Numbers 13:3 - Moses sent them from the wilderness of Paran according to the commandment of Yahweh. All of them were men who were heads of the children of Israel.

Generated Verse: Numbers 13:3

What does "Numbers 13:3" mean?


Numbers 13:3 describes the beginning of the mission to spy out the land of Canaan. Let's break down the verse:

"Moses sent them from the wilderness of Paran": This specifies the starting point of the mission. The Wilderness of Paran was a desert region in the Sinai Peninsula where the Israelites were wandering.

"according to the commandment of Yahweh": This emphasizes that Moses wasn't acting on his own initiative. He was following a direct order from God (Yahweh is the Hebrew name for God). This adds weight to the importance of the mission.

"All of them were men who were heads of the children of Israel": This tells us about the people chosen for the mission. They were all men, and they held positions of leadership (heads) within their respective tribes (children of Israel refers to the Israelite tribes/families). This suggests they were respected, influential individuals whose reports would carry significant weight with the people.

In summary, this verse highlights:

The divine authority behind the mission (God commanded it).
The location where the mission began (Wilderness of Paran).
The stature of the men chosen (leaders from each tribe), indicating the seriousness and importance of the undertaking.

The fact that these men were tribal leaders is crucial. Their report on the land would deeply influence the Israelites' willingness to enter and conquer Canaan. As the subsequent story unfolds, their lack of faith (with the exception of Joshua and Caleb) will have devastating consequences.

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