John Gill's Bible Commentary Ver. 3. And Moses, by the commandment of the Lord , etc.] By his power, permission, and leave, as Jarchi, that there might be no delay through his means: sent them from the wilderness of Paran ; from Rithmah or Kadeshbarnea, which seem to be one and the same place in that wilderness: this, as before observed, was on the twenty ninth day of Sivan: (see Gill on “ Numbers 13:1”); all those [were] heads of the children of Israel ; were not mean and vulgar men, but persons of rule, who bore some office of magistracy ant government among the people in their respective tribes.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 1-20 - A memorable and melancholy history is related in this and the followin chapter, of the turning back of Israel from the borders of Canaan, an the sentencing them to wander and perish in the wilderness, for their unbelief and murmuring. It appears, De 1:22, that the motion to searc out the land came from the people. They had a better opinion of their own policy than of God's wisdom. Thus we ruin ourselves by believin the reports and representations of sense rather than Divine revelation We walk by sight not by faith. Moses gave the spies this charge, Be of good courage. It was not only a great undertaking they were put upon which required good management and resolution; but a great trust wa reposed in them, which required that they should be faithful. Courag in such circumstances can only spring from strong faith, which Cale and Joshua alone possessed.
Original Hebrew וישׁלח7971 אתם853 משׁה4872 ממדבר4057 פארן6290 על5921 פי6310 יהוה3068 כלם3605 אנשׁים376 ראשׁי7218 בני1121 ישׂראל3478 המה׃1992
