Numbers 13 Summary: A Concise Overview in 5 Minutes

Numbers 13 Summary - A Quick Overview

WHEN:

• In Numbers 10, the Israelites set out from Mount Sinai to go to Paran on the 20th day of the 2nd month of the 2nd year after leaving Egypt.

• The year was approximately 1490 B.C.

CHARACTERS:

• Moses – God chose Moses to lead the Israelites. He was an Israelite (Hebrew) by birth but grew up in the house of the Pharaoh of Egypt.

• 12 Spies – 12 men from Israel were sent to Canaan to spy out the land.

• Joshua – Also known as Hoshea. He was Moses’ assistant and was the man selected as the spy from the tribe of Ephraim.

• Caleb – The spy from the tribe of Judah.

• Aaron – The High Priest of the Israelites. He was Moses’ brother.

WHERE:

• In Numbers 12, the Israelites moved their camp from Hazeroth to the wilderness of Paran, specifically to a place known as Kadesh.  

  The 12 spies went ahead of the camp of Israel, travelling north to inspect the southern part of the land of Canaan.

OUTLINE:

• 12 SPIES SENT TO SPY OUT THE LAND OF CANAAN (13:1-24):

  • God told Moses to select 12 spies, one chief man from each tribe, to spy out the land of Canaan.

  • The names of the 12 men are listed in verses 4-15.

  • The men were told to inspect the area known as the Negeb and the hill country and determine if the inhabitants were strong or weak.

  • They were also tasked with evaluating the land, whether it was fruitful or desolate.

  • They were told to bring back some of the produce because they would arrive at the beginning of grape harvest.

  • The men did as they were instructed, travelling from the wilderness of Zin to the Negeb and then on to the city of Hebron and the Valley of Eshcol.

  • In the Valley of Eshcol they cut down a cluster of grapes so large it had to be carried by two men.

• THE SPIES REPORT BACK TO MOSES AND AARON (13:25-33):

  • After 40 days of spying, the 12 Israelites returned to the camp of Israel.

  • They showed Moses, Aaron, and the all the people the fruit they found in Canaan and described the land as flowing with “milk and honey.”

  • But the spies bemoaned the fact that the people who inhabited the land were strong, and their cities fortified.

  • They told the people they saw the sons of Anak in the land.

  • The sons of Anak were a powerful race of people, of significant height, who descended from the Nephilim (Gen 6:4).

  • Most of the spies brought back a bad report, telling the people they would not be able to fight against the Canaanites because they were too strong.

  • But Caleb, the spy from Judah, boldly proclaimed his faith in God and told the people they ought to advance on Canaan immediately and take possession of the land.

APPLICATION:

• As a leader, you have a lot of influence over people, and you can use that influence to spread infectious faith or infectious faithlessness.

• The hopelessness of the majority of the spies spread through the camp of Israel like wildfire.

• Their words revealed they believed they served a weak God, and the people, over which they were chiefs, began to view God the same way.

• Being a leader is a big responsibility.

• You can either lead people into acts of great faith with confidence of success based of the enormity of God’s power, or you can lead people into despair and into believing their God is no greater than their own strength.

• Let’s all try to lead like Caleb.

DIAGRAM OF THE CAMP OF ISRAEL:

DIAGRAM OF THE TABERNACLE: