27 And they told H5608 him, and said, H559 We came H935 unto the land H776 whither thou sentest H7971 us, and surely it floweth H2100 with milk H2461 and honey; H1706 and this is the fruit H6529 of it.
And I am come down H3381 to deliver H5337 them out of the hand H3027 of the Egyptians, H4714 and to bring H5927 them up out of that land H776 unto a good H2896 land H776 and a large, H7342 unto a land H776 flowing H2100 with milk H2461 and honey; H1706 unto the place H4725 of the Canaanites, H3669 and the Hittites, H2850 and the Amorites, H567 and the Perizzites, H6522 and the Hivites, H2340 and the Jebusites. H2983
For the children H1121 of Israel H3478 walked H1980 forty H705 years H8141 in the wilderness, H4057 till all the people H1471 that were men H582 of war, H4421 which came out H3318 of Egypt, H4714 were consumed, H8552 because they obeyed H8085 not the voice H6963 of the LORD: H3068 unto whom the LORD H3068 sware H7650 that he would not shew H7200 them the land, H776 which the LORD H3068 sware H7650 unto their fathers H1 that he would give H5414 us, a land H776 that floweth H2100 with milk H2461 and honey. H1706
And thou shalt rejoice H8055 in every good H2896 thing which the LORD H3068 thy God H430 hath given H5414 unto thee, and unto thine house, H1004 thou, and the Levite, H3881 and the stranger H1616 that is among H7130 you. When thou hast made an end H3615 of tithing H6237 all the tithes H4643 of thine increase H8393 the third H7992 year, H8141 which is the year H8141 of tithing, H4643 and hast given H5414 it unto the Levite, H3881 the stranger, H1616 the fatherless, H3490 and the widow, H490 that they may eat H398 within thy gates, H8179 and be filled; H7646 Then thou shalt say H559 before H6440 the LORD H3068 thy God, H430 I have brought away H1197 the hallowed things H6944 out of mine house, H1004 and also have given H5414 them unto the Levite, H3881 and unto the stranger, H1616 to the fatherless, H3490 and to the widow, H490 according to all thy commandments H4687 which thou hast commanded H6680 me: I have not transgressed H5674 thy commandments, H4687 neither have I forgotten H7911 them: I have not eaten H398 thereof in my mourning, H205 neither have I taken away H1197 ought thereof for any unclean H2931 use, nor given H5414 ought thereof for the dead: H4191 but I have hearkened H8085 to the voice H6963 of the LORD H3068 my God, H430 and have done H6213 according to all that thou hast commanded H6680 me. Look down H8259 from thy holy H6944 habitation, H4583 from heaven, H8064 and bless H1288 thy people H5971 Israel, H3478 and the land H127 which thou hast given H5414 us, as thou swarest H7650 unto our fathers, H1 a land H776 that floweth H2100 with milk H2461 and honey. H1706
And it shall be when the LORD H3068 shall bring H935 thee into the land H776 of the Canaanites, H3669 and the Hittites, H2850 and the Amorites, H567 and the Hivites, H2340 and the Jebusites, H2983 which he sware H7650 unto thy fathers H1 to give H5414 thee, a land H776 flowing H2100 with milk H2461 and honey, H1706 that thou shalt keep H5647 this service H5656 in this month. H2320
And I have said, H559 I will bring H5927 you up out of the affliction H6040 of Egypt H4714 unto the land H776 of the Canaanites, H3669 and the Hittites, H2850 and the Amorites, H567 and the Perizzites, H6522 and the Hivites, H2340 and the Jebusites, H2983 unto a land H776 flowing H2100 with milk H2461 and honey. H1706
Yet also I lifted up H5375 my hand H3027 unto them in the wilderness, H4057 that I would not bring H935 them into the land H776 which I had given H5414 them, flowing H2100 with milk H2461 and honey, H1706 which is the glory H6643 of all lands; H776
Unto a land H776 flowing H2100 with milk H2461 and honey: H1706 for I will not go up H5927 in the midst H7130 of thee; for thou art a stiffnecked H7186 H6203 people: H5971 lest I consume H3615 thee in the way. H1870
For when I shall have brought H935 them into the land H127 which I sware H7650 unto their fathers, H1 that floweth H2100 with milk H2461 and honey; H1706 and they shall have eaten H398 and filled H7646 themselves, and waxen fat; H1878 then will they turn H6437 unto other H312 gods, H430 and serve H5647 them, and provoke H5006 me, and break H6565 my covenant. H1285
And thou shalt write H3789 upon them all the words H1697 of this law, H8451 when thou art passed over, H5674 that thou mayest go in H935 unto the land H776 which the LORD H3068 thy God H430 giveth H5414 thee, a land H776 that floweth H2100 with milk H2461 and honey; H1706 as the LORD H3068 God H430 of thy fathers H1 hath promised H1696 thee.
