What do we know about the 12 spies in the biblical Book of Numbers?

Answer 1

In the Book of Numbers, Moses sent spies to search the land of Canaan, but the narrative is actually two versions of the same story blended together. This creates an apparently confusing story, until we separate the two accounts. For this to happen, there must have been two authors, whose different and sometimes conflicting stories were woven together in the book.

Verse_.._Spies_narrative_of_the_Yahwist_author_(J)">Verse .. Spies narrative of the Yahwist author (J)13:17b-20 Moses dispatched the spies

13:22-25 The spies travelled only as far north as Hebron (in the future kingdom of Judah).

13:27-29 The spies returned and 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.

13:30 Caleb alone tried to encourage the Israelites to proceed with the conquest.

13:31,33 The spies countered Caleb's claim, stating that the land was unconquerable.

14:1b, 4 The people refused to enter Canaan and plotted to elect a new captain to lead them back to Egypt.

14:11-12 God was angry, threatening to destroy the people by plague.

14:20-25 God chose not to destroy the Israelites, instead they were to wander the desert until the present generation had died.

Verse_.._Spies_narrative_of_the_Priestly_author_(P)">Verse .. Spies narrative of the Priestly author (P)13:1-17a At God's command, Moses appointed twelve heads of tribes to scout the land, and dispached them from the Wilderness of Paran.

13:21 The spies toured the entire Promised Land, 'from the Wilderness of Zin to the entrance to Hamath'.

13:25-26 The spies returned and displayed the land's fruit. They issued their report to Moses and Aaron, and to all the congregation.

13:32-33 The report stated that Canaan was not only unconquerable, but a 'land that devours its inhabitants'.

14:1a, 2-3 The Israelites refused to enter Canaan.

14:6-10a Caleb and Joshua tried to encourage the Israelites to proceed with the conquest. The Israelites responded by calling for them to be stoned.

14: 26-35 God was angry and decreed that the Israelites will wander the wilderness for forty years, until the present sinful generation had died.

14:36-38 The spies died in a plague, all except Joshua and Caleb.

If the spies mission really did occur, then the Yahwist account ought to be closest to the facts, as it is some centuries older than the Priestly account. The Yahwist account was written from the viewpoint of the southern kingdom of Judah, with Caleb alone as the leader of the spies, who toured the Promised Land of Judah. The Priestly author sought to embrace the former residents of the northern kingdom as well as those of the south, keeping the southern leader, Caleb, but giving the northern hero, Joshua, a leading role in a mission that encompassed the two future kingdoms.

Answer 2

In the Book of Numbers, Moses sent spies to search the land of Canaan, but the narrative is actually two versions of the same story blended together. This creates an apparently confusing story, until we separate the two accounts. For this to happen, there must have been two authors, whose different and sometimes conflicting stories were woven together in the book.

Verse .. Spies narrative of the Yahwist author (J)

13:17b-20 Moses dispatched the spies

13:22-25 The spies travelled only as far north as Hebron (in the future kingdom of Judah).

13:27-29 The spies returned and 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.

13:30 Caleb alone tried to encourage the Israelites to proceed with the conquest.

13:31,33 The spies countered Caleb's claim, stating that the land was unconquerable.

14:1b, 4 The people refused to enter Canaan and plotted to elect a new captain to lead them back to Egypt.

14:11-12 God was angry, threatening to destroy the people by plague.

14:20-25 God chose not to destroy the Israelites, instead they were to wander the desert until the present generation had died.

Verse .. Spies narrative of the Priestly author (P)

13:1-17a At God's command, Moses appointed twelve heads of tribes to scout the land, and dispached them from the Wilderness of Paran.

13:21 The spies toured the entire Promised Land, 'from the Wilderness of Zin to the entrance to Hamath'.

13:25-26 The spies returned and displayed the land's fruit. They issued their report to Moses and Aaron, and to all the congregation.

13:32-33 The report stated that Canaan was not only unconquerable, but a 'land that devours its inhabitants'.

14:1a, 2-3 The Israelites refused to enter Canaan.

14:6-10a Caleb and Joshua tried to encourage the Israelites to proceed with the conquest. The Israelites responded by calling for them to be stoned.

14: 26-35 God was angry and decreed that the Israelites will wander the wilderness for forty years, until the present sinful generation had died.

14:36-38 The spies died in a plague, all except Joshua and Caleb.

If the spies mission really did occur, then the Yahwist account ought to be closest to the facts, as it is some centuries older than the Priestly account. The Yahwist account was written from the viewpoint of the southern kingdom of Judah, with Caleb alone as the leader of the spies, who toured the Promised Land of Judah. The Priestly author sought to embrace the former residents of the northern kingdom as well as those of the south, keeping the southern leader, Caleb, but giving the northern hero, Joshua, a leading role in a mission that encompassed the two future kingdoms.

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