| 22And all of you approached me and said, "Let us send men ahead of us so that they will search out the land for us and bring us back word by which route we shall go up, and to which cities we shall come." |
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כבוַתִּקְרְב֣וּן אֵלַי֘ כֻּלְּכֶם֒ וַתֹּֽאמְר֗וּ נִשְׁלְחָ֤ה אֲנָשִׁים֙ לְפָנֵ֔ינוּ וְיַחְפְּרוּ־לָ֖נוּ אֶת־הָאָ֑רֶץ וְיָשִׁ֤בוּ אֹתָ֨נוּ֙ דָּבָ֔ר אֶת־הַדֶּ֨רֶךְ֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר נַֽעֲלֶה־בָּ֔הּ וְאֵת֙ הֶֽעָרִ֔ים אֲשֶׁ֥ר נָבֹ֖א אֲלֵיהֶֽן: |
| And you approached me-all of you:: in a state of disorder. But further on (Deut. 5:20-21) it says, “You approached me, all the heads of your tribes and your elders, and you said, Behold [the Lord, our God] has shown us [His glory and His greatness].” That approach to me was proper-young people respecting their elders, sending these before them. Here, however, you approached me all of you, in a state of disorder, the young pushing aside their elders, the elders pushing aside their heads. |
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וַתִּקְרְבוּן אֵלַי כֻּלְּכֶם:
בְּעִרְבּוּבְיָא; וּלְהַלָּן הוּא אוֹמֵר (דברים ה') "וַתִּקְרְבוּן אֵלַי כָּל רָאשֵׁי שִׁבְטֵיכֶם וְזִקְנֵיכֶם וַתֹּאמְרוּ הֵן הֶרְאָנוּ וְגוֹ'", אוֹתָהּ קְרִיבָה הָיְתָה הוֹגֶנֶת – יְלָדִים מְכַבְּדִים אֶת הַזְּקֵנִים וּשְׁלָחוּם לִפְנֵיהֶם, וּזְקֵנִים מְכַבְּדִים אֶת הָרָאשִׁים לָלֶכֶת לִפְנֵיהֶם, אֲבָל כָּאן "וַתִּקְרְבוּן אֵלַי כֻּלְּכֶם" בְּעִרְבּוּבְיָא – יְלָדִים דּוֹחֲפִין אֶת הַזְּקֵנִים, וּזְקֵנִים דּוֹחֲפִין אֶת הָרָאשִׁים (ספרי):
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| and bring us back word: [meaning that they will report] which language they [the Canaanites] speak. |
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וְיָשִׁבוּ אֹתָנוּ דָּבָר:
בְּאֵיזֶה לָשׁוֹן הֵם מְדַבְּרִים:
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| by which route we shall go up: There is no road without a crooked portion. |
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אֶת־הַדֶּרֶךְ אֲשֶׁר נַֽעֲלֶה־בָּהּ:
אֵין דֶּרֶךְ שֶׁאֵין בָּהּ עַקְמִימוּת:
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| and to which cities we shall come: first, to capture (Sifrei). |
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וְאֵת הֶֽעָרִים אֲשֶׁר נָבֹא אֲלֵיהֶֽן:
תְּחִלָּה לִכְבֹּשׁ (שם):
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| 23And the matter pleased me; so I took twelve men from you, one man for each tribe. |
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כגוַיִּיטַ֥ב בְּעֵינַ֖י הַדָּבָ֑ר וָֽאֶקַּ֤ח מִכֶּם֙ שְׁנֵ֣ים עָשָׂ֣ר אֲנָשִׁ֔ים אִ֥ישׁ אֶחָ֖ד לַשָּֽׁבֶט: |
