Numbers 13

Numbers 13

Twelve Men Are Sent into Canaan

(Deuteronomy 1.19-33)

1The Lord said to Moses,

2“Choose a leader from each tribe and send them into Canaan to explore the land I am giving you.”

3So Moses sent twelve tribal leaders from Israel's camp in the Paran Desert

4-5-6-7-8-9-10-11-12-13-14-15-16with orders to explore the land of Canaan. And here are their names:

Shammua son of Zaccur

Shaphat son of Hori

Caleb son of Jephunneh

Igal son of Joseph

Joshua son of Nun

Palti son of Raphu

Gaddiel son of Sodi

Gaddi son of Susi

Ammiel son of Gemalli

Sethur son of Michael

Nahbi son of Vophsi

and Geuel son of Machi

17Before Moses sent them into Canaan, he said:

21The twelve men left to explore Canaan from the Zin Desert in the south all the way to the town of Rehob near Lebo-Hamath in the north.

22As they went through the Southern Desert, they came to the town of Hebron, which was seven years older than the Egyptian town of Zoan. In Hebron, they saw the three Anakim clans of Ahiman, Sheshai, and Talmai.[#13.22 Perhaps a group of very large people (see Deuteronomy 2.10,11, 20,21).]

23-24When they got to Bunch Valley, they cut off a branch with such a huge bunch of grapes, that it took two men to carry it on a pole. That's why the place was called Bunch Valley. Along with the grapes, they also took back pomegranates and figs.[#13.23,24 Or “Eshcol Valley.”; #13.23,24 A bright red fruit that looks like an apple.]

The Men Report Back to the People

25After exploring the land of Canaan for 40 days,

26the twelve men returned to Kadesh in the Paran Desert and told Moses, Aaron, and the people what they had seen. They showed them the fruit

27and said:

30Caleb calmed down the crowd and said, “Let's go and take the land. I know we can do it!”

31But the other men replied, “Those people are much too strong for us.”

32Then they started spreading rumors and saying, “We won't be able to grow anything in that soil. And the people are like giants.

33In fact, we saw the Nephilim who are the ancestors of the Anakim. They were so big that we felt as small as grasshoppers.”[#Gn 6.4.]

Contemporary English Version, Second Edition (CEV®) © 2006 American Bible Society. All rights reserved.
Published by: American Bible Society