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 (A)Kadesh; they brought back word to them and to all the congregation, and showed them the fruit of the land. 27 Then they told him, and said: “We went to the land where you sent us. It truly [a]flows with (B)milk and honey, (C)and this is its fruit. 28 Nevertheless the (D)people who dwell in the land are strong; the cities are fortified and very large; moreover we saw the descendants of (E)Anak there. 29 (F)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.”

30 Then (G)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.”

31 (H)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.” 32 And they (I)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 (J)all the people whom we saw in it are men of great stature. 33 There we saw the [b]giants ((K)the descendants of Anak came from the giants); and we were (L)like[c] grasshoppers in our own sight, and so we were (M)in their sight.”

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Footnotes

  1. Numbers 13:27 Has an abundance of food
  2. Numbers 13:33 Heb. nephilim
  3. Numbers 13:33 As mere insects

26 they went on and came to Moses and Aaron and to all the congregation of the sons of Israel, [a]in the wilderness of Paran at (A)Kadesh; and they brought back word to them and to all the congregation, and showed them the fruit of the land. 27 So they reported to him and said, “We came into the land where you sent us, and (B)it certainly does flow with milk and honey, and (C)this is its fruit. 28 Nevertheless, (D)the people who live in the land are strong, and the cities are fortified and very large. And indeed, we saw (E)the [b]descendants of Anak there! 29 Amalek is living in the land of (F)the Negev, the Hittites, the Jebusites, and (G)the Amorites are living in the hill country, and (H)the Canaanites are living by the sea and by the side of the Jordan.”

30 Then Caleb quieted the people [c]before Moses and said, “We should by all means go up and take possession of it, for we will certainly prevail over it.” 31 But the men who had gone up with him said, “(I)We are not able to go up against the people, because they are too strong for us.” 32 So they brought (J)a bad report of the land which they had spied out to the sons of Israel, saying, “The land through which we have gone to spy out is (K)a land that devours its inhabitants; and (L)all the people whom we saw in it are people of great stature. 33 We also saw the [d](M)Nephilim there (the sons of Anak are part of the Nephilim); and (N)we were like [e]grasshoppers in our own sight, and so we were in their sight.”

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Footnotes

  1. Numbers 13:26 Lit to
  2. Numbers 13:28 Lit sons
  3. Numbers 13:30 Lit toward
  4. Numbers 13:33 Lit fallen ones; LXX giants
  5. Numbers 13:33 Or locusts

26 they came to Moses and Aaron and to all the congregation of the sons of Israel in the Wilderness of Paran at Kadesh, and brought back word to them and to all the congregation, and showed them the land’s fruit. 27 They reported to Moses and said, “We went in to the land where you sent us; and it certainly does [a]flow with milk and honey, and this is its fruit. 28 But the people who live in the land are strong, and the cities are [b]fortified (walled) and very large; moreover, we saw there the descendants of Anak [people of great stature and courage]. 29 [The people descended from] Amalek live in the land of the Negev (South country); the Hittite, the Jebusite, and the Amorite live in the hill country; and the Canaanites live by the [Dead] Sea and along the side of the Jordan.”

30 Then Caleb quieted the people before Moses, and said, “Let us go up at once and take possession of it; for we will certainly conquer it.” 31 But the men who had gone up with him said, “We are not able to go up against the people [of Canaan], for they are too strong for us.” 32 So they gave the Israelites a bad report about the land which they had spied out, saying, “The land through which we went, in spying it out, is a land that devours its inhabitants. And all the people that we saw in it are men of great stature. 33 There we saw the Nephilim (the sons of Anak are part of the Nephilim); and we were like grasshoppers in our own sight, and so we were in their sight.”

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Footnotes

  1. Numbers 13:27 This phrase referred to the abundant fertility of the land of Canaan. Milk (typically that of goats and sheep) was associated with abundance; “honey” referred mainly to syrups made from dates or grapes and was the epitome of sweetness. Bees’ honey was very rare and was considered the choicest of foods.
  2. Numbers 13:28 The spies probably had not seen walled cities before, having lived their childhood in Goshen in Egypt. Those who forgot God’s power to help them naturally found the situation formidable.

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

27 And they told him, and said, We came unto the land whither thou sentest us, and surely it floweth with milk and honey; and this is the fruit of it.

28 Nevertheless the people be strong that dwell in the land, and the cities are walled, and very great: and moreover we saw the children of Anak there.

29 The Amalekites dwell in the land of the south: and the Hittites, and the Jebusites, and the Amorites, dwell in the mountains: and the Canaanites dwell by the sea, and by the coast of Jordan.

30 And Caleb stilled the people before Moses, and said, Let us go up at once, and possess it; for we are well able to overcome it.

31 But the men that went up with him said, We be not able to go up against the people; for they are stronger than we.

32 And they brought up an evil report of the land which they had searched unto the children of Israel, saying, The land, through which we have gone to search it, is a land that eateth up the inhabitants thereof; and all the people that we saw in it are men of a great stature.

33 And there we saw the giants, the sons of Anak, which come of the giants: and we were in our own sight as grasshoppers, and so we were in their sight.

