a long siege
and repel what force may be
brought against them; so that to attack them would be to little purpose:
and moreover we saw the children of Anak there: whom they had
heard of before
and so had the congregation of Israel
and many terrible and
frightful stories were told of them
and these they now saw with their eyes
and very formidable they appeared to them; this seems to prove that others
beside Caleb and Joshua were at Hebron
where the sons of Anak lived
Numbers 13:22; and
so they might
and yet not be together with them.
Numbers 13:29 29 The Amalekites dwell in the land of the South; the
Hittites
the Jebusites
and the Amorites dwell in the mountains; and the Canaanites
dwell by the sea and along the banks of the Jordan.”
YLT
29Amalek is dwelling in the
land of the south
and the Hittite
and the Jebusite
and the Amorite is
dwelling in the hill country
and the Canaanite is dwelling by the sea
and by
the side of the Jordan.'
The Amalekites dwell in the land of the south
.... On the
southern side of the land of Canaan: not in it
for they were not Canaanites
but neighbours to them
and lay nearest to the camp of Israel
and at the
entrance into the land of Canaan; and as they were enemies of Israel
as
appears from an attack upon them quickly after they came from the Red sea
in
Rephidim
Exodus 17:8; and
friends to the Canaanites
they would no doubt oppose their passage into their
land
as they did
Numbers 14:43; this
is one difficulty in the way of possessing the land hinted at
others follow:
and the Hittites
and the Jebusites
and the Amorites
dwell in
the mountains; and guard the passes there; so that should they escape the
Amalekites
or get the better of them
they would not be able to pass the
mountains
being so well inhabited and defended; the Hittites seem to dwell
about Mount Lebanon
Joshua 1:4; the
Jebusites inhabited the mountains about Jerusalem
and that itself
which was
called by them Jebus
and from which they were not dispossessed until the times
of David
1 Chronicles 11:4;
and the Amorites were possessed of the mountain which was on the borders of the
land
next to the place where Israel now were
Deuteronomy 1:20
and the Canaanites dwell by the sea; these dwelt both on the
east and on the west of the land
Joshua 11:3; so
that the western Canaanites dwelt on the shore of the Mediterranean sea
which
is often put for the west in Scripture; and the eastern Canaanites dwelt by the
Dead sea
or by the sea of Tiberias
called sometimes the lake of Gennesaret
and seems the rather to be meant here by what follows:
and by the coast of Jordan; so that this river was
not passable by them; for by all this they would suggest that all avenues and
passes were stopped up
so that it was a vain thing to attempt entrance into
the land
or to expect ever to possess it.
Numbers 13:30 30 Then Caleb quieted the people before Moses
and said
“Let us go up at once and take possession
for we are well able to overcome
it.”
YLT
30And Caleb stilleth the
people concerning Moses
and saith
`Let us certainly go up -- and we have
possessed it; for we are thoroughly able for it.'
And Caleb stilled the people before Moses
.... In his
presence
they standing before him; or "unto Moses"F14אל משה "ad Moseh"
Montanus; "venientem ad Mosem"
Junius & Tremellius
Drusius.
as they were coming to him with open mouth against him; for upon the above
report of the spies they began to murmur and mutiny
and to speak against Moses
for bringing them out of Egypt into a wilderness
feeding them with vain hopes
of a country which they were never likely to enjoy; and in their wrath they
might be making up to him
threatening to pull him to pieces
but were
restrained by Caleb
who signified he had something to say to them
to which
they attended
he being one of the spies
and for their principal tribe
the
tribe of Judah
that went foremost; the Targum of Jonathan is
"Caleb
silenced the people
and they attended to Moses;'or hearkened to him
to what
he said
which though not here related
is in Deuteronomy 1:29;
which yet they did not give credit to
though they heard what he had to say:
and said
let us go up at once and possess it; without any
delay
there is nothing more to be done than to enter and take possession; this
he said
trusting to the promise of God
who is faithful
and to his power who
is able to perform:
for we are well able to overcome it; especially having God on
their side
who had promised to bring them into it
and put them in the
possession of it; and indeed
humanly speaking
they seemed quite sufficient
for such an undertaking
being upwards of six hundred thousand men fit for war
Numbers 1:46
marshalled under their proper standards
with captains over each tribe
and
having such brave
wise
and courageous commanders and generals
Moses and
Joshua
who had given signal instances of their prudence and bravery already.
What is it such an army
under proper directions
might not undertake? One
would think
in all human probability
they were able to conquer a much greater
country than the land of Canaan.
