God's Command to Send Spies in the Promised Land
The command to send spies into the land of Canaan, recorded in Numbers 13, originated from God's instruction to Moses: "Send men, that they may spy out the land of Canaan, which I give to the children of Israel. Of every tribe of their fathers, you shall send a man, every one a prince among them" [1]. This event occurred when the Israelites were encamped at Kadesh, a location on the southeastern border of Palestine in the wilderness of Zin [4].
While Numbers 13:1-2 presents this as a direct divine command, other biblical texts and interpretations suggest a more nuanced origin. Deuteronomy 1:22 indicates that the proposal to send spies initially came from the people themselves, who approached Moses saying, "Let us send men before us" [7, 9]. Moses then approved this idea and brought it before the Lord [10, 11]. According to this view, God's command in Numbers 13 was a divine sanction of the people's request, serving as both a trial and a consequence of their distrust [12]. The people's desire to send spies stemmed from a lack of faith, as they were unwilling to trust God's promise that the land was good and that He would deliver it to them [7]. They also doubted the guidance of the pillar of cloud and fire [7].
Moses selected twelve men, one from each tribe, all of whom were leaders or distinguished persons within their tribes [1, 11, 13]. He instructed them to go through the Negeb (South) and into the hill country to assess the land, its inhabitants, their strength, their cities, and the fertility of the soil [3, 8]. The spies traveled as far north as the district around Lake Merom [2]. After forty days, they returned to Kadesh in the wilderness of Paran [6, 8].
Their report was largely discouraging. While they confirmed that the land was indeed fertile, "flowing with milk and honey," they also reported that the inhabitants were strong, their cities fortified and very large, and that they saw giants there [2, 6]. This negative report greatly alarmed the people, leading to widespread murmuring and despair [2, 6, 8]. They proposed electing a new leader and returning to Egypt [2, 6]. Only two of the spies, Joshua and Caleb, gave a positive report, urging the people to trust in God and take the land [4].
The Israelites' subsequent rebellion and refusal to enter the Promised Land, influenced by the majority report, led to divine judgment. This generation was condemned to wander in the Sinai wilderness for forty years, with only Joshua and Caleb among the adults being permitted to enter the land [13]. This episode is seen as a significant instance of Israel's disobedience, demonstrating their lack of courage and faith [13]. Josephus, in his Antiquities of the Jews, describes the people's despair and their resolve to stone Moses and return to Egypt after hearing the spies' report [6]. He also notes that God had already "given sentence against them, to destroy the people, and cast them out of their country" due to their transgressions [5].
Sources
- Numbers ““Send men, that they may spy out the land of Canaan, which I give to the children of Israel. Of every tribe of their fathers, you shall send a man, every one a prince among them.” -- Numbers 13:2”
- Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Spies — When the Israelites reached Kadesh for the first time, and were encamped there, Moses selected twelve spies from among the chiefs of the divisions of the tribes, and sent them forth to spy the land of Canaan (Num. 13), and to bring back to him a report of its actual condition. They at once proceeded on their important errand, and went through the land as far north as the district round Lake Merom. After about six weeks' absence they returned. Their report was very discouraging, and the people were greatly alarmed, and in a rebellious spirit proposed to elect ”
- Numbers “Moses sent them to spy out the land of Canaan, and said to them, “Go up this way by the South, and go up into the hill country. -- Numbers 13:17”
- Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Kadesh — Holy, or Kadesh-Barnea, sacred desert of wandering, a place on the south-eastern border of Palestine, about 165 miles from Horeb. It lay in the "wilderness" or "desert of Zin" (Gen. 14:7; Num. 13:3-26; 14:29-33; 20:1; 27:14), on the border of Edom (20:16). From this place, in compliance with the desire of the people, Moses sent forth "twelve spies" to spy the land. After examining it in all its districts, the spies brought back an evil report, Joshua and Caleb alone giving a good report of the land (13:18-31). Influenced by the discouraging report, the peopl”
- Project Gutenberg “Flavius Josephus, Antiquities of the Jews, CHAPTER 4, section 3: country; lest they should be in want of all things, and so end their days miserably. When the prophetess had heard this from the messengers that were sent to her by the king, she bid them go back to the king, and say that "God had already given sentence against them, to destroy the people, and cast them out of their country, and deprive them of all the happiness they enjoyed;" which sentence none could set aside by any prayers of theirs, since it was passed on account of their transgressions of the laws, and of their not having r”
