Numbers 32:9

King James Version:

(The Lord speaking is red text)

For when they went up unto the valley of Eshcol, and saw the land, they discouraged the heart of the children of Israel, that they should not go into the land which the LORD had given them.

Complete Jewish Bible:

For when they went up to the Eshkol Valley and saw the land, they disheartened the people of Isra'el, so that they wouldn't enter the land ADONAI had given them.

Berean Standard Bible:

For when your fathers went up to the Valley of Eshcol and saw the land, they discouraged the Israelites from entering the land that the LORD had given them.

American Standard Version:

For when they went up unto the valley of Eshcol, and saw the land, they discouraged the heart of the children of Israel, that they should not go into the land which Jehovah had given them.

KJV with Strong’s Numbers:

For when they went up^{H5927} unto the valley^{H5158} of Eshcol^{H812}, and saw^{H7200} the land^{H776}, they discouraged^{H5106} the heart^{H3820} of the children^{H1121} of Israel^{H3478}, that they should not go^{H935} into the land^{H776} which the LORD^{H3068} had given^{H5414} them.

Cross-References (KJV):

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Commentary for Numbers 32:9

1. **Themes:**
- **Unbelief and Discouragement:** The verse reflects the theme of unbelief and its consequences. The spies' negative report about the land of Canaan discouraged the Israelites from entering the land promised to them by God.
- **The Impact of Leadership:** The actions of leaders (in this case, the spies) have a significant impact on the community. Their lack of faith influenced the collective spirit of the Israelites.
- **Divine Promises vs. Human Fear:** There is a tension between God's assurance of the Promised Land and the people's fear and doubt, highlighting the struggle between faith and sight.

2. **Historical Context:**
- **The Exodus and Wilderness Wanderings:** This event occurs during the Israelites' journey from Egypt to the Promised Land of Canaan. They have been wandering in the wilderness for years after their miraculous deliverance from slavery.
- **The Spies' Mission:** God instructed Moses to send twelve spies, one from each tribe, to scout out the land of Canaan. They were to assess the land's fertility and the strength of its inhabitants.
- **The Valley of Eshcol:** The spies went to the valley of Eshcol, where they cut down a branch with a single cluster of grapes so large that it took two men to carry it on a pole between them. This was a literal demonstration of the land's fruitfulness.
- **The Report:** Upon their return, ten of the spies gave a negative report, focusing on the perceived strength of the Canaanites and the fortified cities, while only Joshua and Caleb argued for trust in God's promise and ability to deliver the land into their hands.
- **God's Response:** As a result of the people's lack of faith, God decreed that the generation that left Egypt would wander in the wilderness for 40 years, until all those of that generation, except for Joshua and Caleb, had died. Only then would their children enter the Promised Land.

In summary, Numbers 32:9 captures a pivotal moment when the Israelites' fear and discouragement, influenced by the majority of the spies, led to a failure to trust in God's promises, resulting in severe consequences for the nation.

*This commentary is produced by Microsoft/WizardLM-2-8x22B AI model

Strong's Numbers and Definitions:

Note: H = Hebrew (OT), G = Greek (NT)

1. Strong's Number: H5927
   There are 817 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: עָלָה
   Transliteration: ʻâlâh
   Pronunciation: aw-law'
   Description: a primitive root; to ascend, intransitively (be high) or actively (mount); used in a great variety of senses, primary and secondary, literal and figurative; arise (up), (cause to) ascend up, at once, break (the day) (up), bring (up), (cause to) burn, carry up, cast up, [phrase] shew, climb (up), (cause to, make to) come (up), cut off, dawn, depart, exalt, excel, fall, fetch up, get up, (make to) go (away, up); grow (over) increase, lay, leap, levy, lift (self) up, light, (make) up, [idiom] mention, mount up, offer, make to pay, [phrase] perfect, prefer, put (on), raise, recover, restore, (make to) rise (up), scale, set (up), shoot forth (up), (begin to) spring (up), stir up, take away (up), work.
   
2. Strong's Number: H5158
   There are 123 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: נַחַל
   Transliteration: nachal
   Pronunciation: nakh'-al
   Description: or (feminine) נַחְלָה; (Psalm 124:4), or נַחֲלָה; (Ezekiel 47:19; Ezekiel 48:28), from נָחַל in its original sense; a stream, especially a winter torrent; (by implication) a (narrow) valley (in which a brook runs); also a shaft (of a mine); brook, flood, river, stream, valley.
   
3. Strong's Number: H812
   There are 230 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: אֶשְׁכֹּל
   Transliteration: ʼEshkôl
   Pronunciation: esh-kole'
   Description: the same as אֶשְׁכּוֹל; Eshcol, the name of an Amorite, also of a valley in Palestine; Eshcol.
   
4. Strong's Number: H7200
   There are 1212 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: רָאָה
   Transliteration: râʼâh
   Pronunciation: raw-aw'
   Description: a primitive root; to see, literally or figuratively (in numerous applications, direct and implied, transitive, intransitive and causative); advise self, appear, approve, behold, [idiom] certainly, consider, discern, (make to) enjoy, have experience, gaze, take heed, [idiom] indeed, [idiom] joyfully, lo, look (on, one another, one on another, one upon another, out, up, upon), mark, meet, [idiom] be near, perceive, present, provide, regard, (have) respect, (fore-, cause to, let) see(-r, -m, one another), shew (self), [idiom] sight of others, (e-) spy, stare, [idiom] surely, [idiom] think, view, visions.
   
