Charles Ellicott Commentary Numbers 13

And the Lord spoke to Moses ... — There is no inconsistency between this statement and what is contained in Deuteronomy 1:22, where the sending of the spies is represented as having originated with the people. It is said there that the saying pleased Moses greatly; but it would be wholly inconsistent with the character and conduct of Moses to suppose that in a matter of such importance he would have acted in accordance with the suggestion of the people, or on his own judgment, without seeking direction from God.

The command that was given to Moses must not be regarded as necessarily implying that the expedition of the spies was, in the first instance, ordained by God, any more than the command that was afterwards given to Balaam to accompany the messengers of Balak was any indication that God originally commanded or approved of his journey.

Every one a ruler among them.— Or, a prince among them, as in Numbers 1:16. A comparison of the names which follow with those which are given in Numbers 1:5-15 will show that the persons selected were not the tribal princes who are mentioned in connection with the census. The tribe of Levi, as in the former case, is not represented, as the Levites were to have no inheritance in the land, and the number of twelve, as in Numbers 1:0, is made up by the division of the tribe of Joseph into the two tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh.

And Moses, by the commandment of the Lord, sent them, etc.— Better, And Moses sent them, from the wilderness of Paran, according to the command (literally, the mouth) of the Lord, that is, as appears from Deuteronomy 1:19, from Kadesh-barnea.

Caleb the son of Jephunneh.— In three places—namely, in Numbers 32:12; in Joshua 14:6; and in Joshua 14:14—Caleb is described as the Kenezite (or rather, the Kenizzite). Now in Genesis 15:19 the Kenizzites are mentioned as one of the Canaanite tribes, and in Genesis 36:11; Genesis 36:15, Kenaz occurs as an Edomite name. It has been conjectured from these facts, but, it would seem, on insufficient grounds, that Caleb was of foreign origin and that he had been incorporated into the tribe of Judah.

Of the tribe of Ephraim.— It has been supposed that there is some displacement of the text in this verse. Thus far the order of the tribes is the same as in Numbers 1:5-8. After Issachar, Zebulun (the sixth son of Leah) would naturally follow, as in Numbers 1:9, and Ephraim and Manasseh would naturally be connected, as in Numbers 1:10. This supposition is supported by the occurrence of the name of Joseph in Numbers 13:7 and Numbers 13:11. The order of the remaining four tribes is the same as in Numbers 1, except that the tribe of Naphtali is placed before, instead of after, that of Gad.