TRV
Translation
King James Version
Of the tribe of Joseph, namely, of the tribe of Manasseh, Gaddi the son of Susi.
Complete Jewish Bible
from the tribe of Yosef, that is, from the tribe of M'nasheh, Gadi the son of Susi;
American Standard Version
Of the tribe of Joseph, namely, of the tribe of Manasseh, Gaddi the son of Susi.
World English Bible Messianic
Of the tribe of Joseph, of the tribe of Manasseh, Gaddi the son of Susi.
Young's Literal Translation
For the tribe of Joseph, (for the tribe of Manasseh,) Gaddi son of Susi.
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In the KJVVerse 4,087 of 31,102
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Commentary on Numbers 13 verses 1–20
1 ¶ And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
2 Send thou men, that they may search the land of Canaan, which I give unto the children of Israel: of every tribe of their fathers shall ye send a man, every one a ruler among them.
3 And Moses by the commandment of the LORD sent them from the wilderness of Paran: all those men were heads of the children of Israel.
4 And these were their names: of the tribe of Reuben, Shammua the son of Zaccur.
5 Of the tribe of Simeon, Shaphat the son of Hori.
6 Of the tribe of Judah, Caleb the son of Jephunneh.
7 Of the tribe of Issachar, Igal the son of Joseph.
8 Of the tribe of Ephraim, Oshea the son of Nun.
9 Of the tribe of Benjamin, Palti the son of Raphu.
10 Of the tribe of Zebulun, Gaddiel the son of Sodi.
11 Of the tribe of Joseph, namely, of the tribe of Manasseh, Gaddi the son of Susi.
12 Of the tribe of Dan, Ammiel the son of Gemalli.
13 Of the tribe of Asher, Sethur the son of Michael.
14 Of the tribe of Naphtali, Nahbi the son of Vophsi.
15 Of the tribe of Gad, Geuel the son of Machi.
16 These are the names of the men which Moses sent to spy out the land. And Moses called Oshea the son of Nun Jehoshua.
17 And Moses sent them to spy out the land of Canaan, and said unto them, Get you up this way southward, and go up into the mountain:
18 And see the land, what it is; and the people that dwelleth therein, whether they be strong or weak, few or many;
19 And what the land is that they dwell in, whether it be good or bad; and what cities they be that they dwell in, whether in tents, or in strong holds;
20 And what the land is, whether it be fat or lean, whether there be wood therein, or not. And be ye of good courage, and bring of the fruit of the land. Now the time was the time of the firstripe grapes.
Here we have, I. Orders given to send spies to search out the land of Canaan. It is here said, God directed Moses to send them (Num 13:1, Num 13:2), but it appears by the repetition of the story afterwards (Deu 1:22) that the motion came originally from the people; they came to Moses, and said, We will send men before us; and it was the fruit of their unbelief. They would not take God's word that it was a good land, and that he would, without fail, put them in possession of it. They could not trust the pillar of cloud and fire to show them the way to it, but had a better opinion of their own politics than of God's wisdom. How absurd was it for them to send to spy out a land which God himself had spied out for them, to enquire the way into it when God himself had undertaken to show them the way! But thus we ruin ourselves by giving more credit to the reports and representations of sense than to divine revelation; we walk by sight, not by faith; whereas, if we will receive the witness of men, without doubt the witness of God is greater. The people making this motion to Moses, he (perhaps not aware of the unbelief at the bottom of it) consulted God in the case, who bade him gratify the people in this matter, and send spies before them: "Let them walk in their own counsels." Yet God was no way accessory to the sin that followed, for the sending of these spies was so far from being the cause of the sin that if the spies had done their duty, and the people theirs, it might have been the confirmation of their faith, and of good service to them.