And he hath brought H935 us into this place, H4725 and hath given H5414 us this land, H776 even a land H776 that floweth H2100 with milk H2461 and honey. H1706
And that ye may prolong H748 your days H3117 in the land, H127 which the LORD H3068 sware H7650 unto your fathers H1 to give H5414 unto them and to their seed, H2233 a land H776 that floweth H2100 with milk H2461 and honey. H1706
Hear H8085 therefore, O Israel, H3478 and observe H8104 to do H6213 it; that it may be well H3190 with thee, and that ye may increase H7235 mightily, H3966 as the LORD H3068 God H430 of thy fathers H1 hath promised H1696 thee, in the land H776 that floweth H2100 with milk H2461 and honey. H1706
And they took H3947 of the fruit H6529 of the land H776 in their hands, H3027 and brought it down H3381 unto us, and brought H7725 us word H1697 again, H7725 and said, H559 It is a good H2896 land H776 which the LORD H3068 our God H430 doth give H5414 us. Notwithstanding ye would H14 not go up, H5927 but rebelled H4784 against the commandment H6310 of the LORD H3068 your God: H430 And ye murmured H7279 in your tents, H168 and said, H559 Because the LORD H3068 hated H8135 us, he hath brought us forth H3318 out of the land H776 of Egypt, H4714 to deliver H5414 us into the hand H3027 of the Amorites, H567 to destroy H8045 us. Whither shall we go up? H5927 our brethren H251 have discouraged H4549 our heart, H3824 saying, H559 The people H5971 is greater H1419 and taller H7311 than we; the cities H5892 are great H1419 and walled up H1219 to heaven; H8064 and moreover we have seen H7200 the sons H1121 of the Anakims H6062 there. Then I said H559 unto you, Dread H6206 not, neither be afraid H3372 of them. The LORD H3068 your God H430 which goeth H1980 before H6440 you, he shall fight H3898 for you, according to all that he did H6213 for you in Egypt H4714 before your eyes; H5869 And in the wilderness, H4057 where thou hast seen H7200 how that the LORD H3068 thy God H430 bare H5375 thee, as a man H376 doth bear H5375 his son, H1121 in all the way H1870 that ye went, H1980 until ye came H935 into this place. H4725 Yet in this thing H1697 ye did not believe H539 the LORD H3068 your God, H430 Who went H1980 in the way H1870 before H6440 you, to search you out H8446 a place H4725 to pitch your tents H2583 in, in fire H784 by night, H3915 to shew H7200 you by what way H1870 ye should go, H3212 and in a cloud H6051 by day. H3119
If the LORD H3068 delight H2654 in us, then he will bring H935 us into this land, H776 and give H5414 it us; a land H776 which floweth H2100 with milk H2461 and honey. H1706
But I have said H559 unto you, Ye shall inherit H3423 their land, H127 and I will give H5414 it unto you to possess H3423 it, a land H776 that floweth H2100 with milk H2461 and honey: H1706 I am the LORD H3068 your God, H430 which have separated H914 you from other people. H5971
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Numbers 13
Commentary on Numbers 13 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 13
Nu 13:1-33. The Names of the Men Who Were Sent to Search the Land.
1, 2. The Lord spake unto Moses, Send thou men, that they may search the land, of Canaan—Compare De 1:22, whence it appears, that while the proposal of delegating confidential men from each tribe to explore the land of Canaan emanated from the people who petitioned for it, the measure received the special sanction of God, who granted their request at once as a trial, and a punishment of their distrust.
3. those men were heads of the children of Israel—Not the princes who are named (Nu 10:14-16, 18-20, 22-27), but chiefs, leading men though not of the first rank.
16. Oshea—that is, "a desire of salvation." Jehoshua, by prefixing the name of God, means "divinely appointed," "head of salvation," "Saviour," the same as Jesus [Mt 1:21, Margin].
17. Get you up this way … , and go up into the mountain—Mount Seir (De 1:2), which lay directly from Sinai across the wilderness of Paran, in a northeasterly direction into the southern parts of the promised land.
20. Now the time was the time of the first grapes—This was in August, when the first clusters are gathered. The second are gathered in September, and the third in October. The spies' absence for a period of forty days determines the grapes they brought from Eshcol to have been of the second period.
