Albert Barnes Commentary Numbers 13
Albert Barnes Commentary
Numbers 13
Albert Barnes Commentary
Numbers 13
"And Jehovah spake unto Moses, saying," — Numbers 13:1 (ASV)
And the Lord spoke— The mission of the spies was first suggested by the Israelites themselves. See (Deuteronomy 1:22).
"Send thou men, that they may spy out 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 prince among them." — Numbers 13:2 (ASV)
A ruler - A comparison of the list with that of (Numbers 13:1; 13:5 and following) shows that they were not the princes of the tribes, but heads of houses or families (Numbers 12:4).
Of the names here given, those of Joshua and Caleb alone are otherwise known to us.
"These are the names of the men that Moses sent to spy out the land. And Moses called Hoshea the son of Nun Joshua." — Numbers 13:16 (ASV)
Oshea, Hoshea, or Hosea, the name also of the last king of Israel and the first minor prophet, means “deliverance” and by the hand of him who bore the title of “God’s salvation.” Jehoshua was contracted into Jeshua.
"And Moses sent them to spy out the land of Canaan, and said unto them, Get you up this way by the South, and go up into the hill-country:" — Numbers 13:17 (ASV)
Southward - Rather, “by the Negeb,” or south-country; a well-defined tract of territory forming the southernmost and least fertile portion of the land of Canaan and of the subsequent inheritance of Judah. It extended northward from Kadesh to within a few miles of Hebron, and from the Dead Sea westward to the Mediterranean .
Into the mountain - The hill-country of southern and central Canaan, mostly within the borders of Judah and Ephraim. It commences a few miles south of Hebron, and extending northward to the plain of Jezreel, runs out eventually northwestward into the sea in the headland of Carmel.
"and what the land is that they dwell in, whether it is good or bad; and what cities they are that they dwell in, whether in camps, or in strongholds;" — Numbers 13:19 (ASV)
In tents - that is, in open unwalled villages.
Jump to: