Numbers 13:31

Numbers 13:31 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)But the men that went up with him said, We be not able to go up against the people; for they are stronger than we.
• New International Version (NIV)But the men who had gone up with him said, “We can’t attack those people; they are stronger than we are.”
• English Standard Version (ESV)Then the men who had gone up with him said, "We are not able to go up against the people, for they are stronger than we are."
• New King James Version (NKJV)But the men who had gone up with him said, “We are not able to go up against the people, for they are stronger than we.”

Context of Numbers 13:31

29The Amalekites live in the land of the Negev; the Hittites, Jebusites, and Amorites live in the hill country; and the Canaanites live by the sea and along the Jordan.” 30Then Caleb quieted the people before Moses and said, “We must go up and take possession of the land, for we can certainly conquer it!” But the men who had gone up with him replied, “We cannot go up against the people, for they are stronger than we are!” 32So they gave the Israelites a bad report about the land that they had spied out: “The land we explored devours its inhabitants, and all the people we saw there are great in stature. 33We even saw the Nephilim there—the descendants of Anak that come from the Nephilim! We seemed like grasshoppers in our own sight, and we must have seemed the same to them!”

Numbers 13:31 word by word

וְהָ֨אֲנָשִׁ֜ים אֲשֶׁר־עָל֤וּ עִמּוֹ֙ אָֽמְר֔וּ לֹ֥א נוּכַ֖ל לַעֲל֣וֹת אֶל־הָעָ֑ם כִּֽי־חָזָ֥ק ה֖וּא מִמֶּֽנּוּ׃Read the interlinear

• But the menאֱנוֹשׁ'ĕnôsh · humanH582
• whoאֲשֶׁר'ăsher · whichH834
• had gone upעָלָה‛âlâh · to ascend: riseH5927
• with himעִם‛im · withH5973
• repliedאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• We cannotלֹאlô' lô' lôh · notH3808
• We cannotיָכֹלyâkôl yâkôl · be ableH3201
• againstאֶל'êl 'el · to(wards)H413
• the peopleעַם‛am · peopleH5971
• forכִּיkîy · forH3588
• theyהוּאhû' hîy' · he/she/itH1931
• are strongerחָזָקchâzâq · strongH2389
• than we areמִן־min minnîy minnêy · fromH4480

Cross-references for Numbers 13:31

• Numbers 32:9For when your fathers went up to the Valley of Eshcol and saw the land, they discouraged the Israelites from entering the land that the LORD had given them.
• Deuteronomy 1:28Where can we go? Our brothers have made our hearts melt, saying: ‘The people are larger and taller than we are; the cities are large, with walls up to the heavens. We even saw the descendants of the Anakim there.’”
• Joshua 14:8Although my brothers who went with me made the hearts of the people melt with fear, I remained loyal to the LORD my God.
• Hebrews 3:19So we see that it was because of their unbelief that they were unable to enter.

Commentaries on Numbers 13:31

• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 26-33Verses 26-33 We may wonder that the people of Israel staid forty days for the return of their spies, when they were ready to enter Canaan, under all the assurances of success they could have from the Divine power, and the miracles that had hitherto attended them. But they distrusted God's power and promise. How much we stand in our own light by our unbelief! At length the messengers returned; but the greater part discouraged the people from going forward…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1-34Twelve spies explored the fertile land of Canaan and found strong enemies defending it. Earlier chapters show Israel's disobedience, hinting at future failures. The Israelites did not have the obedience, courage, or faith to capture the land. So, the Lord made them spend 40 years in the Wilderness of Sinai. That generation did not receive their inheritance in the promised land.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1-331-2. The Lord spake unto Moses, Send thou men, that they may search the land, of Canaan--Compare De 1:22, whence it appears, that while the proposal of delegating confidential men from each tribe to explore the land of Canaan emanated from the people who petitioned for it, the measure received the special sanction of God, who granted their request at once as a trial, and a punishment of their distrust.Read the comment

Topics related to Numbers 13:31

• Anakim
• Cowardice
• Israel
• Majority and Minority Reports
• Reports
• Trouble

In the dictionaries

• Caleb
• Exodus
• Search
• Spies
• Agrapha
• Chronicles, Books of
• Exodus, the Book of
• Genealogy
• Joshua (2)
• Maccabees, Books of

Commentaries on Numbers 13

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings