Antiquities Book 3, Chapter 14
How Moses Sent Some Persons To Search Out The Land Of The Canaanites, And The Largeness Of Their Cities; And Further That When Those Who Were Sent Were Returned, After Forty Days And Reported That They Should Not Be A Match For Them, And Extolled The Strength Of The Canaanites The Multitude Were Disturbed And Fell Into Despair; And Were Resolved To Stone Moses, And To Return Back Again Into Egypt, And Serve The Egyptians.
1. When Moses had led the Hebrews away from thence to a place called
Paran, which was near to the borders of the Canaanites, and a place
difficult to be continued in, he gathered the multitude together to a
congregation; and standing in the midst of them, he said, "Of the two
things that God determined to bestow upon us, liberty, and the
possession of a Happy Country, the one of them ye already are partakers
of, by the gift of God, and the other you will quickly obtain; for we
now have our abode near the borders of the Canaanites, and nothing can
hinder the acquisition of it, when we now at last are fallen upon it: I
say, not only no king nor city, but neither the whole race of mankind,
if they were all gathered together, could do it. Let us therefore
prepare ourselves for the work, for the Canaanites will not resign up
their land to us without fighting, but it must be wrested from them by
great struggles in war. Let us then send spies, who may take a view of
the goodness of the land, and what strength it is of; but, above all
things, let us be of one mind, and let us honor God, who above all is
our helper and assister."
2. When Moses had said thus, the multitude requited him with marks of
respect; and chose twelve spies, of the most eminent men, one out of
each tribe, who, passing over all the land of Canaan, from the borders
of Egypt, came to the city Hamath, and to Mount Lebanon; and having
learned the nature of the land, and of its inhabitants, they came home,
having spent forty days in the whole work. They also brought with them
of the fruits which the land bare; they also showed them the excellency
of those fruits, and gave an account of the great quantity of the good
things that land afforded, which were motives to the multitude to go to
war. But then they terrified them again with the great difficulty there
was in obtaining it; that the rivers were so large and deep that they
could not be passed over; and that the hills were so high that they
could not travel along for them; that the cities were strong with walls,
and their firm fortifications round about them. They told them also,
that they found at Hebron the posterity of the giants. Accordingly these
spies, who had seen the land of Canaan, when they perceived that all
these difficulties were greater there than they had met with since they
came out of Egypt, they were affrighted at them themselves, and
endeavored to affright the multitude also.
3. So they supposed, from what they had heard, that it was impossible to
get the possession of the country. And when the congregation was
dissolved, they, their wives and children, continued their lamentation,
as if God would not indeed assist them, but only promised them fair.
They also again blamed Moses, and made a clamor against him and his
brother Aaron, the high priest. Accordingly they passed that night very
ill, and with contumelious language against them; but in the morning
they ran to a congregation, intending to stone Moses and Aaron, and so
to return back into Egypt.
4. But of the spies, there were Joshua the son of Nun, of the tribe of
Ephraim, and Caleb of the tribe of Judah, that were afraid of the
consequence, and came into the midst of them, and stilled the multitude,
and desired them to be of good courage; and neither to condemn God, as
having told them lies, nor to hearken to those who had affrighted them,
by telling them what was not true concerning the Canaanites, but to
those that encouraged them to hope for good success; and that they
should gain possession of the happiness promised them, because neither
the height of mountains, nor the depth of rivers, could hinder men of
true courage from attempting them, especially while God would take care
of them beforehand, and be assistant to them. "Let us then go," said
they, "against our enemies, and have no suspicion of ill success,
trusting in God to conduct us, and following those that are to be our
leaders." Thus did these two exhort them, and endeavor to pacify the
rage they were in. But Moses and Aaron fell on the ground, and besought
God, not for their own deliverance, but that he would put a stop to what
the people were unwarily doing, and would bring their minds to a quiet
temper, which were now disordered by their present passion. The cloud
also did now appear, and stood over the tabernacle, and declared to them
the presence of God to be there.
Paran, which was near to the borders of the Canaanites, and a place
difficult to be continued in, he gathered the multitude together to a
congregation; and standing in the midst of them, he said, "Of the two
things that God determined to bestow upon us, liberty, and the
possession of a Happy Country, the one of them ye already are partakers
of, by the gift of God, and the other you will quickly obtain; for we
now have our abode near the borders of the Canaanites, and nothing can
hinder the acquisition of it, when we now at last are fallen upon it: I
say, not only no king nor city, but neither the whole race of mankind,
if they were all gathered together, could do it. Let us therefore
prepare ourselves for the work, for the Canaanites will not resign up
their land to us without fighting, but it must be wrested from them by
great struggles in war. Let us then send spies, who may take a view of
the goodness of the land, and what strength it is of; but, above all
things, let us be of one mind, and let us honor God, who above all is
our helper and assister."
2. When Moses had said thus, the multitude requited him with marks of
respect; and chose twelve spies, of the most eminent men, one out of
each tribe, who, passing over all the land of Canaan, from the borders
of Egypt, came to the city Hamath, and to Mount Lebanon; and having
learned the nature of the land, and of its inhabitants, they came home,
having spent forty days in the whole work. They also brought with them
of the fruits which the land bare; they also showed them the excellency
of those fruits, and gave an account of the great quantity of the good
things that land afforded, which were motives to the multitude to go to
war. But then they terrified them again with the great difficulty there
was in obtaining it; that the rivers were so large and deep that they
could not be passed over; and that the hills were so high that they
could not travel along for them; that the cities were strong with walls,
and their firm fortifications round about them. They told them also,
that they found at Hebron the posterity of the giants. Accordingly these
spies, who had seen the land of Canaan, when they perceived that all
these difficulties were greater there than they had met with since they
came out of Egypt, they were affrighted at them themselves, and
endeavored to affright the multitude also.
3. So they supposed, from what they had heard, that it was impossible to
get the possession of the country. And when the congregation was
dissolved, they, their wives and children, continued their lamentation,
as if God would not indeed assist them, but only promised them fair.
They also again blamed Moses, and made a clamor against him and his
brother Aaron, the high priest. Accordingly they passed that night very
ill, and with contumelious language against them; but in the morning
they ran to a congregation, intending to stone Moses and Aaron, and so
to return back into Egypt.
4. But of the spies, there were Joshua the son of Nun, of the tribe of
Ephraim, and Caleb of the tribe of Judah, that were afraid of the
consequence, and came into the midst of them, and stilled the multitude,
and desired them to be of good courage; and neither to condemn God, as
having told them lies, nor to hearken to those who had affrighted them,
by telling them what was not true concerning the Canaanites, but to
those that encouraged them to hope for good success; and that they
should gain possession of the happiness promised them, because neither
the height of mountains, nor the depth of rivers, could hinder men of
true courage from attempting them, especially while God would take care
of them beforehand, and be assistant to them. "Let us then go," said
they, "against our enemies, and have no suspicion of ill success,
trusting in God to conduct us, and following those that are to be our
leaders." Thus did these two exhort them, and endeavor to pacify the
rage they were in. But Moses and Aaron fell on the ground, and besought
God, not for their own deliverance, but that he would put a stop to what
the people were unwarily doing, and would bring their minds to a quiet
temper, which were now disordered by their present passion. The cloud
also did now appear, and stood over the tabernacle, and declared to them
the presence of God to be there.