Numbers 13:21-14:4

Holman Christian Standard Bible

²¹ So they went up and scouted out the land from the Wilderness of Zin^[a] as far as Rehob^[b] near the entrance to Hamath.^{[c] 22} They went up through the Negev and came to Hebron, where Ahiman, Sheshai, and Talmai, the descendants of Anak,^(A) were living. Hebron was built seven years before Zoan^(B) in Egypt. ²³ When they came to the Valley of Eshcol,^(C) they cut down a branch with a single cluster of grapes, which was carried on a pole by two men. They also took some pomegranates and figs.^{(D) 24} That place was called the Valley of Eshcol^[d] because of the cluster of grapes the Israelites cut there. ²⁵ At the end of 40 days^(E) they returned from scouting out the land.

Report about Canaan

²⁶ The men went back to Moses, Aaron, and the entire Israelite community in the Wilderness of Paran at Kadesh. They brought back a report for them and the whole community, and they showed them the fruit of the land.^{(F) 27} They reported to Moses: “We went into the land where you sent us. Indeed it is flowing with milk and honey,^(G) and here is some of its fruit. ²⁸ However, the people living in the land are strong, and the cities are large and fortified.^(H) We also saw the descendants of Anak^(I) there. ²⁹ The Amalekites^(J) are living in the land of the Negev; the Hittites, Jebusites, and Amorites live in the hill country; and the Canaanites live by the sea and along the Jordan.”

³⁰ Then Caleb^(K) quieted the people in the presence of Moses and said, “We must go up and take possession of the land because we can certainly conquer it!”

³¹ But the men who had gone up with him responded, “We can’t go up against the people because they are stronger than we are!” ³² So they gave a negative report to the Israelites about the land they had scouted: “The land we passed through to explore is one that devours its inhabitants, and all the people we saw in it are men of great size. ³³ We even saw the Nephilim^[e](L) there—the descendants of Anak come from the Nephilim!^(M) To ourselves we seemed like grasshoppers, and we must have seemed the same to them.”

Israel’s Refusal to Enter Canaan

14 Then the whole community broke into loud cries, and the people wept that night. ² All the Israelites complained about Moses and Aaron,^(N) and the whole community told them, “If only we had died in the land of Egypt, or if only we had died in this wilderness! ³ Why is the Lord bringing us into this land to die by the sword? Our wives and little children will become plunder.^(O) Wouldn’t it be better for us to go back to Egypt?”^{(P) 4} So they said to one another, “Let’s appoint a leader and go back to Egypt.”