“And they told him, and said, We came unto the land whither thou sentest us, and surely it floweth with milk and honey, and this is the fruit of it.”
Numbers 13:27 is part of the account of the twelve spies sent by Moses to explore the Promised Land, Canaan, before the Israelites entered it. This verse describes the report the spies brought back to Moses and the congregation of Israel after their forty-day reconnaissance mission.
When the spies returned, they conveyed their findings to Moses, stating that they had indeed arrived at the land God had promised to give them. They affirmed that it was a land "flowing with milk and honey," indicating its fertility and abundance. As evidence of the land’s fruitfulness, they presented the fruit they had brought with them.
This verse:highlights the positive aspects of the Promised Land and emphasizes its desirability. The phrase "flowing with milk and honey" was a common expression used in the Bible to describe a land of prosperity, abundance, and blessing. It signifies the land’s richness in agricultural resources, suggesting that it was an ideal place for the Israelites to settle and flourish.
However, while the majority of the spies recognized the land’s goodness, their report was not solely positive. In the subsequent verses (Numbers 13:28-33), the spies also expressed concerns about the challenges they saw, such as the fortified cities and the strength of the inhabitants. These apprehensions would eventually influence the Israelites’ response and lead to doubt and rebellion against God’s promise.
The story of the spies serves as a lesson about faith and trust in God’s provision. Despite witnessing the goodness of the Promised Land, only two of the twelve spies, Joshua and Caleb, maintained unwavering faith in God’s ability to deliver them. The Israelites’ lack of trust and their acceptance of the majority’s negative report resulted in them wandering in the wilderness for forty years, until the doubting generation passed away.
