Twelve tribal leaders are sent from Kadesh to scout the land of Canaan during the grape harvest. They return after forty days carrying an enormous grape cluster, along with pomegranates and figs. Ten spies report that the land is good but its inhabitants are unconquerable giants. Caleb alone urges immediate advance; the majority report overwhelms the people with fear.
The command shelach-lekha ('send for yourself,' v. 2) uses the reflexive lekha, suggesting God grants permission rather than initiating the mission — a nuance the parallel account in Deuteronomy 1:22 confirms. The scouts are not ordinary soldiers but nesi'im ('chieftains'), making their failure a failure of leadership. The majority report distorts their own evidence: they saw a land that 'devours its inhabitants' (v. 32) — yet brought back fruit proving its extraordinary fertility. Fear rewrites reality.
The word vayaturu ('they scouted,' v. 21) from the root t-u-r has a neutral sense of exploration, but the same root appears negatively in verse 32 as dibbah ('a bad report'). We used 'scout' for the neutral occurrences and 'slander' for the dibbah to reflect the shift. The Nephilim reference (v. 33) — 'we saw the Nephilim' — creates a textual puzzle, since Genesis 6:4 places them before the flood. We retained the name without harmonizing.
The parallel account in Deuteronomy 1:22-25 attributes the scouting initiative to the people rather than God. The name change from Hoshea to Joshua (Yehoshua, v. 16) adds the divine name — 'the LORD saves.' The forty-day scouting period (v. 25) will become the basis for the forty-year wilderness sentence in Numbers 14:34. The Wadi Eshcol ('cluster valley,' v. 24) preserves the grape harvest in a place-name. **Tradition comparisons:** The Samaritan Pentateuch shows 1 moderate variant(s) in this chapter. See the [Samaritan Pentateuch](/samaritan-pentateuch/numbers).
וַיְדַבֵּ֥ר יְהֹוָ֖ה אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֥ה לֵּאמֹֽר׃
The LORD spoke to Moses:
KJV And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
Samaritan Pentateuch (4th c. BCE divergence)moderate
"(SP adds the people's request to send spies, harmonizing with Deut 1:22-23)"
In MT, the spy mission originates with God's command. Deuteronomy 1:22 says the people requested it. SP harmonizes by inserting the people's request before God's command, making both accounts consistent. This is one of SP's most notable harmonistic additions in Numbers.
שְׁלַח־לְךָ֣ אֲנָשִׁ֗ים וְיָתֻ֙רוּ֙ אֶת־אֶ֣רֶץ כְּנַ֔עַן אֲשֶׁר־אֲנִ֥י נֹתֵ֖ן לִבְנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל אִ֣ישׁ אֶחָד֩ אִ֨ישׁ אֶחָ֜ד לְמַטֵּ֤ה אֲבֹתָיו֙ תִּשְׁלָ֔חוּ כֹּ֖ל נָשִׂ֥יא בָהֶֽם׃
"Send men to scout the land of Canaan, which I am giving to the Israelites. Send one man from each ancestral tribe — every one of them a chieftain."
KJV Send thou men, that they may search the land of Canaan, which I give unto the children of Israel: of every tribe of their fathers shall ye send a man, every one a ruler among them.
וַיִּשְׁלַ֨ח אֹתָ֥ם מֹשֶׁ֛ה מִמִּדְבַּ֥ר פָּארָ֖ן עַל־פִּ֣י יְהֹוָ֑ה כֻּלָּ֣ם אֲנָשִׁ֔ים רָאשֵׁ֥י בְנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל הֵֽמָּה׃
So Moses dispatched them from the Wilderness of Paran at the LORD's command. All of them were leaders among the Israelites.
KJV And Moses by the commandment of the LORD sent them from the wilderness of Paran: all those men were heads of the children of Israel.
וְאֵ֖לֶּה שְׁמוֹתָ֑ם לְמַטֵּ֣ה רְאוּבֵ֔ן שַׁמּ֖וּעַ בֶּן־זַכּֽוּר׃
These were their names: From the tribe of Reuben — Shammua son of Zaccur.
KJV And these were their names: of the tribe of Reuben, Shammua the son of Zaccur.
לְמַטֵּ֣ה שִׁמְע֔וֹן שָׁפָ֖ט בֶּן־חוֹרִֽי׃
From the tribe of Simeon — Shaphat son of Hori.
KJV Of the tribe of Simeon, Shaphat the son of Hori.
לְמַטֵּ֣ה יְהוּדָ֔ה כָּלֵ֖ב בֶּן־יְפֻנֶּֽה׃
From the tribe of Judah — Caleb son of Jephunneh.
KJV Of the tribe of Judah, Caleb the son of Jephunneh.
לְמַטֵּ֣ה יִשָּׂשכָ֔ר יִגְאָ֖ל בֶּן־יוֹסֵֽף׃
From the tribe of Issachar — Igal son of Joseph.
KJV Of the tribe of Issachar, Igal the son of Joseph.
לְמַטֵּ֥ה אֶפְרָ֖יִם הוֹשֵׁ֥עַ בִּן־נֽוּן׃
From the tribe of Ephraim — Hoshea son of Nun.
KJV Of the tribe of Ephraim, Oshea the son of Nun.
לְמַטֵּ֣ה בִנְיָמִ֔ן פַּלְטִ֖י בֶּן־רָפֽוּא׃
From the tribe of Benjamin — Palti son of Raphu.
KJV Of the tribe of Benjamin, Palti the son of Raphu.
לְמַטֵּ֣ה זְבוּלֻ֔ן גַּדִּיאֵ֖ל בֶּן־סוֹדִֽי׃
From the tribe of Zebulun — Gaddiel son of Sodi.
KJV Of the tribe of Zebulun, Gaddiel the son of Sodi.
לְמַטֵּ֥ה יוֹסֵ֖ף לְמַטֵּ֣ה מְנַשֶּׁ֑ה גַּדִּ֖י בֶּן־סוּסִֽי׃
From the tribe of Joseph — specifically, from the tribe of Manasseh — Gaddi son of Susi.
KJV Of the tribe of Joseph, namely, of the tribe of Manasseh, Gaddi the son of Susi.
לְמַטֵּ֣ה דָ֔ן עַמִּיאֵ֖ל בֶּן־גְּמַלִּֽי׃
From the tribe of Dan — Ammiel son of Gemalli.
KJV Of the tribe of Dan, Ammiel the son of Gemalli.
לְמַטֵּ֣ה אָשֵׁ֔ר סְת֖וּר בֶּן־מִיכָאֵֽל׃
From the tribe of Asher — Sethur son of Michael.
KJV Of the tribe of Asher, Sethur the son of Michael.
לְמַטֵּ֣ה נַפְתָּלִ֔י נַחְבִּ֖י בֶּן־וׇפְסִֽי׃
From the tribe of Naphtali — Nahbi son of Vophsi.
KJV Of the tribe of Naphtali, Nahbi the son of Vophsi.
לְמַטֵּ֣ה גָ֔ד גְּאוּאֵ֖ל בֶּן־מָכִֽי׃
From the tribe of Gad — Geuel son of Machi.
KJV Of the tribe of Gad, Geuel the son of Machi.
אֵ֚לֶּה שְׁמ֣וֹת הָֽאֲנָשִׁ֔ים אֲשֶׁר־שָׁלַ֥ח מֹשֶׁ֖ה לָת֣וּר אֶת־הָאָ֑רֶץ וַיִּקְרָ֥א מֹשֶׁ֛ה לְהוֹשֵׁ֥עַ בִּן־נ֖וּן יְהוֹשֻֽׁעַ׃
These are the names of the men Moses sent to scout the land. Moses renamed Hoshea son of Nun as Joshua.
KJV These are the names of the men which Moses sent to spy out the land. And Moses called Oshea the son of Nun Jehoshua.
