131 And Jehovah spoke to Moses, saying, 2 Send thou men, that they may search out the land of Canaan, which I give unto the children of Israel. Ye shall send a man of every tribe of his fathers, each a prince among them. 3 And Moses sent them from the wilderness of Paran: according to the commandment of Jehovah, all of them heads of the children of Israel. 4 And these are their names: for the tribe of Reuben, Shammua the son of Zaccur; 5 for the tribe of Simeon, Shaphat the son of Hori; 6 for the tribe of Judah, Caleb the son of Jephunneh; 7 for the tribe of Issachar, Igal the son of Joseph; 8 for the tribe of Ephraim, Hoshea the son of Nun; 9 for the tribe of Benjamin, Palti the son of Raphu; 10 for the tribe of Zebulun, Gaddiel the son of Sodi; 11 for the tribe of Joseph, for the tribe of Manasseh, Gaddi the son of Susi; 12 for the tribe of Dan, Ammiel the son of Gemalli; 13 for the tribe of Asher, Sethur the son of Michael; 14 for the tribe of Naphtali, Nahbi the son of Vophsi; 15 for the tribe of Gad, Geuel the son of Machi. 16 These are the names of the men whom Moses sent to search out the land. And Moses called Hoshea the son of Nun, Jehoshua. 17 And Moses sent them to search out the land of Canaan, and said to them, Go up this way by the south and go up into the hill-country, 18 and ye shall see the land, what it is; and the people that dwell in it, whether they are strong or weak, few or many; 19 and what the land is that they dwell in, whether it is good or bad; and what cities they are that they dwell in, whether in camps, or in strongholds; 20 and what the land is, whether it is fat or lean, whether there are trees in it, or not. And take courage, and bring of the fruit of the land. Now the time was the time of the first grapes.
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Numbers 13:1-20
Commentary on Numbers 13:1-20
(Read Numbers 13:1-20)
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.