INTRODUCTION: God had promised the Israelites that He had reserved a land of milk and honey for them (Exodus 3:8And I am come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians, and to bring them up out of that land unto a good land and a large, unto a land flowing with milk and honey; unto the place of the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites.
See All...; Exodus 13:5And it shall be when the LORD shall bring thee into the land of the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Amorites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites, which he sware unto thy fathers to give thee, a land flowing with milk and honey, that thou shalt keep this service in this month.
See All...; Leviticus 20:24But I have said unto you, Ye shall inherit their land, and I will give it unto you to possess it, a land that floweth with milk and honey: I am the LORD your God, which have separated you from other people.
See All...). He had even “espied” the land Himself for them (Ezekiel 20:5-6 [5] And say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; In the day when I chose Israel, and lifted up mine hand unto the seed of the house of Jacob, and made myself known unto them in the land of Egypt, when I lifted up mine hand unto them, saying, I am the LORD your God; [6] In the day that I lifted up mine hand unto them, to bring them forth of the land of Egypt into a land that I had espied for them, flowing with milk and honey, which is the glory of all lands:
See All...), but they had to see for themselves (see Deuteronomy 1:22-23 [22] And ye came near unto me every one of you, and said, We will send men before us, and they shall search us out the land, and bring us word again by what way we must go up, and into what cities we shall come. [23] And the saying pleased me well: and I took twelve men of you, one of a tribe:
See All...). They could not take God’s word that He would give them the land. They had to determine for themselves whether or not they could take it. As a result, God removed His blessings and allowed them to walk in their own counsels (Psalm 81:10-12 [10] I am the LORD thy God, which brought thee out of the land of Egypt: open thy mouth wide, and I will fill it. [11] But my people would not hearken to my voice; and Israel would none of me. [12] So I gave them up unto their own hearts' lust: and they walked in their own counsels.
See All...). He let them wander for forty years in the wilderness (Ezekiel 20:13-17 [13] But the house of Israel rebelled against me in the wilderness: they walked not in my statutes, and they despised my judgments, which if a man do, he shall even live in them; and my sabbaths they greatly polluted: then I said, I would pour out my fury upon them in the wilderness, to consume them. [14] But I wrought for my name's sake, that it should not be polluted before the heathen, in whose sight I brought them out. [15] Yet also I lifted up my hand unto them in the wilderness, that I would not bring them into the land which I had given them, flowing with milk and honey, which is the glory of all lands; [16] Because they despised my judgments, and walked not in my statutes, but polluted my sabbaths: for their heart went after their idols. [17] Nevertheless mine eye spared them from destroying them, neither did I make an end of them in the wilderness.
See All...).

1. THE CHOOSING OF THE SPIES (Numbers 13:1-16 [1] And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, [2] Send thou men, that they may search the land of Canaan, which I give unto the children of Israel: of every tribe of their fathers shall ye send a man, every one a ruler among them. [3] And Moses by the commandment of the LORD sent them from the wilderness of Paran: all those men were heads of the children of Israel. [4] And these were their names: of the tribe of Reuben, Shammua the son of Zaccur. [5] Of the tribe of Simeon, Shaphat the son of Hori. [6] Of the tribe of Judah, Caleb the son of Jephunneh. [7] Of the tribe of Issachar, Igal the son of Joseph. [8] Of the tribe of Ephraim, Oshea the son of Nun. [9] Of the tribe of Benjamin, Palti the son of Raphu. [10] Of the tribe of Zebulun, Gaddiel the son of Sodi. [11] Of the tribe of Joseph, namely, of the tribe of Manasseh, Gaddi the son of Susi. [12] Of the tribe of Dan, Ammiel the son of Gemalli. [13] Of the tribe of Asher, Sethur the son of Michael. [14] Of the tribe of Naphtali, Nahbi the son of Vophsi. [15] Of the tribe of Gad, Geuel the son of Machi. [16] These are the names of the men which Moses sent to spy out the land. And Moses called Oshea the son of Nun Jehoshua.
