וַיְדַבֵּ֥ר יְהוָ֖ה אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֥ה לֵּאמֹֽר׃

The Lord spoke to Moses, saying:

שְׁלַח־לְךָ֣ אֲנָשִׁ֗ים וְיָתֻ֙רוּ֙ אֶת־אֶ֣רֶץ כְּנַ֔עַן אֲשֶׁר־אֲנִ֥י נֹתֵ֖ן לִבְנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל אִ֣ישׁ אֶחָד֩ אִ֨ישׁ אֶחָ֜ד לְמַטֵּ֤ה אֲבֹתָיו֙ תִּשְׁלָ֔חוּ כֹּ֖ל נָשִׂ֥יא בָהֶֽם׃

Send you men that they may scout out the land of Canaan that I am giving to the children of Israel in order to become familiar with it; you shall send one man for every tribe, each as a representative for the tribe of his fathers, every one a prince among them. They must be leaders and men of stature, whose reports will be accepted and trusted by the members of their tribes. The men chosen were not the actual heads of the tribes, who are listed in the earlier census and at the festivities for the dedication of the altar (1:4–15, 7:12–78). It is possible that those tribal princes were too old for a mission of this nature. The men who were sent as scouts were prominent members of their tribes, but they were younger, probably at the peak of their strength. One of the scouts, Caleb son of Yefuneh, will later state that he was forty years old at the time of this mission.

וַיִּשְׁלַ֨ח אֹתָ֥ם מֹשֶׁ֛ה מִמִּדְבַּ֥ר פָּארָ֖ן עַל־פִּ֣י יְהוָ֑ה כֻּלָּ֣ם אֲנָשִׁ֔ים רָאשֵׁ֥י בְנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל הֵֽמָּה׃

Moses sent them from the wilderness of Paran according to the directive of the Lord; all of them were personages; they were heads of the children of Israel.

וְאֵ֖לֶּה שְׁמוֹתָ֑ם לְמַטֵּ֣ה רְאוּבֵ֔ן שַׁמּ֖וּעַ בֶּן־זַכּֽוּר׃

These were their names: For the tribe of Reuben, they sent Shamua son of Zakur.

לְמַטֵּ֣ה שִׁמְע֔וֹן שָׁפָ֖ט בֶּן־חוֹרִֽי׃

For the tribe of Simeon, Shafat son of Hori.

לְמַטֵּ֣ה יְהוּדָ֔ה כָּלֵ֖ב בֶּן־יְפֻנֶּֽה׃

For the tribe of Judah, Caleb son of Yefuneh.

לְמַטֵּ֣ה יִשָּׂשכָ֔ר יִגְאָ֖ל בֶּן־יוֹסֵֽף׃

For the tribe of Issachar, Yigal son of Joseph.

לְמַטֵּ֥ה אֶפְרָ֖יִם הוֹשֵׁ֥עַ בִּן־נֽוּן׃

For the tribe of Ephraim, Hoshe’a son of Nun.

לְמַטֵּ֣ה בִנְיָמִ֔ן פַּלְטִ֖י בֶּן־רָפֽוּא׃

For the tribe of Benjamin, Palti son of Rafu.

לְמַטֵּ֣ה זְבוּלֻ֔ן גַּדִּיאֵ֖ל בֶּן־סוֹדִֽי׃

For the tribe of Zebulun, Gadiel son of Sodi.

לְמַטֵּ֥ה יוֹסֵ֖ף לְמַטֵּ֣ה מְנַשֶּׁ֑ה גַּדִּ֖י בֶּן־סוּסִֽי׃

For the tribe of Joseph: For the tribe of Manasseh, Gadi son of Susi.

לְמַטֵּ֣ה דָ֔ן עַמִּיאֵ֖ל בֶּן־גְּמַלִּֽי׃

For the tribe of Dan, Amiel son of Gemali.

לְמַטֵּ֣ה אָשֵׁ֔ר סְת֖וּר בֶּן־מִיכָאֵֽל׃

For the tribe of Asher, Setur son of Mikhael.

לְמַטֵּ֣ה נַפְתָּלִ֔י נַחְבִּ֖י בֶּן־וָפְסִֽי׃

For the tribe of Naphtali, Nahbi son of Vofsi.

לְמַטֵּ֣ה גָ֔ד גְּאוּאֵ֖ל בֶּן־מָכִֽי׃

For the tribe of Gad, Geuel son of Makhi.

