Numbers 13:14

Study note

Setting — Moses records the names of the twelve men he sent to scout the land of Canaan, listing each spy alongside his tribal origin. This entry follows the sequential roll call of the reconnaissance delegation.

The words — נַפְתָּלִ֔י (naphtali) = Naphtali, identifying the tribal lineage; נַחְבִּ֖י (nachbi) = Nahbi, the specific individual named. The text pairs the tribal designation directly with the spy's personal name and paternal identifier.

The thread — The tribe of Naphtali appears throughout the allotment records (Josh 19:32–39), and Nahbi son of Vophsi is recorded again in the territorial boundaries (Num 34:33; Josh 19:34). The name preserves the exact lineage attached to the northern tribal inheritance.

Why it lands — It requires the reader to acknowledge that corporate mission and tribal identity are anchored in specific, named individuals. The text demands precise attention to the genealogical record rather than abstract symbolism.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.