What is the meaning of Numbers 13:19? Is the land where they live good or bad? “Is the land where they live good or bad?” (Numbers 13:19a) • Moses is sending the spies to gather firsthand proof of what God had already promised: “I have come down to deliver them… to a land flowing with milk and honey” (Exodus 3:8). • The word “good” is not vague—it points to a land that is fruitful, healthy, and worth inheriting, just as Deuteronomy 8:7-9 later affirms with its list of springs, wheat, barley, vines, figs, and pomegranates. • Determining whether the land is “good” prepares Israel to appreciate God’s generosity rather than fear the unknown (cf. Deuteronomy 1:25, where the spies originally bring back fruit and testify, “It is a good land”). • Seeing goodness with their own eyes should stir gratitude and courage, because the land’s richness mirrors the goodness of the Giver (Psalm 34:8; James 1:17). • Practically, a good land means viable agriculture, secure water sources, and healthy pasture—elements essential for two million Israelites on the verge of settlement (Genesis 45:11). Are the cities where they dwell open camps or fortifications? “Are the cities where they dwell open camps or fortifications?” (Numbers 13:19b) • Moses also wants military intelligence. Open camps imply nomadic groups who are easier to displace, while fortified cities—those “large and fortified to the heavens” of Deuteronomy 9:1—signal entrenched, well-defended populations. • Earlier reports had spoken of “great and tall people… and the cities great and fortified” (Deuteronomy 1:28); confirming or disproving those fears matters for strategy. • The fortified city of Jericho, later described in Joshua 6:1 as “tightly shut up,” exemplifies the kind of stronghold Israel would face; yet God would collapse its walls, underscoring that fortifications do not intimidate Him (Psalm 46:7,11). • Assessing defenses enables Israel to plan responsibly—siege tactics differ from open-field engagement (see Numbers 31:3-5 for later organized warfare). • Spiritually, knowing the size of the obstacle magnifies the glory of God’s victory (Judges 7:2). Faith does not ignore facts; it views them through confidence in the Lord (Psalm 20:7). summary Numbers 13:19 shows Moses asking for two kinds of information: the quality of the land and the strength of its cities. The first reassures Israel of God’s bountiful promise; the second equips them for wise, courageous action. By inspecting both the blessings and the challenges, the spies would return able to testify that the land is indeed good and that, no matter how high the walls, the Lord who gives the land is greater still. |
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