Deuteronomy 1:28

KJV

Whither shall we go up? our brethren have discouraged our heart, saying, The people [is] greater and taller than we; the cities [are] great and walled up to heaven; and moreover we have seen the sons of the Anakims there.

KJV (with Strong's)

Whither shall we go up {H5927}? our brethren {H251} have discouraged {H4549} our heart {H3824}, saying {H559}, The people {H5971} is greater {H1419} and taller {H7311} than we; the cities {H5892} are great {H1419} and walled up {H1219} to heaven {H8064}; and moreover we have seen {H7200} the sons {H1121} of the Anakims {H6062} there.

Complete Jewish Bible

What sort of place is it that we're heading for? Our brothers made our courage fail when they said, "The people are bigger and taller than we are; the cities are great and fortified up to the sky; and finally, we have seen 'Anakim there."'

Berean Standard Bible

Where can we go? Our brothers have made our hearts melt, saying: ‘The people are larger and taller than we are; the cities are large, with walls up to the heavens. We even saw the descendants of the Anakim there.’”

American Standard Version

Whither are we going up? our brethren have made our heart to melt, saying, The people are greater and taller than we; the cities are great and fortified up to heaven; and moreover we have seen the sons of the Anakim there.

Commentary

### SUMMARY
Deuteronomy 1:28 encapsulates the profound despair and crippling unbelief of the Israelites as they stood on the precipice of the Promised Land. Recounted by Moses, this lament reveals their overwhelming fear in the face of perceived insurmountable obstacles—the formidable Anakim and impregnable, "heaven-high" cities. It starkly illustrates the devastating consequences of prioritizing human limitations and discouraging reports over God's explicit promises and omnipotent power, ultimately leading to a generation's tragic forfeiture of their divine inheritance.

### CONTEXT
* **Literary Context:** This verse is situated within Moses' opening address to the new generation of Israelites on the plains of Moab, poised to enter Canaan. Moses is meticulously recounting the pivotal events of their forty-year wilderness journey, with a particular emphasis on the rebellion at Kadesh-Barnea. The fearful outcry of the people in this verse directly quotes their response to the spies' report, which is extensively detailed in [Numbers 13-14](/numbers/13 "Numbers 13-14 - The Spies and Israel's Rebellion"). This historical review serves a dual purpose: it acts as a powerful reminder of the bitter consequences of disobedience for the previous generation and a fervent call to unwavering faithfulness for the generation now standing on the threshold of their inheritance. The people's lament here sets the stage for God's subsequent judgment of forty years of wilderness wandering, a direct result of their unbelief and refusal to obey God's command to advance.
* **Historical & Cultural Context:** The Israelites had endured a prolonged period of wilderness wandering, a divine judgment for the unbelief of their parents' generation. They were now encamped on the eastern bank of the Jordan River, with the fertile lands of Canaan, promised by God to their ancestors, stretching before them. The inhabitants of Canaan, particularly the Anakim, were renowned for their imposing stature and military strength, residing in highly fortified cities. In the ancient Near East, robust city walls were paramount for defense, and the hyperbolic description of them being "walled up to heaven" (`bâtsar bāššāmayim`) vividly conveys not only their impressive physical stature but also the profound psychological impact they had on the Israelites, who were accustomed to a nomadic, unfortified existence. This pervasive fear stood in stark opposition to the core covenantal expectation that Israel would trust in God's power to fight their battles and fulfill His promises.
* **Key Themes:** Deuteronomy 1:28 powerfully illuminates the profound tension between **Fear versus Faith**, demonstrating how human perception of overwhelming obstacles can utterly eclipse divine promises. The "discouraged heart" points to the insidious and contagious nature of **Unbelief**, highlighting the destructive influence of negative reports and contrasting sharply with the steadfast faith of Caleb and Joshua. The vivid description of the Anakim and "cities walled up to heaven" underscores the theme of **Perceived Insurmountable Obstacles**, revealing the Israelites' tragic failure to recall God's omnipotence and His numerous past deliverances, such as the parting of the Red Sea ([Exodus 14](/exodus/14 "Exodus 14 - The Crossing of the Red Sea")). Ultimately, this verse serves as a stark reminder of the dire **Consequences of Disobedience** and the tragic cost of rejecting God's clear command to enter the land, a judgment precisely detailed in [Numbers 14:26-35](/numbers/14-26-35 "Numbers 14:26-35 - God's Judgment on the Rebellious Generation").

### EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
#### Key Word Analysis
* **Discouraged (Hebrew, _mâçaç'_):** From H4549, this primitive root means "to liquefy; figuratively, to waste (with disease), to faint (with fatigue, fear or grief); discourage, faint, be loosed, melt (away), refuse, [idiom] utterly." This word conveys a profound internal collapse, a complete loss of resolve and spirit. The spies' report had a debilitating effect, causing the people's hearts to "melt" with fear, rendering them utterly incapable of action and trust in God.
* **Anakims (Hebrew, _ʻĂnâqîy'_):** From H6062, this term refers to "an Anakite or descendant of Anak; Anakim." These were a race of formidable, exceptionally tall people inhabiting parts of Canaan. They were perceived as giants, instilling immense terror in the Israelites. Their presence became the ultimate symbol of the insurmountable human obstacle, causing the Israelites to feel like "grasshoppers" in comparison, as expressed in [Numbers 13:33](/numbers/13-33 "Numbers 13:33 - The Grasshopper Mentality").
* **Walled up (Hebrew, _bâtsar'_):** From H1219, this primitive root means "to clip off; specifically (as denominative from בָּצִיר); to gather grapes; also to be isolated (i.e. inaccessible by height or fortification); cut off, (de-) fenced, fortify, (grape) gather(-er), mighty things, restrain, strong, wall (up), withhold." When combined with "to heaven" (H8064, _shâmayim_), this phrase creates a hyperbolic expression, "fortified to the heavens," conveying the immense height and impregnability of the Canaanite cities' fortifications. It reflects the extreme fear and sense of hopelessness felt by the Israelites, who viewed these cities as utterly unconquerable by human means.

#### Verse Breakdown
* **"Whither shall we go up?":** This rhetorical question expresses profound despair, hopelessness, and a complete lack of will or direction. It signifies a collective surrender to fear, indicating that the people saw no viable path forward and had abandoned the divine command to advance into the Promised Land. It is a cry of paralysis and defeat before even attempting to move.
* **"our brethren have discouraged our heart, saying,":** This clause highlights the devastating impact of negative influence and the rapid, contagious spread of unbelief within the community. The ten unfaithful spies, despite being "brethren" and fellow Israelites, acted as agents of fear, robbing the entire assembly of their courage and resolve through their fear-mongering report. Their words melted the hearts of the people, rendering them spiritually weak.
* **"The people [is] greater and taller than we; the cities [are] great and walled up to heaven;":** This provides the specific, human-centric reasons for their overwhelming fear. Their assessment focuses solely on the physical superiority of the Canaanite inhabitants and the perceived impregnability of their defenses. Crucially, this perspective entirely neglects God's omnipotence, His explicit promise to fight for them, and His proven track record of delivering them from far greater foes.
* **"and moreover we have seen the sons of the Anakims there.":** This final detail serves as the ultimate, irrefutable justification for their fear from their perspective. The explicit mention of these notorious giants solidifies their conviction that the task is utterly impossible, sealing their collective decision to rebel against God's direct command to enter and possess the land.

