Numbers 13

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Numbers 13

It is a memorable and very melancholy story which is related in this and the following chapter, of the turning back of Israel from the borders of Canaan, when they were just ready to set foot in it, and the sentencing of them to wander and perish in the wilderness for their unbelief and murmuring. It is referred to Ps. 95:7-11, and improved for warning to Christians, Heb. 3:7-19 In this chapter we have, I. The sending of twelve spies before them into Canaan, Num. 13:1-16. II. The instructions... read more

Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Numbers 13:1-20

Here we have, I. Orders given to send spies to search out the land of Canaan. It is here said, God directed Moses to send them (Num. 13:1; 2), but it appears by the repetition of the story afterwards (Deut. 1:22) that the motion came originally from the people; they came to Moses, and said, We will send men before us; and it was the fruit of their unbelief. They would not take God's word that it was a good land, and that he would, without fail, put them in possession of it. They could not... read more

Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Numbers 13:21-25

We have here a short account of the survey which the spies made of the promised land. 1. They went quite through it, from Zin in the south, to Rehob, near Hamath, in the north, Num. 13:21. See Num. 34:3; 8. It is probable that they did not go altogether in a body, lest they should be suspected and taken up, which there would be the more danger of if the Canaanites knew (and one would think they could not but know) how near the Israelites were to them; but they divided themselves into several... read more

Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Numbers 13:26-33

It is a wonder how the people of Israel had patience to stay forty days for the return of their spies, when they were just ready to enter Canaan, under all the assurances of success they could have from the divine power, and a constant series of miracles that had hitherto attended them; but they distrusted God's power and promise, and were willing to be held in suspense by their own counsels, rather than be brought to a certainty by God's covenant. How much do we stand in our own light by our... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Numbers 13

INTRODUCTION TO NUMBERS 13 In this chapter an order is given by the Lord, to send twelve men into the land of Canaan, to search and spy it, and which was accordingly executed, Numbers 13:1 ; and the names of the twelve persons are given, Numbers 13:4 ; the instructions they received from Moses, what part of the land they should enter into first, and what observations they should make on it, Numbers 13:17 ; which they attended to, and on their return brought some of the fruit of the... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Numbers 13:1

And the Lord Spake unto Moses ,.... When in the wilderness of Paran, either at Rithmah or Kadesh; this was on the twenty ninth day of the month Sivan, on which day, the Jews say F15 Ib. ut supra, (Seder Olam Rabba, c. 8. p. 24. & Meyer. Annotat. in ib. p. 338.) Pesikta, Chaskuni. , the spies were sent to search the land, which was a scheme of the Israelites' own devising, and which they first proposed to Moses, who approved of it as prudential and political, at least he gave his... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Numbers 13:2

Send thou men ,.... Which is rather a permission than a command; so Jarchi interprets it,"send men according to thy mind, I do not command thee, but if thou pleasest send;'this he observed was agreeable to Moses, and to the Israelites, and therefore granted it, or allowed them to take their own way, and which issued badly, as it always does, when men are left to their own counsel: that they may search the land of Canaan, which I give unto the children of Israel ; called the land of... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Numbers 13:3

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... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Numbers 13:4

And these were their names, of the tribe of Reuben, Shammua the son of Zaccur. From Numbers 13:4 , there is nothing but the names of the said persons, whose sons they were, and of what tribe; and the several tribes are mentioned, not according to the order of the birth of the patriarchs, nor according to the dignity of their mothers that bore them, but, very likely, according to the order in which they were sent, two by two, to search the land; for had they gone all twelve in a body,... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Numbers 13:5

Of the tribe of Simeon, Shaphat the son of Hori. See Gill on Numbers 13:4 . read more

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