The Free Thinkers guide to the Bible

Part 3 #4 – The Spies

The authority of Moses Vs the authority of Moses and Aaron

Welcome back to the Free Thinkers guide to the bible. I created this series so that ‘anyone’ can explore and understand the bible. You don’t need to be a biblical scholar; all you need is a desire to see what is written. I will present to you several biblical examples and demonstrate the process of sifting the accounts to reveal the hidden. This process is very similar to archeology, where the layers are excavated and analyzed. Just not the dirty part, though you will be digging up some dirt along the way.

Warning:

The series unfolds like a story in a book. Please study the content in the order it is presented in order to have the best experience. (The study series begins with Part 1 #1 – The Flood)

Preface

Welcome to the third portion of the study. In this portion we will build upon the knowledge we acquired in the first two studies. We have found that there are at least two distinct authors and a superb redactor(s) that has created edited and merged accounts and stories in the books of Genesis, Exodus and Numbers. In the second study we highlighted accounts that diminished or promoted Moses and Aaron.

The focus of this study is on the accounts that contrast the leadership of Moses against the leadership of Moses and Aaron. This example is two intermixed accounts of the same event written by different authors. I will present to you the accounts as I have separated them and offer them to you for review and critique.

*** indicates breaks where verses are used in the opposite account

Strikethrough is used to show where words or verses were likely added to skew the readers understanding of the account.

Scribal additions are highlighted in brown – Example: (Now Hebron was built ...)

The Spies - One story - Two accounts

Before beginning, read Numbers chapters thirteen and fourteen and Deuteronomy chapter one, Look for anything out of the ordinary and Jot down any questions that come to mind.

The Spies “A”

Num 13:1 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 2 Send thou men, that they may search the land of Canaan, which I give unto the children of Israel: of every tribe of their fathers shall ye send a man, everyone a ruler among them. 3 And Moses by the commandment of the LORD sent them from the wilderness of Paran: all those men were heads of the children of Israel.

13:4 And these were their names: of the tribe of Reuben, Shammua the son of Zaccur. 5 Of the tribe of Simeon, Shaphat the son of Hori. 6 of the tribe of Judah, Caleb the son of Jephunneh. 7 Of the tribe of Issachar, Igal the son of Joseph. 8 of the tribe of Ephraim, Oshea the son of Nun. 9 Of the tribe of Benjamin, Palti the son of Raphu. 10 Of the tribe of Zebulun, Gaddiel the son of Sodi. 11 Of the tribe of Joseph, namely, of the tribe of Manasseh, Gaddi the son of Susi. 12 Of the tribe of Dan, Ammiel the son of Gemalli. 13 Of the tribe of Asher, Sethur the son of Michael. 14 Of the tribe of Naphtali, Nahbi the son of Vophsi. 15 Of the tribe of Gad, Geuel the son of Machi. 16 These are the names of the men which Moses sent to spy out the land. And Moses called Oshea the son of Nun Jehoshua. ***

21 So they went up, and searched the land from the wilderness of Zin unto Rehob, as men come to Hamath. 22 And they ascended by the south, and came unto Hebron; where Ahiman, Sheshai, and Talmai, the children of Anak, were. (Now Hebron was built seven years before Zoan in Egypt.) ***

25 And they returned from searching of the land after forty days. 26 And they went and came to Moses, and to Aaron, and to all the congregation of the children of Israel, unto the wilderness of Paran, to Kadesh; and brought back word unto them, and unto all the congregation, and shewed them the fruit of the land.

*** 32 And they brought up an evil report of the land which they had searched unto the children of Israel, saying, the land, through which we have gone to search it, is a land that eateth up the inhabitants thereof; and all the people that we saw in it are men of a great stature. ***

Num 14:2 And all the children of Israel murmured (לין - lı̂yn) against Moses and against Aaron: and the whole congregation said unto them, Would God that we had died in the land of Egypt! or would God we had died in this wilderness! 3 And wherefore hath the LORD brought us unto this land, to fall by the sword, that our wives and our children should be a prey? Were it not better for us to return into Egypt? ***

5 Then Moses and Aaron fell on their faces before all the assembly of the congregation of the children of Israel. 6 And Joshua the son of Nun, and Caleb the son of Jephunneh, which were of them that searched the land, rent their clothes: 7 And they spake unto all the company of the children of Israel, saying, The land, which we passed through to search it, is an exceeding good land. 8 If the LORD delight in us, then he will bring us into this land, and give it us; a land which floweth with milk and honey. 9 Only rebel not ye against the LORD, neither fear ye the people of the land; for they are bread for us: their defense is departed from them, and the LORD is with us: fear them not. 10 But all the congregation bade stone them with stones. And the glory of the LORD appeared in the tabernacle of the congregation before all the children of Israel. ***

