Numbers 13:25-14:4
New American Standard Bible
The Spies’ Reports
25 When they returned from spying out the land, at the end of forty days, 26 they went on and came to Moses and Aaron and to all the congregation of the sons of Israel, [a]in the wilderness of Paran at (A)Kadesh; and they brought back word to them and to all the congregation, and showed them the fruit of the land. 27 So they reported to him and said, “We came into the land where you sent us, and (B)it certainly does flow with milk and honey, and (C)this is its fruit. 28 Nevertheless, (D)the people who live in the land are strong, and the cities are fortified and very large. And indeed, we saw (E)the [b]descendants of Anak there! 29 Amalek is living in the land of (F)the Negev, the Hittites, the Jebusites, and (G)the Amorites are living in the hill country, and (H)the Canaanites are living by the sea and by the side of the Jordan.”
30 Then Caleb quieted the people [c]before Moses and said, “We should by all means go up and take possession of it, for we will certainly prevail over it.” 31 But the men who had gone up with him said, “(I)We are not able to go up against the people, because they are too strong for us.” 32 So they brought (J)a bad report of the land which they had spied out to the sons of Israel, saying, “The land through which we have gone to spy out is (K)a land that devours its inhabitants; and (L)all the people whom we saw in it are people of great stature. 33 We also saw the [d](M)Nephilim there (the sons of Anak are part of the Nephilim); and (N)we were like [e]grasshoppers in our own sight, and so we were in their sight.”
The People Rebel
14 Then all the congregation [f]raised their voices and cried out, and the people wept [g]that night. 2 And all the sons of Israel (O)grumbled against Moses and Aaron; and the entire congregation said to them, “(P)If only we had died in the land of Egypt! Or even if we had died in this wilderness! 3 So why is the Lord bringing us into this land (Q)to fall by the sword? (R)Our wives and our little ones will become plunder! Would it not be better for us to return to Egypt?” 4 So they said to one another, “(S)Let’s appoint a leader and return to Egypt!”
Footnotes
- Numbers 13:26 Lit to
- Numbers 13:28 Lit sons
- Numbers 13:30 Lit toward
- Numbers 13:33 Lit fallen ones; LXX giants
- Numbers 13:33 Or locusts
- Numbers 14:1 Lit raised and gave their voice
- Numbers 14:1 Lit in that
Numbers 13:25-14:4
New King James Version
25 And they returned from spying out the land after forty days.
26 Now they departed and came back to Moses and Aaron and all the congregation of the children of Israel in the Wilderness of Paran, at (A)Kadesh; they brought back word to them and to all the congregation, and showed them the fruit of the land. 27 Then they told him, and said: “We went to the land where you sent us. It truly [a]flows with (B)milk and honey, (C)and this is its fruit. 28 Nevertheless the (D)people who dwell in the land are strong; the cities are fortified and very large; moreover we saw the descendants of (E)Anak there. 29 (F)The Amalekites dwell in the land of the South; the Hittites, the Jebusites, and the Amorites dwell in the mountains; and the Canaanites dwell by the sea and along the banks of the Jordan.”
30 Then (G)Caleb quieted the people before Moses, and said, “Let us go up at once and take possession, for we are well able to overcome it.”
31 (H)But the men who had gone up with him said, “We are not able to go up against the people, for they are stronger than we.” 32 And they (I)gave the children of Israel a bad report of the land which they had spied out, saying, “The land through which we have gone as spies is a land that devours its inhabitants, and (J)all the people whom we saw in it are men of great stature. 33 There we saw the [b]giants ((K)the descendants of Anak came from the giants); and we were (L)like[c] grasshoppers in our own sight, and so we were (M)in their sight.”
Israel Refuses to Enter Canaan
14 So all the congregation lifted up their voices and cried, and the people (N)wept that night. 2 (O)And all the children of Israel complained against Moses and Aaron, and the whole congregation said to them, “If only we had died in the land of Egypt! Or if only we had died in this wilderness! 3 Why has the Lord brought us to this land to [d]fall by the sword, that our wives and (P)children should become victims? Would it not be better for us to return to Egypt?” 4 So they said to one another, (Q)“Let us select a leader and (R)return to Egypt.”
Footnotes
- Numbers 13:27 Has an abundance of food
- Numbers 13:33 Heb. nephilim
- Numbers 13:33 As mere insects
- Numbers 14:3 be killed in battle
Numbers 13:25-14:4
King James Version
25 And they returned from searching of the land after forty days.
26 And they went and came to Moses, and to Aaron, and to all the congregation of the children of Israel, unto the wilderness of Paran, to Kadesh; and brought back word unto them, and unto all the congregation, and shewed them the fruit of the land.
27 And they told him, and said, We came unto the land whither thou sentest us, and surely it floweth with milk and honey; and this is the fruit of it.
28 Nevertheless the people be strong that dwell in the land, and the cities are walled, and very great: and moreover we saw the children of Anak there.
29 The Amalekites dwell in the land of the south: and the Hittites, and the Jebusites, and the Amorites, dwell in the mountains: and the Canaanites dwell by the sea, and by the coast of Jordan.
30 And Caleb stilled the people before Moses, and said, Let us go up at once, and possess it; for we are well able to overcome it.
