The spies presented a series of claims against entering the land, and Joshua and Caleb disputed their account. The Sages described their exchange.

“Caleb silenced [vayahas] the people toward Moses” (Numbers 13:30). Rabba said: He enticed them [hesitan] with words. Joshua began to respond to the other spies. While he was speaking, they said to him: Will this man with a severed head [i.e., Joshua, who does not have any children that will inherit the land] speak? Caleb said: If I attempt to speak they will say something about me and stop me. Caleb said to them: Is this all that Moses the son of Amram has done to us? The other spies thought he wanted to speak to discredit Moses, and they were silent. Caleb then said to them: He took us out of Egypt, and split the sea for us, and fed us the manna. If he tells us: Build ladders and climb to the heavens, wouldn’t we listen to him? “We shall ascend and inherit it; for we can do it” (13:30). “But the men who ascended with him said: We will not be able to ascend against the people; for they are stronger than we are [(Sota 35a)