Numbers 13:26-33

The report of the spies 13:26-33

The spies reported that the land was indeed as fruitful as they had heard (Numbers 13:27), "nevertheless . . ." (Numbers 13:28). Everything the spies said from this word on was uncalled for. [Note: See J. A. Beck, "Geography and the Narrative Shape of Numbers 13," Bibliotheca Sacra 157:627 (July-September 2000):271-80.] Their commission had been to view the land and to report back on what they saw. It was not their job to determine if the Israelites could overcome the Canaanites. God had promised that He would give the land to His people.

It was the people and cities in Canaan that discouraged the spies (Numbers 13:28). These Hittites (Numbers 13:29) were probably one of the native tribes in Canaan, not the great Anatolian Hittites (cf. Joshua 1:4; Judges 1:26; 2 Samuel 11:3). As they had despised God’s provisions and plans (chs. 11-12), the 10 spies now disbelieved God’s promises that He would give the land and its people into their hands. They reckoned only on their own natural ability and failed to rely on God’s supernatural ability (Numbers 13:31).

They described the tall Anakites as Nephilim (Numbers 13:33).

The Nephilim were, "the demi-gods who lived on the earth before the flood (Genesis 6:4)." [Note: G. Wenham, p. 120.]

The word "Nephilim" means strong ones or tyrants, not people of gigantic stature, though it came to imply superhuman giants. The spies concluded that the Anakites were relatives of the Nephilim.

"The use of the term Nephilim seems to be deliberately provocative of fear, a term not unlike the concept of bogeymen and hobgoblins." [Note: Allen, p. 812.]