31 But the men that went up with him said, We be not able to go up against the people; for they are stronger than we.
32 And they brought up an evil report of the land which they had searched unto the children of Israel, saying, The land, through which we have gone to search it, is a land that eateth up the inhabitants thereof; and all the people that we saw in it are men of a great stature.
33 And there we saw the giants, the sons of Anak, which come of the giants: and we were in our own sight as grasshoppers, and so we were in their sight.
14 And all the congregation lifted up their voice, and cried; and the people wept that night.
2 And all the children of Israel murmured against Moses and against Aaron: and the whole congregation said unto them, Would God that we had died in the land of Egypt! or would God we had died in this wilderness!
3 And wherefore hath the Lord brought us unto this land, to fall by the sword, that our wives and our children should be a prey? were it not better for us to return into Egypt?
4 And they said one to another, Let us make a captain, and let us return into Egypt.
Numbers 13:25-14:4
Amplified Bible
The Spies’ Reports
25 When they returned from spying out the land, at the end of forty days, 26 they came to Moses and Aaron and to all the congregation of the sons of Israel in the Wilderness of Paran at Kadesh, and brought back word to them and to all the congregation, and showed them the land’s fruit. 27 They reported to Moses and said, “We went in to the land where you sent us; and it certainly does [a]flow with milk and honey, and this is its fruit. 28 But the people who live in the land are strong, and the cities are [b]fortified (walled) and very large; moreover, we saw there the descendants of Anak [people of great stature and courage]. 29 [The people descended from] Amalek live in the land of the Negev (South country); the Hittite, the Jebusite, and the Amorite live in the hill country; and the Canaanites live by the [Dead] Sea and along the side of the Jordan.”
30 Then Caleb quieted the people before Moses, and said, “Let us go up at once and take possession of it; for we will certainly conquer it.” 31 But the men who had gone up with him said, “We are not able to go up against the people [of Canaan], for they are too strong for us.” 32 So they gave the Israelites a bad report about the land which they had spied out, saying, “The land through which we went, in spying it out, is a land that devours its inhabitants. And all the people that we saw in it are men of great stature. 33 There we saw the Nephilim (the sons of Anak are part of the Nephilim); and we were like grasshoppers in our own sight, and so we were in their sight.”
The People Rebel
14 Then all the congregation [of Israel] raised their voices and cried out, and the people wept that night. 2 All the Israelites murmured [in discontent] against Moses and Aaron; and the whole congregation said to them, “Oh that we had died in the land of Egypt! Or that we had died in this wilderness! 3 Why is the Lord bringing us to this land [of Canaan], to fall by the sword? Our wives and [c]children will become plunder. Would it not be better for us to return to Egypt?”(A) 4 So they said one to another, “Let us appoint a [new] leader and return to Egypt.”
Footnotes
- Numbers 13:27 This phrase referred to the abundant fertility of the land of Canaan. Milk (typically that of goats and sheep) was associated with abundance; “honey” referred mainly to syrups made from dates or grapes and was the epitome of sweetness. Bees’ honey was very rare and was considered the choicest of foods.
- Numbers 13:28 The spies probably had not seen walled cities before, having lived their childhood in Goshen in Egypt. Those who forgot God’s power to help them naturally found the situation formidable.
- Numbers 14:3 Lit little ones.
Numbers 13:25-14:4
Young's Literal Translation
25 And they turn back from spying the land at the end of forty days.
26 And they go and come in unto Moses, and unto Aaron, and unto all the company of the sons of Israel, unto the wilderness of Paran, to Kadesh; and they bring them and all the company back word, and shew them the fruit of the land.
27 And they recount to him, and say, `We came in unto the land whither thou hast sent us, and also it [is] flowing with milk and honey -- and this [is] its fruit;
28 only, surely the people which is dwelling in the land [is] strong; and the cities are fenced, very great; and also children of Anak we have seen there.
29 Amalek is dwelling in the land of the south, and the Hittite, and the Jebusite, and the Amorite is dwelling in the hill country, and the Canaanite is dwelling by the sea, and by the side of the Jordan.'
30 And Caleb stilleth the people concerning Moses, and saith, `Let us certainly go up -- and we have possessed it; for we are thoroughly able for it.'
31 And the men who have gone up with him said, `We are not able to go up against the people, for it [is] stronger than we;'
32 and they bring out an evil account of the land which they have spied unto the sons of Israel, saying, `The land into which we passed over to spy it, is a land eating up its inhabitants; and all the people whom we saw in its midst [are] men of stature;
33 and there we saw the Nephilim, sons of Anak, of the Nephilim; and we are in our own eyes as grasshoppers; and so we were in their eyes.'
14 And all the company lifteth up and give forth their voice, and the people weep during that night;
2 and all the sons of Israel murmur against Moses, and against Aaron, and all the company say unto them, `O that we had died in the land of Egypt, or in this wilderness, O that we had died!
3 and why is Jehovah bringing us in unto this land to fall by the sword? our wives and our infants are become a prey; is it not good for us to turn back to Egypt?'
4 And they say one unto another, `Let us appoint a head, and turn back to Egypt.'
New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
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