Numbers 13 33

Numbers 13:33 kjv

And there we saw the giants, the sons of Anak, which come of the giants: and we were in our own sight as grasshoppers, and so we were in their sight.

Numbers 13:33 nkjv

There we saw the giants ( the descendants of Anak came from the giants); and we were like grasshoppers in our own sight, and so we were in their sight."

Numbers 13:33 niv

We saw the Nephilim there (the descendants of Anak come from the Nephilim). We seemed like grasshoppers in our own eyes, and we looked the same to them."

Numbers 13:33 esv

And there we saw the Nephilim (the sons of Anak, who come from the Nephilim), and we seemed to ourselves like grasshoppers, and so we seemed to them."

Numbers 13:33 nlt

We even saw giants there, the descendants of Anak. Next to them we felt like grasshoppers, and that's what they thought, too!"

Numbers 13 verses

Numbers 13 33 Meaning

Numbers 13:33 presents the climax of the faithless spies' report, revealing their profound fear and distorted perception of the reality in Canaan. They encountered formidable inhabitants, specifically the Anakim, whom they exaggeratedly linked to the ancient, legendary Nephilim. In their terror, they diminished themselves, believing they were utterly insignificant "like grasshoppers" in the eyes of these giants. This verse encapsulates how their self-perception, born of unbelief and fear, overshadowed God's promise and power, leading them to refuse entry into the land.

Numbers 13 33 Context

Numbers chapter 13 details Moses' mission to send twelve leaders, one from each tribe, to spy out the land of Canaan for 40 days. Their objectives included assessing the strength and numbers of the inhabitants, the defensibility of their cities, and the fertility of the land. Upon their return, while all acknowledged the land's richness (evidenced by the large cluster of grapes from Eshcol), their reports diverged sharply. The ten spies (excluding Caleb and Joshua) gave a pessimistic, fear-driven account. This specific verse, Numbers 13:33, serves as the ultimate expression of their despair. Their highly emotional and negative assessment of the formidable Anakim, combined with their self-diminishing comparison to grasshoppers, ignited fear and mutiny among the Israelites. This lack of faith in God's power and promise led directly to the rebellion described in Numbers chapter 14, culminating in God's judgment that the entire faithless generation would perish in the wilderness over 40 years before a new generation could enter the Promised Land.

Numbers 13 33 Word analysis

• And there: Hebrew wĕ-šām. This opening phrase lends a sense of direct, eyewitness testimony, intending to make their fearful report more credible to the listeners. It implies, "We saw it with our own eyes."

• we saw: Hebrew rā’înu. A past tense verb, emphasizing a firsthand observation, attempting to present their account as unvarnished fact rather than a fear-fueled interpretation.

• the Nephilim: Hebrew ha-Nefilim (הַנְּפִלִים). This term literally means "the fallen ones" and appears earlier in Genesis 6:4, where it refers to mighty, often giant-like individuals of ancient renown existing before the flood. In this context, the spies use it to link the contemporary Anakim to a fearsome, legendary, or possibly supernaturally powerful race, thus intensifying the perceived threat beyond mere large men into something seemingly unbeatable by normal human strength. Its use here indicates the Anakim are seen as being of the stock or nature of these feared ancient beings.

• the sons of Anak: Hebrew bĕnê Ha’anaq (בְּנֵי הָעֲנָק). The Anakim were a known group of people in Canaan distinguished by their extraordinary stature and formidable nature, residing primarily in the southern regions, including Hebron. Their actual existence is confirmed elsewhere in the Bible (Num 13:22; Deut 1:28). This specific naming grounds the fantastical "Nephilim" claim in a real, intimidating adversary, making the report more immediately terrifying for the Israelites.

• who come from the Nephilim: Hebrew min ha-Nefilim (מִן הַנְּפִלִים). This phrase acts as a definitive link. It implies either that the Anakim are literal descendants of the Nephilim, or they are a continuation of that race's characteristics, size, and strength. Regardless of the precise genealogical link, the statement powerfully conveys that these Anakim embody the dread and invincibility associated with the mythical "Nephilim," further exaggerating the challenge they represent.

