Verse 2

“Send out men to investigate the land of Canaan, which I am giving to the Israelites. You are to send one man from each ancestral tribe, each one a leader among them.”

Referenced Verses

  • Deut 1:22-25 : 22 So all of you approached me and said,“Let’s send some men ahead of us to scout out the land and bring us back word as to how we should attack it and what the cities are like there.” 23 I thought this was a good idea, so I sent twelve men from among you, one from each tribe. 24 They left and went up to the hill country, coming to the Eshcol Valley, which they scouted out. 25 Then they took some of the produce of the land and carried it back down to us. They also brought a report to us, saying,“The land that the LORD our God is about to give us is good.”
  • Num 32:8 : 8 Your fathers did the same thing when I sent them from Kadesh Barnea to see the land.
  • Num 34:18 : 18 You must take one leader from every tribe to assist in allocating the land as an inheritance.
  • Deut 1:15 : 15 So I chose as your tribal leaders wise and well-known men, placing them over you as administrators of groups of thousands, hundreds, fifties, and tens, and also as other tribal officials.
  • Exod 18:25 : 25 Moses chose capable men from all Israel, and he made them heads over the people, rulers of thousands, rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens.
  • Num 1:4 : 4 And to help you there is to be a man from each tribe, each man the head of his family.
  • Num 11:16 : 16 The Response of God The LORD said to Moses,“Gather to me seventy men of the elders of Israel, whom you know are elders of the people and officials over them, and bring them to the tent of meeting; let them take their position there with you.
  • Josh 2:1-9 : 1 Joshua Sends Spies into the Land Joshua son of Nun sent two spies out from Shittim secretly and instructed them:“Find out what you can about the land, especially Jericho.” They stopped at the house of a prostitute named Rahab and spent the night there. 2 The king of Jericho received this report:“Note well! Israelite men have come here tonight to spy on the land.” 3 So the king of Jericho sent this order to Rahab:“Turn over the men who came to you– the ones who came to your house– for they have come to spy on the whole land!” 4 But the woman hid the two men and replied,“Yes, these men were clients of mine, but I didn’t know where they came from. 5 When it was time to shut the city gate for the night, the men left. I don’t know where they were heading. Chase after them quickly, for you have time to catch them!” 6 (Now she had taken them up to the roof and had hidden them in the stalks of flax she had spread out on the roof.) 7 Meanwhile the king’s men tried to find them on the road to the Jordan River near the fords. The city gate was shut as soon as they set out in pursuit of them. 8 Now before the spies went to sleep, Rahab went up to the roof. 9 She said to the men,“I know the LORD is handing this land over to you. We are absolutely terrified of you, and all who live in the land are cringing before you. 10 For we heard how the LORD dried up the water of the Red Sea before you when you left Egypt and how you annihilated the two Amorite kings, Sihon and Og, on the other side of the Jordan. 11 When we heard the news we lost our courage and no one could even breathe for fear of you. For the LORD your God is God in heaven above and on earth below! 12 So now, promise me this with an oath sworn in the LORD’s name. Because I have shown allegiance to you, show allegiance to my family. Give me a solemn pledge 13 that you will spare the lives of my father, mother, brothers, sisters, and all who belong to them, and rescue us from death.” 14 The men said to her,“If you die, may we die too! If you do not report what we’ve been up to, then, when the LORD hands the land over to us, we will show unswerving allegiance to you.” 15 Then Rahab let them down by a rope through the window.(Her house was built as part of the city wall; she lived in the wall.) 16 She told them,“Head to the hill country, so the ones chasing you don’t find you. Hide from them there for three days, long enough for those chasing you to return. Then you can be on your way.” 17 The men said to her,“We are not bound by this oath you made us swear unless the following conditions are met: 18 When we invade the land, tie this red rope in the window through which you let us down, and gather together in your house your father, mother, brothers, and all who live in your father’s house. 19 Anyone who leaves your house will be responsible for his own death– we are innocent in that case! But if anyone with you in the house is harmed, we will be responsible. 20 If you should report what we’ve been up to, we are not bound by this oath you made us swear.” 21 She said,“I agree to these conditions.” She sent them on their way and then tied the red rope in the window. 22 They went to the hill country and stayed there for three days, long enough for those chasing them to return. Their pursuers looked all along the way but did not find them. 23 Then the two men returned– they came down from the hills, crossed the river, came to Joshua son of Nun, and reported to him all they had discovered. 24 They told Joshua,“Surely the LORD is handing over all the land to us! All who live in the land are cringing before us!”