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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

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Numbers 13:22

And they ascended by the south ,.... When they returned, after they had searched the land, then they came into the south country again, which was in their way to Kadesh, where the camp of Israel remained; they are said to ascend, because of the hill country they again came to; for their coming to Hebron, and carrying a cluster of grapes from that place, not far from thence, was upon their return: and came unto Hebron ; which was in the hill country of Judea, in the tribe of Judah... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Numbers 13:23

And they came unto the brook of Eshcol ,.... Or "valley of Eshcol" F21 נחל "vallem", Pagninus, Junius & Tremellius, Piscator, Drusius. , which is here so called by anticipation from the following circumstance; and perhaps had not this name given it, until the children of Israel were possessed of the land, and then they called it so, in memory of what was done here at this time; it was not far from Hebron, as may be concluded from thence; and so Jerom, relating the travels of... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Numbers 13:22

Hebron was built seven years before Zoan in Egypt - The Zoan of the Scriptures is allowed to be the Tanis of the heathen historians, which was the capital of Lower Egypt. Some think it was to humble the pride of the Egyptians, who boasted the highest antiquity, that this note concerning the higher antiquity of Hebron was introduced by Moses. Some have supposed that it is more likely to have been originally a marginal note, which in process of time crept into the text; but all the versions... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Numbers 13:23

They bare it between two upon a staff - It would be very easy to produce a great number of witnesses to prove that grapes in the promised land, and indeed in various other hot countries, grow to a prodigious size. By Calmet, Scheuchzer, and Harmer, this subject has been exhausted, and to these I may refer the reader. Pliny mentions bunches of grapes in Africa each of which was larger than an infant. Radzvil saw at Rhodes bunches of grapes three quarters of an ell in length, each grape as... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Numbers 13:22

Verse 22 22.And they ascended by the south, and came unto Hebron. Their direct course was not, indeed, towards the south, but they proceeded along the southern border, until they came to Rehob and Hamath, after having passed the mountains. Hebron, however, in which Abraham had sojourned, is specified from amongst the other cities; and it is probable that the three sons of the giant, who are here named, were in possession of that city. But some think that Anak is not a proper name, and is used,... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Numbers 13:22

And came unto Hebron. This and the following details of their journey are appended to the general statement of Numbers 13:21 in that inartificial style of narrative still common in the East. On the name Hebron, and the perplexities which it causes, see on Genesis 13:18 ; Genesis 23:2 . Where Amman, Sheshai, and Talmai, the children of Anak, were. יְלִידֵי הָעֲנָק "Anak's progeny." Septuagint, γενεαὶ ἐνάχ , means simply "descendants of Anak." The Beni-Anak (Beni-Anakim in... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Numbers 13:23

The brook of Eshcol. Rather, "the valley of Eshcol," for it is not a land of brooks. Probably between Hebron and Jerusalem, where the grapes are still exceptionally fine, and the dusters of great size. They bare it between two on a staff, not on account of its weight, but simply in order not to spoil it. Common sense dictates the like precaution still in like cases. read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Numbers 13:22

The progenitor of the Anakim was Arba “the father of Anak” Joshua 15:13, from whom the city of Hebron took its name of Kirjath-Arba. Ahiman, Sheshai, and Talmai were probably not individual warriors, but names of three tribes of the Anakim. Hence, we find them still in existence half a century later, when Caleb, who now brought tidings of them, became their eventual destroyer Joshua 15:14.Now Hebron ... - This parenthesis explains that these two cities had a common founder, and were built, or... read more

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