Numbers 14:6

Num 14:6 And Joshua the son of Nun, and Caleb the son of Jephunneh, [which were] of them that searched the land, rent their clothes:

Ver. 6. Rent their clothes.] And wept, saith Sulpitius.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Num_14:6-9

The Lord is with us: fear them not.

A noble effort to arrest a nations rebellion

I. Joshua and Caleb were deeply grieved by reason of the rebellion of the nation.

II. Joshua and Caleb nobly endeavoured to arrest the rebellion of the nation.

1. They reassert the excellence of the land.

2. They declare the attainableness of the land.

3. They exhort the people not to violate the conditions of its attainment.

(1) By rebelling against the Lord.

(2) By dreading the people of the land.

III. Joshua and Caleb were in danger by reason of their effort to arrest the rebellion of the nation. All the congregation bade stone them with stones. See here--

1. The tactics of an excited mob when defeated in argument.

2. The folly of an excited mob. This proposal to stone Joshua and Caleb was insane.

(1) Stoning would not disprove the testimony, or take away the wisdom from the counsel of the two brave explorers.

(2) Stoning would involve the nation in deeper guilt and disgrace.

3. The perils of faithfulness.

IV. Joshua and Caleb rescued from danger by the interposition of God. (W. Jones.)

An encouraging declaration

I. A supposition. If the Lord delight in us (Pro_8:30). God delights in His Son, &c. He delights in His holy angels, &c. But have we reason to suppose that He delights in His saints?

1. We might conclude, indeed, that He could not delight in them, when we reflect--

(1) On their nothingness and vanity. Man at His best estate, &c.

(2) On their guilt and rebellion. Not one but is a sinner.

(3) On their pollution and want of conformity to His likeness.

(4) And more especially when we reflect on His greatness, independence and purity.

2. But there are the most satisfactory evidences that He does delight in His people.

(1) Observe the names by which He distinguishes them. His jewels--inheritance--treasure--diadem--crown and portion. See the very term in the text. And Pro_11:20.

(2) Observe the declarations He has made respecting them. He that toucheth you, toucheth the apple of Mine eye.

(3) Observe what He has done for them. Favoured--sustained--redeemed them--given His Son--Spirit--promises.

(4) What He has provided for them. The Lord God is a sun, &c. My God shall supply, &c. Eye hath not seen, &c.

(5) Eternal life and unceasing glory.

II. An inference. Then He will bring us into this land, &c. Observe here--

1. The land specified. It is the land afar off. The good land. The heavenly Canaan. Tile region of immortality.

2. This land is Gods gift. Not the result of merit. It is given in promise--given in Christ.

3. To this land God must bring His saints. Difficulties, enemies, and dangers intervene. He will guide to it. Keep--safely conduct, and at length put people into it, as He did Israel. Fear not, little flock, &c. Let not your hearts be troubled, &c. (Rev_2:10; Rev_2:26; Rev_3:5; Rev_3:12). (J. Burns, D. D.)

The boldness and fidelity of Joshua and Caleb

I. How sound was their reasoning!

1. They drew a strong argument from the assurance that the Lord was with them, bat that the defence of the Canaanites had departed from them. They spoke of the country itself as worthy of the contest.

2. They reminded the people of the danger of disobedience, as appeared from their past history; and from the character of God. Sin was the only giant that they had reason to fear. Happy would it have been for the people, had they listened to these arguments.

II. How resolute was their spirit! Personally, no doubt, it would have been much more pleasant to remain in the tent; but viewing this as an opportunity of doing good, and glorifying God, they encountered the shame of uttering sentiments which were reprobated; and the danger of advising measures which were disliked. Thus numbers in the present day say, Religion is all very well in its place; but they have no idea of glorifying God, and endeavouring to save souls, by acting with the decision that Caleb and Joshua did. We, too, may mourn over sin, but we must do something more; we must use all our influence to put it down, and to lead forward the Israel of God.

III. How undivided was their aim! Their one desire was to get the land; and therefore if popular opinion coincided with them, well; but if not, they would not be guided by it. They could do without riches, or honour, or life itself; but they could not do without Canaan. (George Breay, B. A.)