14:26 And the LORD spake unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying, 27 how long shall I bear with this evil congregation, which murmur (לין - lı̂yn) against me? I have heard the murmurings (תּלנּה - telûnâh) of the children of Israel, which they murmur (לין - lı̂yn) against me. 28 Say unto them, As truly as I live, saith the LORD, as ye have spoken in mine ears, so will I do to you: 29 Your carcases shall fall in this wilderness; and all that were numbered of you, according to your whole number, from twenty years old and upward, which have murmured (לין - lı̂yn) against me, 30 Doubtless ye shall not come into the land, concerning which I sware to make you dwell therein, save Caleb the son of Jephunneh, and Joshua the son of Nun. 31 But your little ones, which ye said should be a prey, them will I bring in, and they shall know the land which ye have despised. 32 But as for you, your carcases, they shall fall in this wilderness. 33 And your children shall wander in the wilderness forty years, and bear your whoredoms, until your carcases be wasted in the wilderness. 34 After the number of the days in which ye searched the land, even forty days, each day for a year, shall ye bear your iniquities, even forty years, and ye shall know my breach of promise. 35 I the LORD have said, I will surely do it unto all this evil congregation, that are gathered together against me: in this wilderness they shall be consumed, and there they shall die. 36 And the men, which Moses sent to search the land, who returned, and made all the congregation to murmur (לין - lı̂yn) against him, by bringing up a slander upon the land, 37 Even those men that did bring up the evil report upon the land, died by the plague (מגּפה maggêphâh) before the LORD. 38 But Joshua the son of Nun, and Caleb the son of Jephunneh, which were of the men that went to search the land, lived still.

Observations:

The “A” account begins with the Creator instructing Moses to send an elder from each tribe to search the land. The writer then lists the leaders who were chosen to search the land.

The “A” writer makes sure that the reader knows that Moses calls the leader of the tribe of Ephraim Joshua instead of his given name Oshea. What is the purpose for the writer providing this information to the reader?

The spies spend forty days searching the wilderness of Zin to Rehob and Hebron. They return to and speak to Moses, Aaron and the congregation and give them an evil report. The children of Israel murmur against Moses and Aaron and declare that it would be better for them to return to Egypt.

Moses and Aaron prostrate themselves before the people and Joshua (Oshea) and Caleb spoke to the people and tried to convince them that they should go up and take the land. The Creator told them that because the people murmured against him, they were to travel in the wilderness for forty years so that all of those who were twenty years and older would not see the land. The Creator states that Caleb and Joshua (Oshea) would enter the land (because they gave a good report to the people).

At the end of the account we read that the spies who gave the “evil” report died by a plague.

Word Occurrences:

Moses and Aaron – 4X

Joshua and Caleb – 3X

Murmur - 6X – (לין - lı̂yn) (תּלנּה - telûnâh) Note: See Bread/Flesh from Heaven study for word comparison/association.

Plague - 1X - (מגּפה maggêphâh) – Note: See The Rebellion “A” account plague and the Heresy at Peor “A” account plague for word comparison/association.

The Spies “B”

Num 12:16 And afterward the people removed from Hazeroth, and pitched in the wilderness of Paran.

Num 13:17 And Moses sent them to spy out the land of Canaan, and said unto them, Get you up this way southward, and go up into the mountain: 18 And see the land, what it is; and the people that dwelleth therein, whether they be strong or weak, few or many; 19 And what the land is that they dwell in, whether it be good or bad; and what cities they be that they dwell in, whether in tents, or in strong holds; 20 And what the land is, whether it be fat or lean, whether there be wood therein, or not. And be ye of good courage, and bring of the fruit of the land. (Now the time was the time of the firstripe grapes.) *** 23 And they came unto the brook of Eshcol, and cut down from thence a branch with one cluster of grapes, and they bare it between two upon a staff; and they brought of the pomegranates, and of the figs. 24 (The place was called the brook Eshcol, because of the cluster of grapes which the children of Israel cut down from thence). 25 And they returned from searching of the land after forty days. 26 And they went and came to Moses, *** 27 And they told him (יספרו לו ויאמרו) and said, we came unto the land whither thou sentest us, and surely it floweth with milk and honey; and this is the fruit of it. 28 Nevertheless the people be strong that dwell in the land, and the cities are walled, and very great: and moreover we saw the children of Anak there. 29 The Amalekites dwell in the land of the south: and the Hittites, and the Jebusites, and the Amorites, dwell in the mountains: and the Canaanites dwell by the sea, and by the coast of Jordan. 30 And Caleb stilled the people before Moses, and said, Let us go up at once, and possess it; for we are well able to overcome it. 31 But the men that went up with him said, we be not able to go up against the people; for they are stronger than we. *** 33 And there we saw the giants, the sons of Anak, which come of the giants: and we were in our own sight as grasshoppers, and so we were in their sight.

