a) Give an account of the report of the spies Moses sent to the land of Canaan. (b) Identify two lessons that can be drawn from this incident.

Answer Details

(a) The report of the spies sent to Canaan (Numbers 13-14)

At the LORD's command, Moses sent twelve men, one leader from each tribe, to spy out the land of Canaan. They were to find out whether the land was good or bad, whether the people were strong or weak, few or many, and whether the cities were fortified; and to bring back some of the fruit of the land.

The spies went up and searched the land for forty days, from the wilderness of Zin to Rehob. At the Valley of Eshcol they cut down a single cluster of grapes so large that it had to be carried on a pole between two men, along with pomegranates and figs, showing the richness of the land.

On their return they reported to Moses, Aaron and the whole congregation that the land truly flowed with milk and honey, and they showed its fruit. But they added a discouraging report: the people who dwelt there were strong, the cities were fortified and very large, and they had seen the descendants of Anak, giants, in the land, as well as Amalekites, Hittites, Jebusites, Amorites and Canaanites. Ten of the spies said, "We are not able to go up against the people, for they are stronger than we," and they spread a bad report, saying the land devoured its inhabitants and that they seemed like grasshoppers beside the giants.

Only Caleb and Joshua gave a positive report. Caleb quieted the people and said, "Let us go up at once and occupy it, for we are well able to overcome it." They urged the people not to rebel or fear, for the LORD was with them. But the congregation believed the ten and murmured against Moses, wishing they had died in Egypt, and even proposed choosing a new leader to take them back. Because of their unbelief, God decreed that that generation would wander in the wilderness for forty years and die there, and only Caleb and Joshua would enter the land. The ten faithless spies died of a plague.

(b) Two lessons from this incident

• We should trust God fully and not be ruled by fear, for with God all things are possible.
• Unbelief and disobedience bring loss and delay the fulfilment of God's promises, while faith and courage are rewarded.