II. The persons nominated that were to be employed in this service (Num 13:4, etc.), one of each tribe, that it might appear to be the act of the people in general; and rulers, person of figure in their respective tribes, some of the rulers of thousands or hundreds, to put the greater credit upon their embassy. This was designed for the best, but it proved to have this ill effect that the quality of the persons occasioned the evil report they brought up to be the more credited and the people to be the more influenced by it. Some think that they are all named for the sake of two good ones that were among them, Caleb and Joshua. Notice is taken of the change of Joshua's name upon this occasion, Num 13:16. He was Moses's minister, but had been employed, though of the tribe of Ephraim, as general of the forces that were sent out against Amalek. The name by which he was generally called and known in his own tribe was Oshea, but Moses called him Joshua, in token of his affection to him and power over him; and now, it should seem, he ordered others to call him so, and fixed that to be his name henceforward. Oshea signifies a prayer for salvation, Save thou; Joshua signifies a promise of salvation, He will save, in answer to that prayer: so near is the relation between prayers and promises. Prayers prevail for promises, and promises direct and encourage prayers. Some think that Moses designed, by taking the first syllable of the name Jehovah and prefixing it to his name, which turned Hoshea into Jehoshua, to put an honour upon him, and to encourage him in this and all his future services with the assurances of God's presence. Yet after this he is called Hoshea, Deu 32:44. Jesus is the same name with Joshua, and it is the name of our Lord Christ, of whom Joshua was a type as successor to Moses, Israel's captain, and conqueror of Canaan. There was another of the same name, who was also a type of Christ, Zac 6:11. Joshua was the saviour of God's people from the powers of Canaan, but Christ is their Saviour from the powers of hell.
III. The instructions given to those spies. They were sent into the land of Canaan the nearest way, to traverse the country, and to take account of its present state, Num 13:17. Two heads of enquiry were given them in charge, 1. Concerning the land itself: See what that is (Num 13:18, and again, Num 13:19), see whether it be good or bad, and (Num 13:20) whether it be fat or lean. All parts of the earth do not share alike in the blessing of fruitfulness; some countries are blessed with a richer soil than others. Moses himself was well satisfied that Canaan was a very good land, but he sent these spies to bring an account of it for the satisfaction of the people; as John Baptist sent to Jesus, to ask whether he was the Christ, not to inform himself, but to inform those he sent. They must take notice whether the air was healthful or no, what the soil was, and what the productions; and, for the better satisfaction of the people, they must bring with them some of the fruits. 2. Concerning the inhabitants - their number, few or many - their size and stature, whether strong able-bodied men or weak, - their habitations, whether they lived in tents or houses, whether in open villages or in walled towns, - whether the woods were standing as in those countries that are uncultivated, through the unskillfulness and slothfulness of the inhabitants, or whether the woods were cut down, and the country made champaign, for the convenience of tillage. These were the things they were to enquire about. Perhaps there had not been of late years such commerce between Egypt and Canaan as there was in Jacob's time, else they might have informed themselves of these things without sending men on purpose to search. See the advantage we may derive from books and learning, which acquaint those that are curious and inquisitive with the state of foreign countries, at a much greater distance than Canaan was now from Israel, without this trouble and expense.
IV. Moses dismisses the spies with this charge, Be of good courage, intimating, not only that they should be themselves encouraged against the difficulties of this expedition, but that they should bring an encouraging account to the people and make the best of every thing. It was not only a great undertaking they were put upon, which required good management and resolution, but it was a great trust that was reposed in them, which required that they should be faithful.
Matthew Henry (1662–1714) — Commentary on the Whole Bible. This section covers verses 1–20. Public domain.
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Source: Quotations drawn from early Church Fathers and historical Christian theologians (AD 100–1500). Some quotes address the surrounding passage context rather than this verse alone.
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SUMMARY
Numbers 13:11 precisely names Gaddi, son of Susi, as the appointed representative from the tribe of Manasseh—a distinct lineage within the broader house of Joseph—selected to participate in the pivotal reconnaissance mission into the land of Canaan. This verse forms an essential component of the divinely mandated roster of twelve tribal leaders dispatched by Moses, tasked with gathering crucial intelligence about the Promised Land, thereby initiating a defining moment in Israel's wilderness journey and testing their faith.
