[Since Caleb figures quite prominently in this episode of the Spies, please read this post: My servant Caleb – a different spirit.
It never ceases to inspire us: the thought of Israelite Joshua and Kennezzite Caleb as the only two from among the generation that left Egypt who entered the Land along with the 2nd generation that was born in freedom in the Wilderness. The very symbolism of an Israelite and one ‘absorbed’ or ‘integrated’ or ‘assimilated’ into Israel should add to the clues sprinkled all over the Hebrew Scriptures of the intended inclusion of non-Israelites in the plan of YHWH and in His Torah for all mankind:
- mixed multitude leaving Egypt
- in Covenant with YHWH at Sinai,
- “One law for the native-born and the stranger”,
- and now a Joshua and a Caleb surviving from the generation that left Egypt, entering the Land (vs. 30).
Need anyone miss the point?
Another point to remember as we read: The reference to Israel is sometimes in the plural, and also in the singular (vv.11,12). In the book of Yeshayahu/Isaiah, this interchanging of pronouns used for Israel is what confuses readers/Christian interpreters who think that just because the “singular” does appear, that it suddenly shifts to a “person” and specifically the 2nd person of their Trinitarian God. But all throughout the TNK, this interchange of pronouns consistently refer to the same chosen people, firstborn son, servant of YHWH. Only those with another religious agenda get confused; follow simple reading rules and common sense. The Great Communicator intends to be clear with His messages, why should He be vague if He wishes to be understood and obeyed?
One more thing to note: be careful of what we wish for; the chronic complaining first generation that left Egypt wished to return to Egypt or die in the wilderness —as the title of this post quotes YHWH, vv.28-30.
29 In this wilderness shall your corpses fall, all those-of-you-counted (for battle), including all your number, rom the age of twenty and upward, (you) that have grumbled against me!
30 If (any of) you should enter the land over which I lifted my hand (in an oath) to have you dwell in it, except for Calev son of Yefunne and Yehoshua son of Nun . . . ! Commentary is from Seymore Rossel, The Torah: Portion-by-Portion and Pentateuch & Haftorahs, ed. Dr. J.H. Hertz; translation is by EF/Everett Fox, The Five Books of Moses.—-Admin1.]
——————————————————–
Here’s a comment by Semour Rossel in The Torah: Portion-by-Portion:
In Numbers we are told that Caleb was actually a Kennizite, not an Israelite. The Book of Joshua says that Caleb claimed the land that he scouted for his people, the Kennizites. Bible scholar Baruch Halpern recalls a tradition that David later married a Kennezite princess, giving David the right to claim Kennezzite lands. So David would have wanted to celebrate the story of how Caleb “earned” this territory by his loyalty to Adonai. . . .
———————————————
Numbers/Bamidbar 14
1-10 PANIC, WAILING AND REBELLION
1 The entire community lifted up and let out their voice, and the people wept on that night.wept that night. ‘When the sound of their weeping reached heaven, God said: “Ye weep now without cause; the time will come when ye shall have good cause to weep on this day.” It was then decreed that the Temple be destroyed on this same day, the ninth day of Ab; so that it became forever a day of tears’ (Talmud).
2 And they grumbled against Moshe and against Aharon, all the Children of Israel, they said to them, the entire community: Would that we had died in the land of Egypt, or in this wilderness, would that we had died!3 Now why is YHVH bringing us to this land, to fall by the sword? Our wives and our little-ones will become plunder! Would it not be better for us to return to Egypt?
4 So they said, each-man to his brother: Let us head back and return to Egypt!
let us make a captain. also in Neh.IX,17. Ehrlich is inclined to see in this phrase an idiomatic expression and he translates, ‘let us set our mind to return to Egypt.’
5 Moshe and Aharon flung themselves on their faces before the entire assembled community of the Children of Israel.fell on their faces. Overwhelmed by sorrow and shame.
6 Now Yehoshua son of Nun and Calev son of Yefunne, (alone) from among those who scouted out the land, ripped their garments;rent their clothes. As at the news of some family bereavement or terrible calamity.
7 they said to the entire community of the Children of Israel, saying: The land that we crossed through, to scout it out- good is that land, exceedingly, exceedingly!8 If YHVH is pleased with us, he will bring us to this land and give it to us, a land that is flowing with milk and honey.
if the LORD delight in us. If they did nothing to alienate God’s favour.
9 But: against YHVH, do not rebel, and you- do not be afraid of the people of the land, for food-for-us are they! Their protector has turned away from them, and YHVH is with us- do not be afraid of them!for they are bread for us. lit. ‘they are our bread’; i.e. we shall easily destroy them.
their defence. lit. ‘their shadow’; a common metaphor of great significance in a hot country (McNeile).
