Numbers 13 29

Numbers 13:29 kjv

The Amalekites dwell in the land of the south: and the Hittites, and the Jebusites, and the Amorites, dwell in the mountains: and the Canaanites dwell by the sea, and by the coast of Jordan.

Numbers 13:29 nkjv

The Amalekites dwell in the land of the South; the Hittites, the Jebusites, and the Amorites dwell in the mountains; and the Canaanites dwell by the sea and along the banks of the Jordan."

Numbers 13:29 niv

The Amalekites live in the Negev; the Hittites, Jebusites and Amorites live in the hill country; and the Canaanites live near the sea and along the Jordan."

Numbers 13:29 esv

The Amalekites dwell in the land of the Negeb. The Hittites, the Jebusites, and the Amorites dwell in the hill country. And the Canaanites dwell by the sea, and along the Jordan."

Numbers 13:29 nlt

The Amalekites live in the Negev, and the Hittites, Jebusites, and Amorites live in the hill country. The Canaanites live along the coast of the Mediterranean Sea and along the Jordan Valley."

Numbers 13 verses

Numbers 13 29 Meaning

Numbers 13:29 outlines the geographical distribution of the major inhabitants of Canaan, as reported by the spies to the Israelite assembly. It details the formidable placement of various peoples – the Amalekites in the arid Negeb, the Hittites, Jebusites, and Amorites in the fortified hill country, and the Canaanites along the coastal plains and the Jordan valley. This description served to amplify the challenge of conquest, emphasizing the strategic positioning and apparent strength of the nations already occupying the Promised Land.

Numbers 13 29 Context

Numbers chapter 13 describes the pivotal event where Moses, at God's command, sends twelve spies to explore the land of Canaan. This mission occurs from Kadesh-Barnea, at the southern border of the Promised Land, marking a critical juncture after the Exodus from Egypt. The spies were instructed to observe the land's quality, the strength and number of its inhabitants, and the fortifications of their cities. Verse 29 is part of the negative report delivered by ten of the spies, highlighting the perceived overwhelming strength and strategic placement of the indigenous peoples. Their detailed geographical survey emphasizes human obstacles over God's divine promise and power to conquer. This report instilled fear and disbelief among the Israelites, ultimately leading to their forty years of wandering in the wilderness due to their failure of faith.

Numbers 13 29 Word analysis

• The Amalekites (עֲמָלֵק - Amalēq): Descendants of Esau's grandson (Gen 36:12). They were the first nation to attack Israel after the Exodus (Exo 17:8-16), making them an enduring symbol of opposition to God's people throughout biblical history. Their mention here highlights an immediate, known enemy on Israel's border.
• Dwell (יֹשֵׁב - yōšêḇ): A participle from the verb יָשַׁב (yāšaḇ), meaning "to sit, settle, inhabit, dwell." This signifies a deep-rooted, established, and permanent presence. It conveys that these nations were not transient nomads but firmly entrenched within the land, building and fortifying cities, making their displacement seem insurmountable.
• in the land of the Negeb (בְּאֶרֶץ הַנֶּגֶב - bə-’e-reṣ han-ne-ḡeḇ): The Negeb (meaning "south") is the arid, semi-desert region forming the southern frontier of Canaan, directly bordering Israel's current encampment. Dwelling here suggests their readiness to defend their territory and possibly conduct raids.
• the Hittites (הַחִתִּי - haḥ-ḥit-tî): While a major empire existed further north, the term here likely refers to various neo-Hittite city-states or people groups found in parts of Canaan, possibly related to those encountered by Abraham (Gen 23:3). They were known for their military prowess.
• the Jebusites (הַיְבוּסִי - hay-yə-ḇû-sî): Inhabitants of Jebus, which later became Jerusalem. Their stronghold was notoriously difficult to conquer, eventually being captured by David (2 Sam 5:6-9). Their mention signifies strong fortifications in a crucial central region.
• and the Amorites (וְהָאֱמֹרִי - wə-hā-’ĕ-mō-rî): Often used as a broad, generic term for the inhabitants of Canaan, the Amorites were also a specific, powerful Semitic group known for their extensive control of highland regions (both Transjordan and west of Jordan). Their inclusion points to their significant and dominant presence.
• dwell in the hill country (יֹשְׁבִים בָּהָר - yōšə-ḇîm bā-hār): The mountainous central spine of Canaan, stretching from Hebron northwards. This terrain naturally lends itself to fortified cities and defensible positions, making direct assault challenging. It implies strong, strategic resistance.
• and the Canaanites (וְהַכְּנַעֲנִי - wə-hak-kə-na‘a-nî): Though "Canaanite" often refers to all the peoples of the land, here it likely refers to specific groups descended from Canaan, typically inhabiting the fertile lowlands.
• dwell by the sea and along the Jordan (יֹשְׁבִים עַל־הַיָּם וְעַל־הַיַּרְדֵּן - yōšə-ḇîm ‘al-hay-yām wə-‘al-hay-yar-dên): This specifies the coastal plain (along the Mediterranean "sea") and the Jordan River valley. These are highly fertile and strategic trade routes, indicating that the most desirable lands were also firmly controlled.
• Words-group Analysis: The detailed listing of nations and their geographical positions is a deliberate rhetorical strategy by the spies. By segmenting the land and assigning different, formidable groups to each distinct terrain type (southern desert, central highlands, eastern valley, western coast), they painted a picture of a comprehensively defended and impenetrable land. This approach underscored the human challenge and negated the divine promise, focusing on what Israel couldn't do rather than what God would do.

Numbers 13 29 Bonus section

The comprehensive nature of the spies' report regarding the inhabitants and their territories inadvertently highlighted the completeness of the divine promise for possession. Every corner of the land, from arid south to fertile north, from coastal plains to the Jordan rift, was inhabited by a strong, established people. This means that God's command to possess the land encompassed overcoming all such formidable opposition, leaving no stone unturned in the promised inheritance. The detailed naming of tribes and locations, though intended to terrify, also serves as an unspoken testament to God's precise and expansive plan for His people. It underscored that the task was entirely beyond human capability, emphasizing that victory would undeniably be a divine work. The specific mention of the Jebusites in the hill country foreshadows the prolonged struggle to capture Jerusalem, a task only fully accomplished centuries later by King David (2 Sam 5). This demonstrates that while the conquest was God's work, it also often involved ongoing faithfulness and perseverance on Israel's part over generations.

Numbers 13 29 Commentary

Numbers 13:29 is a pivotal verse because it represents the critical juncture where human perspective superseded divine promise. The spies, despite confirming the land's fruitfulness, focused exclusively on the human obstacles: the inhabitants' strength and their strategic distribution. By detailing the Amalekites in the vulnerable Negeb, the formidable Hittites, Jebusites, and Amorites entrenched in the naturally fortified hill country, and the mercantile Canaanites controlling the fertile coastal and Jordan valley routes, the spies magnified the opposition. This was not a false report regarding the physical reality but a deeply flawed one regarding spiritual truth. They saw a land full of mighty enemies and failed to see the mighty God who promised to drive them out (Exo 23:23). Their "sight" overruled their "faith," transforming God's promise into an insurmountable barrier. This failure of faith, born from fear of human strength, directly led to the 40-year wilderness wandering, demonstrating the profound consequences of unbelief in the face of God's covenantal faithfulness. It illustrates that focusing on earthly difficulties, even when accurately observed, without accounting for God's power and promises, inevitably leads to discouragement and disobedience.