Were the spies Moses sent to spy on Canaan opposed to attacking?

Answer 1

In the Book of Numbers, there are two parallel stories of the spies who entered the land of the Canaanites, each representing a different tradition. The spies' reports are slightly different in each case, as are the subsequent events and then God's reaction to the disobedience of the spies and of the Israelites.

'Yahwist' versionIn one account, from the Yahwist source, Moses dispatched the spies, who travelled only as far north as Hebron (in the future kingdom of Judah). They issued their report to one person (Moses), stating that the land was 'flowing with milk and honey', but that the inhabitants were giants and and their cities fortified (Numbers 13:27-29). Only Caleb tried to encourage the Israelites to proceed with the conquest, to which the spies countered that the land was unconquerable (13:30-31,33). The people then refused to enter Canaan and plotted to elect a new captain to lead them back to Egypt (14:1b,4).

In this account, the spies not only issued an unfavourable report, but also opposed Caleb's proposal that the conquest proceed, because the land was unconquerable. Note that Joshua plays a very minor role in the Yahwist account.

'Priestly' version

In the second account, from the Priestly source, Moses appointed twelve heads of tribes to scout the land, and they toured the entire Promised Land, 'from the Wilderness of Zin to the entrance to Hamath'. The spies returned and displayed the land's fruit. They issued their report to Moses and Aaron, and to all the congregation, stating that Canaan was not only unconquerable, but a 'land that devours its inhabitants' (Numbers 13:32-33). Caleb and Joshua both tried to encourage the Israelites to proceed with the conquest, but the Israelites responded by calling for them to be stoned (14:6-10a). In this account, the spies do not directly oppose an invasion, as they do in the Yahwist account, but nevertheless they all died in a plague, all except Joshua and Caleb.

In this account, the spies issued an unfavourable report which resulted in the Israelites refusing to attack. They might have gone further in opposing this plan, but the story does not say. Their death in a plague can be read as suggesting that they did actually oppose any invasion of Canaan, and were therefore punished by God for their disobedience.