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1. The Commandment of the Lord (Numbers 13:1-3 [1] And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, [2] Send thou men, that they may search the land of Canaan, which I give unto the children of Israel: of every tribe of their fathers shall ye send a man, every one a ruler among them. [3] And Moses by the commandment of the LORD sent them from the wilderness of Paran: all those men were heads of the children of Israel.
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1. The initial request came from the Israelites (Deuteronomy 1:22-23 [22] And ye came near unto me every one of you, and said, We will send men before us, and they shall search us out the land, and bring us word again by what way we must go up, and into what cities we shall come. [23] And the saying pleased me well: and I took twelve men of you, one of a tribe:
   See All...); they wanted to see the land and determine their ability to take it.
2. God commanded Moses to give them their request (Numbers 13:1-2 [1] And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, [2] Send thou men, that they may search the land of Canaan, which I give unto the children of Israel: of every tribe of their fathers shall ye send a man, every one a ruler among them.
   See All...).
1. Sometimes God gives us what we want even when it is contrary to His perfect will. That is why submission to the will of the Lord should always be a part of our prayer life (Numbers 13:1-2 [1] And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, [2] Send thou men, that they may search the land of Canaan, which I give unto the children of Israel: of every tribe of their fathers shall ye send a man, every one a ruler among them.
   See All...a).
2. God told them how to do it; a man from each tribe (Numbers 13:2Send thou men, that they may search the land of Canaan, which I give unto the children of Israel: of every tribe of their fathers shall ye send a man, every one a ruler among them.
   See All...b).
3. Moses carried out the commandment of the Lord (Numbers 13:3And Moses by the commandment of the LORD sent them from the wilderness of Paran: all those men were heads of the children of Israel.
   See All...).
1. Man’s request was not enough to put him to action.
2. He chose men who were heads of Israel; important men.
3. The Lord wants the Israelites to send the very best that they have. They were to choose men who were already natural leaders among their people. God demonstrates to all of mankind that even the best of what we have to offer is cowardly and weak apart from faith in His power.
4. He sent them from the wilderness of Paran where they were located (Numbers 12:16And afterward the people removed from Hazeroth, and pitched in the wilderness of Paran.
   See All...). This is located in the northeastern section of the Sinai peninsula directly south of Israel.
2. The Names of the Men (Numbers 13:4-16 [4] And these were their names: of the tribe of Reuben, Shammua the son of Zaccur. [5] Of the tribe of Simeon, Shaphat the son of Hori. [6] Of the tribe of Judah, Caleb the son of Jephunneh. [7] Of the tribe of Issachar, Igal the son of Joseph. [8] Of the tribe of Ephraim, Oshea the son of Nun. [9] Of the tribe of Benjamin, Palti the son of Raphu. [10] Of the tribe of Zebulun, Gaddiel the son of Sodi. [11] Of the tribe of Joseph, namely, of the tribe of Manasseh, Gaddi the son of Susi. [12] Of the tribe of Dan, Ammiel the son of Gemalli. [13] Of the tribe of Asher, Sethur the son of Michael. [14] Of the tribe of Naphtali, Nahbi the son of Vophsi. [15] Of the tribe of Gad, Geuel the son of Machi. [16] These are the names of the men which Moses sent to spy out the land. And Moses called Oshea the son of Nun Jehoshua.
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1. Caleb of the tribe of Judah (Numbers 13:6Of the tribe of Judah, Caleb the son of Jephunneh.
   See All...)
2. Oshea (Joshua) of the tribe of Ephraim (Numbers 13:8Of the tribe of Ephraim, Oshea the son of Nun.
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3. Note: The Levites did not send a spy because the Lord was their inheritance and so there was no need to spy the land.
