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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

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Numbers 13:6

Of the tribe of Judah, Caleb the son of Jephunneh. See Gill on Numbers 13:4 . read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Numbers 13:6

Caleb the son of Jephunneh. In Numbers 32:12 he is called "the Kenezite" ( הַקְּנִזּי ), which appears in Genesis 15:19 as the name of one of the ancient races inhabiting the promised land. It is possible that Jephunneh may have been connected by descent or otherwise with this race; it is more likely that the similarity of name was accidental. The younger son of Jephunneh, the father of Othniel, was a Kenaz ( קְנַז ), and so was Caleb's grandson (see on Joshua 15:17 ; 1... read more

Donald C. Fleming

Bridgeway Bible Commentary - Numbers 13:1-33

The twelve spies (13:1-33)Israel pushed on towards the promised land. The long and tiresome journey through the wilderness of Paran was relieved by stoppages at various points where the people set up camp for a few days (see 10:12; 11:35; 12:16; 13:3). As they moved nearer to Canaan, Moses sent twelve spies, one from each tribe, to see what they could find out about the country - its terrain, its people, its defences and its productivity (13:1-20). The spies probably split up, going in... read more

Thomas Constable

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - Numbers 13:1-25

The sending of the 12 spies into Canaan 13:1-25When the people arrived at Kadesh the Lord told them to go up and take possession of the land He had promised them (Deuteronomy 1:19-21). Kadesh stood in the Desert of Zin, which was a section of the great Paran wilderness. The people asked Moses if they could send spies ahead of them. They did so, "that they may search out the land for us, and bring back to us word of the way by which we should go up, and the cities which we shall enter"... read more

Thomas Constable

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - Numbers 13:1-33

The failure of the first generation chs. 13-14The events recorded in chapters 13 and 14 took place while Israel was at Kadesh. read more

Thomas Constable

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - Numbers 13:3-16

The men named as the spies were not the same as the tribal princes (conveners; Numbers 1:5-15; Numbers 7:12; et al.). Their personal qualifications for this mission may have been the basis for their selection."The name [Joshua, Numbers 13:16] describes a special role that Moses wished Joshua to have when he renamed him in Numbers 13:16. Joshua’s earlier name, Hoshea, simply means ’he has saved’. In the name Hoshea, the person or god who saves is not made clear. Moses specified the LORD as the... read more

John Dummelow

John Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible - Numbers 13:1-33

The Sending of the Spies and their Report8. Oshea] RV ’Hoshea,’ meaning ’help’ or ’salvation.’ Joshua, or Jehoshua (Numbers 13:16), means ’Jehovah is my help’: see on Exodus 17:9.17. Southward] RV by (RM ’into’) the South’: lit. ’into the Negeb’: see on Genesis 12:9. The spies, however, really went northward on this occasion, first through the Negeb, and then through the mountainous district lying N. of it, here called ’the mountain,’ afterwards the ’hill-country of Judah,’ to the W. of the... read more

Charles John Ellicott

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers - Numbers 13:6

(6) Caleb the son of Jephunneh.—In three places—viz., in Numbers 32:12; and in Joshua 14:6; Joshua 14:14—Caleb is described as the Kenezite (or rather, the Kenizzite). Now in Genesis 15:19 the Kenizzites are mentioned as one of the Canaanite tribes, and in Genesis 36:11; Genesis 36:15, Kenaz occurs as an Edomite name. It has been conjectured from these facts, but, as it should seem, on insufficient grounds, that Caleb was of foreign origin, and that he had been incorporated into the tribe of... read more

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