The Spies
The Book of Numbers is better understood in terms of its name in Hebrew: Bemidbar, “in the wilderness,” for it described Israel’s preparations to depart from Mount Horeb/Sinai and their wanderings in the wilderness afterward. The events described therein would have taken place sometime around either 1450-1410 or 1250 BCE, depending on one’s view of the Exodus; Moses would have written the original text while in the land of Moab across the Jordan River from Jericho.
In Numbers 1:1-10:10, the Israelites faithfully followed all YHWH commanded in organizing the people and consecrating the Tabernacle and the Levites. Everything was thus prepared for YHWH to lead Israel directly into Canaan and fulfill all He had promised to their fathers.
Ultimately, Israel would enter Canaan, and YHWH would fulfill all He had promised to their fathers. Yet, as the narrative would unfold in Numbers 10:11-25:18, it would not happen for the generation which had seen the mighty works of YHWH in Egypt and the wilderness. All but Caleb and Joshua would fall dead in the wilderness because of their persistent rebellion. Signs of rebellion and discontent were present in Numbers 11:10-12:16, but the climax of this rebellion would come in Numbers 13:1-14:45 with the spies, their report, and Israel’s response.
While Israel remained at Kadesh in the Wilderness of Paran, YHWH called upon Moses to send out twelve men, one from each of the tribes, to investigate the land of Canaan which God was giving to them (Numbers 13:1-2). The men selected were not the same as those who had led the previous census; perhaps they represent a new generation of leaders (Numbers 13:3-16). Hoshea ben Nun was re-named Joshua by Moses (Numbers 13:16).
We are used to speaking of these men as spies, but they do not seem to act as surreptitiously as the spies of Joshua 2:1-24 did. They seem to be serving as pioneer explorers, providing reconnaissance regarding the condition and quality of the land and its people (Numbers 13:17-20). They did what they were asked to do: they explored the land from south to north and back again over forty days; they passed through Hebron, in which the sons of Anak, associated with the Nephilim, lived (cf. Genesis 6:1-4); they brought back a fresh cluster of grapes from the “Valley of Eschol,” named for how the staff holding those grapes bent on account of their weight, along with other fruits; and they returned to the people of Israel (Numbers 13:21-25).
All of the spies testified to Israel regarding the fecundity and quality of the land: it flowed with milk and honey, and they displayed its amazing fruit (Numbers 13:26-27). The majority of the spies decided to over-emphasize the difficulties which the inhabitants of the land would provide: its cities were large and fortified, its inhabitants were very tall, featuring some of the Anakim, and the spies were as grasshoppers in comparison, and so the land was one which would devour its inhabitants (Numbers 13:28-29, 31-33). Only Caleb ben Jephunneh of Judah provided encouragement the Israelites could overtake the land (Numbers 13:30).
The discouraging report had its intended effect on the Israelites, and perhaps then some. The Israelites lamented, mourned, and wept that night, asking why they had even left Egypt (Numbers 14:1-2). And then the people committed the ultimate act of unthinking, misguided nostalgia: they thought it better to select a leader and return to Egypt (Numbers 14:3-4).
At this Moses and Aaron fell prostrate before the Israelites (Numbers 14:5). Caleb and Joshua tore their garments in mourning and pleaded with the Israelites to cease their rebellion, encouraging confidence YHWH would give them the land if they remained faithful to Him (Numbers 14:6-9). The people threatened to stone them (Numbers 14:10).
Then the glory of YHWH appeared at the Tent of Meeting, and YHWH despaired to Moses regarding the people, and spoke of striking them all dead and making a great nation out of Moses (Numbers 14:10-12). Moses again interceded on behalf of the people, reminding YHWH of what the Egyptians and others would say as well as reminding YHWH regarding what He said about His loyal love and covenant faithfulness (Numbers 14:13-19).
YHWH forgave the people as Moses had asked, but the people had gone too far this time: YHWH’s name would be glorified, and this people who had seen His glory but rebelled against Him would die in the wilderness (Numbers 14:20-23). Caleb ben Jephunneh would enter the land and possess the areas he saw (Numbers 14:24). YHWH then commanded Moses to turn Israel back toward the wilderness in the direction of the Red Sea, for they would not be entering the land to conquer it immediately as had been planned (Numbers 14:25).
