Spies

The sending of spies or scouts to reconnoiter Canaan before Israel's invasion was commanded by God and executed by Moses at the request of the people (Num. 13:1–2; Deut. 1:22). From Kadesh-barnea Moses selected twelve men — one chief from each tribe — who entered Canaan and surveyed it for forty days, returning with samples of its produce (including the famous cluster of grapes from the Valley of Eshcol) and a report on its inhabitants and fortifications (Num. 13:17–29).

Ten of the twelve gave a discouraging report, describing the inhabitants as giants before whom "we were as grasshoppers" (Num. 13:33), and the people's consequent rebellion condemned the entire adult generation of the Exodus to die in the wilderness (Num. 14). Only Caleb and Joshua, who brought the minority report of faith — "we are well able to overcome it" — survived to enter the land. Joshua later sent two spies to Jericho (Josh. 2), where they were sheltered by Rahab, who became a model of faith in the later tradition (Heb. 11:31; James 2:25).