Numbers 13 22

Numbers 13:22 kjv

And they ascended by the south, and came unto Hebron; where Ahiman, Sheshai, and Talmai, the children of Anak, were. (Now Hebron was built seven years before Zoan in Egypt.)

Numbers 13:22 nkjv

And they went up through the South and came to Hebron; Ahiman, Sheshai, and Talmai, the descendants of Anak, were there. (Now Hebron was built seven years before Zoan in Egypt.)

Numbers 13:22 niv

They went up through the Negev and came to Hebron, where Ahiman, Sheshai and Talmai, the descendants of Anak, lived. (Hebron had been built seven years before Zoan in Egypt.)

Numbers 13:22 esv

They went up into the Negeb and came to Hebron. Ahiman, Sheshai, and Talmai, the descendants of Anak, were there. (Hebron was built seven years before Zoan in Egypt.)

Numbers 13:22 nlt

Going north, they passed through the Negev and arrived at Hebron, where Ahiman, Sheshai, and Talmai ? all descendants of Anak ? lived. (The ancient town of Hebron was founded seven years before the Egyptian city of Zoan.)

Numbers 13 verses

Numbers 13 22 Meaning

The verse describes the path of the Israelite spies, noting their ascent into the Negeb (Southern Desert) and their arrival at the ancient city of Hebron. A unique historical detail is provided: Hebron was built seven years prior to Zoan, a significant Egyptian city, emphasizing the deep antiquity of the land promised to Israel. This specific chronological reference underlines the long-established nature of the cities in Canaan, the very land the Israelites were commanded to possess.

Numbers 13 22 Context

This verse is situated within the pivotal account of the twelve spies sent by Moses to reconnoiter the land of Canaan before Israel's entry (Numbers 13). The mission was to assess the land's fertility, its inhabitants' strength, and the defensibility of their cities. The specific detail about Hebron's age relative to Zoan in Egypt serves not only as a geographical marker but also as a chronological anchor, emphasizing the deep antiquity and established nature of the cities in Canaan, presenting a formidable challenge to the Israelites who were preparing to inherit a land filled with powerful, well-established peoples, including the Anakim giants, renowned for their imposing stature. This ancient history highlights God's ancient promise to Abraham and the long-standing obstacles to its fulfillment.

Numbers 13 22 Word analysis

• "They went up" (ויעלו - wayya‘alu): The verb ‘alah signifies "to ascend," "to go up." It precisely describes the journey from the lower wilderness plains of Paran to the higher elevations of the Negeb and later to the Judean hills where Hebron is located. This journey wasn't flat; it involved significant elevation gain, suggesting effort and progression into new territory.
• "into the Negeb" (הנגב - ha-Negev): Literally "The South." This is a distinct semi-arid geographical region of southern Israel, a transitional zone between the wilderness proper and the fertile highlands. The definite article 'the' indicates it was a well-known, established region. It was the initial point of deep reconnaissance for the spies.
• "and came to Hebron" (ויבא עד חברון - wayyavo‘ad Chevron): Hebron, meaning "alliance" or "confederacy," was an ancient, highly significant city. Known previously as Kiriath-Arba (city of Arba), it was associated with the Anakim (Num 13:28, 33), fearsome, large inhabitants who would later terrify most of the spies. It held deep patriarchal significance as the burial place of Abraham, Sarah, Isaac, Rebekah, and Jacob (Gen 23, 49:29-32, 50:13), marking it as sacred ground and a critical ancestral link to the promised land.
• "Now Hebron was built" (וחברון נבנתה - we-Chevron nivn'tah): The Hebrew verb banah "to build," in the Niphal passive, indicates it "was built" or "was established." This phrasing suggests a significant period of construction or foundational settlement, implying the city had deep roots and permanence.
• "seven years" (שבע שנים - sheva shanim): The precise number "seven" is deeply significant in biblical numerology, often symbolizing completion, perfection, divine order, or a full cycle. Here, it is a specific chronological detail, anchoring the dating of Hebron's construction to a period distinct from, and predating, a major Egyptian city. Its specificity highlights a deliberate historical claim.
• "before Zoan" (לפני צען - lifnei Tso'an): Lifnei means "before" in a temporal sense. Zoan, also known as Tanis in later periods, was a major capital city in the eastern Nile Delta of Egypt, especially prominent during the Hyksos period. Its alternative name, Avaris (which some connect with Ra'amses in Exodus 1:11), highlights its historical importance during the Israelite sojourn in Egypt. This comparison with a renowned Egyptian city like Zoan gives a strong sense of Hebron's venerable age to an audience familiar with Egypt's power and long history.
• "in Egypt" (במצרים - be-Mitzrayim): Confirms the location of Zoan, making the chronological comparison explicit and accessible to the original audience, who would be well-acquainted with Egyptian geography and history, having recently departed from it.

Numbers 13 22 Bonus section

The mention of Hebron's pre-existence to Zoan (often identified with the Hyksos capital Avaris/Rameses) offers a subtle but profound polemical point. For the Israelites, recently liberated from centuries of bondage in Egypt, understanding that their ancestral land, and Hebron particularly, predated a major Egyptian capital subtly diminished Egypt's absolute antiquity and grandeur. It places Canaan, the land of their promise, on an even older, more sacred timeline established by God long before the rise and fall of the Egyptians who oppressed them. This detail affirms the profound historical depth and the divine claim of Israel to the land of Canaan, countering any notion that their possession was arbitrary or new. It highlights the divine faithfulness to an ancient covenant (the Abrahamic promise) over centuries, solidifying the legitimacy and antiquity of their inheritance, which far exceeded their recent oppressors' established cities. This seemingly minor chronological note thus reinforces the foundational truth of God's ancient promise and enduring plan for His people.

Numbers 13 22 Commentary

Numbers 13:22 provides a critical historical and geographical marker within the narrative of the Israelite spies. The detailed journey into the Negeb and specifically to Hebron underlines the scope of their mission and the significance of the target cities. The parenthetical remark about Hebron's construction seven years before Zoan in Egypt is remarkably precise. This detail serves several purposes: it highlights the deep antiquity and established nature of the cities the Israelites were to conquer, especially one known to harbor Anakim giants; it provides a specific historical reference point that enhances the verifiability and realism of the biblical account, connecting it to known Egyptian chronology; and it implicitly asserts the ancient legacy of the promised land as divinely ordained and rooted far deeper in history than the prevailing power of Egypt, strengthening Israel's claim to a heritage predating their oppressors. The longevity of Hebron signaled a land already possessed by powerful, long-standing cultures, emphasizing the magnitude of the task given to Israel.