YHWH would again speak to Moses and Aaron in greater specificity: those twenty and older who murmured against Him would die in the wilderness (Numbers 14:26-29). Caleb and Joshua would enter the land with those under twenty, all of those whom the people were convinced would become victims of war and a prey for the Canaanites, and they would wander in the wilderness for forty years, a year for each day the spies had scouted out the land (Numbers 14:30-35).
The ten spies who had returned with a discouraging report would die by plague before YHWH; Caleb and Joshua would live (Numbers 14:36-38).
The Israelites recognized their sin and its severity (Numbers 14:39). They then attempted their own misguided form of “repentance,” marshaling themselves for battle against the Canaanites (Numbers 14:40). Moses warned them how their “repentance” was its own form of disobedience, since it did not take YHWH’s condemnation seriously; nevertheless, they went up into the land, and were decisively beaten back (Numbers 14:41-45).
Everything recorded in Numbers 1:1-12:16 has led up to this point. It was supposed to be the beginning of the great act of conquest for Israel by God. If the spies had come back with an encouraging message, perhaps honestly reckoning with the danger but with confidence YHWH would give them victory like Caleb did, all Israel could have then entered the land and enjoyed its fruit.
But the ten spies instead encouraged Israel in its discouragement and rebellion, making far more of the dangers before them with little regard to what God had already done for them and would, no doubt, continue to do for them. The depth of the Israelites’ misguided despair can be seen in their desire to return to Egypt. What did they really think the Egyptians would do if they all returned? How could that have possibly gone well for them in any way, shape, or form?
Israel did not think well at this moment, and their utter faithlessness was made apparent. They had entirely forgotten how YHWH had delivered them out of Egypt and rescued them from the hands of one of the greatest, if not the greatest, military power of the age. They did not give appropriate thought as to how Egypt claimed Canaan as part of its empire, and thus reason how if YHWH could defeat the Egyptian armies which had defeated the Canaanites, He could defeat the Canaanites as well. Of course Israel, on its own, was nothing before the Canaanites, and would have been easily defeated and a prey for them: Israel’s strength was not in itself but in YHWH who was delivering them and fulfilling the promises He had made to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
Those promises would find their fulfillment, but not for that faithless generation. Their condemnation remains ironically appropriate: those who wondered if it would be better to perish in the wilderness would indeed perish in the wilderness. Those who were feared to become victims and prey would become the triumphant conquerors. YHWH, in His judgment, ended up giving the people the very thing for which they asked, while yet remaining faithful to His covenant promises.
Numbers 15:1-36:13 will all flow from the events of Numbers 13:1-14:45. The people would wander in the wilderness; almost all of them, including Miriam, Aaron, and even eventually Moses, would die before entering the land of Canaan. Israel would conquer the land of Canaan as God had promised, but not yet. Much more would have to take place before then.
It has been tempting for every generation afterward to excoriate the generation of Israelites who left Egypt and died in the wilderness. How could they have proven so blind? Why did they never really trust in God? We do better, however, to ask ourselves how we might be much more like that generation than we would care to admit. How many times has God proven faithful, and yet we fall into despair the moment any adversity comes into view? How often have we obtained from God that for which we asked, even though it was absolutely not at all what we really wanted? How many times have we “repented” in misguided ways, not taking the judgments of God sufficiently seriously, and found ourselves embarrassed and ashamed? The Apostle Paul reminded the Corinthian Christians of this very generation for this very reason in 1 Corinthians 10:1-10, and has provided for us an important exhortation in 1 Corinthians 10:11-12:
These things happened to them as examples and were written for our instruction, on whom the ends of the ages have come. So let the one who thinks he is standing be careful that he does not fall.
May we follow God in Christ through the Spirit, ever on guard lest we presume to be greater than we are and stumble as did Israel in the wilderness, and instead always maintain confidence in God and His covenant loyalty, firm to the end!
Ethan R. Longhenry
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