| And the matter pleased me: “It pleased me, but it did not please the Omnipresent.” But if it pleased Moses, why does he mention it in his rebukes? This may be compared to a man who says to his friend, “Sell me this donkey of yours.” He replies to him, “Yes.” “Will you give it to me to test it?” He replies, “Yes.” “May I test it on mountains and hills?” Again he replies, “Yes.” When he sees that his friend does not withhold anything from him, the purchaser thinks to himself, “This man is certain that I shall not find any defect in the donkey,” and he immediately says to him, “Take your money; I need not test it now.” I too, consented to your words, thinking that you would perhaps reconsider when you saw that I do not withhold it from you, but you did not reconsider (Sifrei). |
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וַיִּיטַב בְּעֵינַי הַדָּבָר:
בְּעֵינַי וְלֹא בְעֵינֵי הַמָּקוֹם; וְאִם בְּעֵינֵי מֹשֶׁה הָיָה טוֹב לָמָּה אֲמָרָהּ בַּתּוֹכָחוֹת? מָשָׁל לְאָדָם שֶׁאוֹמֵר לַחֲבֵרוֹ מְכֹר לִי חֲמוֹרְךָ זֶה, אָמַר לוֹ הֵן, נוֹתְנוֹ אַתָּה לִי לְנִסָּיוֹן? אָמַר לוֹ הֵן, בֶּהָרִים וּבַגְּבָעוֹת? אָמַר לוֹ הֵן, כֵּיוָן שֶׁרָאָה שֶׁאֵין מְעַכְּבוֹ כְלוּם, אָמַר הַלּוֹקֵחַ בְּלִבּוֹ בָּטוּחַ הוּא זֶה שֶׁלֹּא אֶמְצָא בוֹ מוּם, מִיָּד אָמַר לוֹ טֹל מְעוֹתֶיךָ אֵינִי מְנַסֵּהוּ מֵעַתָּה, אַף אֲנִי הוֹדֵיתִי לְדִבְרֵיכֶם, שֶׁמָּא תַחְזְרוּ בָכֶם כְּשֶׁתִּרְאוּ שֶׁאֵינִי מְעַכֵּב, וְאַתֶּם לֹא חֲזַרְתֶּם בָּכֶם (ספרי):
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| so I took… from you: from the select that were among you, of the finest that were among you (Sifrei). |
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וָֽאֶקַּח מִכֶּם:
מִן הַבְּרוּרִים שֶׁבָּכֶם, מִן הַמְסֻלָּתִים שֶׁבָּכֶם (שם):
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| twelve men… one man for each tribe: [This] tells [us] that the tribe of Levi was not with them. (Sifrei). |
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שְׁנֵים עָשָׂר אֲנָשִׁים אִישׁ אֶחָד לַשָּֽׁבֶט:
מַגִּיד שֶׁלֹּא הָיָה שֵׁבֶט לֵוִי עִמָּהֶם (שם):
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| 24And they turned and went up to the mountain, and they came to the valley of Eshkol and spied it out. |
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כדוַיִּפְנוּ֙ וַיַּֽעֲל֣וּ הָהָ֔רָה וַיָּבֹ֖אוּ עַד־נַ֣חַל אֶשְׁכֹּ֑ל וַיְרַגְּל֖וּ אֹתָֽהּ: |
| [And they came] to the valley of Eshkol: [This] tells us that it [here it was so called] on account of a future event [that the spies took from there a cluster (אֶשְׁכֹּל) of grapes]. (Sifrei). |
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עַד־נַחַל אֶשְׁכֹּל:
מַגִּיד שֶׁנִּקְרָא עַל שֵׁם סוֹפוֹ (שם):
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| and [they] spied it out: This teaches us that they traversed through it along four lines, along the length and the breadth (Sifrei.). |
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וַיְרַגְּלוּ אֹתָֽהּ:
מְלַמֵּד שֶׁהָלְכוּ בָהּ אַרְבָּעָה אֻמָּנִין שְׁתִי וָעֵרֶב (שם):
