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Twelve spies on a mission

Joshua sends spies to explore the Promised Land.
Contributed by Aya & Nicole Velasquez
Story also available on our translated websites: German, Hindi
1
After leaving Egypt, the freed Hebrew slaves moved through the wilderness on their way to the land God had promised them. As they approached Canaan, they stopped in the wilderness of Zin at a place called Kadesh Barnea. – Slide 1
2
The Lord told Moses to select a leader from each of the 12 tribes to go and spy out the land ahead. Moses chose a leader from each tribe. (Their names were Shammua, Shaphat, Caleb, Igal, Joshua, Palti, Gaddiel, Gaddi, Ammiel, Sethur, Nahbi and Geuel). – Slide 2
3
Moses told them to find out whether the people in Canaan were strong or weak. How big were their towns and were they fortified? Was the soil fertile or poor? He also asked them to bring back some fruit from the land. – Slide 3
4
The twelve spies set out from Kadesh Barnea through the Negev desert, where the Amalekites lived, then up into the hill country. – Slide 4
5
They saw very tall and strong people who were descendants of Anak. How could they possibly fight these giants? – Slide 5
6
They moved north through the hill country where the strong, fighting men of Hittites, Jebusites and Amorites lived. They then went around the River Jordan and Lake Galilee where they saw the mighty Canaanites. – Slide 6
7
The towns and cities were large and with high walls and strong defences. How could they possibly invade them? They went as far north as Rehob before turning back and retracing their steps. – Slide 7
8
When they reached the Valley of Eshkol, they cut off a branch bearing a large cluster of grapes to show Moses. Two of them carried it on a pole between them, along with some pomegranates and figs. – Slide 8
9
After 40 days, they returned to their camp. They reported, ‘The land does flow with milk and honey! Here is its fruit. But the people who live there are powerful, and the cities are large and fortified. – Slide 9
10
One of the spies, Caleb, silenced everyone and said, ‘We should go up and take the land, for we can certainly do it.’ <br/>Ten of the spies disagreed: ‘We can’t attack these people, they are stronger than us. All the people we saw are huge. Compared to them we seemed like grasshoppers.’ – Slide 10
11
That night the Israelites grumbled and wept. They complained to Moses and Aaron, ‘Why is the Lord bringing us to this land only to die in battle? Our wives and children will be taken as plunder.’ – Slide 11
12
They started planning to choose another leader and go back to Egypt. – Slide 12
13
Moses and Aaron fell face down in front of everyone. Two of the spies, Joshua and Caleb, stood up and said, ‘The land we explored is exceedingly good. The Lord will lead us into that land flowing with milk and honey, and give it to us. Don’t rebel against God or be afraid. The Lord is with us not them.’ – Slide 13
14
The Lord told Moses, ‘How long will these people refuse to believe in me, in spite of all the miracles I have performed among them?’ <br/>God told Moses He would punish their rebellion by keeping them in the wilderness for 40 years, one year for each day the spies had been in Canaan. – Slide 14
15
The ten spies who brought a bad report died of a plague. Of all the spies, only Joshua and Caleb survived in the wilderness for 40 years. They both eventually got to live in the land God had promised to them. They had trusted in God and God kept His promises to them. – Slide 15
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Slide 16