- Project Gutenberg “Flavius Josephus, Antiquities of the Jews, CHAPTER 14, section 1: . How Moses Sent Some Persons To Search Out The Land Of The Canaanites, And The Largeness Of Their Cities; And Further That When Those Who Were Sent Were Returned, After Forty Days And Reported That They Should Not Be A Match For Them, And Extolled The Strength Of The Canaanites The Multitude Were Disturbed And Fell Into Despair; And Were Resolved To Stone Moses, And To Return Back Again Into Egypt, And Serve The Egyptians. 1. When Moses had led the Hebrews away from thence to a place called Paran, which was near to the borders ”
- Numbers (Nonconformist/Puritan) “Matthew Henry on Numbers 13:1: Here we have, I. Orders given to send spies to search out the land of Canaan. It is here said, God directed Moses to send them (Num 13:1, Num 13:2), but it appears by the repetition of the story afterwards (Deu 1:22) that the motion came originally from the people; they came to Moses, and said, We will send men before us; and it was the fruit of their unbelief. They would not take God's word that it was a good land, and that he would, without fail, put them in possession of it. They could not trust the pillar of cloud and fire to show them the way to it, but had ”
- Numbers (Lutheran) “Keil & Delitzsch on Numbers 13 (introduction): Spies Sent Out. Murmuring of the People, and Their Punishment - Numbers 13 and 14 When they had arrived at Kadesh, in the desert of Paran (Num 13:26), Moses sent out spies by the command of God, and according to the wishes of the people, to explore the way by which they could enter into Canaan, and also the nature of the land, of its cities, and of its population (Num 13:1-20). The men who were sent out passed through the land, from the south to the northern frontier, and on their return reported that the land was no doubt one of pre-eminent goodn”
- Sefaria (Jewish (Rationalist)) “Abraham Ibn Ezra on Numbers 13:2: SEND THOU MEN. Scripture records that God told Israel: go up, take possession (Deut. 1:21) 1 Of the land of Canaan. and Israel answered: Let us send men before us (Deut. 1:22). 2 Thus it appears that the spies were sent to Canaan in response to Israel’s request. However, our Torah portion seems to imply that Moses sent spies to Canaan in response to God’s command. God then said, Send thou men . 3 In other words, what is reported in our verse was in response to Israel’s request reported in Deut. 1:21,22.”
- Numbers (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Numbers 13:1: And the Lord Spake unto Moses,.... When in the wilderness of Paran, either at Rithmah or Kadesh; this was on the twenty ninth day of the month Sivan, on which day, the Jews say (o), the spies were sent to search the land, which was a scheme of the Israelites' own devising, and which they first proposed to Moses, who approved of it as prudential and political, at least he gave his assent unto it to please the people, and carried the affair to the Lord, and consulted him about it; who, rather permitting than approving, gave the following order; for the motion carried i”
- Numbers (Lutheran) “Keil & Delitzsch on Numbers 13:1: Numbers 13:1-17 Despatch of the Spies of Canaan. - Num 13:1. The command of Jehovah, to send out men to spy out the land of Canaan, was occasioned, according to the account given by Moses in Deu 1:22., by a proposal of the congregation, which pleased Moses, so that he laid the matter before the Lord, who then commanded him to send out for this purpose, "of every tribe of their fathers a man, every one a ruler among them, i.e., none but men who were princes in their tribes, who held the prominent position of princes, i.e., distinguished persons of rank; or, as ”
- Numbers (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Numbers 13 (introduction): THE NAMES OF THE MEN WHO WERE SENT TO SEARCH THE LAND. (Num. 13:1-33) The Lord spake unto Moses, Send thou men, that they may search the land, of Canaan--Compare Deu 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.”
- Numbers (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Numbers 13:1: 13:1–14:45 Twelve spies investigated the rich land of Canaan and found it defended by formidable foes. Israel’s disobedience in earlier chapters foreshadows more of the same. The Israelites lacked the obedience, courage, and faith to take the land, so the Lord destined them to spend forty years in the Sinai wilderness; that generation failed to receive their inheritance in the Promised Land. 13:1-16 Moses selected a leader from each tribe to explore the territory that God had promised to give the Hebrews. The tribes listed are those of ch 1, though the order is d”