Num 14:1 And all the congregation lifted up their voice, and cried, and the people wept that night. *** 4 And they said one to another, Let us make a captain, and let us return into Egypt. *** 11 And the LORD said unto Moses, How long will this people provoke me? And how long will it be ere they believe me, for all the signs which I have shewed among them? 12 I will smite them with the pestilence, and disinherit them, and will make of thee a greater nation and mightier than they. 13 And Moses said unto the LORD, Then the Egyptians shall hear it, (for thou broughtest up this people in thy might from among them;) 14 And they will tell it to the inhabitants of this land: for they have heard that thou LORD art among this people, that thou LORD art seen face to face, and that thy cloud standeth over them, and that thou goest before them, by day time in a pillar of a cloud, and in a pillar of fire by night. 15 Now if thou shalt kill all this people as one man, then the nations which have heard the fame of thee will speak, saying, 16 Because the LORD was not able to bring this people into the land which he sware unto them, therefore he hath slain them in the wilderness. 17 And now, I beseech thee, let the power of my Lord be great, according as thou hast spoken, saying, 18 The LORD is longsuffering, and of great mercy, forgiving iniquity and transgression, and by no means clearing the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation. 19 Pardon, I beseech thee, the iniquity of this people according unto the greatness of thy mercy, and as thou hast forgiven this people, from Egypt even until now.

20 And the LORD said, I have pardoned according to thy word: 21 But as truly as I live, all the earth shall be filled with the glory of the LORD. 22 Because all those men which have seen my glory, and my miracles, which I did in Egypt and in the wilderness, and have tempted me now these ten times, and have not hearkened to my voice; 23 Surely they shall not see the land which I sware unto their fathers, neither shall any of them that provoked me see it:

24 But my servant Caleb, because he had another spirit with him, and hath followed me fully, him will I bring into the land whereinto he went; and his seed shall possess it. 25 (Now the Amalekites and the Canaanites dwelt in the valley.) Tomorrow turn you, and get you into the wilderness by the way of the Red sea. ***

39 And Moses told these sayings unto all the children of Israel: and the people mourned greatly. 40 And they rose up early in the morning and gat them up into the top of the mountain, saying, Lo, we be here, and will go up unto the place which the LOR D hath promised: for we have sinned. 41 And Moses said, wherefore now do ye transgress the commandment of the LORD? But it shall not prosper. 42 Go not up, for the LORD is not among you; that ye be not smitten before your enemies. 43 For the Amalekites and the Canaanites are there before you, and ye shall fall by the sword: because ye are turned away from the LORD, therefore the LORD will not be with you. 44 But they presumed to go up unto the hill top:

nevertheless the ark of the covenant of the LORD, and Moses, departed not out of the camp.

45 Then the Amalekites came down, and the Canaanites which dwelt in that hill, and smote them, and discomfited them, even unto Hormah.

Observations:

The “B” account begins with Moses sending spies to go up into the mountain and search the land to see how strong the people and their cities were, how fertile the land was, if it had wood and to bring back produce from the land.

The spies searched the land, arrived at wadi Eshcol and collected grapes, pomegranates and figs and returned to Moses at the Israelite camp. They told Moses that the land was very good and showed him the fruit they had brought with them. They then told him of the walled cities and the children of Anak (of the giants), the Canaanites, Hittites, Amalekites, Amorites and Jebusites that dwelled in the area. The people must have been fearful after the report so Caleb (alone) tried to assure the people that they should go and take the land. The other spies said that the people of the land were too strong and that the giants were too formidable. The people cried and wept and stated that they should make a captain over them who would take them back to Egypt.

The Creator is angered and threatens to destroy them for their lack of trust. Moses petitions the Creator to spare the people and He relents, He states that those who did not trust in Him would not enter the land. He states that Caleb would enter the land and inherit a portion because he trusted in the Creator.

Moses told the people what the Creator had said and they mourned. The next morning they rose up to go up to the mountain against the inhabitants of the land thinking this would take away the penalty for their lack of trust. Moses told the people that it would not go well for them because the Creator would not be with them and they would lose in battle. They went up to the mountain and the inhabitants of the land fought against them and chased them all the way to Hormah.