אֵ֚לֶּה שְׁמ֣וֹת הָֽאֲנָשִׁ֔ים אֲשֶׁר־שָׁלַ֥ח מֹשֶׁ֖ה לָת֣וּר אֶת־הָאָ֑רֶץ וַיִּקְרָ֥א מֹשֶׁ֛ה לְהוֹשֵׁ֥עַ בִּן־נ֖וּן יְהוֹשֻֽׁעַ׃

These are the names of the men whom Moses sent to scout the land. Moses called Hoshe’a son of Nun, Joshua. The name Hoshe’a means salvation. The addition of the letter yod is a reference to God. Hence, the name Joshua, like the related name Isaiah, means may God save.

וַיִּשְׁלַ֤ח אֹתָם֙ מֹשֶׁ֔ה לָת֖וּר אֶת־אֶ֣רֶץ כְּנָ֑עַן וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֲלֵהֶ֗ם עֲל֥וּ זֶה֙ בַּנֶּ֔גֶב וַעֲלִיתֶ֖ם אֶת־הָהָֽר׃

Moses wanted to give the scouts a specifically defined mandate. The information they were asked to provide was strategic rather than tactical; for example, he did not ask them about particular fortifications or roads. Rather, Moses sent them to scout the land of Canaan, and he said to them: Ascend, enter the land from there in the South, and climb the highland.

וּרְאִיתֶ֥ם אֶת־הָאָ֖רֶץ מַה־הִ֑וא וְאֶת־הָעָם֙ הַיֹּשֵׁ֣ב עָלֶ֔יהָ הֶחָזָ֥ק הוּא֙ הֲרָפֶ֔ה הַמְעַ֥ט ה֖וּא אִם־רָֽב׃

You shall see the land, what it is like in general. And the people that lives in it, is it strong or is it weak? Are they few or many? How densely populated is the land?

וּמָ֣ה הָאָ֗רֶץ אֲשֶׁר־הוּא֙ יֹשֵׁ֣ב בָּ֔הּ הֲטוֹבָ֥ה הִ֖וא אִם־רָעָ֑ה וּמָ֣ה הֶֽעָרִ֗ים אֲשֶׁר־הוּא֙ יוֹשֵׁ֣ב בָּהֵ֔נָּה הַבְּמַֽחֲנִ֖ים אִ֥ם בְּמִבְצָרִֽים׃

What is the type of land in which it lives, with regard to its climate and fauna? Is it a good land or a bad one? What are the cities in which it lives? Is it in camps, unwalled settlements, or in cities that have walls as fortifications?

וּמָ֣ה הָ֠אָרֶץ הַשְּׁמֵנָ֨ה הִ֜וא אִם־רָזָ֗ה הֲיֵֽשׁ־בָּ֥הּ עֵץ֙ אִם־אַ֔יִן וְהִ֨תְחַזַּקְתֶּ֔ם וּלְקַחְתֶּ֖ם מִפְּרִ֣י הָאָ֑רֶץ וְהַ֨יָּמִ֔ים יְמֵ֖י בִּכּוּרֵ֥י עֲנָבִֽים׃

What is the nature of the land? Is it fat or lean? How fertile is its soil? Relatively speaking, which areas are more fertile and which ones less so? This information could also be relevant to understanding the locations of major population centers and the natures of the different possible travel routes. Are there trees in it, or not? Egypt does not have many natural trees, and some of those that have been growing there have been cut down. By contrast, at this time the entire central region of Canaan is thickly wooded. In addition, Moses instructed them: You shall strengthen yourselves, and you shall take samples from the fruit of the land and bring them back to show your brethren. At this juncture, the verse notes parenthetically that these days were the days of the first grapes, which ripen in the late spring.

וַֽיַּעֲל֖וּ וַיָּתֻ֣רוּ אֶת־הָאָ֑רֶץ מִמִּדְבַּר־צִ֥ן עַד־רְחֹ֖ב לְבֹ֥א חֲמָֽת׃

They ascended and scouted all the land, traversing the entire territory of Canaan from the wilderness of Tzin to Rehov, a place located at Levo Hamat in northern Syria.