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| 25And they took some of the fruit of the land in their hand[s] and brought it down to us, brought us back word, and said, "The land the Lord, our God, is giving us is good." |
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כהוַיִּקְח֤וּ בְיָדָם֙ מִפְּרִ֣י הָאָ֔רֶץ וַיּוֹרִ֖דוּ אֵלֵ֑ינוּ וַיָּשִׁ֨בוּ אֹתָ֤נוּ דָבָר֙ וַיֹּ֣אמְר֔וּ טוֹבָ֣ה הָאָ֔רֶץ אֲשֶׁר־יְהֹוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֵ֖ינוּ נֹתֵ֥ן לָֽנוּ: |
| and brought it down to us: This tells us that the land of Israel is higher than all other lands (Sifrei). |
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וַיּוֹרִדוּ אֵלֵינוּ:
מַגִּיד שֶׁאֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל גְּבוֹהָה מִכָּל הָאֲרָצוֹת (שם):
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| And they said, The land… is good: Who were the ones who spoke about its goodness? Joshua and Caleb (Sifrei.). |
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וַיֹּאמְרוּ טוֹבָה הָאָרֶץ:
מִי הֵם שֶׁאָמְרוּ טוֹבָתָהּ? יְהוֹשֻׁעַ וְכָלֵב (שם):
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| 26But you did not want to go up, and you rebelled against the commandment of the Lord, your God. |
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כווְלֹ֥א אֲבִיתֶ֖ם לַֽעֲלֹ֑ת וַתַּמְר֕וּ אֶת־פִּ֥י יְהֹוָ֖ה אֱלֹֽהֵיכֶֽם: |
| and you rebelled: Heb. וַתַּמְרוּ. This is an expression denoting confrontation; you confronted His words. |
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וַתַּמְרוּ:
לְשׁוֹן הַתְרָסָה – הִתְרַסְתֶּם כְּנֶגֶד מַאֲמָרוֹ:
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| 27You murmured in your tents and said, "Because the Lord hates us, He took us out of the land of Egypt, to deliver us into the hand[s] of the Amorites to exterminate us." |
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כזוַתֵּרָֽגְנ֤וּ בְאָֽהֳלֵיכֶם֙ וַתֹּ֣אמְר֔וּ בְּשִׂנְאַ֤ת יְהֹוָה֙ אֹתָ֔נוּ הֽוֹצִיאָ֖נוּ מֵאֶ֣רֶץ מִצְרָ֑יִם לָתֵ֥ת אֹתָ֛נוּ בְּיַ֥ד הָֽאֱמֹרִ֖י לְהַשְׁמִידֵֽנוּ: |
| You murmured: Heb. וַתֵּרָגְנוּ. This is an expression denoting slander. It is similar to (Prov. 18:8) “The words of a נִרְגָּן” i.e., of a slanderer. |
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וַתֵּרָֽגְנוּ:
לָשׁוֹן הָרָע, וְכֵן "דִּבְרֵי נִרְגָּן" (משלי י"ח) – אָדָם הַמּוֹצִיא דִּבָּה:
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| Because the Lord hates us: Really, however, He loves you, but you hate Him. A common parable says: What is in your own heart about your friend, [you imagine] is in his heart about you (Sifrei). |
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בְּשִׂנְאַת ה' אֹתָנוּ:
וְהוּא הָיָה אוֹהֵב אֶתְכֶם, אֲבָל אַתֶּם שׂוֹנְאִים אוֹתוֹ; מְשַׁל הֶדְיוֹט אוֹמֵר מַה דִּבְלִבָּךְ עַל רְחִמָּךְ מַה דִּבְלִבֵּהּ עֲלָךְ (ספרי):
