The story of the twelve spies — twelve men were sent to scout the promised land, and ten came back too afraid to enter it.
This account is found in Numbers 13, at the edge of the land God had promised to give Israel.
The Story of the Twelve Spies
Israel had come out of Egypt and reached the border of Canaan, the land God had promised. God told Moses to send twelve men, one leader from each tribe, to explore it.
For forty days the spies walked through the land. They found it rich and fruitful, and they cut down a single cluster of grapes so large that two men carried it back on a pole between them.
But the land also held walled cities and tall, strong people. When the spies returned, ten of them spoke only of the danger, saying the people were like giants and that Israel had no hope of winning.
Two of the spies, Caleb and Joshua, disagreed. They had seen the same giants, but they trusted that God would give them the land. Caleb urged the people to go up at once and take it.
The crowd listened to the ten fearful spies instead. They wept and wished they had never left Egypt. Because they would not trust God, that generation would wander in the wilderness for forty years, and only Caleb and Joshua would live to enter the land.
Key Verses
“Send thou men, that they may search the land of Canaan, which I give unto the children of Israel.” Numbers 13:2
“Let us go up at once, and possess it; for we are well able to overcome it.” Numbers 13:30
“And we were in our own sight as grasshoppers, and so we were in their sight.” Numbers 13:33
Scripture quotations are from the King James Version (KJV), a public-domain translation.
What the Story of the Twelve Spies Teaches Us
The twelve spies all saw the same land, yet they came back with two very different reports. The difference was not what they saw but what they trusted.
Fear can spread quickly, and ten frightened voices were enough to turn a whole nation back. The story is a reminder that courage often means acting on what God has promised, even when the obstacles look larger than we are.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Who were the twelve spies?
They were twelve leaders, one from each tribe of Israel, sent by Moses to explore the land of Canaan. Their story is told in Numbers 13.
Why did ten spies give a bad report?
Ten of the spies were frightened by the strong people and walled cities they saw. They told Israel the land could not be taken, even though God had promised it.
Which two spies trusted God?
Caleb and Joshua were the two who believed God would help Israel take the land. They were the only two of that generation allowed to enter it later.
What happened after the bad report?
Because the people believed the fearful spies instead of God, they wandered in the wilderness for forty years. Only Caleb and Joshua from that generation reached the promised land.
Where is the story of the twelve spies in the Bible?
It is found in Numbers 13, with the results described in Numbers 14.