4. Changing Joshua’s name (Numbers 13:16These are the names of the men which Moses sent to spy out the land. And Moses called Oshea the son of Nun Jehoshua.
   See All...)
1. From Oshea (Hoshea) meaning salvation or deliverance
2. To Jehoshua (Joshua) meaning The Lord is salvation or The Lord saves
3. Before Joshua went to spy the land it was important for him to know that salvation was of the Lord and not in his own strength.
2. THE COMMISSION OF THE SPIES  (Numbers 13:17-20 [17] And Moses sent them to spy out the land of Canaan, and said unto them, Get you up this way southward, and go up into the mountain: [18] And see the land, what it is, and the people that dwelleth therein, whether they be strong or weak, few or many; [19] And what the land is that they dwell in, whether it be good or bad; and what cities they be that they dwell in, whether in tents, or in strong holds; [20] And what the land is, whether it be fat or lean, whether there be wood therein, or not. And be ye of good courage, and bring of the fruit of the land. Now the time was the time of the firstripe grapes.
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1. His Directions (Numbers 13:17And Moses sent them to spy out the land of Canaan, and said unto them, Get you up this way southward, and go up into the mountain:
   See All...)
1. Go up by this way southward – they were to go directly north instead of around the Dead Sea as the Israelites eventually enter the land.
2. Go up into the mountain.
1. What mountain is not determined.
2. Probably refers to the entire central mountainous region.
3. Could refer to the mountain at Hebron (Joshua 14:12Now therefore give me this mountain, whereof the LORD spake in that day; for thou heardest in that day how the Anakims were there, and that the cities were great and fenced: if so be the LORD will be with me, then I shall be able to drive them out, as the LORD said.
   See All...) or to the mountain of Isaac’s sacrifice in the land of Moriah (Genesis 22:2And he said, Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest, and get thee into the land of Moriah; and offer him there for a burnt offering upon one of the mountains which I will tell thee of.
   See All...; 2 Chronicles 3:1Then Solomon began to build the house of the LORD at Jerusalem in mount Moriah, where the Lord appeared unto David his father, in the place that David had prepared in the threshingfloor of Ornan the Jebusite.
   See All...).
2. Their Purpose (Numbers 13:18-20 [18] And see the land, what it is, and the people that dwelleth therein, whether they be strong or weak, few or many; [19] And what the land is that they dwell in, whether it be good or bad; and what cities they be that they dwell in, whether in tents, or in strong holds; [20] And what the land is, whether it be fat or lean, whether there be wood therein, or not. And be ye of good courage, and bring of the fruit of the land. Now the time was the time of the firstripe grapes.
   See All...a)
1. See the land, what it is (Numbers 13:18And see the land, what it is, and the people that dwelleth therein, whether they be strong or weak, few or many;
   See All...).
2. See the people who dwell there (Numbers 13:18And see the land, what it is, and the people that dwelleth therein, whether they be strong or weak, few or many;
   See All...).
3. See the land, whether good or bad (Numbers 13:19And what the land is that they dwell in, whether it be good or bad; and what cities they be that they dwell in, whether in tents, or in strong holds;
   See All...).
4. See the cities, what kind of dwellings they have (Numbers 13:19And what the land is that they dwell in, whether it be good or bad; and what cities they be that they dwell in, whether in tents, or in strong holds;
   See All...).
5. See the land, whether there be wood or not (Numbers 13:20And what the land is, whether it be fat or lean, whether there be wood therein, or not. And be ye of good courage, and bring of the fruit of the land. Now the time was the time of the firstripe grapes.
   See All...).
6. NOTE: Moses obviously emphasized the land and its provision according to the promises of God. Half of God’s promise was that they were coming to a land flowing with milk and honey (Exodus 3:8And I am come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians, and to bring them up out of that land unto a good land and a large, unto a land flowing with milk and honey; unto the place of the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites.
