Daily Chumash Shelach Monday – The spies return and slanderous report

Sheiyni

1. Their journey:

• They went and toured the land from the Tzin desert until Chamas.
• The giants: They went up the south and arrived at Chevron where the giants Achiman, Sheshai and Talmai are found. Chevron was built seven years before the city of Tzoan in Egypt.
• The fruits: They arrived at the Eshkol region and cut fruits from there. They took a cluster of grapes and two people carried it on a pole. They took pomegranates and figs.

2. Their return and slanderous report:

• They returned to the camp of the Jewish people in Midbar Paran after a forty-day journey and reported what they saw and showed them the fruits of the land. They said that the land flows with milk and honey, contains mighty nations who live in large fortified cities, and contains giants. Amalek lives in the south, and the Chiti, Yevusi and Emori live on the mountain. The Canaani lives by the sea and near the Jordan river.
• Kalev responds: Kalev quieted the nation and told them that they would be able to conquer them. However, the other members of the delegation said that it is not possible, as those nations are much more powerful. They said that the land consumes its inhabitants. They described feeling like grasshoppers in the eyes of the giants. They spoke slander against the land.

3. The nations reaction:

• The nation cried that night and complained against Moshe and Aaron saying if only they would have died in Egypt, or in this desert, rather than be brought by Hashem to that land to die by the sword and have their wives and children taken captive. It is better that we return to Egypt, and so they decided to appoint a leader to return to Egypt.
• Moshe and Aaron fell on their faces. Yehoshua Ben Nun and Kalev Ben Yefuna tore their clothing and they told the Jewish people that the land which they toured is very, very good.