The Biblical Illustrator, edited by Joseph S. Exell (c. 1880s–1900s) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Num 14:6. Rent their clothes — To testify their hearty grief for the people’s blasphemy against God and sedition against Moses, and that dreadful judgment which they easily foresaw this must bring upon the congregation.

Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

JOSHUA AND CALEB’S MINORITY REPORT, Num_14:6-10.

The two believing spies, having been rudely interrupted in their report by the cowardly ten, (Num_13:30-31,) now come forward, evincing the deepest emotion, and attempt to continue their narration of their view of the situation. They succeed in uttering a few cheering words, when their voices are drowned in the hoarse clamour of the mob, now excited to a frenzy which imperils the lives of the speakers, “faithful among the faithless found.”

6. Rent their clothes — The flowing robes of the Orientals admit of various symbolical actions. Rending expresses grief, indignation, despair, or fear. The outer garment only was torn. See Gen_39:12, (Hebrew.)

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

14:6 Joshua and Caleb joined in the effort to reverse the rebellion and avert God’s wrath; they tore their clothing in a gesture of grief.

Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

For sorrow, hearing their blasphemy.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain. Text via Bolls.life.

Joshua . . . and Caleb, which were of them that searched the land, rent their clothes--The two honest spies testified their grief and horror, in the strongest manner, at the mutiny against Moses and the blasphemy against God; while at the same time they endeavored, by a truthful statement, to persuade the people of the ease with which they might obtain possession of so desirable a country, provided they did not, by their rebellion and ingratitude, provoke God to abandon them.

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Verse 6. And Joshua, &c.] See on the preceding chapter, See Clarke on Nu 13:33.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

(6) Rent their clothes.—Comp. Lev_10:6 and Note.

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

And Joshua the son of Nun, and Caleb the son of Jephunneh,.... Rose up and interposed in this affair, looking upon themselves under a special obligation so to do, as they were capable of confronting the other spies, and contradicting what they had said:

which were of them that searched the land; they were two of that number, and were the more concerned to hear such a false account given, and distressed to observe the mutiny of the people, and therefore judged themselves in duty bound to do all they could to stop it:

rent their clothes; in token of sorrow for the sins of the people; and at their blasphemy and ingratitude against God, and in dread of his wrath and fury breaking forth upon them.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Garments, in testimony of their disapprobation and zeal; to make these insolent people reflect upon the evils into which they are throwing themselves. (Calmet)

George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).

To testify their hearty grief for the people’s blasphemy against God and sedition against Moses, and that dreadful judgment which they easily foresaw this must bring upon the congregation and people of God.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

And Joshua. In a last hopeless effort to bring the people to a better mind, or at least to deliver their own souls, there was no reason why Joshua should hold back any more. Rent their clothes. Another token of grief and hinter practiced from patriarchal times. (cf. Gen_37:29, 34 Job_1:20)

Vers. 6-10. Speaking out: a last appeal.

Moses is silent from necessity, his power with men in abeyance, and he waiting humbly upon God. Joshua and Caleb, who were not only men of a different spirit, but also very imperfectly acquainted with Moses" peculiar burden, spoke out. As it was well for Moses and Aaron to be silent, it was also well for Caleb and Joshua to speak out. Moses and Aaron were for the time separated, forsaken, and as it were condemned; but Caleb and Joshua are still in the multitude Caleb indeed partly declared, and only waiting further opportunity to speak his mind fully on the subject. Now Joshua and he take their stand without any hesitation or chance of being mistaken. They had something to say which Moses could not say, for they had been through the land. Thus, when God"s servant is compelled to be silent, friends arise to say what is right and just. Consider

I THE MANNER OF THE SPEAKERS. "They rent their clothes." This was the symbol of hearts rent with grief and astonishment because of impending disaster. To the Israelites their only hope appeared in retracing their steps. To Caleb and Joshua this was the summary and utter extinction of a great opportunity. The multitude looked on Canaan as worse than the grave, a scene of vain struggles and harassing privations. Caleb and Joshua looked on the multitude as threatening the unutterable folly of drawing back from certain and inestimable blessings when they lay within their reach. Therefore they accompanied their speech with an action that indicated the distress and laceration of their hearts. Truth may do such things naturally in the very vehemence and consistency of its onset. We do not read that the spies who brought up a slander on the land rent their clothes while they were telling their story. Hypocrisy must always be careful in its histrionics not to overdo the thing.