The word (‘our bread’) may refer to the manna, and lit. ‘their shadow is removed from over them’, to the melting of the manna at noonday (Exod. XVI,21). The meaning of the passage would then be: ‘Fear not the people of the land, for they are like the manna when the shadows pass, i.e. when the sun has come out. There is then no manna left. The LORD is with us: our enemies shall melt away—fear them not’ (Ephraim Lenczic).
10 But the entire community of Israel thought to pelt them with stones. Now the Glory of YHVH was seen at the Tent of Appointment by all the Children of Israel,11-25 DIVINE WRATH AND THE INTERCESSION OF MOSES
11 and YHVH said to Moshe: How long will this people scorn me? How long will they not trust in me, despite all the signs that I have done among them?12 Let me strike it down with pestilence and dispossess it, and I will make of you a nation greater and mightier (in number) than it!
destroy them. The Heb. root has this meaning in Exod.XV,9.
make of thee a nation. Moses would be a second Abraham, and thus the oath sworn to the Patriarchs that their seed should inherit the land would be fulfilled.
13 But Moshe said to YHVH: When they hear (about it), the Egyptians, that you brought up this people with your power from its midst,Egyptians shall hear. Moses, the faithful shepherd, leaves an unsurpassed example of self-denial to the children of men. He refuses a glorious future for himself and his descendants, solely because Israel would have no share in it. He begs God to spare His people out of regard for His own Honour. The nations would misunderstand the destruction of Israel, and attribute it to His want of power to lead them into the land He promised them.
14 they will tell it to the inhabitants of this land. They have heard that you are YHVH in the midst of this people, that eye to eye you were seen, O YHVH, your cloud standing over them, in a column of cloud going before them by day, and in a column of fire by night- 15 should you put this people to death as one man, then will say the nations that have heard of your fame, saying: 16 (It was) from want of YHVH’S ability to bring this people into the land about which he swore to them, and so he slew them in the wilderness!let the power of the LORD be great. Show, in the sight of all the nations, the greatness of Thy power in forbearing with sinners and forgiving sin. ‘In God’s mercy is also revealed His power. He triumphs by His love and gentleness over the follies and frailties of men, and even in spite of themselves, they must at last fulfill the chosen and holy purposes of God’ (Montefiore). Moses then pleads with God to spare His people out of regard for His own self-revealed Thirteen Attributes of Divine Mercy and Forgiveness, enumerated in Exod. XXXIV,6-7 and reproduced here. In Exod. God is spoken of as ‘abundant in goodness and truth,’ to teach mortals that in our dealings with fellow mortals ‘goodness’ must precede ‘truth’. Speak the truth to your fellow men by all means, but be quite sure that you speak it in love. Even more instructive is the wording in v. 18, ‘plenteous in loving-kindness’. Here the words ‘and truth’ are missing altogether, as if to impress upon our minds the teaching that there are occasions when ‘loving-kindness is all-important.
18 YHVH, long-suffering and of much loyalty, bearing iniquity and transgression, yet clearing,not clearing (the guilty), calling-to-account the iniquity of the fathers upon the sons to the third and to the fourth (generation)-19 pray grant-pardon for the iniquity of this people, as your loyalty is great, just as you have been bearing (iniquity) for this people from Egypt until now!
according unto the greatness of thy loving-kindness. And not in accordance with the smallness of their deserts.
from Egypt even until now. The though that God has always forgiven, gives Moses courage to ask Him still to do so. It is otherwise with our fellowmen. If one has often forgiven us, we are ashamed to ask him again. But with God the gates of prayer, and forgiveness, are never closed.
20 YHVH said: I grant-pardon, according to your words;thy word. Thy petition.
21 however, as I live, and as the Glory of YHVH fills all the earth:as I live . . . glory of the LORD. As truly as I live and as all the peoples of the earth shall know that I am the Omnipotent One, so truly shall I visit the retribution those who distrusted My promises.
22 indeed, all the men who have seen my Glory and my signs that I did in Egypt and in the wilderness, and have tested me these ten times, by not hearkening to my voice:these ten times. A large number of times; Gen. XXXI,7. They had now filled up the measure of their iniquities, and punishment must inevitably come upon them.
23 if they should see the land about which I swore to their fathers . . . ! All that have scorned me will not see it!24 But as for my servant, Calev, because there was another spirit in him, and he followed-me-fully, so I will bring him into the land that he is about to enter, and his seed will possess it.
but my servant Caleb. He alone is mentioned here, because it was he who ‘stilled’ the agitated people (XIII,30).
another spirit. Altogether different from that of the other Spies—unfaltering courage and unwavering faith in the Divine promise.
followed me fully. lit. ‘fulfilled to walk behind Me’, i.e. faithfully confirmed My word that the land was a good land.
possess it. Caleb received Hebron and the neighbouring hill country; see Josh. XIV,6-15.
25 Now the Amalekite and the Canaanite are settled in the Lowlands; on the morrow, face about and march into the wilderness, by the Reed Sea Road.Amalekite and the Canaanite. Turn away from these formidable nations in another direction, so as not to risk a conflict with them.