   See All...; Exodus 13:5And it shall be when the LORD shall bring thee into the land of the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Amorites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites, which he sware unto thy fathers to give thee, a land flowing with milk and honey, that thou shalt keep this service in this month.
   See All...; Leviticus 20:24But I have said unto you, Ye shall inherit their land, and I will give it unto you to possess it, a land that floweth with milk and honey: I am the LORD your God, which have separated you from other people.
   See All...). If this half was true, then certainly God would fulfill the second half of the promise—that He would give them the land (Exodus 6:8And I will bring you in unto the land, concerning the which I did swear to give it to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob; and I will give it you for an heritage: I am the LORD.
   See All...; Exodus 12:25And it shall come to pass, when ye be come to the land which the LORD will give you, according as he hath promised, that ye shall keep this service.
   See All...: Leviticus 25:38I am the LORD your God, which brought you forth out of the land of Egypt, to give you the land of Canaan, and to be your God.
   See All...).
3. Final Instructions (Numbers 13:20And what the land is, whether it be fat or lean, whether there be wood therein, or not. And be ye of good courage, and bring of the fruit of the land. Now the time was the time of the firstripe grapes.
   See All...b)
1. Be of good courage (Deuteronomy 31:6-7 [6] Be strong and of a good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of them: for the LORD thy God, he it is that doth go with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee. [7] And Moses called unto Joshua, and said unto him in the sight of all Israel, Be strong and of a good courage: for thou must go with this people unto the land which the LORD hath sworn unto their fathers to give them; and thou shalt cause them to inherit it.
   See All...; Joshua 1:6Be strong and of a good courage: for unto this people shalt thou divide for an inheritance the land, which I sware unto their fathers to give them.
   See All..., 9, 18).
2. Bring the fruit of the land (Deuteronomy 1:25And they took of the fruit of the land in their hands, and brought it down unto us, and brought us word again, and said, It is a good land which the LORD our God doth give us.
   See All...).
1. The time of first ripe grapes
1. According to some sources this would be around the month of August and would only last a month.
2. This would mean that by the time the spies returned they were bringing grapes from the main harvest time.
2. Fruit is an outward manifestation of the goodness of the land.
3. THE SEARCHING OF THE SPIES (Numbers 13:21-25 [21] So they went up, and searched the land from the wilderness of Zin unto Rehob, as men come to Hamath. [22] And they ascended by the south, and came unto Hebron; where Ahiman, Sheshai, and Talmai, the children of Anak, were. (Now Hebron was built seven years before Zoan in Egypt.) [23] And they came unto the brook of Eshcol, and cut down from thence a branch with one cluster of grapes, and they bare it between two upon a staff; and they brought of the pomegranates, and of the figs. [24] The place was called the brook Eshcol, because of the cluster of grapes which the children of Israel cut down from thence. [25] And they returned from searching of the land after forty days.
   See All...)
1. Their Journey (Numbers 13:21-22 [21] So they went up, and searched the land from the wilderness of Zin unto Rehob, as men come to Hamath. [22] And they ascended by the south, and came unto Hebron; where Ahiman, Sheshai, and Talmai, the children of Anak, were. (Now Hebron was built seven years before Zoan in Egypt.)
   See All...)
1. Went as far north as Rehob on the way to Hamath (Numbers 13:21So they went up, and searched the land from the wilderness of Zin unto Rehob, as men come to Hamath.
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1. Hamath was up in Syria.
2. Rehob was in Galilee in the north of Israel.
2. Spent extra time in the region of Hebron (Numbers 13:22And they ascended by the south, and came unto Hebron; where Ahiman, Sheshai, and Talmai, the children of Anak, were. (Now Hebron was built seven years before Zoan in Egypt.)