וַיִּשְׁלַ֤ח אֹתָם֙ מֹשֶׁ֔ה לָת֖וּר אֶת־אֶ֣רֶץ כְּנָ֑עַן וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֲלֵהֶ֗ם עֲל֥וּ זֶה֙ בַּנֶּ֔גֶב וַעֲלִיתֶ֖ם אֶת־הָהָֽר׃
Moses sent them to scout the land of Canaan, telling them, "Go up through the Negev and continue up into the hill country.
KJV And Moses sent them to spy out the land of Canaan, and said unto them, Get you up this way southward, and go up into the mountain:
וּרְאִיתֶ֥ם אֶת־הָאָ֖רֶץ מַה־הִ֑וא וְאֶת־הָעָם֙ הַיֹּשֵׁ֣ב עָלֶ֔יהָ הֶחָזָ֥ק הוּא֙ הֲרָפֶ֔ה הַמְעַ֥ט ה֖וּא אִם־רָֽב׃
Observe what the land is like, and the people living in it — whether they are strong or weak, few or many.
KJV And see the land, what it is; and the people that dwelleth therein, whether they be strong or weak, few or many;
וּמָ֣ה הָאָ֗רֶץ אֲשֶׁר־הוּא֙ יֹשֵׁ֣ב בָּ֔הּ הֲטוֹבָ֥ה הִ֖וא אִם־רָעָ֑ה וּמָ֣ה הֶֽעָרִ֗ים אֲשֶׁר־הוּא֙ יוֹשֵׁ֣ב בָּהֵ֔נָּה הַבְּמַֽחֲנִ֖ים אִ֥ם בְּמִבְצָרִֽים׃
What is the land they inhabit like — is it good or poor? And the cities where they live — are they open encampments or fortified strongholds?
KJV And what the land is that they dwell in, whether it be good or bad; and what cities they be that they dwell in, whether in tents, or in strong holds;
וּמָ֣ה הָ֠אָ֠רֶץ הַשְּׁמֵנָ֨ה הִ֜וא אִם־רָזָ֗ה הֲיֵֽשׁ־בָּ֥הּ עֵץ֙ אִם־אַ֔יִן וְהִ֨תְחַזַּקְתֶּ֔ם וּלְקַחְתֶּ֖ם מִפְּרִ֣י הָאָ֑רֶץ וְהַ֨יָּמִ֔ים יְמֵ֖י בִּכּוּרֵ֥י עֲנָבִֽים׃
Is the soil rich or thin? Are there trees on it or not? Be bold, and bring back some of the land's produce." (It was the season of the first ripe grapes.)
KJV And what the land is, whether it be fat or lean, whether there be wood therein, or not. And be ye of good courage, and bring of the fruit of the land. Now the time was the time of the firstripe grapes.
וַֽיַּעֲל֖וּ וַיָּתֻ֣רוּ אֶת־הָאָ֑רֶץ מִמִּדְבַּר־צִ֥ן עַד־רְחֹ֖ב לְבֹ֥א חֲמָֽת׃
They went up and scouted the land from the Wilderness of Zin all the way to Rehob, near Lebo-hamath.
KJV So they went up, and searched the land from the wilderness of Zin unto Rehob, as men come to Hamath.
וַיַּעֲל֣וּ בַנֶּ֘גֶב֮ וַיָּבֹ֣א עַד־חֶבְרוֹן֒ וְשָׁ֤ם אֲחִימַן֙ שֵׁשַׁ֣י וְתַלְמַ֔י יְלִידֵ֖י הָעֲנָ֑ק וְחֶבְר֗וֹן שֶׁ֤בַע שָׁנִים֙ נִבְנְתָ֔ה לִפְנֵ֖י צֹ֥עַן מִצְרָֽיִם׃
They went up through the Negev and reached Hebron, where Ahiman, Sheshai, and Talmai — descendants of Anak — were living. (Hebron had been built seven years before Zoan in Egypt.)