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| Because the Lord hates us, He took us out of the land of Egypt: His taking us out was due to hatred [they claimed]. This may be compared to a mortal king who had two sons and two fields, one well irrigated, the other dependent upon rain only. To the son he loved, he gave the well irrigated field, and to the one he hated, he gave the one dependent upon rain only. The land of Egypt is a well irrigated country, for the Nile rises and irrigates it, while the land of Canaan is dependent upon rain only. He took us out of [the irrigated] Egypt to give us the arid land of Canaan (Num. Rabbah 17). |
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בְּשִׂנְאַת ה' אֹתָנוּ הֽוֹצִיאָנוּ מֵאֶרֶץ מִצְרָיִם:
הוֹצָאָתוֹ לְשִׂנְאָה הָיְתָה; מָשָׁל לְמֶלֶךְ בָּשָׂר וָדָם שֶׁהָיוּ לוֹ שְׁנֵי בָנִים וְיֵשׁ לוֹ שְׁתֵּי שָׂדוֹת, אַחַת שֶׁל שִׁקְיָא וְאַחַת שֶׁל בַּעַל, לְמִי שֶׁהוּא אוֹהֵב נוֹתֵן שֶׁל שִׁקְיָא, וּלְמִי שֶׁהוּא שׂוֹנֵא נוֹתֵן לוֹ שֶׁל בַּעַל, אֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם שֶׁל שִׁקְיָא הִיא, שֶׁנִּילוּס עוֹלֶה וּמַשְׁקֶה אוֹתָהּ, וְאֶרֶץ כְּנַעַן שֶׁל בַּעַל, וְהוֹצִיאָנוּ מִמִּצְרַיִם לָתֵת לָנוּ אֶת אֶרֶץ כְּנַעַן (במ"ר י"ז):
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| 28Where shall we go up? Our brothers have discouraged us, saying, "A people greater and taller than we; cities great and fortified up to the heavens, and we have even seen the sons of Anakim there." |
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כחאָנָ֣ה | אֲנַ֣חְנוּ עֹלִ֗ים אַחֵ֩ינוּ֩ הֵמַ֨סּוּ אֶת־לְבָבֵ֜נוּ לֵאמֹ֗ר עַ֣ם גָּד֤וֹל וָרָם֙ מִמֶּ֔נּוּ עָרִ֛ים גְּדֹלֹ֥ת וּבְצוּרֹ֖ת בַּשָּׁמָ֑יִם וְגַם־בְּנֵ֥י עֲנָקִ֖ים רָאִ֥ינוּ שָֽׁם: |
| The cities are great and fortified up to the heavens: The Scriptural text here is talking in exaggerated terms (Sifrei; Chullin 90b). |
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עָרִים גְּדֹלֹת וּבְצוּרֹת בַּשָּׁמָיִם:
דִּבְּרוּ הַכְּתוּבִים לְשׁוֹן הֲבַאי (ספרי; חולין צ'):
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| 29And I said to you, "Do not be broken or afraid of them. |
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כטוָֽאֹמַ֖ר אֲלֵכֶ֑ם לֹא־תַֽעַרְצ֥וּן וְלֹא־תִֽירְא֖וּן מֵהֶֽם: |
| Do not be broken: Heb. לֹא תַעַרְצוּן. This is an expression denoting breaking, as the Targum renders it: [Do not be broken], and similar to it (Job 30:6), “To dwell in the cleft of the valleys (בערוץ נחלים),” i.e., to break through the valleys. |
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לֹא־תַֽעַרְצוּן:
לְשׁוֹן שְׁבִירָה, כְּתַרְגּוּמוֹ, וְדוֹמֶה לוֹ (איוב ל') "בַּעֲרוּץ נְחָלִים לִשְׁכֹּן"– שִׁבּוּר הַנְּחָלִים:
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| 30The Lord, your God, Who goes before you He will fight for you, just as He did for you in Egypt before your very eyes, |