וַיַּעֲל֣וּ בַנֶּגֶב֮ וַיָּבֹ֣א עַד־חֶבְרוֹן֒ וְשָׁ֤ם אֲחִימַן֙ שֵׁשַׁ֣י וְתַלְמַ֔י יְלִידֵ֖י הָעֲנָ֑ק וְחֶבְר֗וֹן שֶׁ֤בַע שָׁנִים֙ נִבְנְתָ֔ה לִפְנֵ֖י צֹ֥עַן מִצְרָֽיִם׃

They ascended in the South, and he came until Hebron. The second clause is stated in the singular despite the fact that the first clause is in the plural. It is possible that the scouts did not advance as a single unit for the entire trip, and therefore only one of them reached Hebron. According to the Sages, this was Caleb. It is likely that the people had preserved the memory of Hebron as the city of the forefathers. And Ahiman, Sheshai, and Talmai, children of the giant, were there. Parenthetically, the verse notes here that Hebron was built seven years before Tzo'an, a very important city of Egypt. Tzo'an was a well-known ancient city, and unlike other Egyptian cities, the time period of its establishment was also known. The verse therefore underscores the importance of the ancient city of Hebron by stating that it was founded even earlier than Tzo'an.

וַיָּבֹ֜אוּ עַד־נַ֣חַל אֶשְׁכֹּ֗ל וַיִּכְרְת֨וּ מִשָּׁ֤ם זְמוֹרָה֙ וְאֶשְׁכּ֤וֹל עֲנָבִים֙ אֶחָ֔ד וַיִּשָּׂאֻ֥הוּ בַמּ֖וֹט בִּשְׁנָ֑יִם וּמִן־הָרִמֹּנִ֖ים וּמִן־הַתְּאֵנִֽים׃

Toward the end of their journey back, they came to the Eshkol Ravine, and cut from there a vine with one cluster

לַמָּק֣וֹם הַה֔וּא קָרָ֖א נַ֣חַל אֶשְׁכּ֑וֹל עַ֚ל אֹד֣וֹת הָֽאֶשְׁכּ֔וֹל אֲשֶׁר־כָּרְת֥וּ מִשָּׁ֖ם בְּנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃

The verse notes: That place he, or they, called the Eshkol Ravine. It can be assumed that this valley was close to the wilderness, and therefore the scouts did not have to carry the grapes throughout the entire length of Canaan. Some commentaries suggest that the Eshkol Ravine should be identified with one of the streambeds planted with many vineyards found to the north of Hebron. The valley became commonly known as the Eshkol Ravine because of the cluster [ eshkol ] of grapes that the children of Israel cut from there.

וַיָּשֻׁ֖בוּ מִתּ֣וּר הָאָ֑רֶץ מִקֵּ֖ץ אַרְבָּעִ֥ים יֽוֹם׃

Since their mission was limited to gaining a general impression and their mandate did not include gathering detailed information, they returned from scouting the land at the conclusion of forty days.

וַיֵּלְכ֡וּ וַיָּבֹאוּ֩ אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֨ה וְאֶֽל־אַהֲרֹ֜ן וְאֶל־כָּל־עֲדַ֧ת בְּנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֛ל אֶל־מִדְבַּ֥ר פָּארָ֖ן קָדֵ֑שָׁה וַיָּשִׁ֨יבוּ אוֹתָ֤ם דָּבָר֙ וְאֶת־כָּל־הָ֣עֵדָ֔ה וַיַּרְא֖וּם אֶת־פְּרִ֥י הָאָֽרֶץ׃

They went and came to report back to Moses, and to Aaron, and to the entire congregation of the children of Israel, to the wilderness of Paran, more specifically to the place known as Kadesh. And they brought back word to them and to the entire congregation, who gathered to hear their account. This phrase serves as an additional indication that the scouts viewed themselves not only as emissaries of the leadership, but as agents of the entire nation. And in addition to their verbal testimony, they also showed them the fruit of the land.

וַיְסַפְּרוּ־לוֹ֙ וַיֹּ֣אמְר֔וּ בָּ֕אנוּ אֶל־הָאָ֖רֶץ אֲשֶׁ֣ר שְׁלַחְתָּ֑נוּ וְ֠גַם זָבַ֨ת חָלָ֥ב וּדְבַ֛שׁ הִ֖וא וְזֶה־פִּרְיָֽהּ׃

Addressing Moses directly in the presence of the assembled crowd, they related the details of their journey to him, and they said: We came to the land to which you sent us, and indeed it is flowing with milk and honey. It is a very fertile land, as God has told us, and this is a sample of some of its fruit.

אֶ֚פֶס כִּֽי־עַ֣ז הָעָ֔ם הַיֹּשֵׁ֖ב בָּאָ֑רֶץ וְהֶֽעָרִ֗ים בְּצֻר֤וֹת גְּדֹלֹת֙ מְאֹ֔ד וְגַם־יְלִדֵ֥י הָֽעֲנָ֖ק רָאִ֥ינוּ שָֽׁם׃

Only, you must know that the people that lives in the land is mighty. Its inhabitants are not meek or complacent, and therefore it will be difficult for us to subjugate them quickly. And furthermore the cities in which they live are fortified and very great; we also saw the children of the giant there.