Note: There is an insertion here by an "A" scribe/redactor that states that neither Moses, nor the Ark of the Covenant went with the people up to the mountain.

Note: Joshua is not mentioned in this account

Word Occurrences:

Caleb – 2X

Joshua – 0X

Amorites – 1X

Eshcol – 2X

Hormah – 1X

The Spies “D”

Deuteronomy first person account is highlighted in Blue: Example: (And when we departed…)

Deu 1:6 The LORD our God spake unto us in Horeb, saying, Ye have dwelt long enough in this mount: 7 Turn you, and take your journey, and go to the mount of the Amorites, and unto all the places nigh thereunto, in the plain, in the hills, and in the vale, and in the south, and by the sea side, to the land of the Canaanites, and unto Lebanon, unto the great river, the river Euphrates. 8 Behold, I have set the land before you: go in and possess the land which the LORD sware unto your fathers, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, to give unto them and to their seed after them.

Deu 1:19 And when we departed from Horeb, we went through all that great and terrible wilderness, which ye saw by the way of the mountain of the Amorites, as the LORD our God commanded us; and we came to Kadeshbarnea. 20 And I said unto you, Ye are come unto the mountain of the Amorites, which the LORD our God doth give unto us. 21 Behold, the LORD thy God hath set the land before thee: go up and possess it, as the LORD God of thy fathers hath said unto thee; fear not, neither be discouraged.

22 And ye came near unto me every one of you, and said, we will send men before us, and they shall search us out the land, and bring us word again by what way we must go up, and into what cities we shall come. 23 And the saying pleased me well: and I took twelve men of you, one of a tribe: 24 and they turned and went up into the mountain, and came unto the valley of Eshcol, and searched it out. 25 And they took of the fruit of the land in their hands, and brought it down unto us, and brought us word again, and said, It is a good land which the LORD our God doth give us.

26 Notwithstanding ye would not go up, but rebelled against the commandment of the LORD your God: 27 And ye murmured (רגן - râgan/grumble) in your tents, and said, Because the LORD hated us, he hath brought us forth out of the land of Egypt, to deliver us into the hand of the Amorites, to destroy us. 28 Whither shall we go up? Our brethren have discouraged our heart, saying, the people is greater and taller than we; the cities are great and walled up to heaven; and moreover we have seen the sons of the Anakims there. 29 Then I said unto you, Dread not, neither be afraid of them. 30 The LORD your God which goeth before you, he shall fight for you, according to all that he did for you in Egypt before your eyes; 31 And in the wilderness, where thou hast seen how that the LORD thy God bare thee, as a man doth bear his son, in all the way that ye went, until ye came into this place. 32 Yet in this thing ye did not believe the LORD your God, 33 who went in the way before you, to search you out a place to pitch your tents in, in fire by night, to shew you by what way ye should go, and in a cloud by day.

The Penalty for Israel's Rebellion

Deu 1:34 And the LORD heard the voice of your words, and was wroth, and sware, saying, 35 surely there shall not one of these men of this evil generation see that good l and, which I sware to give unto your fathers, 36 Save Caleb the son of Jephunneh; he shall see it, and to him will I give the land that he hath trodden upon, and to his children, because he hath wholly followed the LORD.

37 Also the LORD was angry with me for your sakes, saying, Thou also shalt not go in thither. 38 But Joshua the son of Nun, which standeth before thee, he shall go in thither: encourage him: for he shall cause Israel to inherit it.

39 Moreover your little ones, which ye said should be a prey, and your children, which in that day had no knowledge between good and evil, they shall go in thither, and unto them will I give it, and they shall possess it. 40 But as for you, turn you, and take your journey into the wilderness by the way of the Red sea. 41 Then ye answered and said unto me, we have sinned against the LORD, we will go up and fight, according to all that the LORD our God commanded us. And when ye had girded on every man his weapons of war, ye were ready to go up into the hill. 42 And the LORD said unto me, Say unto them, Go not up, neither fight; for I am not among you; lest ye be smitten before your enemies. 43 So I spake unto you; and ye would not hear, but rebelled against the commandment of the LORD, and went presumptuously up into the hill. 44 And the Amorites, which dwelt in that mountain, came out against you, and chased you, as bees do, and destroyed you in Seir, even unto Hormah. 45 And ye returned and wept before the LORD; but the LORD would not hearken to your voice, nor give ear unto you. 46 So ye abode in Kadesh many days, according unto the days that ye abode there.

Observations:

The “D” firsthand (Moses recollection) account begins with the people petitioning Moses to send men to spy out the land and return with a report. Moses agrees and sends a representative from each tribe to scout the land.