#### Literary Devices
Deuteronomy 1:28 employs several powerful literary devices to convey the profound depth of Israel's fear and unbelief. **Hyperbole** is strikingly evident in the phrase "walled up to heaven," which exaggerates the height and impregnability of the city walls to emphasize the Israelites' overwhelming sense of dread and the perceived impossibility of conquering such fortifications. This exaggeration serves to highlight their human-centered perspective, utterly blind to God's transcendent power. The opening question, "Whither shall we go up?", functions as a potent **Rhetorical Question**, not seeking an answer but expressing utter despair, paralysis, and a complete lack of will to proceed. It underscores their collective surrender in the face of perceived danger. Furthermore, the phrase "our brethren have discouraged our heart" uses **Metonymy** (or a form of synecdoche), where "heart" (lêbâb, H3824) represents their inner courage, resolve, and spirit, indicating that their very will to obey God had been broken and melted by the fear-mongering report of the spies.

### THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Deuteronomy 1:28 stands as a poignant biblical example of the destructive power of unbelief and fear when confronted with God's explicit promises. It underscores the critical theological truth that genuine faith is not the absence of obstacles, but unwavering trust in God's power and faithfulness to overcome them. The Israelites' myopic focus on the "giants" and "walled cities" reveals a profound spiritual blindness, failing to see the infinitely greater God who had already delivered them from the might of Egypt and miraculously sustained them in the desolate wilderness. Their fear led them to reject the divine gift of the Promised Land, demonstrating that a lack of faith is not merely a passive weakness but an active rebellion against God's sovereign will and unwavering faithfulness. This tragic episode serves as a foundational warning against allowing human perception, discouraging voices, or the magnitude of perceived problems to override divine command and the certainty of God's promises.

* [Numbers 13:33](/numbers/13-33 "Numbers 13:33 - The Grasshopper Mentality")
* [Numbers 14:11](/numbers/14-11 "Numbers 14:11 - God's Anger at Israel's Unbelief")
* [Deuteronomy 9:1-3](/deuteronomy/9-1-3 "Deuteronomy 9:1-3 - God Promises to Drive Out the Nations")

### REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Deuteronomy 1:28 offers a timeless and profound lesson for believers navigating the complexities and challenges of modern life. We, too, frequently encounter "giants" and "walled cities"—be they overwhelming financial burdens, daunting career transitions, seemingly insurmountable relational conflicts, or even spiritual attacks that threaten to paralyze our faith and progress. This verse serves as a potent caution against the insidious nature of fear and the contagious spread of unbelief, whether originating from external discouraging voices or internal, self-defeating doubts. It compels us to critically examine where our primary focus lies: on the overwhelming size of our problems or on the infinite greatness and omnipotence of our God. True courage, as exemplified by Caleb and Joshua, is not the absence of fear, but the resolute decision to act in faith despite it, remembering God's past faithfulness and His unwavering promises. We are powerfully reminded that God's power is not limited by our perceptions of impossibility, and that His call to advance often requires us to step out in audacious trust, even when the path ahead seems "walled up to heaven."

#### Questions for Reflection
* **What "giants" or "walled cities" are you facing in your life today that seem insurmountable, causing your heart to "melt" with fear?**
* **Whose voices are you primarily listening to—those that discourage and instill fear, or those that speak faith and God's unfailing promises?**
* **How does remembering God's past faithfulness in your life, or His mighty acts recorded in biblical history, strengthen your resolve to face current challenges?**
* **What practical steps can you take to intentionally shift your focus from the overwhelming size of the obstacle to the infinite greatness of God's power and His promises?**

### FAQ
**What was the significance of the "Anakims" to the Israelites?**

Answer: The Anakims represented the ultimate human obstacle to the Israelites' entry into the Promised Land. They were a race of formidable, exceptionally tall people, often described as giants. Their presence was a major psychological barrier, instilling such terror that the Israelites felt like "grasshoppers" in comparison ([Numbers 13:33](/numbers/13-33 "Numbers 13:33 - The Grasshopper Mentality")). Despite God's explicit promise to drive out these inhabitants before Israel ([Deuteronomy 9:1-3](/deuteronomy/9-1-3 "Deuteronomy 9:1-3 - God Promises to Drive Out the Nations")), the Anakims became the focal point of the Israelites' fear and unbelief, leading them to reject God's command to enter the land.