עֲמָלֵ֥ק יוֹשֵׁ֖ב בְּאֶ֣רֶץ הַנֶּ֑גֶב וְ֠הַֽחִתִּי וְהַיְבוּסִ֤י וְהָֽאֱמֹרִי֙ יוֹשֵׁ֣ב בָּהָ֔ר וְהַֽכְּנַעֲנִי֙ יֹשֵׁ֣ב עַל־הַיָּ֔ם וְעַ֖ל יַ֥ד הַיַּרְדֵּֽן׃

Amalek lives in the southern region, along our route. According to the original plan for entering Canaan, the Israelites would have traveled north, through the Negev, and would have encountered opposition from the Amalekites. And in addition, the Hitites, the Yevusites, and the Emorites live in the highland, and the Canaanites live along the sea and alongside the Jordan.

וַיַּ֧הַס כָּלֵ֛ב אֶת־הָעָ֖ם אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֑ה וַיֹּ֗אמֶר עָלֹ֤ה נַעֲלֶה֙ וְיָרַ֣שְׁנוּ אֹתָ֔הּ כִּֽי־יָכ֥וֹל נוּכַ֖ל לָֽהּ׃

Although the scouts’ report was formally addressed to Moses, it was meant for the nation’s ears as well. Since the people trusted the scouts, they became fearful upon hearing their report, and they began to murmur among themselves and to voice their concerns. In response, Caleb silenced the people and directed their attention toward Moses. As the leader of the nation and the recipient of the scouts’ report, the response to the report should have come from him rather than from the initial reaction of the masses. Furthermore, Caleb added encouraging words of his own, and he said: Do not fear or hesitate! We shall be able to ascend and inherit it, the land, for we can prevail over it.

וְהָ֨אֲנָשִׁ֜ים אֲשֶׁר־עָל֤וּ עִמּוֹ֙ אָֽמְר֔וּ לֹ֥א נוּכַ֖ל לַעֲל֣וֹת אֶל־הָעָ֑ם כִּֽי־חָזָ֥ק ה֖וּא מִמֶּֽנּוּ׃

But the other men who ascended to the land along with him and with Joshua, representatives of the other tribes, contradicted him and said: We will not be able to ascend to the land, against the people, for it is stronger than we are. We do not have the military strength to fight those mighty armies. The Israelites, who until recently had been slaves in Egypt, were afraid to engage in open warfare.

וַיּוֹצִ֜יאוּ דִּבַּ֤ת הָאָ֙רֶץ֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר תָּר֣וּ אֹתָ֔הּ אֶל־בְּנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל לֵאמֹ֑ר הָאָ֡רֶץ אֲשֶׁר֩ עָבַ֨רְנוּ בָ֜הּ לָת֣וּר אֹתָ֗הּ אֶ֣רֶץ אֹכֶ֤לֶת יוֹשְׁבֶ֙יהָ֙ הִ֔וא וְכָל־הָעָ֛ם אֲשֶׁר־רָאִ֥ינוּ בְתוֹכָ֖הּ אַנְשֵׁ֥י מִדּֽוֹת׃

At first, the scouts provided a relatively objective account of what they had seen, answering the questions that were posed to them. But now they promulgated a slanderous report of the land that they scouted to the children of Israel. Their portrayals may not have been entirely false, but they were slanted in a deliberate effort to create a negative impression, saying: The land, which we passed through to scout it, is a land that devours its inhabitants. There are many diseases and untimely deaths there. And conversely, all the people whom we saw in it were people of size, large individuals. Although the mortality rate is high, large people with strong bodies are able to live there.

וְשָׁ֣ם רָאִ֗ינוּ אֶת־הַנְּפִילִ֛ים בְּנֵ֥י עֲנָ֖ק מִן־הַנְּפִלִ֑ים וַנְּהִ֤י בְעֵינֵ֙ינוּ֙ כַּֽחֲגָבִ֔ים וְכֵ֥ן הָיִ֖ינוּ בְּעֵינֵיהֶֽם׃

There we saw the Nefilim, sons of a giant, from among the Nefilim, an ancient race of giants. We were as grasshoppers in our eyes when we stood opposite these enormous individuals, and so we were in their eyes; they also related to us as small, worthless creatures. The huge fruits the scouts brought back also served to vividly illustrate for their listeners the likely dimensions of the people who inhabited the land.