Bible Strands
Numbers 13:20
Is the soil fertile or unproductive? Are there trees in it or not? Be courageous and bring back some of the fruit of the land.” (It was the season for the first ripe grapes.)
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — Moses instructs the twelve spies in the wilderness of Paran to evaluate the Promised Land's agricultural capacity and the defensive status of its cities before they return. He directs them to observe soil quality, vegetation, and fruit availability at the time of the first ripe grapes.
The words — שְׁמֵנָה (shemenah) translates literally as "fat," indicating fertile soil, while רָזָה (raZah) means "lean," denoting unproductive ground. עֵץ (etz) renders as "wood" or "tree," specifying whether the terrain supports vegetation.
The thread — The directive to "be courageous" resurfaces in Moses' final commissions to Joshua and the congregation in Deuteronomy 31:23 and Deuteronomy 31:6. The parallel assessment of fortified cities and fertile land mirrors the conquest report in Nehemiah 9:25.
Why it lands — The text requires a factual inventory of resources and defenses rather than an emotional or speculative summary. It demands that leaders gather observable data before committing to a course of action.
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.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
And what the land is, whether it be fat or lean, whether there be wood therein, or not. And be ye of good courage, and bring of the fruit of the land. Now the time was the time of the firstripe grapes.
Cross-references
- Deuteronomy 31:23 Then the LORD commissioned Joshua son of Nun and said, “Be strong and courageous, for you will bring the Israelites into the land that I swore to give them, and I will be with you.”
- Deuteronomy 31:6 Be strong and courageous; do not be afraid or terrified of them, for it is the LORD your God who goes with you; He will never leave you nor forsake you.”
- Nehemiah 9:25 They captured fortified cities and fertile land and took houses full of all goods, wells already dug, vineyards, olive groves, and fruit trees in abundance. So they ate and were filled; they grew fat and delighted in Your great goodness.
- Nehemiah 9:35 For even while they were in their kingdom, with the abundant goodness that You had given them, and in the spacious and fertile land that You had set before them, they would not serve You or turn from their wicked ways.
- Ezekiel 34:14 I will feed them in good pasture, and the lofty mountains of Israel will be their grazing land. There they will lie down in a good grazing land; they will feed in rich pasture on the mountains of Israel.
- Deuteronomy 1:25 They took some of the fruit of the land in their hands, carried it down to us, and brought us word: “It is a good land that the LORD our God is giving us.”
- Joshua 1:6 Be strong and courageous, for you shall give these people the inheritance of the land that I swore to their fathers I would give them.
- Joshua 1:9 Have I not commanded you to be strong and courageous? Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.”
- Joshua 2:3 So the king of Jericho sent to Rahab and said, “Bring out the men who came to you and entered your house, for they have come to spy out the whole land.”
- Joshua 2:22 So the spies went out into the hill country and stayed there three days, until their pursuers had returned without finding them, having searched all along the road.