KJV And they ascended by the south, and came unto Hebron; where Ahiman, Sheshai, and Talmai, the children of Anak, were. (Now Hebron was built seven years before Zoan in Egypt.)
וַיָּבֹ֜אוּ עַד־נַ֣חַל אֶשְׁכֹּ֗ל וַיִּכְרְת֨וּ מִשָּׁ֤ם זְמוֹרָה֙ וְאֶשְׁכּ֤וֹל עֲנָבִים֙ אֶחָ֔ד וַיִּשָּׂאֻ֥הוּ בַמּ֖וֹט בִּשְׁנָ֑יִם וּמִן־הָרִמֹּנִ֖ים וּמִן־הַתְּאֵנִֽים׃
They reached the Wadi Eshcol and cut a branch there bearing a single cluster of grapes so large that two men had to carry it on a pole between them. They also brought back pomegranates and figs.
KJV And they came unto the brook of Eshcol, and cut down from thence a branch with one cluster of grapes, and they bare it between two upon a staff; and they brought of the pomegranates, and of the figs.
לַמָּק֣וֹם הַה֔וּא קָרָ֖א נַ֣חַל אֶשְׁכּ֑וֹל עַ֚ל אֹד֣וֹת הָֽאֶשְׁכּ֔וֹל אֲשֶׁר־כָּרְת֥וּ מִשָּׁ֖ם בְּנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃
That place was called the Wadi Eshcol — "Cluster Valley" — because of the grape cluster the Israelites cut there.
KJV The place was called the brook Eshcol, because of the cluster of grapes which the children of Israel cut down from thence.
וַיָּשֻׁ֖בוּ מִתּ֣וּר הָאָ֑רֶץ מִקֵּ֖ץ אַרְבָּעִ֥ים יֽוֹם׃
They returned from scouting the land at the end of forty days.
KJV And they returned from searching of the land after forty days.
וַיֵּלְכ֡וּ וַיָּבֹ֩אוּ֩ אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֨ה וְאֶֽל־אַהֲרֹ֜ן וְאֶל־כׇּל־עֲדַ֧ת בְּנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֛ל אֶל־מִדְבַּ֥ר פָּארָ֖ן קָדֵ֑שָׁה וַיָּשִׁ֨יבוּ אֹתָ֤ם דָּבָר֙ וְאֶת־כׇּל־הָ֣עֵדָ֔ה וַיַּרְא֖וּם אֶת־פְּרִ֥י הָאָֽרֶץ׃
They traveled back and came to Moses, Aaron, and the entire Israelite congregation in the Wilderness of Paran, at Kadesh. They delivered their report to them — to the whole congregation — and displayed the land's produce.
KJV And they went and came to Moses, and to Aaron, and to all the congregation of the children of Israel, unto the wilderness of Paran, to Kadesh; and brought back word unto them, and unto all the congregation, and shewed them the fruit of the land.
וַיְסַפְּרוּ־לוֹ֙ וַיֹּ֣אמְר֔וּ בָּ֕אנוּ אֶל־הָאָ֖רֶץ אֲשֶׁ֣ר שְׁלַחְתָּ֑נוּ וְ֠גַ֠ם זָבַ֨ת חָלָ֥ב וּדְבַ֛שׁ הִ֖וא וְזֶה־פִּרְיָֽהּ׃
They gave their report: "We entered the land where you sent us, and it truly does flow with milk and honey — here is its produce.
KJV And they told him, and said, We came unto the land whither thou sentest us, and surely it floweth with milk and honey; and this is the fruit of it.
אֶ֚פֶס כִּֽי־עַ֣ז הָעָ֔ם הַיֹּשֵׁ֖ב בָּאָ֑רֶץ וְהֶֽעָרִ֗ים בְּצֻר֤וֹת גְּדֹלֹת֙ מְאֹ֔ד וְגַם־יְלִדֵ֥י הָֽעֲנָ֖ק רָאִ֥ינוּ שָֽׁם׃
However — the people living in the land are fierce, the cities are fortified and extremely large, and we also saw descendants of Anak there.