The spies went up into the mountain to spy it out and came to the valley Eshkol. They collected fruit of the land and returned to give their report. They told Moses and the people that the land was good.

We then read that the people grumbled that the Creator had brought them to the mountain to die. It is then revealed that the spies had discouraged the people by telling them of the walled cities, the tall strong people that lived there and that the sons of Anak the giant also lived there.

Moses told the people not to fear because the Creator would be with them as he was with them in Egypt and in their wilderness travels.

The Creator heard the grumbling and stated that none of the people would enter the land except the children and Caleb; because he followed the Creator (Gave a good report and encouraged the people?). Moses then states that he would also not enter the land because of the grumblings of the people, but Joshua would become the leader and would take them into the land.

The people recognized their error and readied their weapons. Moses told the people that the Creator would not be amongst them and that they would lose in battle. The people did not listen and went up the mountain and the inhabitants of the land fought against them and chased them all the way to Hormah.

Word Occurrences:

Caleb – 1X

Joshua – 1X - He is not associated with the spies in this account

Amorites – 6X

Eshcol – 1X

Hormah – 1X

Comparison and Examination

The Spies “A” story: The Creator tells Moses to choose a leader from each tribe to search the land.

Joshua and Caleb are two leaders who search the land.

The spies spent forty days searching the wilderness of Zin to Rehob and Hebron.

The spies return and speak to Moses, Aaron and the people.

The children of Israel murmur against Moses and Aaron and declare that it would be better for them to return to Egypt.

Joshua (Oshea) and Caleb spoke to the people and tried to convince them that they should go up and take the land.

The Creator told them that because the people murmured against him, they were to travel in the wilderness for forty years so that all of those who were twenty years and older would not see the land. Caleb and Joshua are the exceptions.

The Spies “B” story: Moses sent men to search the land.

Caleb was one of the men sent to search the land.

The spies went up into the mountain, searched the land and gathered fruit at wadi Eshkol.

The spies return and speak to Moses (and the people?).

The people cried and wept and stated that they should make a captain over them who would take them back to Egypt.

Caleb tried to assure the people that they should go up and take the land.

The Creator states that those who did not trust in Him would not enter the land. He declares that Caleb would enter the land and inherit a portion because he trusted in the Creator.

The people went up to the mountain and the inhabitants of the land fought against them and chased them all the way to Hormah.

The Spies “D” account: The people ask Moses to send men to search the land. He chooses one man from each tribe.

Later we read that Caleb was one of the men sent to search the land.

The spies went up into the mountain, searched the land and gathered fruit at the valley Eshkol.

The spies return and spoke to (us) Moses and the people.

The people grumbled that the Creator had brought them to the mountain to die.

Moses told the people not to fear because the Creator would be with them as he was with them in Egypt and in their wilderness travels. We also read that Caleb would be spared because he wholly followed the Creator. (Gave a good report and encouraged the people?) And Joshua was spared and would lead the people into the land.

The people went up to the mountain and the inhabitants of the land fought against them and chased them all the way to Hormah.

Summary

As in our previous studies, we see two distinct versions of the spy’s story.

The “A” account has Moses and Aaron sharing the authority over the people. The “B” & “D” accounts have Moses as the authority and no reference to Aaron.

The “A” account has the Creator telling Moses to choose a leader from each tribe to search the land. The “B” & “D” accounts have Moses (choosing and) sending the men to search the land.

The “A” account identifies the protagonists as Caleb and Joshua. The “B” & “D” accounts have Caleb as the protagonist.

The “A” account has Hebron as the key area they visited. The “B” & “D” accounts have the key place as wadi/valley Eshkol.

The “A” account goes to great lengths to associate Joshua with those who searched the land, including being on the list of those who were chosen. The writer also associates Joshua with the name “Oshea son of Nun” and making sure the reader knows that Joshua was the name Moses used for him. Why would the writer go to such lengths to ensure that the reader understands that Joshua was one of the spies? The “B” & “D” accounts have no association with Joshua searching the land.

The “A” account style, words and focus match the previous “A” accounts we have studied thus far. This account appears to focus on Joshua and to a lesser extent the authority of Aaron.

The “B” & “D” accounts appear to be the story and the recollection of the events with little difference between the two.

Note: Portions of verses twenty-five and twenty-six are common to the “A” and “B” accounts. Any scribe trying to link the two accounts would find that having two versions of the spies returning to Moses, (Aaron) and the people would be problematic.

Please continue on with us in the series…

Part 3 #5 – The Rebellion