The Espionage

Shammua, Shaphat, Caleb, Igal, Hoshea, Palti, Gaddir, Gaddiel, Ammiel, Sethur, Nahbi and Geuel walked in groups of two or three, all chatting about their espionage to Canaan. It was their fortieth day away from the camp and they were really exhausted. They were on their way back to Kadesh to meet Moses and the children of Isreal in the Wilderness of Paran. Moses, at the command of the Lord had sent the twelve of them out to spy the land of Canaan, he had picked one man each from each tribe of Israel. He had charged them thus: Observe the land, is it pleasant or harsh? Describe the towns where they live; are they open camps or fortified with walls? And the soil; is it fertile or barren? Are there forests? And try to bring back sample of the produce that grows there” That had been forty days ago, and with that charge they had left. They scouted out the land from the wilderness of Zin as far as Rehob toward Lebo Hamath. They gone through the Negev Desert, through Hebron and they had even passed through the land of the giants; Anak’s descendants. The journey had been tough, eventful and tiring but from Caleb the son of Jephunneh of the tribe of Judah, he knew they could take the land. Caleb and Hoshea walked side by side carrying between them a a pole a cluster of grapes which they had cut down from the valley of Eshcol, some of the other men carried figs while others carried pomegranates. He was so excited at what they had found out about the land of Canaan, all the fruits they carried was just one of the signs that the land God had given them was a good land indeed. He couldn’t wait till they got to camp to tell the people all they had seen and for Moses to give the charge for them to go take the land. He looked over at Hoshea, now names Joshua and they exchanged a knowing smile, “ yes they could take over the land” Just then, six of the other guys passed them and what Caleb heard them saying wiped the smile from his face. The only thing I Saw was that the people who live there are so fierce, their cities are huge and well fortified” one of the men was saying. “Dint you see the giants? That is even worse than any other thing” another said Caleb had to cut in sharply “No! Don’t say that, let us go up and take the land now, we can do it. He couldn’t let them have this kind of inferiority complex, it would only destroy them. “The land we passed through to spy is an exceedingly good land. If the Lord delights in us, then He will bring us into this land and give it to us, a land flowing with milk and honey. Only do not rebel against the Lord nor fear the people for they are our bread” Caleb all but shouted at them By now, all the twelve men had gathered together and it was obvious that it was only Caleb and Joshua that had a different and positive view of their espionage. The ten were totally in awe of the giants. “We can’t attack those people; they are way stronger than we are” We scouted out the land from one end to another; it is a land that swallows people whole. Everybody we say was huge. We even saw the Nephilim giants and besides them we were like grasshoppers. And despite how much Caleb and Joshua tried to convince them other wise, the men were not persuaded. And by the time they reached the camp, the men had spread the news and filled the Israelites with dread. They all believed they were nothing compared to the Canaanites despite the fact that God was with them and had wrought so many miracles in their presence. Caleb will never forget the after math of what that singular act of inferiority complex had cost them all. Forty years of wandering in the wilderness.