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hidden　things　of　darkness；　and　will　make　manifest　the　counsels　of　the
hearts。〃　1　Corinthians　4：5。　And　whoever　takes　it　upon　himself　to　judge　and
condemn　his　fellow　men　is　usurping　the　prerogative　of　the　Creator。

The　Bible　specially　teaches　us　to　beware　of　lightly　bringing　accusation
against　those　whom　God　has　called　to　act　as　His　ambassadors。　The　apostle
Peter；　describing　a　class　who　are　abandoned　sinners；　says；　〃Presumptuous　are
they；　self…willed；　they　are　not　afraid　to　speak　evil　of　dignities。　Whereas
angels；　which　are　greater　in　power　and　might；　bring　not　railing　accusation
against　them　before　the　Lord。〃　2　Peter　2：10；　11。　And　Paul；　in　his
instruction　for　those　who　are　placed　over　the　church；　says；　〃Against　an
elder　receive　not　an　accusation；　but　before　two　or　three　witnesses。〃
1　Timothy　5：19。　He　who　has　placed　upon　men　the　heavy
responsibility　of　leaders　and　teachers　of　His　people　will　hold　the　people
accountable　for　the　manner　in　which　they　treat　His　servants。　We　are　to　honor
those　whom　God　has　honored。　The　judgment　visited　upon　Miriam　should　be　a
rebuke　to　all　who　yield　to　jealousy；　and　murmur　against　those　upon　whom　God
lays　the　burden　of　His　work。




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　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Chapter　34

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　The　Twelve　Spies


Eleven　days　after　leaving　Mount　Horeb　the　Hebrew　host　encamped　at　Kadesh；　in
the　wilderness　of　Paran；　which　was　not　far　from　the　borders　of　the　Promised
Land。　Here　it　was　proposed　by　the　people　that　spies　be　sent　up　to　survey　the
country。　The　matter　was　presented　before　the　Lord　by　Moses；　and　permission
was　granted；　with　the　direction　that　one　of　the　rulers　of　each　tribe　should
be　selected　for　this　purpose。　The　men　were　chosen　as　had　been　directed；　and
Moses　bade　them　go　and　see　the　country；　what　it　was；　its　situation　and
natural　advantages；　and　the　people　that　dwelt　therein；　whether　they　were
strong　or　weak；　few　or　many；　also　to　observe　the　nature　of　the　soil　and　its
productiveness　and　to　bring　of　the　fruit　of　the　land。

They　went；　and　surveyed　the　whole　land；　entering　at　the　southern　border　and
proceeding　to　the　northern　extremity。　They　returned　after　an　absence　of
forty　days。　The　people　of　Israel　were　cherishing　high　hopes　and　were　waiting
in　eager　expectancy。　The　news　of　the　spies'　return　was　carried　from　tribe　to
tribe　and　was　hailed　with　rejoicing。　The　people　rushed　out　to　meet　the
messengers；　who　had　safely　escaped　the　dangers　of　their　perilous
undertaking。　The　spies　brought　specimens　of　the　fruit；　showing　the　fertility
of　the　soil。　It　was　in　the　time　of　ripe　grapes；　and　they　brought　a　cluster
of　grapes　so　large　that　it　was　carried　between　two　men。　They　also　brought　of
the　figs　and　pomegranates　which　grew　there　in　abundance。

The　people　rejoiced　that　they　were　to　come　into　possession　of　so　goodly　a
land；　and　they　listened　intently　as　the　report　was　brought　to　Moses；　that
not　a　word　should　escape　them。　〃We　came　unto　the　land　whither　thou　sentest
us；〃　the　spies　began；　〃and　surely　it　floweth　with　milk　and　honey；　and　this
is　the　fruit　of　it。〃　The　people　were　enthusiastic；　they　would　eagerly　obey
the　voice　of　the　Lord；　and　go　up　at　once　to　possess　the　land。　But

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after　describing　the　beauty　and　fertility　of　the　land；　all　but　two　of　the
spies　enlarged　upon　the　difficulties　and　dangers　that　lay　before　the
Israelites　should　they　undertake　the　conquest　of　Canaan。　They　enumerated　the
powerful　nations　located　in　various　parts　of　the　country；　and　said　that　the
cities　were　walled　and　very　great；　and　the　people　who　dwelt　therein　were
strong；　and　it　would　be　impossible　to　conquer　them。　They　also　stated　that
they　had　seen　giants；　the　sons　of　Anak；　there；　and　it　was　useless　to　think
of　possessing　the　land。

Now　the　scene　changed。　Hope　and　courage　gave　place　to　cowardly　despair；　as
the　spies　uttered　the　sentiments　of　their　unbelieving　hearts；　which　were
filled　with　discouragement　prompted　by　Satan。　Their　unbelief　cast　a　gloomy
shadow　over　the　congregation；　and　the　mighty　power　of　God；　so　often
manifested　in　behalf　of　the　chosen　nation；　was　forgotten。　The　people　did　not
wait　to　reflect；　they　did　not　reason　that　He　who　had　brought　them　thus　far
would　certainly　give　them　the　land；　they　did　not　call　to　mind　how
wonderfully　God　had　delivered　them　from　their　oppressors；　cutting　a　path
through　the　sea　and　destroying　the　pursuing　hosts　of　Pharaoh。　They　left　God
out　of　the　question；　and　acted　as　though　they　must　depend　solely　on　the
power　of　arms。

