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Journey Through the Bible

Numbers 13:2-26

2 “Send some men to explore the land of Canaan, which I am giving to the Israelites. From each ancestral tribe send one of its leaders.”

3 So at the Lord’s command Moses sent them out from the Desert of Paran. All of them were leaders of the Israelites.

4 These are their names:
from the tribe of Reuben, Shammua son of Zaccur;

5 from the tribe of Simeon, Shaphat son of Hori;

6 from the tribe of Judah, Caleb son of Jephunneh;

7 from the tribe of Issachar, Igal son of Joseph;

8 from the tribe of Ephraim, Hoshea son of Nun;

9 from the tribe of Benjamin, Palti son of Raphu;

10 from the tribe of Zebulun, Gaddiel son of Sodi;

11 from the tribe of Manasseh (a tribe of Joseph), Gaddi son of Susi;

12 from the tribe of Dan, Ammiel son of Gemalli;

13 from the tribe of Asher, Sethur son of Michael;

14 from the tribe of Naphtali, Nahbi son of Vophsi;

15 from the tribe of Gad, Geuel son of Maki.

16 These are the names of the men Moses sent to explore the land. (Moses gave Hoshea son of Nun the name Joshua.)

17 When Moses sent them to explore Canaan, he said, “Go up through the Negev and on into the hill country.

18 See what the land is like and whether the people who live there are strong or weak, few or many.

19 What kind of land do they live in? Is it good or bad? What kind of towns do they live in? Are they unwalled or fortified?

20 How is the soil? Is it fertile or poor? Are there trees on it or not? Do your best to bring back some of the fruit of the land.” (It was the season for the first ripe grapes.)

21 So they went up and explored the land from the Desert of Zin as far as Rehob, toward Lebo Hamath.

22 They went up through the Negev and came to Hebron, where Ahiman, Sheshai and Talmai, the descendants of Anak, lived. (Hebron had been built seven years before Zoan in Egypt.)

23 When they reached the Valley of Eshcol, they cut off a branch bearing a single cluster of grapes. Two of them carried it on a pole between them, along with some pomegranates and figs.

24 That place was called the Valley of Eshcol because of the cluster of grapes the Israelites cut off there.

25 At the end of forty days they returned from exploring the land.

26 Report on the Exploration
They came back to Moses and Aaron and the whole Israelite community at Kadesh in the Desert of Paran. There they reported to them and to the whole assembly and showed them the fruit of the land.

Cross References for Numbers 13:2-26

Genesis 42:9 - Then he remembered his dreams about them and said to them, “You are spies! You have come to see... Click to read the verse Genesis 42:9 Click to read the verse Genesis 42:9

Joshua 2:1 - Rahab and the Spies Then Joshua son of Nun secretly sent two spies from Shittim. “Go, look over... Click to read the verse Joshua 2:1 Click to read the verse Joshua 2:1

Exodus 18:25 - He chose capable men from all Israel and made them leaders of the people, officials over thousa... Click to read the verse Exodus 18:25 Click to read the verse Exodus 18:25

Deuteronomy 1:15 - So I took the leading men of your tribes, wise and respected men, and appointed them to have au... Click to read the verse Deuteronomy 1:15 Click to read the verse Deuteronomy 1:15

Numbers 11:16 - The Lord said to Moses: “Bring me seventy of Israel’s elders who are known to you as leaders an... Click to read the verse Numbers 11:16 Click to read the verse Numbers 11:16

Numbers 1:4 - One man from each tribe, each the head of his family, is to help you. Click to read the verse Numbers 1:4 Click to read the verse Numbers 1:4

Numbers 32:8 - This is what your fathers did when I sent them from Kadesh Barnea to look over the land. Click to read the verse Numbers 32:8 Click to read the verse Numbers 32:8

Deuteronomy 1:22-25 - Then all of you came to me and said, “Let us send men ahead to spy out the land for us and brin... Click to read the verse Deuteronomy 1:22-25 Click to read the verse Deuteronomy 1:22-25

Numbers 34:18 - And appoint one leader from each tribe to help assign the land. Click to read the verse Numbers 34:18 Click to read the verse Numbers 34:18

Joshua 2:1-24 - Rahab and the Spies Then Joshua son of Nun secretly sent two spies from Shittim. “Go, look over... Click to read the verse Joshua 2:1-24 Click to read the verse Joshua 2:1-24

Joshua 4:2 - “Choose twelve men from among the people, one from each tribe, Click to read the verse Joshua 4:2 Click to read the verse Joshua 4:2

Joshua 18:4 - Appoint three men from each tribe. I will send them out to make a survey of the land and to wri... Click to read the verse Joshua 18:4 Click to read the verse Joshua 18:4