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.(A) 27 They reported to Moses: “We went into the land where you sent us. Indeed it is flowing with milk and honey,(B) and here is some of its fruit. 28 However, the people living in the land are strong, and the cities are large and fortified.(C) We also saw the descendants of Anak(D) there. 29 The Amalekites(E) 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(F) 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[a](G) there—the descendants of Anak come from the Nephilim!(H) To ourselves we seemed like grasshoppers, and we must have seemed the same to them.”

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Footnotes

  1. Numbers 13:33 Possibly means fallen ones; traditionally, “giants”; Gn 6:4

26 came in to Moses and Aaron, and delivered their report to the entire congregation of Israel in the Wilderness of Paran at Kadesh. They brought back their report to the entire congregation and showed them the fruit of the land. 27 “We arrived at the place where you’ve sent us,” they reported, “and it certainly does flow with milk and honey. Furthermore, this is its fruit, 28 except that the people who have settled in the land are strong, and their cities are greatly fortified. We also saw the descendants of Anak. 29 Amalek lives throughout the Negev,[a] while the Hittites, Jebusites, and Amorites live in the hill country. The Canaanites live by the sea and on the bank of the Jordan.”

30 Caleb silenced the people on Moses’ behalf and responded, “Let’s go up and take control, because we can definitely conquer it.”

31 “We can’t attack those people,” the men who were with him said, “because they’re too strong compared to us.”

32 So they put out this false report to the Israelis about the land that they had explored: “The land that we’ve explored is one[b] that devours its inhabitants. All the people whom we observed were giants.[c] 33 We also saw the Nephilim,[d] the descendants of Anak. Compared to the Nephilim, as we see things, we’re like grasshoppers, and that’s their opinion of us!”

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Footnotes

  1. Numbers 13:29 I.e. the southern region of Israel; cf. Josh 10:40
  2. Numbers 13:32 Lit. is a land
  3. Numbers 13:32 Lit. observed are men of measurements
  4. Numbers 13:33 Cf. Gen 6:4