**Why did the Israelites use the phrase "walled up to heaven"?**

Answer: The phrase "walled up to heaven" (Hebrew: `bâtsar bāššāmayim`) is a hyperbolic expression, meaning "fortified to the heavens." It was used by the Israelites to convey their overwhelming fear and the perceived impossibility of conquering such immensely fortified cities. This exaggeration reflects their deep-seated lack of faith in God's omnipotence. Rather than trusting that God would fight for them and dismantle these defenses, they focused solely on the humanly impossible scale of the obstacles, revealing their spiritual blindness and profound unbelief.

**How did the "brethren" discourage their hearts, and what was the consequence?**

Answer: The "brethren" refers primarily to the ten unfaithful spies who, after scouting the land, brought back a fear-filled and exaggerated report to the Israelite assembly ([Numbers 13:28-33](/numbers/13-28-33 "Numbers 13:28-33 - The Spies' Discouraging Report")). While they reported some facts about the land's inhabitants and fortifications, they framed it in a way that instilled panic and widespread unbelief, causing the people's hearts to "melt" with fear. This widespread discouragement led the entire generation to rebel against God's command to enter the land, resulting in God's severe judgment: they would wander in the wilderness for forty years until that generation died off, unable to enter the Promised Land ([Numbers 14:26-35](/numbers/14-26-35 "Numbers 14:26-35 - God's Judgment on the Rebellious Generation")).

### CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
The Israelites' tragic failure to enter the physical Promised Land due to their unbelief in the face of "giants" and "walled cities" serves as a profound Old Testament type, foreshadowing the greater spiritual rest and eternal inheritance offered exclusively through Jesus Christ. Just as the generation in Deuteronomy 1:28 could not enter their physical inheritance because of a lack of faith, the New Testament issues a solemn warning against a similar spiritual failure to enter God's eternal rest through unbelief ([Hebrews 3:7-19](/hebrews/3-7-19 "Hebrews 3:7-19 - The Warning Against Unbelief")). Jesus, the true and ultimate Joshua, leads His people into a spiritual inheritance far surpassing the land of Canaan. He has already decisively conquered the ultimate "giants"—sin, death, and the devil—and has completely dismantled the "walls" of separation between God and humanity through His sacrificial death and glorious resurrection ([Colossians 2:15](/colossians/2-15 "Colossians 2:15 - Christ's Triumph Over Spiritual Powers")). Our entry into this spiritual kingdom and the experience of God's promised rest is not predicated on our ability to overcome obstacles in our own strength, but entirely on our faith in Christ's finished work. He empowers us to face any challenge, for "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me" ([Philippians 4:13](/philippians/4-13 "Philippians 4:13 - Strength in Christ")), assuring us that no "giant" or "walled city" is too great for those who trust in Him.

Note: Commentary is generated by AI with a directive for Biblical fidelity. Always rely on the Holy Spirit for discernment. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

Cross-References

Deuteronomy 9:1

¶ Hear, O Israel: Thou [art] to pass over Jordan this day, to go in to possess nations greater and mightier than thyself, cities great and fenced up to heaven,

Deuteronomy 9:2

A people great and tall, the children of the Anakims, whom thou knowest, and [of whom] thou hast heard [say], Who can stand before the children of Anak!

Numbers 13:28

Nevertheless the people [be] strong that dwell in the land, and the cities [are] walled, [and] very great: and moreover we saw the children of Anak there.

Numbers 13:33

And there we saw the giants, the sons of Anak, [which come] of the giants: and we were in our own sight as grasshoppers, and so we were in their sight.

2 Samuel 21:16

And Ishbibenob, which [was] of the sons of the giant, the weight of whose spear [weighed] three hundred [shekels] of brass in weight, he being girded with a new [sword], thought to have slain David.

2 Samuel 21:22

These four were born to the giant in Gath, and fell by the hand of David, and by the hand of his servants.

Judges 1:20

And they gave Hebron unto Caleb, as Moses said: and he expelled thence the three sons of Anak.