The fascinating account of the 12 spies in the Bible is recorded in the book of Numbers chapter 13 and continues into Numbers chapter 14. The context of the story of the 12 spies of the Bible is that God promised the people of Israel a land of their own and He was going to lead them there.
Before this time, the children of Israel were in bondage as slaves in the country of Egypt. In Egypt, they had no land, no country of their own, just cruel masters.
God used Moses to both powerfully and miraculously lead His people out of Egypt. It was God’s will that they would go directly into their new land. God was eager to show this wonderful new gift to His people, so He instructed Moses to send some men to search the land of Canaan.
The Names of the 12 Spies In The Bible
The children of Israel were organized into twelve distinct tribes. At the Lord’s command, Moses chose a man from every tribe to check out the land of Canaan.
Numbers 13:1-3
“And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 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. 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.” (KJV)
The Holy Spirit of God recorded the specific names of each of these Israelite leaders who became spies in Numbers 13:4-16.
Moses’ Instructions to the 12 Spies In The Bible
Moses directed the men to enter this new land via Mount Seir. He wanted them to simply collect information about the people of the land since he knew that with God’s help, his people would be conquering the natives.
And Moses was also curious as to what kind of land and how fertile it was. Moses told them to bring back a sample of the crops, knowing that when they left it was the season when the first ripe grapes could be harvested.
Moses’ instructions to the spies are recorded in
Numbers 13:17-20
“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: And see the land, what it is; and the people that dwelleth therein, whether they be strong or weak, few or many; 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; 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.” (KJV)
The Actions of the 12 Spies In The Bible
After receiving their instructions from Moses, the men left on their journey. They were gone, searching the land, for forty days. They had entered the land when the grapes were first getting ripe. Forty days later, the grapes were still producing.
So the twelve spies decided to bring a bunch of grapes back to Moses, which they picked from the valley of Eschol. That single cluster of grapes was so large it took two of the men to carry it on a staff. Bible scholars estimate that the grapes themselves were about the size of softballs.
The actions of the twelve spies are recorded in
Numbers 13: 21-25
“So they went up, and searched the land from the wilderness of Zin unto Rehob, as men come to Hamath. 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.) 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. The place was called the brook Eshcol, because of the cluster of grapes which the children of Israel cut down from thence. And they returned from searching of the land after forty days.” (KJV)
The Report of the 12 Spies In The Bible
It was good news when the men returned with the enormous grapes. But when Moses questioned the men about the people of the land, he got a bad report.
The spies said the people were giants –specifically “the children of Anak”.
Giant grapes for giant people?
The spies said the giant inhabitants of the land lived in large cities with high walls. Ten of the spies said that the children of Israel could not take possession of this wonderful land. However, the spy Caleb was convinced that the children of Israel, since they had the power of God on their side, could easily this new land despite giants.
The report of the spies is recorded in
Numbers 13:27-33
“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. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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.” (KJV)
The Effect of the Evil Report of the 12 Spies In The Bible
When the people of the tribes of Israel heard about the giants, they were so discouraged they spent the entire night weeping bitterly, no doubt very angry and disappointed with God. He had delivered them out of Egypt and had promised them a wonderful land of their own. Now they felt they couldn’t have it.
In their angry complaining because of the evil report from the ten spies, they wished they could die in the wilderness, or go back to slavery in Egypt. Furthermore, they were convinced that even attempting to take the land of Canaan, their wives, and their children would be killed.
Their complaints are recorded in
Numbers 14:1-5
And all the congregation lifted up their voice, and cried; and the people wept that night. And all the children of Israel murmured against Moses and against Aaron: and the whole congregation said unto them, Would God that we had died in the land of Egypt! or would God we had died in this wilderness. And wherefore hath the LORD brought us unto this land, to fall by the sword, that our wives and our children should be a prey? were it not better for us to return into Egypt? And they said one to another, Let us make a captain, and let us return into Egypt.” (KJV)
Joshua and Caleb’s Response
Joshua and Caleb, were the only spies with a good report, these two had a different spirit than the other ten spies. They knew this was the good land God had promised to the people of Israel, and they knew that with God’s help, they could easily take possession of the land, despite the giants.
Caleb and Joshua were both shocked and disappointed at the lack of faith of the people of Israel. In their dismay at the negativity they were hearing, they tore (rent) their clothing.
They knew that the giants, the descendants of Anak, had no defense against the God of Israel. And they warned the congregation of Israel not to rebel against God.
Their wise words are recorded in
Numbers 14:6-9
“And Joshua the son of Nun, and Caleb the son of Jephunneh, which were of them that searched the land, rent their clothes: And they spake unto all the company of the children of Israel, saying, The land, which we passed through to search it, is an exceeding good land. If the LORD delight in us, then he will bring us into this land, and give it us; a land which floweth with milk and honey. Only rebel not ye against the LORD, neither fear ye the people of the land; for they are bread for us: their defence is departed from them, and the LORD is with us: fear them not.” (KJV)
But despite the wise words, from these faithful men, the whole community of Israel wanted to stone them to death.
God’s Judgement
Just as when children’s squabbles intensify, a stern parent must step in. So too God needed to intervene in this instance. And He did. Hearing the angry voice of God is a terrible thing.
Since the evil report of the majority of spies caused the people of Israel to murmur and complain against God, God declared that the entire generation who was then alive would wander in the wilderness for forty years, until all of them were dead.
The children whom they were concerned would die as they tried to conquer the land, would not die, but they, rather than their parents, would be able to possess this promised land.
God’s judgment against the whole community of Israel is described in
Numbers 14:26-35
"And the LORD spake unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying, How long shall I bear with this evil congregation, which murmur against me? I have heard the murmurings of the children of Israel, which they murmur against me. Say unto them, As truly as I live, saith the LORD, as ye have spoken in mine ears, so will I do to you: Your carcases shall fall in this wilderness; and all that were numbered of you, according to your whole number, from twenty years old and upward, which have murmured against me, Doubtless ye shall not come into the land, concerning which I sware to make you dwell therein, save Caleb the son of Jephunneh, and Joshua the son of Nun. But your little ones, which ye said should be a prey, them will I bring in, and they shall know the land which ye have despised.” (KJV)
The Outcome of the 12 Spies In The Bible
But God was not yet finished with His judgment. Because of the evil report brought back by the ten spies, and their negative attitudes which quickly spread and infected the rest of the people of Israel, resulting in God bringing judgment on them, God killed the ten spies with a plague, but He spared Joshua and Caleb because they had a different report, than the others.
Numbers 14:36-38
“And the men, which Moses sent to search the land, who returned, and made all the congregation to murmur against him, by bringing up a slander upon the land, Even those men that did bring up the evil report upon the land, died by the plague before the LORD. But Joshua the son of Nun, and Caleb the son of Jephunneh, which were of the men that went to search the land, lived still.” (KJV)
Bible Study On the 12 Spies In The Bible
This story of the 12 spies of the Bible is a historical fact. It is because of this incident that the children of Israel wandered for forty years in the wilderness. This Bible account is an object lesson that reminds us today that when God gives us a task to do, it may not be easy. There may even be giant obstacles. But despite the challenges, there also will be great blessings…remember the giant grapes?
When God directs us to do something for Him, for His glory, despite the obstacles, we will have His power to go with us. God’s power is greater than any giants we may face.
The people of Israel missed out on a wonderful blessing. This is a lesson to us today for God’s people to go forward in the power of God. It is His job to conquer the giants; and our job to go forward in faith and trust in Him.
For another Bible study article, check out 6 Women Who Are Examples of Bad Mothers In the Bible.
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