21-24. So they … searched the land—They advanced from south to north, reconnoitering the whole land.
the wilderness of Zin—a long level plain, or deep valley of sand, the monotony of which is relieved by a few tamarisk and rethem trees. Under the names of El Ghor and El Araba, it forms the continuation of the Jordan valley, extending from the Dead Sea to the Gulf of Akaba.
Rehob—or, Beth-rehob, was a city and district situated, according to some, eastward of Sidon; and, according to others, it is the same as El Hule, an extensive and fertile champaign country, at the foot of Anti-libanus, a few leagues below Paneas.
as men come to Hamath—or, "the entering in of Hamath" (2Ki 14:25), now the valley of Balbeck, a mountain pass or opening in the northern frontier, which formed the extreme limit in that direction of the inheritance of Israel. From the mention of these places, the route of the scouts appears to have been along the course of the Jordan in their advance; and their return was by the western border through the territories of the Sidonians and Philistines.
22. unto Hebron—situated in the heart of the mountains of Judah, in the southern extremity of Palestine. The town or "cities of Hebron," as it is expressed in the Hebrew, consists of a number of sheikdoms distinct from each other, standing at the foot of one of those hills that form a bowl round and enclose it. "The children of Anak" mentioned in this verse seem to have been also chiefs of townships; and this coincidence of polity, existing in ages so distant from each other, is remarkable [Vere Monro]. Hebron (Kirjath Arba, Ge 23:2) was one of the oldest cities in the world.
Zoan—(the Tanis of the Greeks) was situated on one of the eastern branches of the Nile, near the lake Menzala, and was the early royal residence of the Pharaohs. It boasted a higher antiquity than any other city in Egypt. Its name, which signifies flat and level, is descriptive of its situation in the low grounds of the Delta.
23. they came unto the brook of Eshcol—that is, "the torrent of the cluster." Its location was a little to the southwest of Hebron. The valley and its sloping hills are still covered with vineyards, the character of whose fruit corresponds to its ancient celebrity.
and cut down from thence a branch with one cluster of grapes—The grapes reared in this locality are still as magnificent as formerly—they are said by one to be equal in size to prunes, and compared by another to a man's thumb. One cluster sometimes weighs ten or twelve pounds. The mode of carrying the cluster cut down by the spies, though not necessary from its weight, was evidently adopted to preserve it entire as a specimen of the productions of the promised land; and the impression made by the sight of it would be all the greater because the Israelites were familiar only with the scanty vines and small grapes of Egypt.
26. they came … to Kadesh—an important encampment of the Israelites. But its exact situation is not definitely known, nor is it determined whether it is the same or a different place from Kadesh-barnea. It is supposed to be identical with Ain-el-Weibeh, a famous spring on the eastern side of the desert [Robinson], or also with Petra [Stanley].
27, 28. they told him, and said, We came unto the land whither thou sentest us, and surely it floweth with milk and honey—The report was given publicly in the audience of the people, and it was artfully arranged to begin their narrative with commendations of the natural fertility of the country in order that their subsequent slanders might the more readily receive credit.
29. The Amalekites dwell in the land of the south—Their territory lay between the Dead and the Red Seas, skirting the borders of Canaan.
Hittites … dwell in the mountains—Their settlements were in the southern and mountainous part of Palestine (Ge 23:7).
the Canaanites dwell by the sea—The remnant of the original inhabitants, who had been dispossessed by the Philistines, were divided into two nomadic hordes—one settled eastward near the Jordan; the other westward, by the Mediterranean.
32. a land that eateth up the inhabitants—that is, an unhealthy climate and country. Jewish writers say that in the course of their travels they saw a great many funerals, vast numbers of the Canaanites being cut off at that time, in the providence of God, by a plague or the hornet (Jos 24:12).
men of a great stature—This was evidently a false and exaggerated report, representing, from timidity or malicious artifice, what was true of a few as descriptive of the people generally.
33. there we saw the giants, the sons of Anak—The name is derived from the son of Arba, a great man among the Arabians (Jos 15:14), who probably obtained his appellation from wearing a splendid collar or chain round his neck, as the word imports. The epithet "giant" evidently refers here to stature. (See on Ge 6:4). And it is probable the Anakims were a distinguished family, or perhaps a select body of warriors, chosen for their extraordinary size.
we were in our own sight as grasshoppers—a strong Orientalism, by which the treacherous spies gave an exaggerated report of the physical strength of the people of Canaan.