Numbers 13-14

Numbers 13

Numbers 13:2 – Compare Genesis 12:7. God is fulfilling the promise He gave to Abraham. God repeated the promise in Genesis 15:18; 17:8; Exodus 3:8; 12:25.
Numbers 13:4-16 – The spies are chosen.
Numbers 13:17-24 – It is estimated the spies walked 350-500 miles over forty days – 9-14 miles a day.
Numbers 13:25-33 – The spies give their report. Most of the spies give a bad report, saying that giants live in fortified cities that they wouldn’t be able to take. Caleb spoke against them, joined by Joshua in the next chapter.
- Numbers 13:33 – Note that the spies said they seemed like grasshoppers to themselves.

Numbers 14:1-5 – The Israelites grumble and want to return to Egypt.
Numbers 14:6-10 – Caleb and Joshua try to encourage the people, but the people want to stone them.
- Compare Acts 20:29. This internal strife can happen in the church also.
Numbers 14:11-12 – God wants to disinherit the people and make a new nation from Moses.
Numbers 14:13-19 – Moses intercedes with God on behalf of the people.
Numbers 14:20-25 – God listens to Moses and doesn’t destroy the people, but sends them back into the wilderness to wander until the current generation dies off.
- See Joshua 4:19. This is within five days of being exactly forty years from Exodus 12:29-41, the Exodus from Egypt.
Numbers 14:39-45 – Some try to go fight in Canaan anyway, but God is not with them and they are defeated.