KJV Nevertheless the people be strong that dwell in the land, and the cities are walled, and very great: and moreover we saw the children of Anak there.
עֲמָלֵ֥ק יוֹשֵׁ֖ב בְּאֶ֣רֶץ הַנֶּ֑גֶב וְ֠הַֽחִתִּ֠י וְהַיְבוּסִ֤י וְהָֽאֱמֹרִי֙ יוֹשֵׁ֣ב בָּהָ֔ר וְהַֽכְּנַעֲנִי֙ יוֹשֵׁ֣ב עַל־הַיָּ֔ם וְעַ֖ל יַ֥ד הַיַּרְדֵּֽן׃
The Amalekites occupy the Negev region. The Hittites, Jebusites, and Amorites occupy the hill country. The Canaanites occupy the territory along the sea and along the Jordan."
KJV The Amalekites dwell in the land of the south: and the Hittites, and the Jebusites, and the Amorites, dwell in the mountains: and the Canaanites dwell by the sea, and by the coast of Jordan.
וַיַּ֧הַס כָּלֵ֛ב אֶת־הָעָ֖ם אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֑ה וַיֹּ֗אמֶר עָלֹ֤ה נַעֲלֶה֙ וְיָרַ֣שְׁנוּ אֹתָ֔הּ כִּֽי־יָכ֥וֹל נוּכַ֖ל לָֽהּ׃
Caleb silenced the people before Moses and declared, "We should go up immediately and take possession of it, because we are fully capable of doing so!"
KJV And Caleb stilled the people before Moses, and said, Let us go up at once, and possess it; for we are well able to overcome it.
וְהָ֨אֲנָשִׁ֜ים אֲשֶׁר־עָל֤וּ עִמּוֹ֙ אָֽמְר֔וּ לֹ֥א נוּכַ֖ל לַעֲל֣וֹת אֶל־הָעָ֑ם כִּֽי־חָזָ֥ק ה֖וּא מִמֶּֽנּוּ׃
But the men who had gone up with him countered, "We cannot attack those people — they are stronger than we are."
KJV But the men that went up with him said, We be not able to go up against the people; for they are stronger than we.
וַיֹּצִ֜יאוּ דִּבַּ֤ת הָאָ֙רֶץ֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר תָּר֣וּ אֹתָ֔הּ אֶל־בְּנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל לֵאמֹ֑ר הָאָ֡רֶץ אֲשֶׁר֩ עָבַ֨רְנוּ בָ֜הּ לָת֣וּר אֹתָ֗הּ אֶ֣רֶץ אֹכֶ֤לֶת יוֹשְׁבֶ֙יהָ֙ הִ֔וא וְכׇל־הָעָ֛ם אֲשֶׁר־רָאִ֥ינוּ בְתוֹכָ֖הּ אַנְשֵׁ֥י מִדּֽוֹת׃
They spread a slanderous report about the land they had scouted among the Israelites, saying, "The land we traveled through to scout is a land that devours its inhabitants! And all the people we saw in it are men of enormous size.
KJV And they brought up an evil report of the land which they had searched unto the children of Israel, saying, The land, through which we have gone to search it, is a land that eateth up the inhabitants thereof; and all the people that we saw in it are men of a great stature.
וְשָׁ֣ם רָאִ֗ינוּ אֶת־הַנְּפִילִ֛ים בְּנֵ֥י עֲנָ֖ק מִן־הַנְּפִלִ֑ים וַנְּהִ֤י בְעֵינֵ֙ינוּ֙ כַּֽחֲגָבִ֔ים וְכֵ֥ן הָיִ֖ינוּ בְּעֵינֵיהֶֽם׃
We saw the Nephilim there — the Anakites descend from the Nephilim — and in our own eyes we seemed like grasshoppers, and that is how we must have appeared in their eyes too."
KJV And there we saw the giants, the sons of Anak, which come of the giants: and we were in our own sight as grasshoppers, and so we were in their sight.