Numbers 13:23-14:10
They came to the valley of Eshcol, and cut down from there a branch with one cluster of grapes, and they bore it on a staff between two. They also brought some of the pomegranates and figs.That place was called the valley of Eshcol, because of the cluster which the children of Israel cut down from there.They returned from spying out the land at the end of forty days.They went and came to Moses, to Aaron, and to all the congregation of the children of Israel, to the wilderness of Paran, to Kadesh; and brought back word to them and to all the congregation. They showed them the fruit of the land.They told him, and said,“ We came to the land where you sent us. Surely it flows with milk and honey, and this is its fruit.However, the people who dwell in the land are strong, and the cities are fortified and very large. Moreover, we saw the children of Anak there.Amalek dwells in the land of the South. The Hittite, the Jebusite, and the Amorite dwell in the hill country. The Canaanite dwells by the sea, and along the side of the Jordan.”Caleb stilled the people before Moses, and said,“ Let’s go up at once, and possess it; for we are well able to overcome it!”But the men who went up with him said,“ We aren’t able to go up against the people; for they are stronger than we.”They brought up an evil report of the land which they had spied out to the children of Israel, saying,“ The land, through which we have gone to spy it out, is a land that eats up its inhabitants; and all the people who we saw in it are men of great stature.There we saw the Nephilim, the sons of Anak, who come from the Nephilim. We were in our own sight as grasshoppers, and so we were in their sight.”All the congregation lifted up their voice, and cried; and the people wept that night.All the children of Israel murmured against Moses and against Aaron. The whole congregation said to them,“ We wish that we had died in the land of Egypt, or that we had died in this wilderness!Why does Yahweh bring us to this land, to fall by the sword? Our wives and our little ones will be captured or killed! Wouldn’t it be better for us to return into Egypt?”They said to one another,“ Let’s choose a leader, and let’s return into Egypt.”Then Moses and Aaron fell on their faces before all the assembly of the congregation of the children of Israel.Joshua the son of Nun and Caleb the son of Jephunneh, who were of those who spied out the land, tore their clothes.They spoke to all the congregation of the children of Israel, saying,“ The land, which we passed through to spy it out, is an exceedingly good land.If Yahweh delights in us, then he will bring us into this land, and give it to us: a land which flows with milk and honey.Only don’t rebel against Yahweh, neither fear the people of the land; for they are bread for us. Their defense is removed from over them, and Yahweh is with us. Don’t fear them.”But all the congregation threatened to stone them with stones. Yahweh’s glory appeared in the Tent of Meeting to all the children of Israel.
Deuteronomy 1:24-28
They turned and went up into the hill country, and came to the valley of Eshcol, and spied it out.They took some of the fruit of the land in their hands and brought it down to us, and brought us word again, and said,“ It is a good land which Yahweh our God gives to us.”Yet you wouldn’t go up, but rebelled against the commandment of Yahweh your God.You murmured in your tents, and said,“ Because Yahweh hated us, he has brought us out of the land of Egypt, to deliver us into the hand of the Amorites to destroy us.Where are we going up? Our brothers have made our heart melt, saying,‘ The people are greater and taller than we. The cities are great and fortified up to the sky. Moreover we have seen the sons of the Anakim there!’”