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Israel Refuses to Enter Canaan

14 So all the congregation lifted up their voices and cried, and the people (A)wept that night. (B)And all the children of Israel complained against Moses and Aaron, and the whole congregation said to them, “If only we had died in the land of Egypt! Or if only we had died in this wilderness! Why has the Lord brought us to this land to [a]fall by the sword, that our wives and (C)children should become victims? Would it not be better for us to return to Egypt?” So they said to one another, (D)“Let us select a leader and (E)return to Egypt.”

Then Moses and Aaron [b]fell on their faces before all the assembly of the congregation of the children of Israel.

But Joshua the son of Nun and Caleb the son of Jephunneh, who were among those who had spied out the land, tore their clothes; and they spoke to all the congregation of the children of Israel, saying: (F)“The land we passed through to spy out is an exceedingly good land. If the Lord (G)delights in us, then He will bring us into this land and give it to us, (H)‘a land which flows with milk and honey.’ Only (I)do not rebel against the Lord, (J)nor fear the people of the land, for (K)they[c] are our bread; their protection has departed from them, (L)and the Lord is with us. Do not fear them.”

10 (M)And all the congregation said to stone them with stones. Now (N)the glory of the Lord appeared in the tabernacle of meeting before all the children of Israel.

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Footnotes

  1. Numbers 14:3 be killed in battle
  2. Numbers 14:5 prostrated themselves
  3. Numbers 14:9 They shall be as food for our consumption.

The People Rebel

14 Then all the congregation [a]raised their voices and cried out, and the people wept [b]that night. And all the sons of Israel (A)grumbled against Moses and Aaron; and the entire congregation said to them, “(B)If only we had died in the land of Egypt! Or even if we had died in this wilderness! So why is the Lord bringing us into this land (C)to fall by the sword? (D)Our wives and our little ones will become plunder! Would it not be better for us to return to Egypt?” So they said to one another, “(E)Let’s appoint a leader and return to Egypt!”

(F)Then Moses and Aaron fell on their faces in the presence of all the assembly of the congregation of the sons of Israel. And Joshua the son of Nun and Caleb the son of Jephunneh, of those who had spied out the land, tore their clothes; and they spoke to all the congregation of the sons of Israel, saying, “(G)The land which we passed through to spy out is an exceedingly good land. (H)If the Lord is pleased with us, then He will bring us into this land and give it to us—(I)a land which flows with milk and honey. Only (J)do not rebel against the Lord; and do not (K)fear the people of the land, for they will be our [c]prey. Their [d]protection is gone from them, and the Lord is with us; do not fear them.” 10 (L)But all the congregation said to stone them with stones. Then (M)the glory of the Lord appeared in the tent of meeting to all the sons of Israel.

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Footnotes

  1. Numbers 14:1 Lit raised and gave their voice
  2. Numbers 14:1 Lit in that
  3. Numbers 14:9 Lit food
  4. Numbers 14:9 Lit shadow

The People Rebel

14 Then all the congregation [of Israel] raised their voices and cried out, and the people wept that night. All the Israelites murmured [in discontent] against Moses and Aaron; and the whole congregation said to them, “Oh that we had died in the land of Egypt! Or that we had died in this wilderness! Why is the Lord bringing us to this land [of Canaan], to fall by the sword? Our wives and [a]children will become plunder. Would it not be better for us to return to Egypt?”(A) So they said one to another, “Let us appoint a [new] leader and return to Egypt.”

Then Moses and Aaron fell on their faces before all the assembly of the congregation of the Israelites. Joshua the son of Nun and Caleb the son of Jephunneh, who were among those who had spied out the land, tore their clothes [as a sign of grief], and they spoke to all the congregation of the sons of Israel, saying, “The land through which we passed as spies is an exceedingly good land. If the Lord delights in us, then He will bring us into this land and give it to us, a land which [b]flows with milk and honey. Only do not rebel against the Lord; and do not fear the people of the land, for they will be our prey. Their protection has been removed from them, and the Lord is with us. Do not fear them.” 10 But all the congregation said to stone Joshua and Caleb with stones. But the glory and brilliance of the Lord appeared at the Tent of Meeting (tabernacle) before all the sons of Israel.

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Footnotes

  1. Numbers 14:3 Lit little ones.
  2. Numbers 14:8 See note 13:27.

14 And all the congregation lifted up their voice, and cried; and the people wept that night.

And all the children of Israel murmured against Moses and against Aaron: and the whole congregation said unto them, Would God that we had died in the land of Egypt! or would God we had died in this wilderness!

And wherefore hath the Lord brought us unto this land, to fall by the sword, that our wives and our children should be a prey? were it not better for us to return into Egypt?

And they said one to another, Let us make a captain, and let us return into Egypt.

Then Moses and Aaron fell on their faces before all the assembly of the congregation of the children of Israel.

And Joshua the son of Nun, and Caleb the son of Jephunneh, which were of them that searched the land, rent their clothes:

And they spake unto all the company of the children of Israel, saying, The land, which we passed through to search it, is an exceeding good land.

If the Lord delight in us, then he will bring us into this land, and give it us; a land which floweth with milk and honey.

Only rebel not ye against the Lord, neither fear ye the people of the land; for they are bread for us: their defence is departed from them, and the Lord is with us: fear them not.

10 But all the congregation bade stone them with stones. And the glory of the Lord appeared in the tabernacle of the congregation before all the children of Israel.

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