• and we were in our own sight like grasshoppers: Hebrew wa-nn'hî bĕ-ʿênênû ka-ḥăgābîm (וַנְּהִי בְעֵינֵינוּ כַּחֲגָבִים).

  • in our own sight: This crucial phrase highlights the subjective and internal nature of their assessment. Their perceived insignificance stemmed not from an objective truth, but from their internal state of fear and profound lack of faith in God. Their own perspective crippled them before any battle.
  • like grasshoppers: Hebrew ka-ḥăgābîm. This powerful simile denotes extreme smallness, insignificance, and vulnerability. Grasshoppers (or locusts) are tiny creatures, easily trampled and inconsequential in comparison to giants. It powerfully conveys their utter despair and sense of helplessness, projecting total inferiority onto themselves.

• and so we were in their sight: Hebrew wĕ-kēn hāyīnu bĕ-ʿênêhem (וְכֵן הָיִינוּ בְעֵינֵיהֶם).

  • in their sight: This is a direct projection of their self-diminishing fear onto the enemy. They assume that if they see themselves as worthless "grasshoppers," the giants must see them that way too. There's no biblical basis presented that the Anakim actually held this view; it's a fear-induced psychological conclusion drawn by the spies to bolster their narrative of inevitable defeat.

• Words-group analysis:

  • "And there we saw the Nephilim, the sons of Anak, who come from the Nephilim": This combined statement reveals the spies' rhetorical strategy. By conflating the known (Anakim) with the dreaded (Nephilim), they conjure an image of an unassailable foe. This framing deliberately instills overwhelming dread and seeks to undermine the people's trust in God's ability to fulfill His promise, suggesting an enemy too great for even the Almighty.
  • "and we were in our own sight like grasshoppers, and so we were in their sight": This dual declaration powerfully portrays the self-defeating mindset born of unbelief. The internal capitulation ("in our own sight like grasshoppers") leads to a projected external validation of their fear ("and so we were in their sight"). This shows how internal fear and diminished faith transform real challenges into perceived impossibilities, illustrating the crippling power of negative perspective.

Numbers 13 33 Bonus section

The account of the ten spies and their report in Numbers 13:33 is not just a historical event but a potent biblical archetype for situations where perceived impossibilities or formidable obstacles are confronted with a lack of faith. It teaches that the spiritual battle is often fought in the mind and heart before any physical engagement. The spies' vivid language (Nephilim, grasshoppers) served as effective emotional rhetoric, designed to persuade and manipulate the congregation into sharing their fear, rather than offering a faithful and balanced report. This episode vividly contrasts human sight (focused on giants and physical strength) with God's perspective and promise, which calls His people to step forward in faith, understanding that His presence makes any enemy surmountable. This narrative prefigures New Testament themes on the necessity of faith, perseverance, and trusting in God's power over visible circumstances (e.g., Hebrews 3 and 4).

Numbers 13 33 Commentary

Numbers 13:33 is a stark illustration of the consequences when fear and unbelief triumph over faith and divine promise. The ten spies focused solely on the perceived insurmountable strength of the inhabitants of Canaan, exaggerating the threat by linking the formidable Anakim to the legendary, dread-inducing Nephilim. More critically, their assessment led to a profoundly distorted self-perception: they saw themselves as utterly insignificant "grasshoppers," a vision born of fear, not reality. This subjective fear was then projected onto the Anakim, assuming the giants would view them with similar contempt. Their report completely overlooked God's unwavering promise to give them the land and His demonstrated power in delivering them from Egypt. This profound failure of faith did not merely impact the spies but infected the entire congregation, leading to national rebellion and divine judgment that barred that generation from entering the Promised Land. The verse serves as a timeless caution against allowing human obstacles to overshadow God's omnipotence and faithfulness.