The Spies Explore Canaan
(Deuteronomy 1:19–25)

1And the LORD {YHWH} said to Moses (drawn out), 2“Send out for yourself men to spy out the land of Canaan (lowland), which I am giving to the Israelites (God prevails). From each of their fathers’ tribes send one man who is a leader among them.”

3So at the command \according to the mouth/a of the LORD {YHWH}, Moses (drawn out) sent them out from the Wilderness of Paran (place of caverns). All the men were leaders of the Israelites (God prevails), 4and these were their names:

From the tribe of Reuben (behold a son), Shammua (renowned) son of Zaccur (mindful);

5from the tribe of Simeon (heard), Shaphat (He has judged) son of Hori (cave dweller);

6from the tribe of Judah (praised), Caleb (dog) son of Jephunneh (He will be facing);

7from the tribe of Issachar (there is recompense), Igal (He redeems) son of Joseph (YHWH has added);

8from the tribe of Ephraim (doubly fruitful), Hoshea (salvation) son of Nun (fish / posterity);

9from the tribe of Benjamin (son of the right hand), Palti (my deliverance) son of Raphu (healed);

10from the tribe of Zebulun (exalted), Gaddiel (God is my fortune) son of Sodi (acquaintance);

11from the tribe of Manasseh (causing to forget) (a tribe of Joseph (YHWH has added)), Gaddi (my fortune) son of Susi (my horse);

12from the tribe of Dan (He has judged), Ammiel (my kinsman is God) son of Gemalli (camel driver);

13from the tribe of Asher (happy), Sethur (hidden) son of Michael (who is like God);

14from the tribe of Naphtali (wrestling), Nahbi (hidden) son of Vophsi (rich);

15and from the tribe of Gad (troop), Geuel (majesty of God) son of Machi (decrease).

16These were the names of the men Moses (drawn out) sent to spy out the land; and Moses gave to Hoshea (salvation) son of Nun (fish / posterity) the name Joshua (YHWH saves).

17When Moses (drawn out) sent them to spy out the land of Canaan (lowland), he told them, “Go up through the Negev (southland) and into the hill country. 18See what the land is like and whether its people are strong or weak, few or many. 19Is the land where they live good or bad? Are the cities where they dwell open camps or fortifications? 20Is the soil fertile or unproductive? Are there trees in it or not? Be courageous and bring back some of the fruit of the land.” (It was the season for the first ripe grapes.)

21So they went up and spied out the land from the Wilderness of Zin (flat) as far as Rehob (broad place), toward Lebo-hamath (fortress). 22They went up through the Negev (southland) and came to Hebron (association), where Ahiman (my brother is a gift), Sheshai (noble), and Talmai (furrowed), the descendants of Anak (neck), dwelled. It had been built seven years before Zoan (place of departure) in Egypt (land of bondage).

23When they came to the Valley of Eshcol (cluster),b they cut down a branch with a single cluster of grapes, which they carried on a pole between two men. They also took some pomegranates and figs. 24Because of the cluster of grapes the Israelites (God prevails) cut there, that place was called the Valley of Eshcol (cluster).

The Reports of the Spies

25After forty days the men returned from spying out the land, 26and they went back to Moses (drawn out), Aaron (light bringer), and the whole congregation of Israel (he wrestles with God) in the Wilderness of Paran (place of caverns) at Kadesh (holy). They brought back a report for the whole congregation and showed them the fruit of the land.

27And they gave this account to Moses: “We went into the land to which you sent us, and indeed, it is flowing with milk and honey. Here is some of its fruit! 28Nevertheless, the people living in the land are strong, and the cities are large and fortified. We even saw the descendants of Anak (neck) there. 29The Amalekites (dwellers in a valley) live in the land of the Negev (southland); the Hittites, Jebusites (Jerusalemites), and Amorites (sayers) live in the hill country; and the Canaanites (merchants) live by the sea and along the Jordan (flowing down).”

30Then Caleb (dog) quieted the people before Moses (drawn out) and said, “We must go up and take possession of the land, for we can certainly conquer it!”

31But the men who had gone up with him replied, “We cannot go up against the people, for they are stronger than we are!”

32So they gave the Israelites a bad report (he wrestles with God) about the land that they had spied out: “The land we explored devours its inhabitants, and all the people we saw there are great in stature. 33We even saw the Nephilim (giants) there—the descendants of Anak (neck) that come from the Nephilim! We seemed like grasshoppers in our own sight, and we must have seemed the same to them!”