5. Strong's Number: H776
   There are 2739 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: אֶרֶץ
   Transliteration: ʼerets
   Pronunciation: eh'-rets
   Description: from an unused root probably meaning to be firm; the earth (at large, or partitively a land); [idiom] common, country, earth, field, ground, land, [idiom] natins, way, [phrase] wilderness, world.
   
6. Strong's Number: H5106
   There are 7 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: נוּא
   Transliteration: nûwʼ
   Pronunciation: noo
   Description: a primitive root; to refuse, forbid, dissuade, or neutralize; break, disallow, discourage, make of none effect.
   
7. Strong's Number: H3820
   There are 550 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: לֵב
   Transliteration: lêb
   Pronunciation: labe
   Description: a form of לֵבָב; the heart; also used (figuratively) very widely for the feelings, the will and even the intellect; likewise for the centre of anything; [phrase] care for, comfortably, consent, [idiom] considered, courag(-eous), friend(-ly), ((broken-), (hard-), (merry-), (stiff-), (stout-), double) heart(-ed), [idiom] heed, [idiom] I, kindly, midst, mind(-ed), [idiom] regard(-ed), [idiom] themselves, [idiom] unawares, understanding, [idiom] well, willingly, wisdom.
   
8. Strong's Number: H1121
   There are 3654 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: בֵּן
   Transliteration: bên
   Pronunciation: bane
   Description: from בָּנָה; a son (as a builder of the family name), in the widest sense (of literal and figurative relationship, including grandson, subject, nation, quality or condition, etc., (like father or brother), etc.); [phrase] afflicted, age, (Ahoh-) (Ammon-) (Hachmon-) (Lev-) ite, (anoint-) ed one, appointed to, ([phrase]) arrow, (Assyr-) (Babylon-) (Egypt-) (Grec-) ian, one born, bough, branch, breed, [phrase] (young) bullock, [phrase] (young) calf, [idiom] came up in, child, colt, [idiom] common, [idiom] corn, daughter, [idiom] of first, [phrase] firstborn, foal, [phrase] very fruitful, [phrase] postage, [idiom] in, [phrase] kid, [phrase] lamb, ([phrase]) man, meet, [phrase] mighty, [phrase] nephew, old, ([phrase]) people, [phrase] rebel, [phrase] robber, [idiom] servant born, [idiom] soldier, son, [phrase] spark, [phrase] steward, [phrase] stranger, [idiom] surely, them of, [phrase] tumultuous one, [phrase] valiant(-est), whelp, worthy, young (one), youth.
   
9. Strong's Number: H3478
   There are 2229 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: יִשְׂרָאֵל
   Transliteration: Yisrâʼêl
   Pronunciation: yis-raw-ale'
   Description: from שָׂרָה and אֵל; he will rule as God; Jisrael, a symbolical name of Jacob; also (typically) of his posterity; Israel.
   
10. Strong's Number: H935
    There are 2307 instances of this translation in the Bible
    Lemma: בּוֹא
    Transliteration: bôwʼ
    Pronunciation: bo
    Description: a primitive root; to go or come (in a wide variety of applications); abide, apply, attain, [idiom] be, befall, [phrase] besiege, bring (forth, in, into, to pass), call, carry, [idiom] certainly, (cause, let, thing for) to come (against, in, out, upon, to pass), depart, [idiom] doubtless again, [phrase] eat, [phrase] employ, (cause to) enter (in, into, -tering, -trance, -try), be fallen, fetch, [phrase] follow, get, give, go (down, in, to war), grant, [phrase] have, [idiom] indeed, (in-) vade, lead, lift (up), mention, pull in, put, resort, run (down), send, set, [idiom] (well) stricken (in age), [idiom] surely, take (in), way.
    
11. Strong's Number: H3068
    There are 5521 instances of this translation in the Bible
    Lemma: יְהֹוָה
    Transliteration: Yᵉhôvâh
    Pronunciation: yeh-ho-vaw'
    Description: from הָיָה; (the) self-Existent or Eternal; Jehovah, Jewish national name of God; Jehovah, the Lord. Compare יָהּ, יְהֹוִה.
    
12. Strong's Number: H5414
    There are 1816 instances of this translation in the Bible
    Lemma: נָתַן
    Transliteration: nâthan
    Pronunciation: naw-than'
    Description: a primitive root; to give, used with greatest latitude of application (put, make, etc.); add, apply, appoint, ascribe, assign, [idiom] avenge, [idiom] be (healed), bestow, bring (forth, hither), cast, cause, charge, come, commit, consider, count, [phrase] cry, deliver (up), direct, distribute, do, [idiom] doubtless, [idiom] without fail, fasten, frame, [idiom] get, give (forth, over, up), grant, hang (up), [idiom] have, [idiom] indeed, lay (unto charge, up), (give) leave, lend, let (out), [phrase] lie, lift up, make, [phrase] O that, occupy, offer, ordain, pay, perform, place, pour, print, [idiom] pull, put (forth), recompense, render, requite, restore, send (out), set (forth), shew, shoot forth (up), [phrase] sing, [phrase] slander, strike, (sub-) mit, suffer, [idiom] surely, [idiom] take, thrust, trade, turn, utter, [phrase] weep, [phrase] willingly, [phrase] withdraw, [phrase] would (to) God, yield.