CONTEXT
Literary Context: Numbers 13:11 is intricately woven into the narrative of the twelve spies sent to Canaan, marking a profound turning point in Israel's wilderness wanderings. The chapter commences with God's direct command to Moses to select one leader from each ancestral tribe to scout the land, as detailed in Numbers 13:1. Following this divine directive, verses 4-15 meticulously enumerate the names of the chosen men and their respective tribal affiliations, with Numbers 13:11 specifically identifying Gaddi from Manasseh. This comprehensive listing underscores the official, representative, and divinely sanctioned nature of the mission. The subsequent verses chronicle the spies' journey, their observations, and, most critically, their contrasting reports upon their return, which would profoundly influence the nation's immediate future and tragically lead to the fateful decree of forty years of wilderness wandering, as recorded in Numbers 14:1.
Historical & Cultural Context: This momentous event unfolds while the Israelites are encamped at Kadesh-Barnea, strategically positioned on the southern frontier of Canaan, poised to enter the land promised by God to their forefathers Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. The tribal system constituted the bedrock of Israelite societal organization, governing military formations, land distribution, and individual and collective identity. The practice of dispatching scouts or spies (Hebrew: meraggelim) was a common and prudent military strategy throughout the ancient Near East, employed to assess enemy strength, terrain, and available resources prior to a major campaign. The specific mention of "the tribe of Joseph, [namely], of the tribe of Manasseh" highlights the unique status accorded to Joseph's two sons, Ephraim and Manasseh. Jacob adopted them as his own, effectively establishing two full tribes from Joseph's lineage (Genesis 48:5), thereby ensuring Joseph received a "double portion" of the inheritance, a significant honor reflecting his prominence among Jacob's sons.
Key Themes: Numbers 13:11 contributes significantly to several overarching themes pervasive throughout the book of Numbers and the broader Pentateuch. It powerfully exemplifies the theme of Divine Commission and God's meticulous oversight of Israel's journey, as the sending of the spies was initiated by God's explicit command, even though the people's subsequent fear tragically distorted its intended outcome (Deuteronomy 1:22). The verse also underscores the intricate Tribal Organization and the essential unity of the Israelite nation, where each tribe was duly represented and held accountable within the larger covenant community. Furthermore, it subtly foreshadows the critical theme of Preparation for Inheritance, as the mission was fundamentally designed to gather vital intelligence for the impending conquest and settlement of the Promised Land. Although the mission's immediate result was a profound crisis of faith, it highlights the persistent tension between God's unwavering promises and human doubt, a central theological thread woven throughout the wilderness narrative, culminating in God's righteous anger at Israel's unbelief (Numbers 14:11).
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
Numbers 13:11, as an entry within a comprehensive list, primarily employs Enumeration and Genealogical Detail. The systematic listing of each spy by tribe and paternal lineage (e.g., "Gaddi the son of Susi") is a form of Cataloging, which serves to establish the official and representative nature of the mission. This meticulous detail underscores the importance of tribal identity and the highly structured organization of the Israelite community, emphasizing that each representative was deliberately chosen and officially recognized. The phrase "Of the tribe of Joseph, [namely], of the tribe of Manasseh" also exhibits a form of Parenthetical Clarification or Apposition, where a general category is first stated, then immediately followed by a more specific, clarifying detail. This ensures precise identification and highlights the unique tribal division of Joseph's descendants, preventing any misidentification of Gaddi's specific tribal allegiance.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Numbers 13:11, though a simple identification, profoundly underscores the meticulous order and divine design inherent in the formation and governance of the Israelite nation. God's call for one representative from each tribe for such a critical mission demonstrates His engagement with the specific structures of His covenant people, emphasizing that every part of the community, down to individual tribal units and their chosen leaders, has a significant role to play in God's unfolding plan. The precise naming of Gaddi from Manasseh highlights the individual responsibility within the collective, a responsibility that, in the case of the spies, would have profound and tragic consequences for the entire nation due to their collective lack of faith. This detail also reinforces the enduring reality of God's covenant with Jacob, as the unique double portion given to Joseph's descendants through Ephraim and Manasseh is explicitly recognized in the tribal census and their representation in this crucial national endeavor.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Numbers 13:11, by naming Gaddi as a representative, serves as a poignant reminder that every individual, even those whose names appear briefly in a list, possesses a specific identity and a divinely appointed place within God's grand narrative. Gaddi, like the other spies, was chosen for a task of immense national significance, and his participation, along with the others, would profoundly impact the nation's immediate future. This highlights the critical importance of individual responsibility within a community and how collective decisions, often influenced by individual reports, attitudes, and faith (or lack thereof), can have far-reaching consequences. While the majority report from the spies, including likely Gaddi's, led to widespread fear and rebellion, the initial act of sending representatives demonstrates the value of seeking understanding and preparing for future endeavors. For believers today, this verse invites us to consider our own unique roles within the body of Christ, recognizing that our individual contributions, whether prominent or seemingly minor, are integral to the collective journey of faith. It also serves as a solemn reminder of the critical importance of responding to God's commands with unwavering faith, even when faced with daunting challenges, lest our doubts and fears hinder God's purposes for us and for the community of faith.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Why is "of the tribe of Joseph, [namely], of the tribe of Manasseh" specified?
