John Gill Commentary Numbers 13:3

"And Moses sent them from the wilderness of Paran according to the commandment of Jehovah: all of them men who were heads of the children of Israel." — Numbers 13:3 (ASV)

And Moses, by the commandment of the Lord
By his power, permission, and leave, as Jarchi, that there might be no delay through his means.

sent them from the wilderness of Paran
from Rithmah or Kadeshbarnea, which seem to be one and the same place in that wilderness. This, as before observed, was on the twenty ninth day of Sivan (See Gill on Numbers 13:1).

all those [were] heads of the children of Israel
were not mean and vulgar men, but persons of rule, who bore some office of magistracy and government among the people in their respective tribes.