Numbers 13:17

"These are the names of the men who Moses sent to spy out the land. Moses called Hoshea the son of Nun Joshua."

Key Reflection

In Numbers 13:17, we find that Moses dispatches twelve scouts to survey the Promised Land. This action was a crucial step in preparing for the Israelites' entry into Canaan. Notably, one of these scouts is Hoshea, who would later be renamed Joshua by Moses. The renaming itself carries significance; "Hoshea" means "salvation," while "Joshua" translates to "Yahweh is salvation." This change underscores Joshua's role as a future leader chosen and trusted by God to lead the Israelites into the Promised Land, even before his official designation as Moses' successor.

From the Scholars: Barnes' Notes

Southward -Rather, “by the Negeb,” or south-country; a well-defined tract of territory forming the southernmost and least fertile portion of the land of Canaan and of the subsequent inheritance of Judah. It extended northward from Kadesh to within a few miles of Hebron, and from the Dead Sea westward to the Mediterranean (see especiallyJoshua 15:21-32). Into the mountain -The hill-country of southern and central Canaan, mostly within the borders of Judah and Ephraim.

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