Chapter 20 — THE TWELVE SPIES AND THEIR REPORT

God was ready to give the land of Canaan to the Israelites. He commanded Moses to choose one ruler from each of the twelve tribes to go and explore Canaan. These twelve spies were gone forty days. When they came back, they showed Moses, Aaron, and the people the fruit they had brought from Canaan. All the spies agreed that Canaan was a good land. One bunch of grapes was so large that two men had to carry the grapes on a pole. Grapes, figs, and pomegranates grew freely in Canaan. The spies told about the rich land they had seen.SRme 1.669

But ten of the spies spoke very discouraging words. They said they did not believe Israel would be able to take Canaan. The spies described the strong people that lived in Canaan and the cities that were surrounded by wide, high walls. The spies said there were giants, the sons of Anak, who lived in Canaan. The spies described how the people were so spread around Canaan that it was impossible for the Israelites ever to take all of Canaan.SRme 1.670

As the Israelites listened to this report, they began complaining and crying. They did not stop to think of the fact that the God who had led them this far surely would give them the land. The Israelites did not think about the power of God. They did not trust in God who had been leading them.SRme 1.671

The Israelites blamed Moses, and said to one another, "This is the end of all our hopes. This is the land that we have been traveling from Egypt to make our own."SRme 1.672

Two of the spies, Caleb and Joshua, gave a good report and tried to encourage the people. But the people had become so excited they would not listen. After the people became quieter, Caleb said to them, "Let us go up at once, and possess. . .[the land of Canaan]; for we are well able to overcome it" (Num.13:30).SRme 1.673

The ten spies shouted, "'No, we are not strong enough to attack them; the people there are more powerful than we are'" (Num. 13:31, TEV). The ten spies "spread a false report among the Israelites about the land they had explored. They said, 'That land doesn't even produce enough to feed the people who live there. Everyone we saw was very tall, and we even saw giants there, the descendants of Anak. We felt as small as grasshoppers, and that is how we must have looked to them'" (Num. 13:32, 33, TEV).SRme 1.674