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... [ Continue Reading ]
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 say o, the spies were sent to search the land, which was a scheme of the Israelites' own devising, and which they first propose... [ Continue Reading ]
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... [ Continue Reading ]
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,... [ Continue Reading ]
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 accord... [ Continue Reading ]
OF THE TRIBE OF SIMEON, SHAPHAT THE SON OF HORI. Numbers 13:4.... [ Continue Reading ]
OF THE TRIBE OF JUDAH, CALEB THE SON OF JEPHUNNEH. Numbers 13:4.... [ Continue Reading ]
OF THE TRIBE OF ISSACHAR, IGAL THE SON OF JOSEPH. Numbers 13:4.... [ Continue Reading ]
OF THE TRIBE OF EPHRAIM, OSHEA THE SON OF NUN. Numbers 13:4.... [ Continue Reading ]
OF THE TRIBE OF BENJAMIN, PALTI THE SON OF RAPHU. Numbers 13:4.... [ Continue Reading ]
OF THE TRIBE OF ZEBULUN, GADDIEL THE SON OF SODI. Numbers 13:4.... [ Continue Reading ]
OF THE TRIBE OF JOSEPH, [NAMELY], OF THE TRIBE OF MANASSEH, GADDI THE SON OF SUSI. Numbers 13:4.... [ Continue Reading ]
OF THE TRIBE OF DAN, AMMIEL THE SON OF GEMALLI. Numbers 13:4.... [ Continue Reading ]
OF THE TRIBE OF ASHER, SETHUR THE SON OF MICHAEL. Numbers 13:4.... [ Continue Reading ]
OF THE TRIBE OF NAPHTALI, NAHBI THE SON OF VOPHSI. Numbers 13:4.... [ Continue Reading ]
OF THE TRIBE OF GAD, GEUEL THE SON OF MACHI. Numbers 13:4.... [ Continue Reading ]
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 tw... [ Continue Reading ]
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... [ Continue Reading ]
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... [ Continue Reading ]
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... [ Continue Reading ]
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 pr... [ Continue Reading ]
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:... [ Continue Reading ]
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 Heb... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THEY CAME UNTO THE BROOK OF ESHCOL,.... Or "valley of Eshcol" u, 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 a... [ Continue Reading ]
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... [ Continue Reading ]
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 writers k say it was the ninth of Ab; hence the tradition, th... [ Continue Reading ]
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 IS... [ Continue Reading ]
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 Ca... [ Continue Reading ]
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 person... [ Continue Reading ]
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 a... [ Continue Reading ]
AND CALEB STILLED THE PEOPLE BEFORE MOSES,.... In his presence, they standing before him; or "unto Moses" n, 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... [ Continue Reading ]
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 ligh... [ Continue Reading ]
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; whic... [ Continue Reading ]
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... [ Continue Reading ]