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ליְהֹוָ֤ה אֱלֹֽהֵיכֶם֙ הַֽהֹלֵ֣ךְ לִפְנֵיכֶ֔ם ה֖וּא יִלָּחֵ֣ם לָכֶ֑ם כְּ֠כֹ֠ל אֲשֶׁ֨ר עָשָׂ֧ה אִתְּכֶ֛ם בְּמִצְרַ֖יִם לְעֵֽינֵיכֶֽם: |
| will fight for you: Heb. יִלָּחֵם לָכֶם - [לָכֶם means] on your behalf. |
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יִלָּחֵם לָכֶם:
בִּשְׁבִילְכֶם:
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| 31and in the desert, where you have seen how the Lord, your God, has carried you as a man carries his son, all the way that you have gone, until you have come to this place. |
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לאוּבַמִּדְבָּר֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר רָאִ֔יתָ אֲשֶׁ֤ר נְשָֽׂאֲךָ֙ יְהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֔יךָ כַּֽאֲשֶׁ֥ר יִשָּׂא־אִ֖ישׁ אֶת־בְּנ֑וֹ בְּכָל־הַדֶּ֨רֶךְ֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר הֲלַכְתֶּ֔ם עַד־בֹּֽאֲכֶ֖ם עַד־הַמָּק֥וֹם הַזֶּֽה: |
| and in the desert, where you have seen: This refers to the preceding verse: “just as He did for you in Egypt,” and also what He did “in the desert, where you have seen how the Lord, your God, has carried you, etc.” |
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וּבַמִּדְבָּר אֲשֶׁר רָאִיתָ:
מוּסָב עַל מִקְרָא שֶׁלְּמַעְלָה הֵימֶנּוּ – ככל אשר עשה אתכם במצרים, וְעָשָׂה אַף במדבר אשר ראית אשר נשאך וגו':
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| as a man carries his son: As I explained regarding [the verses]: “And the angel of God who went before the camp of the Israelites traveled and went behind, etc.” (Exod. 14:19-20). This may be compared to one who is traveling on a road, with his son in front of him. If bandits come to kidnap [the son, he removes him from in front of him and places him behind him]. |
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כַּֽאֲשֶׁר יִשָּׂא־אִישׁ אֶת־בְּנוֹ:
כְּמוֹ שֶׁפֵּרַשְׁתִּי אֵצֶל "וַיִּסַּע מַלְאַךְ הָאֱלֹהִים הַהֹלֵךְ לִפְנֵי מַחֲנֵה יִשְׂרָאֵל וְגוֹ'" (שמות י"ד) מָשָׁל לִמְהַלֵּךְ בַּדֶּרֶךְ וּבְנוֹ לְפָנָיו, בָּאוּ לִסְטִים לִשְׁבּוֹתוֹ, וְכוּ':
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| 32But regarding this matter, you do not believe the Lord, your God, |
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לבוּבַדָּבָ֖ר הַזֶּ֑ה אֵֽינְכֶם֙ מַֽאֲמִינִ֔ם בַּֽיהֹוָ֖ה אֱלֹֽהֵיכֶֽם: |
| Yet regarding this matter: that He promises you to bring you to the Land, you do not believe Him. |
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וּבַדָּבָר הַזֶּה:
שֶׁהוּא מַבְטִיחֲכֶם לַהֲבִיאֲכֶם אֶל הָאָרֶץ – אֵינְכֶם מַאֲמִינִים בּוֹ:
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| 33Who goes before you on the way, to search out a place for you, in which to encamp, in fire at night, to enable you to see on the way you should go, and in a cloud by day." |