Numbers 13:31 31 But the men who had gone up with him said
“We are not
able to go up against the people
for they are stronger than we.”
YLT
31And the men who have gone
up with him said
`We are not able to go up against the people
for it [is]
stronger than we;'
But the men that went up with him
.... With Caleb
all but
Joshua: the other ten
said
we be not able to go up against the people; this they had
not said before
though they plainly suggested it
and
to make the people
believe this
had represented the inhabitants of the land of Canaan in the
light they did; but now
in direct opposition to Caleb
fully expressed it
giving this reason for it:
for they are stronger than we; being both of
a larger size and more numerous.
Numbers 13:32 32 And they gave the children of Israel a bad report of
the land which they had spied out
saying
“The land through which we have gone
as spies is a land that devours its inhabitants
and all the people whom
we saw in it are men of great stature.
YLT
32and they bring out an evil
account of the land which they have spied unto the sons of Israel
saying
`The
land into which we passed over to spy it
is a land eating up its inhabitants;
and all the people whom we saw in its midst [are] men of stature;
And they brought up an evil report of the land which they had
searched unto the children of Israel
.... Before
they gave a
good report of the land itself
as a very fruitful one
answering to their
expectations and wishes; but now they change their language
and give a
different account of it; which shows their want of integrity
and to what
length an opposition carried them
to say things contrary to their real
sentiments
and to what they themselves had said before:
saying
the land through which we have gone to search it
is
a land that eateth up the inhabitants thereof; the meaning seems to be
that it was so barren and unfruitful that it did not produce food sufficient
for the inhabitants of it
who were ready to starve
and many did starve
through want
and so was the reverse of what they had before said; for which
reason
GussetiusF15Ebr. Comment. p. 40. thinks the sense is
that
the land was the food and nourishment of its inhabitants
and that there was
such plenty in it that it wanted not any foreign assistance in any respect
whatever. Some think that it was continually embroiled in civil wars
in which
they destroyed one another; but then this was no argument against
but for
their going up against them
since through the divisions among themselves they
might reasonably hope the better to succeed; or it ate them up with diseases
as the Targum of Jonathan adds
and so they would represent it
though a
fruitful land
yet a very unhealthful one
in which the natives could not live
and much less strangers; and so Aben Ezra and Ben Gersom interpret it of the
badness of the air of the country
as being very unwholesome and pernicious.
Jarchi represents them as saying
that wherever they came they saw them burying
their dead
as if there was a plague among them; and be it so that there was
which is not unlikely
since the Lord promised to send hornets before them
which some interpret of diseases sent
Exodus 23:28; and
which was in their favour
since hereby the number of their enemies would be
lessened
and they would be weakened
and in a bad condition to oppose them:
and all the people that we saw in it are men of a great
stature; or men of measuresF16אנשי מדות "viri mensurarum"
Montanus
Vatablus
Drusius.
of a large measure
above the common measure of men; but it may be
justly questioned whether they spoke truth; for though they might see some that
exceeded in height men in common
yet it is not credible that all they saw were
of such a size; since they were not only at Hebron and saw the giants there who
were such
but they went through the land
as in the preceding clause
and all
they met with cannot be supposed to be of such a measure.
Numbers 13:33 33 There we saw the giants[d] (the
descendants of Anak came from the giants); and we were like grasshoppers in our
own sight
and so we were in their sight.”
YLT
33and there we saw the
Nephilim
sons of Anak
of the Nephilim; and we are in our own eyes as
grasshoppers; and so we were in their eyes.'
And there we saw the giants
.... Not throughout the
land
and yet it is so expressed
and in such connection with what goes before
that it might be so understood
and as they might choose it should; that as
there were men everywhere of an uncommon size
and were generally so
there
were some larger than they in all places
of a prodigious size
of a gigantic
stature; and yet this was only in Hebron where they saw them:
the sons of Anak; whose names are given
Numbers 13:22; and
there were but three of them:
which came of the giants; they
were of
the race of giants; for not only Anak their father
but Arba their grandfather
was one; Joshua 14:15
and we were in our own sight as grasshoppers; little
diminutive creatures in comparison of them; an hyperbolical exaggeration of the
greatness of the giants
and of their own littleness:
and so we were in their sight; but this they could not
be so certain of
and could only make conjectures by their neglect or
supercilious treatment of them. Jarchi makes them to speak of them more
diminutively still
as that they heard those giants saying one to
another
"there are ants in the vineyards like men.'
──《John Gill’s
Exposition of the Bible》
New King James
Version (NKJV)