Twelve Spies Survey Canaan
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In their unbelief they repeated their former error of murmuring
against Moses and Aaron. “This, then, is the end of all our high
hopes,” they said. They accused their leaders of deceiving the people
and bringing trouble upon Israel.
A wail of agony arose, mingled with the confused murmur of
voices. Bold to stand in defense of the word of God, Caleb did all in
his power to counteract the evil influence of his unfaithful associates.
He did not contradict what had been said; the walls were high and the
Canaanites strong. But God had promised the land to Israel. “Let us
go up at once and possess it,” urged Caleb, “for we are well able to
overcome it.”
But the ten, interrupting him, pictured the obstacles. “We be not
able to go up against the people,” they declared; “for they are stronger
then we... . All the people that we saw in it are men of a great stature;
and we were in our own sight as grasshoppers, and so we were in their
sight.”
Revolt and Open Mutiny
These men, having entered upon a wrong course, stubbornly set
themselves against Caleb and Joshua, against Moses, and against God.
They distorted the truth in order to sustain their baleful influence. “It
is a land that eateth up the inhabitants thereof,” they said. This was
not only an evil report; it was a lying one. The spies had declared the
country to be fruitful, and the people of giant stature, which would be
impossible if the climate were so unhealthful that the land could be
said to “eat up the inhabitants.”
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Revolt and open mutiny quickly followed. The people seemed
bereft of reason. They cursed Moses and Aaron, forgetting that en-
shrouded in the cloudy pillar, the Angel of His presence was witnessing
their terrible outburst of wrath. Then their feelings rose against God:
“Wherefore hath the Lord brought us unto this land, to fall by the
sword, that our wives and our children should be a prey? And they said
one to another, Let us make a captain, and let us return into Egypt.”
Thus they accused not only Moses but God Himself, of deception, in
promising them a land they were not able to possess.
Caleb and Joshua attempted to quiet the tumult. They rushed
in among the people, and their ringing voices were heard above the