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לגהַֽהֹלֵ֨ךְ לִפְנֵיכֶ֜ם בַּדֶּ֗רֶךְ לָת֥וּר לָכֶ֛ם מָק֖וֹם לַֽחֲנֹֽתְכֶ֑ם בָּאֵ֣שׁ | לַ֗יְלָה לַרְאֹֽתְכֶם֙ בַּדֶּ֨רֶךְ֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר תֵּֽלְכוּ־בָ֔הּ וּבֶֽעָנָ֖ן יוֹמָֽם: |
| to enable you to see: Heb. לַרְאוֹתְכֶם, like לְהַרְאוֹתְכֶם, and similarly, “to cause it to lead them (לַנְחֹתָם) on the way” (Exod. 13:21) [like (לְהַנְחֹתָם)] and also, “To proclaim (לַשְׁמִעַ)) thanksgiving with a loud voice” (Ps. 26:7), [like לְהַשְׁמִיעַ], and so, “to go to tell (לַגִּיד) in Jezreel” (II Kings 9:15), [like לְהַגִּיד]. |
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לַרְאֹֽתְכֶם:
כְּמוֹ לְהַרְאוֹתְכֶם, וְכֵן (שמות י"ג) "לַנְחֹתָם הַדֶּרֶךְ", וְכֵן (תהלים כ"ו) "לַשְׁמִעַ בְּקוֹל תּוֹדָה", וְכֵן (מלכים ב ט') "לָלֶכֶת לַגִּיד בְּיִזְרְעֶאל":
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| 34And the Lord heard the sound of your words, and He became angry and swore, saying, |
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לדוַיִּשְׁמַ֥ע יְהֹוָ֖ה אֶת־ק֣וֹל דִּבְרֵיכֶ֑ם וַיִּקְצֹ֖ף וַיִּשָּׁבַ֥ע לֵאמֹֽר: |
| 35'If any of these men of this evil generation sees the good land, which I swore to give your forefathers, |
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להאִם־יִרְאֶ֥ה אִישׁ֙ בָּֽאֲנָשִׁ֣ים הָאֵ֔לֶּה הַדּ֥וֹר הָרָ֖ע הַזֶּ֑ה אֵ֚ת הָאָ֣רֶץ הַטּוֹבָ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֣ר נִשְׁבַּ֔עְתִּי לָתֵ֖ת לַֽאֲבֹֽתֵיכֶֽם: |
| 36except Caleb the son of Jephunneh he will see it, and I will give him the land he trod upon, and to his children, because he has completely followed the Lord." |
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לוזֽוּלָתִ֞י כָּלֵ֤ב בֶּן־יְפֻנֶּה֙ ה֣וּא יִרְאֶ֔נָּה וְלֽוֹ־אֶתֵּ֧ן אֶת־הָאָ֛רֶץ אֲשֶׁ֥ר דָּֽרַךְ־בָּ֖הּ וּלְבָנָ֑יו יַ֕עַן אֲשֶׁ֥ר מִלֵּ֖א אַֽחֲרֵ֥י יְהֹוָֽה: |
| [And to him will I give the land] that he trod upon: [i.e.] Hebron, as it says, “And he [Caleb] came to Hebron” (Num. 13:22). |
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אֲשֶׁר דָּֽרַךְ־בָּהּ:
— חֶבְרוֹן; שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (במדבר י"ג) "וַיָּבֹא עַד חֶבְרוֹן":
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| 37The Lord was also angry with me because of you, saying, "Neither will you go there. |
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לזגַּם־בִּי֙ הִתְאַנַּ֣ף יְהֹוָ֔ה בִּגְלַלְכֶ֖ם לֵאמֹ֑ר גַּם־אַתָּ֖ה לֹֽא־תָבֹ֥א שָֽׁם: |
| Was angry: Heb. הִתְאַנַּף, became filled with anger. |
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הִתְאַנַּף:
נִתְמַלֵּא רֹגֶז:
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| 38But Joshua the son of Nun, who stands before you he will go there; strengthen him, for he will cause Israel to inherit it. |
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לחיְהוֹשֻׁ֤עַ בִּן־נוּן֙ הָֽעֹמֵ֣ד לְפָנֶ֔יךָ ה֖וּא יָ֣בֹא שָׁ֑מָּה אֹת֣וֹ חַזֵּ֔ק כִּי־ה֖וּא יַנְחִלֶ֥נָּה אֶת־יִשְׂרָאֵֽל: |
