¹⁸ See the land, what it is; and the people who dwell therein, whether they are strong or weak, whether they are few or many; ¹⁹ 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;

²⁵ They returned from spying out the land at the end of forty days. ²⁶ They went and came to Moses, to Aaron, and to all the congregation of the children of Israel, to the wilderness of Paran, to Kadesh; and brought back word to them and to all the congregation. They showed them the fruit of the land. ²⁷ They told him, and said, “We came to the land where you sent us. Surely it flows with milk and honey, and this is its fruit. ²⁸ However, the people who dwell in the land are strong, and the cities are fortified and very large. Moreover, we saw the children of Anak there.

³⁰ Caleb stilled the people before Moses, and said, “Let’s go up at once, and possess it; for we are well able to overcome it!”

³¹ But the men who went up with him said, “We aren’t able to go up against the people; for they are stronger than we.” ³² They brought up an evil report of the land which they had spied out to the children of Israel, saying, “The land, through which we have gone to spy it out, is a land that eats up its inhabitants; and all the people who we saw in it are men of great stature. ³³ There we saw the Nephilim,^[a] the sons of Anak, who come from the Nephilim.^[b] We were in our own sight as grasshoppers, and so we were in their sight.”

14 All the congregation lifted up their voice, and cried; and the people wept that night. ² All the children of Israel murmured against Moses and against Aaron. The whole congregation said to them, “We wish that we had died in the land of Egypt, or that we had died in this wilderness! ³ Why does Yahweh bring us to this land, to fall by the sword? Our wives and our little ones will be captured or killed! Wouldn’t it be better for us to return into Egypt?” ⁴ They said to one another, “Let’s choose a leader, and let’s return into Egypt.”

⁵ Then Moses and Aaron fell on their faces before all the assembly of the congregation of the children of Israel.

⁶ Joshua the son of Nun and Caleb the son of Jephunneh, who were of those who spied out the land, tore their clothes. ⁷ They spoke to all the congregation of the children of Israel, saying, “The land, which we passed through to spy it out, is an exceedingly good land. ⁸ If Yahweh delights in us, then he will bring us into this land, and give it to us: a land which flows with milk and honey. ⁹ Only don’t rebel against Yahweh, neither fear the people of the land; for they are bread for us. Their defense is removed from over them, and Yahweh is with us. Don’t fear them.”

¹⁰ But all the congregation threatened to stone them with stones.

Yahweh’s glory appeared in the Tent of Meeting to all the children of Israel. ¹¹ Yahweh said to Moses, “How long will this people despise me? How long will they not believe in me, for all the signs which I have worked among them?