Vale. here, equivalent to mountain defile, declivity, elevated plain.
into the wilderness. Of the Sinai Peninsula; as distinguished from Palestine on the one hand, and from Egypt on the other.
26-39 THE PUNISHMENT OF THE PEOPLE
26 Now YHVH spoke to Moshe and Aharon, saying:27 Till when for this evil community, that they stir-up-grumbling against me? The grumblings of the Children of Israel that they grumble against me, I have heard!
how long shall I bear with this evil congregation? lit. “how long shall this evil congregation continue to be?” According to Rabbinic tradition the reference here is to the ten Spies.
28 Say to them: As I live-the utterance of YHVH- if not as you have spoken in my ears, thus I do to you . . . !as ye have spoken. Your wish, expressed in the words ‘Would we had died in this wilderness’ shall be fulfilled.
29 In this wilderness shall your corpses fall, all those-of-you-counted (for battle), including all your number, rom the age of twenty and upward, (you) that have grumbled against me!numbered of you. In the census detailed in Chap. I.
30 If (any of) you should enter the land over which I lifted my hand (in an oath) to have you dwell in it, except for Calev son of Yefunne and Yehoshua son of Nun . . . !I lifted up My hand. ‘I have taken an oath.’
31 Your little-ones, whom you said would become plunder- I will let them enter, they shall come to know the land that you have spurned.32 But your corpses, yours, shall fall in this wilderness,
33 and your children shall graze in the wilderness for forty years; thus shall they bear your whoring, until your corpses come-to-an-end in the wilderness.
bear your strayings. Although the children were to be spared the fate of their sinning parents, they would not altogether escape the consequences of that falling away from God. ‘Stayings’ is a departure from the RV, which gives the lit. translation of the Heb., the metaphor of marital infidelity used in Scripture to express Israel’s disloyalty to God through the worship of strange gods.
34 According to the number of days that you scouted out the land, forty days -(for each) day a year,(for each) day a year- you are to bear your iniquities, forty years, thus you will come to know my hostility!My displeasure. Or, ‘the revoking of my promise’ (RV Margin).
35 I am YHVH, I have spoken: If I do not do this to this whole evil community that has come-together against me . . . ! In this wilderness they will come-to-an-end, there they will die.36 So the men whom Moshe had sent to scout out the land returned and caused the entire community to grumble against him by bringing a (false) report about the land;
37 the men died, those bringing a report of the land, an ill one, in a plague, before the presence of YHVH.
died by the plague. By a sudden visitation from God.
38 But Yehoshua son of Nun and Calev son of Yefunne remained-alive from those men that had gone to scout out the land.39 Now when Moshe spoke all these words to the Children of Israel, the people mourned, exceedingly.
40-45. Instead of obeying the Divine injunction to turn southwards (v.25), the people in self-willed defiance make a frantic effort to enter Canaan without delay.
40 They started-early in the morning and went up to the top of the hill-country, saying: Here we are, let us go up to (attack) the place that YHVH promised, for we have sinned!the top of the mountain. Probably some mountain slope in the Negeb.
41 But Moshe said: Why now do you cross the order of YHVH? It will not succeed!wherefore now do ye transgress. Your enterprise is contrary to the will of God, nor does the Ark accompany you. The commandment of the LORD in v.42 is given more fully in Deut. I,42. ‘Go not up, neither fight; for I am not among you; lest ye be smitten before your enemies.’
42 Do not go up, for YHVH is not in your midst- that you not be smitten by your foes! 43 For the Amalekite and the Canaanite are there to face you, you will fall by the sword, for since you have turned from (following) after YHVH, YHVH will not be-there with you! 44 But they went up recklessly to the top of the hill-country, while the coffer of the Covenant of YHVH and Moshe did not move from amid the camp.but they presumed. Their self-confidence rendered futile all the attempts of Moses to induce them to desist.
45 And the Amalekite and the Canaanite who were settled in that hill-country came down, they struck them and crushed them, near Horma.even unto Hormah. lit. ‘unto the Hormah’. They suffer a crushing defeat and are driven back to the Hormah which they had only recently conquered. Their direct march northwards is now definitely barred. Henceforth they can enter Canaan only by passing through — and if that is impossible, around —the territories situated to the south and east of the Dead Sea and can cross the Jordan into Western Palestine. It will be some 38 years before a fresh military enterprise is undertaken. ‘In estimating the historical value of this story, we must remember that no nation gratuitously invents or accepts accounts of defeats it has never experienced. If Hebrew history tells us that the Israelites on attempting to enter the land they subsequently inhabited met with an overthrow so annihilating as to leave them too weak to do anything but wander helplessly in a wilderness for nearly 40 years thereafter, we cannot refuse it credence. The tendency is always to minimize defeats, not to exaggerate them; and a story such as this bears the hallmark of truth’ (Wiener).