   See All...; see also Joshua 14:12-15 [12] Now therefore give me this mountain, whereof the LORD spake in that day; for thou heardest in that day how the Anakims were there, and that the cities were great and fenced: if so be the LORD will be with me, then I shall be able to drive them out, as the LORD said. [13] And Joshua blessed him, and gave unto Caleb the son of Jephunneh Hebron for an inheritance. [14] Hebron therefore became the inheritance of Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenezite unto this day, because that he wholly followed the LORD God of Israel. [15] And the name of Hebron before was Kirjatharba; which Arba was a great man among the Anakims. And the land had rest from war.
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2. The Brook Eshcol (Numbers 13:23-24 [23] And they came unto the brook of Eshcol, and cut down from thence a branch with one cluster of grapes, and they bare it between two upon a staff; and they brought of the pomegranates, and of the figs. [24] The place was called the brook Eshcol, because of the cluster of grapes which the children of Israel cut down from thence.
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1. Gathered fruit in the valley (Numbers 13:23And they came unto the brook of Eshcol, and cut down from thence a branch with one cluster of grapes, and they bare it between two upon a staff; and they brought of the pomegranates, and of the figs.
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1. Grapes
2. Pomegranates
3. Figs
2. Called the brook Eshcol meaning bunch, as in a bunch of grapes
4. THE REPORT OF THE SPIES (Numbers 13:26-33 [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.
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1. The Land (Numbers 13:26-27 [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.
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1. The fruit of the land (Numbers 13:26-27 [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.
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2. A land flowing with milk and honey (Numbers 13:27And 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.
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3. NOTE: They confirmed that all that God had said about the land was true.
2. The People (Numbers 13:28-29 [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.
   See All...)
1. The people are strong (Numbers 13:28Nevertheless 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.
   See All...).
2. The cities are walled (Numbers 13:28Nevertheless 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.
   See All...).
3. The giants are there (Numbers 13:28Nevertheless 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.
   See All...); the children of Anak are also known as Anakim (Deuteronomy 2:10-11 [10] The Emims dwelt therein in times past, a people great, and many, and tall, as the Anakims; [11] Which also were accounted giants, as the Anakims; but the Moabites called them Emims.
   See All..., 21; Deuteronomy 9:1-2 [1] Hear, O Israel: Thou art to pass over Jordan this day, to go in to possess nations greater and mightier than thyself, cities great and fenced up to heaven, [2] A people great and tall, the children of the Anakims, whom thou knowest, and of whom thou hast heard say, Who can stand before the children of Anak!
   See All...); God would later destroy them (Deuteronomy 9:2-3 [2] A people great and tall, the children of the Anakims, whom thou knowest, and of whom thou hast heard say, Who can stand before the children of Anak! [3] Understand therefore this day, that the LORD thy God is he which goeth over before thee; as a consuming fire he shall destroy them, and he shall bring them down before thy face: so shalt thou drive them out, and destroy them quickly, as the LORD hath said unto thee.
   See All...; Joshua 11:21-22 [21] And at that time came Joshua, and cut off the Anakims from the mountains, from Hebron, from Debir, from Anab, and from all the mountains of Judah, and from all the mountains of Israel: Joshua destroyed them utterly with their cities. [22] There was none of the Anakims left in the land of the children of Israel: only in Gaza, in Gath, and in Ashdod, there remained.
   See All...).
4. The land is filled with strong nations (Numbers 13:29The 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.
   See All...).
3. Caleb’s Confidence (Numbers 13:30And 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.
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1. Let us go at once and possess the land.
2. We are well able to overcome it.
4. The Evil Report (Numbers 13:31-33 [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.
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1. We are not able to fight these people (Numbers 13:31But the men that went up with him said, We be not able to go up against the people; for they are stronger than we.
   See All...).
2. The land eats up its inhabitants (Numbers 13:32And 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.
   See All...).
3. The giants of the land make us look like grasshoppers (Numbers 13:33And 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.
   See All...).

CONCLUSION: God had shown His power and favor to the Israelites many times and in many ways. He had performed miracle after miracle on their behalf. He now expected them to trust in Him to fulfill His promises. They failed the test of faith.