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Twelve spies sent into Canaan

Only Joshua and Caleb give a good report.
Contributed by Sweet Publishing
Story also available on our translated websites: Spanish, Portuguese, Polish, Hindi, Simplified Chinese
1
After leaving Egypt, the freed Hebrew slaves moved through the wilderness on their way to the land God had promised them. As they approached Canaan, they stopped in the wilderness of Zin at a place called Kadesh Barnea – Slide 1
2
The Lord told Moses to select a leader from each of the 12 tribes to go and spy out the land ahead. – Slide 2
3
Moses chose a leader from each tribe. (Their names were Shammua, Shaphat, Caleb, Igal, Joshua, Palti, Gaddiel, Gaddi, Ammiel, Sethur, Nahbi and Geuel). – Slide 3
4
Moses told them to find out whether the people in Canaan were strong or weak. How big were their towns and were they fortified? Was the soil fertile or poor? He also asked them to bring back some fruit from the land. – Slide 4
5
The twelve spies set out from Kadesh Barnea through the Negev desert, where the Amalekites lived, then up into the hill country. – Slide 5
6
They saw very tall and strong people who were descendants of Anak. – Slide 6
7
They moved north through the hill country where the Hittites, Jebusites and Amorites lived and then around the River Jordan and Lake Galilee where they saw Canaanites. – Slide 7
8
The towns and cities were large and well fortified. – Slide 8
9
They went as far north as Rehob before turning back and retracing their steps. – Slide 9
10
When they reached the Valley of Eshkol, they cut off a branch bearing a single cluster of grapes. – Slide 10
11
Two of them carried it on a pole between them, along with some pomegranates and figs.  – Slide 11
12
After 40 days, they returned to their camp. They reported, ‘The land does flow with milk and honey! Here is its fruit.  But the people who live there are powerful, and the cities are large and fortified. One of the spies, Caleb, silenced everyone and said, ‘We should go up and take the land, for we can certainly do it.’ – Slide 12
13
Ten of the spies disagreed: ‘We can’t attack these people, they are stronger than us. All the people we saw are huge. Compared to them we seemed like grasshoppers.’ – Slide 13
14
That night the Israelites grumbled and wept. They complained to Moses and Aaron, ‘Why is the Lord bringing us to this land only to die in battle? Our wives and children will be taken as plunder.’ They started planning to choose another leader and go back to Egypt.’ – Slide 14
15
Moses and Aaron fell face down in front of everyone. Two of the spies, Joshua and Caleb, stood up and said, ‘The land we explored is exceedingly good. The Lord will lead us into that land flowing with milk and honey, and give it to us. Don’t rebel against God or be afraid. The Lord is with us not them.’ – Slide 15
16
Just as those listening were muttering about stoning Joshua and Caleb, the glory of the Lord appeared at the Tent of Meeting. – Slide 16
17
The Lord told Moses, ‘How long will these people refuse to believe in me, in spite of all the miracles I have performed among them?  I will strike them down with a plague and destroy them, but I will make you into a stronger nation.’ God told Moses He would punish their rebellion by keeping them in the wilderness for 40 years, one year for each day the spies had been in Canaan. – Slide 17
18
The ten spies who brought a bad report died of a plague. Only Joshua and Caleb survived - the spies who trusted in God to keep His promises and give them the land. – Slide 18
19
The rebellious people then changed their minds and decided to attack the Amalekites just north of their camp. Moses said, ‘Why are you disobeying the Lord’s command? This will not succeed!’ But they went ahead. – Slide 19
20
The Amalekites, helped by the Canaanites from the hill country, came down and attacked them and beat them into a swift retreat. – Slide 20
21
For the next forty years the Israelites wandered around in the wilderness. All those who rebelled against God died. A new generation grew up willing to trust God and take the land God had promised to them – under the leadership of Joshua, supported by Caleb. – Slide 21
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