Numbers 13:3

_AND MOSES BY THE COMMANDMENT OF THE LORD SENT THEM FROM THE WILDERNESS OF PARAN: ALL THOSE MEN WERE HEADS OF THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL._ Those men were heads - not the princes who are named, Numbers 10:1, but chiefs, leading men, though not of the first rank....

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....

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 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: 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....

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

BY THE COMMANDMENT OF THE LORD. Compare Deuteronomy 1:19. COMMANDMENT. Hebrew "mouth". Figure of speech _Metonymy_ (of Cause), App-6, put for what is spoken by the mouth. HEADS. captains over thousands. Exodus 18:25....

II. THE PROMISED LAND REVIEWED AND REJECTED (NUMBERS 13; NUMBERS 14) A. SELECTION OF THE SPIES, vv. 1-16 TEXT Numbers 13:1. And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, 2. Send thou men, that they may search the land of Canaan, which I give unto the children of Israel: of every tribe of their fathers shall ye send a man, every one a ruler among them. 3. And Moses by the commandment of the Lord sent them from the wilderness of Paran: all those men were heads of the children of Israel. 4. And these were their names: Of the tribe of Reuben, Shammua the son of Zaccur. 5. Of the tribe of Simeon, Shaphat the son of Hori. 6. Of the tribe of Judah, Caleb the son of Jephunneh. 7. Of the tribe of Issachar, Igal the son of Joseph. 8. Of the t

13:3 heads (b-19) Lit. 'men, heads.'...

THE SENDING OF THE SPIES AND THEIR REPORT 8. Oshea] RV 'Hoshea,' meaning 'help' or 'salvation.' Joshua, or Jehoshua (Numbers 13:16), means 'Jehovah is my help': see on Exodus 17:9....