In　their　unbelief　they　limited　the　power　of　God　and　distrusted　the　hand　that
had　hitherto　safely　guided　them。　And　they　repeated　their　former　error　of
murmuring　against　Moses　and　Aaron。　〃This；　then；　is　the　end　of　our　high
hopes；〃　they　said。　〃This　is　the　land　we　have　traveled　all　the　way　from　Egypt
to　possess。〃　They　accused　their　leaders　of　deceiving　the　people　and　bringing
trouble　upon　Israel。

The　people　were　desperate　in　their　disappointment　and　despair。　A　wail　of
agony　arose　and　mingled　with　the　confused　murmur　of　voices。　Caleb
comprehended　the　situation；　and；　bold　to　stand　in　defense　of　the　word　of
God；　he　did　all　in　his　power　to　counteract　the　evil　influence　of　his
unfaithful　associates。　For　an　instant　the　people　were　stilled　to　listen　to
his　words　of　hope　and　courage　respecting　the　goodly　land。　He　did　not
contradict　what　had　already　been　said；　the　walls　were　high　and　the
Canaanites　strong。　But　God　had　promised　the　land　to　Israel。　〃Let　us　go　up　at
once　and　possess　it；〃　urged　Caleb；　〃for　we　are　well　able　to　overcome　it。〃

But　the　ten；　interrupting　him；　pictured　the　obstacles　in　darker　colors　than
at　first。　〃We　be　not　able　to　go　up　against　the　people；〃

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they　declared；　〃for　they　are　stronger　than　we。　。　。　。　All　the　people　that　we
saw　in　it　are　men　of　a　great　stature。　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。〃

These　men；　having　entered　upon　a　wrong　course；　stubbornly　set　themselves
against　Caleb　and　Joshua；　against　Moses；　and　against　God。　Every　advance　step
rendered　them　the　more　determined。　They　were　resolved　to　discourage　all
effort　to　gain　possession　of　Canaan。　They　distorted　the　truth　in　order　to
sustain　their　baleful　influence。　It　〃is　a　land　that　eateth　up　the
inhabitants　thereof；〃　they　said。　This　was　not　only　an　evil　report；　but　it
was　also　a　lying　one。　It　was　inconsistent　with　itself。　The　spies　had
declared　the　country　to　be　fruitful　and　prosperous；　and　the　people　of　giant
stature；　all　of　which　would　be　impossible　if　the　climate　were　so　unhealthful
that　the　land　could　be　said　to　〃eat　up　the　inhabitants。〃　But　when　men　yield
their　hearts　to　unbelief　they　place　themselves　under　the　control　of　Satan；
and　none　can　tell　to　what　lengths　he　will　lead　them。

〃And　all　the　congregation　lifted　up　their　voice；　and　cried；　and　the　people
wept　that　night。〃　Revolt　and　open　mutiny　quickly　followed；　for　Satan　had
full　sway；　and　the　people　seemed　bereft　of　reason。　They　cursed　Moses　and
Aaron；　forgetting　that　God　hearkened　to　their　wicked　speeches；　and　that；
enshrouded　in　the　cloudy　pillar；　the　Angel　of　His　presence　was　witnessing
their　terrible　outburst　of　wrath。　In　bitterness　they　cried　out；　〃Would　God
that　we　had　died　in　the　land　of　Egypt！　or　would　God　we　had　died　in　this
wilderness！〃　Then　their　feelings　rose　against　God：　〃Wherefore　hath　the　Lord
brought　us　unto　this　land；　to　fall　by　the　sword；　that　our　wives　and　our
children　should　be　a　prey？　were　it　not　better　for　us　to　return　into　Egypt？
And　they　said　one　to　another；　Let　us　make　a　captain；　and　let　us　return　into
Egypt。〃　Thus　they　accused　not　only　Moses；　but　God　Himself；　of　deception；　in
promising　them　a　land　which　they　were　not　able　to　possess。　And　they　went　so
far　as　to　appoint　a　captain　to　lead　them　back　to　the　land　of　their　suffering
and　bondage；　from　which　they　had　been　delivered　by　the　strong　arm　of
Omnipotence。

In　humiliation　and　distress　〃Moses　and　Aaron　fell　on　their　faces　before　all
the　assembly　of　the　congregation　of　the　children　of　Israel；〃　not　knowing
what　to　do　to　turn　them　from　their　rash　and　passionate　purpose。　Caleb　and
Joshua　attempted　to　quiet　the

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tumult。　With　their　garments　rent　in　token　of　grief　and　indignation；　they
rushed　in　among　the　people；　and　their　ringing　voices　were　heard　above　the
tempest　of　lamentation　and　rebellious　grief：　〃The　land；　which　we　passed
through　to　search　it；　is　an　exceeding　good　land。　If　the　Lord　delight　in　us；
then　He　will　bring　us　into　this　land；　and　give　it　us；　a　land　which　floweth
with　milk　and　honey。　Only　rebel　not　ye　against　the　Lord；　neither　fear　ye　the
people　of　the　land；　for　they　are　bread　for　us：　their　defense　is　departed
from　them；　and　the　Lord　is　with　us：　fear　them　not。〃

The　Canaanites　had　filled　up　the　measure　of　their　iniquity；　and　the　Lord
would　no　longer　bear　with　them。　His　protection　being　removed；　they　would　be
an　easy　prey。　By　the　covenant　of　God　the　land　was　ensured　to　Israel。　But　the
false　report　of　the　unfaithful　spies　was　accepted；　and　thr