Numbers 13:20

_AND WHAT THE LAND IS, WHETHER IT BE FAT OR LEAN, WHETHER THERE BE WOOD 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._ The time ... of the first-ripe grapes. This was in August, when the first clusters are gathered, the Second in September, and the third in October. The spies' absence for a period of 40 days. determine the grapes they brought from Eshcol to have been of the second period. Thus 'the Israelites were in the Arabah, or great Arabian desert, at the most trying period of the year. Their journey to this point from Sinai might have been accomplished by easy marches in eighteen 'days. But probably they rested for some time at Akabah, and hence, five months were consumed with it. They sent forward the spies for the purpose of examining the character and state of the country, particularly of ascer...

1-20 A memorable and melancholy history is related in this and the following chapter, of the turning back of Israel from the borders of Canaan, and the sentencing them to wander and perish in the wilderness, for their unbelief and murmuring. It appears, Deuteronomy 1:22, that the motion to search out the land came from the people. They had a better opinion of their own policy than of God's wisdom. Thus we ruin ourselves by believing the reports and representations of sense rather than Divine revelation. We walk by sight not by faith. Moses gave the spies this charge, Be of good courage. It was not only a great undertaking they were put upon, which required good management and resolution; but a great trust was reposed in them, which required that they should be faithful. Courage in such circumstances can only spring from strong faith, which Caleb and Joshua alone possessed....

Verse Numbers 13:20. _THE LAND - WHETHER IT_ BE _FAT OR LEAN_] Whether the SOIL be _rich_ or _poor_; which might be known by its being well _wooded_, and by the _fruits_ it produced; and therefore they were desired to examine it as to the _trees_, c., and to bring some of the _fruits_ with them....

THE TIME ... OF THE FIRSTRIPE GRAPES - The first grapes ripen in Palestine in July and August: the vintage is gathered in September and October. This indication of date tallies with what we should have inferred from the previous narrative. For the Israelite host had quitted Sinai on the 20th day of the second month Numbers 13:10, Numbers 13:11, or about the middle of May: since then they had spent a month at Kibroth-hattaavah and a week at Hazeroth, and had accomplished, in all, from 150 to 200 miles of march: it therefore must have been at least the beginning of July, and may have been a month later, when the spies were despatched into the land of promise....

EXPOSITION THE REBELLION AT KADESH (Numbers 13:1, Numbers 14:1). NUMBERS 13:2 SEND THOU MEN, THAT THEY MAY SEARCH THE LAND. If this account of the mission of the spies be compared with that given in Deuteronomy 1:20-5, it may be seen in a striking instance how entirely different a colour may be put upon the same circumstances by two inspired narratives. No one indeed will affirm that the two records are contradictory, or even inconsistent, and yet they leave an entirely different impression upon the min

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.

4. AT KADESH-BARNEA AND ISRAEL'S UNBELIEF CHAPTER 13 _ 1. The command to search out the land (Numbers 13:1)_ 2. The names of the spies (Numbers 13:4) 3. Directions given (Numbers 13:17) 4. Their explorations (Numbers 13:21) 5. The report they brought (Numbers 13:26) The crisis is reached with this chapter. The events of the preceding Chapter s are the prelude to the complete failure and disaster. To understand the situation we must consult...

THE ESPIAL OF CANAAN. This narrative is marked by numerous discrepancies, due to its being a fusion of two accounts drawn from JE and P. In the one (JE) the spies start probably from Kadesh (Numbers 13:26; Numbers 32:8, _cf._ Deuteronomy 1:19 f., Joshua 14:7), the survey is limited to the S. of Palestine (Numbers 13:22 f.), and the report of the land is favourable, but of the inhabitants alarming (Numbers 13:27), Caleb alone dissenting from the latter represe

NOW THE TIME WAS THE TIME OF THE FIRST RIPE GRAPES— The spies were forty days in searching the land; so that this time refers to that of their return, not of their setting out; see note on Numbers 13:2. REFLECTIONS.—As they were now on the borders of the land, they had no more to do, than to go in and take possession; but their unbelief, Deuteronomy 1:22 suggested the necessity of sending spies. They were not satisfied with God's promise, but would see for themselves; so ready are we to indulge our own wicked reasonings, rather than simply submit to divine revelation. God permits Moses to gratify them; choice is made of proper persons, and their instructions given them concerning the soil, the inhabitants, and cities. Moses encourages them in their employment, that, boldly acquitting thems

B. THEIR INSTRUCTIONS vv. 17-20 TEXT Numbers 13:17. And Moses sent them to spy out the land of Canaan, and said unto them, Get you up this way southward, and go up into the mountain: 18. And see the land, what it is; and the people that dwelleth therein, whether they be strong or weak, few or many; 19. And what the land is that they dwell in, whether it be good or bad; and what cities they be that they dwell in, whether in tents, or in strongholds. 20. And what the land is, whether it be fat or lean, whether there be wood 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 first ripe grapes. PARAPHRASE Numbers 13:17. As Moses sent them to spy out the land of Canaan, he said unto them, Go up this way by the South; then