In preparation for Israel’s entry into the Promised Land, the Lord instructed Moses to appoint twelve men, one representative from each of the twelve tribes, to explore the land that He was giving to them. Among those appointed were Caleb from the tribe of Judah and Joshua from the tribe of Ephraim. The journey was not merely a survey of geography or an assessment of the land’s resources; it was a call for the Israelites to finally place their trust in God.
The Israelites could have used this expedition to renew their faith in the One who had delivered them from the powerful hand of Pharaoh and led them safely through the Red Sea. This was their opportunity to respond in faith to the same God who had proven Himself faithful time and again. However, the people failed miserably in placing their trust in Him. Their fear outweighed their faith, and as a result, they were sentenced to wander in the wilderness for forty years before a new generation would be allowed to enter the Promised Land.
So at the LORD’s command Moses sent them out from the Desert of Paran. – Numbers 13:3 (NIV)
At first glance, the mission appears to be a practical scouting assignment—meant to help the Israelites assess the land, plan how they would settle in, and prepare for potential military action. However, there was a deeper purpose behind God’s instruction. This journey into Canaan was intended to build their faith by giving them a firsthand glimpse of the land He had promised. God knew the doubts that were in the people’s hearts, but He allowed this mission so that they themselves could see the measure of their own faith. It was a moment of reflection and revelation, not just of the land’s fruitfulness, but of their readiness to trust in His promises.
God instructed that each tribe be represented by one of its leaders to ensure that the entire nation shared in the experience and responsibility. No group was left out. This equal representation meant that every tribe had the opportunity to see the land for themselves and later report back to their people. But more than that, it exposed that the struggle with unbelief was not isolated. By involving each tribe, God was showing that faith, or the lack of it, was a widespread issue, and every group needed to confront the condition of their trust in Him.
Interpreting God’s Word Through Human Eyes
Before the spies entered Canaan, Moses gave them detailed instructions on what to observe. He told them to examine the land’s geography, the strength and number of its people, the condition of the towns—whether fortified or not—and the quality of the soil. He also asked them to note whether the land had trees and to bring back some of its fruit, since it was the season for the first ripe grapes.
When the Israelites stood at the edge of the Red Sea, they were completely helpless. There was no path forward and no plan of escape. Moses did not propose building a bridge or making a road—he simply cried out to God. And in that moment of utter dependence, God opened a way where there was none. The people were delivered not by strategy, but by trusting in God’s power alone.
In contrast, when the time came to enter the Promised Land, the approach looked very different. God did command Moses to send men to explore the land (Numbers 13:1–2), but He did not instruct them to assess its strength or plan a strategy. However, Moses added his own interpretation of the instructions when he told the spies to evaluate the strength of the inhabitants, the fortifications of the towns, and the fertility of the soil. This shift in focus—from seeing the promise to calculating the risks—reveals a change in mindset not just of the people but of their leader Moses as well.
Moses interpreted God’s instruction through the lens of human planning. The people were no longer in a position of helplessness, at least in their own eyes. At the Red Sea, they had no choice but to rely on God. But now, standing on the threshold of Canaan, they believed they had the strength to conquer—and so they began to rely on their own understanding. What was meant to strengthen their faith turned into a test that exposed their fear and lack of trust.
The Report
The twelve spies explored the land of Canaan, travelling from the Desert of Zin to Rehob, passing through the Negev and reaching Hebron. In the Valley of Eshkol, they gathered a large cluster of grapes—so large that it had to be carried on a pole between two men—along with pomegranates and figs. After forty days of exploration, the spies returned to Moses, Aaron, and the Israelite community at Kadesh and presented both their report and the fruit they had brought. They confirmed that the land was indeed fruitful, flowing with milk and honey. However, they also expressed fear, describing the inhabitants as powerful and the cities as large and well-fortified.