II THE MATTER OF THEIR SPEECH. They give the testimony of experience. They had passed through the land to search it. Although they were only two against ten who told a different story, yet, strong in the consciousness of sincerity and competency, they declared what they had seen with their eyes, looked upon, and handled. Though their testimony would not have been enough for some purposes, yet it was quite enough to throw as a check in the way of revolted Israel. They emphatically assert the goodness of the land. It was a land to be desired, corresponding to all the promises made and the hopes cherished, worth all the struggling and self-denial that might be needed in order to attain it. They show a devout recognition of Jehovah. This alone might make their word, though only two, outweigh the exaggerations of the other ten. The recognition shows itself in two ways.

1. They avow the necessity of his favour. "If the Lord delight in us;" that means, surely, "If we believe in the Lord." That which delights the Lord is to see men walking by faith, and not by sight, stepping forward into the darkness upon his clear command. Caleb and Joshua felt sure, from what they had seen of the fatness and beauty of Canaan, that God wished to delight in his people, if only they would allow it.

2. They avow the necessity of submission to God. Unbelief is not only separation, it is rebellion. This was the real danger of Israel rebellion against God"s appointments and restrictions. By their present conduct they were strengthening the nations of Canaan with more than all their walled cities, giants, and strong men could give them. They show that the Canaanites are really very weak. There is nothing more fallacious than outside show and casual inspection. The spies had brought some fruit, and doubtless tasted much more; but how could they report adequately on defenses which they could not examine in any accurate way? They did not know how all these people were undermined and enervated by their wickedness. The very wealth of the hind became a curse and corrupting influence to the idolaters who dwelt in it. Wicked nations in the midst of all their boasting and revelry are preparing their own destruction.

III THE RESULTS OF THEIR SPEECH.

1. The exasperation, of the people reaches its highest pitch. "All the congregation bade stone them with stones, This was the punishment which God had appointed for serious transgressions. (Lev_20:2, 27 24:14 Num_15:35 Deu_13:10, &c.); And now the people adopt it, numbering Caleb and Joshua with transgressors against their sovereign will. If we speak the truth, all of it, and at the time when it should be spoken, we must be ready for the consequences. The two faithful witnesses would certainly have been stoned, as Zechariah long after, (2Ch_24:21) but

2. God himself interfered. "The glory of the Lord appeared," &c. In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, the rebels were reduced to impotence. One can imagine the uplifted stone dropped, as if it had turned to a blazing coal. Israel may still be sullen and rebellious in ;heart, but its hand is in the power of God. He can rescue his servants from the power of their enemies, if that be most expedient. Caleb and Joshua still had much work to do. Or, as happened to Stephen, he can turn the unchecked fury of men into the agent, of, a quick, and glorious dismission from the toils and perils of earthly service. In God s house the more manifest the faithfulness of the servant, the more manifest also the faithfulness of the Master. Y.

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Rent their clothes - To testify their hearty grief for the peoples blasphemy against God and sedition against Moses, and that dreadful judgment which they easily foresaw this must bring upon the congregation.

John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.

Nun ... Jephunneh

These are names of men. (See: How to Translate Names)

who were some of those sent

This can be stated in active form. AT: "who were some of those whom Moses sent" (See: Active or Passive)

tore their clothes

Tearing one's clothes was a gesture indicating the person is very troubled and is mourning. (See: Symbolic Action)

The land flows with milk and honey

They spoke of the land being good for animals and plants as if the milk and honey from those animals and plants flowed through it. See how you translated this in Numbers 13:27. AT: "It is excellent for raising livestock and growing crops" or "It is very fertile land" (See: Metaphor)

translationWords

Joshua

Caleb

send

unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.