Answer: This specific phrasing clarifies Gaddi's tribal affiliation due to the unique status of Joseph's descendants within the twelve tribes of Israel. Joseph, one of Jacob's twelve sons, received a "double portion" of inheritance, meaning his two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim, were adopted by Jacob as his own and given full tribal status (Genesis 48:5). This resulted in thirteen tribes of Israel (counting Levi, who had no land inheritance but was dedicated to priestly service) but typically twelve land-inheriting tribes. By first stating "of the tribe of Joseph" and then precisely specifying "of the tribe of Manasseh," the text ensures no ambiguity, distinguishing Gaddi from the tribe of Ephraim, the other half-tribe descended from Joseph. This meticulous detail underscores the precise genealogical and organizational structure of Israel, vital for land allocation, census, and national representation.
What was the overall outcome of the spy mission?
Answer: The mission of the twelve spies, including Gaddi, had a catastrophic outcome for the generation of Israelites who had departed from Egypt. Ten of the twelve spies, upon their return, delivered a fearful and faithless report, emphasizing the immense strength of the Canaanite inhabitants and the formidable nature of their fortified cities. They declared, "We are not able to go up against the people, for they are stronger than we" (Numbers 13:31). This report instilled widespread panic and rebellion among the people, who refused to enter the Promised Land and even contemplated choosing a new leader to return to Egypt (Numbers 14:1). Only two spies, Caleb and Joshua, brought back a faithful report, courageously urging the people to trust in God's power and promise (Numbers 14:6). As a direct consequence of their widespread unbelief and rebellion, God decreed that the entire generation of adult Israelites (except for Caleb and Joshua) would perish in the wilderness, condemned to wander for forty years until a new generation, unburdened by the same lack of faith, was ready to enter the land (Numbers 14:32).
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Numbers 13:11, by introducing a specific individual chosen as a representative for a crucial mission, subtly points to the broader biblical theme of divine appointment and perfect representation, ultimately fulfilled in Jesus Christ. The earthly spies were sent to survey the promised earthly inheritance, but their failure to trust God's power to deliver it led to judgment and exclusion. This foreshadows humanity's inherent inability to secure true spiritual inheritance through their own efforts or reconnaissance. Jesus, however, stands as the ultimate and perfect representative, not merely a scout of a physical land, but the very embodiment of God's promise and the one who perfectly fulfills God's redemptive will (Hebrews 4:14). He is the true "scout" who has gone before us, not to report on insurmountable giants, but to conquer sin and death, thereby opening the way to the heavenly Canaan, the true spiritual rest promised by God (Hebrews 4:9). Where the earthly spies brought back a report that led to fear, unbelief, and exclusion from the land, Christ's mission brings the good news of salvation, inviting all who believe to enter into God's eternal rest and inheritance through faith in Him (John 3:16). The meticulous tribal organization and the selection of specific individuals like Gaddi for an earthly mission find their spiritual culmination in the Church, the new covenant community, where all believers, regardless of earthly lineage or tribal distinction, are united in Christ as members of His body, a spiritual Israel, heirs according to the promise (Galatians 3:28 and Galatians 3:29).