Then Caleb silenced the people before Moses and said, “We should go up and take possession of the land, for we can certainly do it.” – Numbers 13:30 (NIV)
While the majority of the spies focused on their fears and assumptions, Caleb stood apart. He did not allow the size of the people or the strength of the cities to overshadow what he knew to be true about God’s faithfulness. Caleb’s confidence was not based on what he imagined could happen, but on what he had already witnessed: the power of God at work in delivering Israel from Egypt, parting the Red Sea, and sustaining them in the wilderness. The others, however, allowed their fear to shape their perception. They saw obstacles and assumed defeat, forgetting everything God had done for them.
In many ways, this mirrors how people today often respond to life’s challenges—not by trusting in the finished work of Jesus, who has already carried away their sin and overcome the world, but by dwelling on their circumstances. When people fix their eyes on their problems rather than on the sacrifice of Christ, they are choosing fear over faith. But like Caleb, those who remind themselves of what God has done are able to stand with courage, even when the odds seem overwhelming.
Fear Spreading Like Cancer
And they spread among the Israelites a bad report about the land they had explored. They said, “The land we explored devours those living in it. All the people we saw there are of great size. – Numbers 13:32 (NIV)
The other spies who went with Caleb discouraged the people and spread a negative and fearful report, describing the land as dangerous and its people as giants. The contrast between faith and fear is sharply evident in this moment. While Caleb saw the Promised Land through the lens of God’s promises, the majority of the spies allowed their fears to cloud their judgment. They magnified the challenges ahead, focusing on the strength of the people and the size of the cities, and assumed that they were powerless to conquer the land. Their perspective was driven by fear, and they viewed themselves as insignificant, like grasshoppers, compared to the giants in the land.
The negative report spread by the ten spies was more than just an observation about the land—it was a reflection of their own fear and unbelief. They didn’t simply want to share information; they wanted to rally support for their stance of reluctance and fear. Their hearts were filled with doubt, and rather than trust God’s promise, they sought to influence the people and sway them to share their fears. Caleb and Joshua, who stood firm in their faith, represented a contrast to the majority, and the fearful spies worked to undermine their faith by seeding doubt and spreading fear throughout the Israelite community.
Moses, through his interpretation of God’s command, had intended to gather information to help the people prepare. However, his expanded instructions led the spies to evaluate the situation in human terms rather than trusting fully in God’s promises. The focus shifted from a simple mission of trust to one of human calculation, leading the people to a place of fear instead of faith. The hearts of the spies influenced the hearts of the people, turning what was supposed to be a hopeful venture into a source of terror and doubt.
The Israelites, discouraged by the negative report of the ten spies, rebel against Moses and Aaron, expressing a desire to return to Egypt rather than enter the Promised Land. Caleb and Joshua, however, stand firm in their faith, urging the people to trust in God’s promises. Despite their pleas, the people threaten to stone them. In response to the rebellion, God becomes angry and decrees that the current generation, except for Caleb and Joshua, will not enter the Promised Land; they will wander in the wilderness for forty years. As a result, the Israelites, who were on the verge of entering the Promised Land, were forced to turn back and wander in the desert for forty years before God would permit them to take possession of the land.
So the men Moses had sent to explore the land, who returned and made the whole community grumble against him by spreading a bad report about it— these men who were responsible for spreading the bad report about the land were struck down and died of a plague before the LORD. Of the men who went to explore the land, only Joshua son of Nun and Caleb son of Jephunneh survived. – Numbers 14:36-38 (NIV)
Discussion Questions
- What is the purpose behind the LORD’s command for the people to explore the Promised Land? Why was it important to send a representative from each tribe?
- Why did Moses feel the need to add his own instructions to God’s command to simply explore the land? Do we sometimes interpret God’s Word based on our own understanding or perspective?
- Why did ten spies return with fear, while Caleb remained firm in his faith?
- How can the same event affect people differently, helping some grow in faith while causing others to fall into fear?
Map
The Jordan Valley 
Reply