Numbers 14:7

and said to the whole congregation of Israel, “The land we passed through and explored is an exceedingly good land.

Berean Standard Bible

Study note

Setting — Joshua and Caleb address the entire congregation of Israel immediately after tearing their garments in protest. They speak at the precise moment the assembly is preparing to reject the territory based on the earlier spies' report.

The words — The Hebrew הָ/אָ֗רֶץ (ha./'A.retz) identifies "the land," while the clause explicitly marks it as exceedingly good. The verb וַ/יֹּ֣אמְר֔וּ (va/i.Yo.me.Ru) records their direct speech to the assembled people.

The thread — This factual assessment aligns with the initial report in Numbers 13:27 and is later recalled in Deuteronomy 1:25. It functions as a narrative counterweight to the fear-driven account that dominates the surrounding wilderness passages.

Why it lands — The verse demands recognition of the territory's objective quality before the community's emotional response unfolds. It establishes a concrete baseline that tests whether the listeners will trust the reported reality over their own panic.

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

וַיֹּ֣אמְר֔וּva/i.Yo.me.Ruand/ they said אֶל־'el-to כָּל־kol-all עֲדַ֥ת'a.Dat[the] congregation of בְּנֵֽי־be.nei-[the] people of יִשְׂרָאֵ֖לYis.ra.'ElIsrael לֵאמֹ֑רle./Mor<to>/ saying הָאָ֗רֶץha./'A.retzthe/ land אֲשֶׁ֨ר'a.Sherwhich עָבַ֤רְנוּ'a.Var.nuwe passedבָהּ֙va/hin <the>/ itלָת֣וּרla./Turto/ spy out אֹתָ֔הּ'o.Ta/h<obj.>/ it טוֹבָ֥הto.Vah[is] good הָאָ֖רֶץha./'A.retzthe/ land מְאֹ֥דme.'Odvery מְאֹֽד׃me.'Odvery

King James Version

And they spake unto all the company of the children of Israel, saying, The land, which we passed through to search it, is an exceeding good land.

Cross-references

Numbers 13:27 And they gave this account to Moses: “We went into the land to which you sent us, and indeed, it is flowing with milk and honey. Here is some of its fruit!
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.”
Deuteronomy 6:10 And when the LORD your God brings you into the land He swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, that He would give you—a land with great and splendid cities that you did not build,
Deuteronomy 8:7 For the LORD your God is bringing you into a good land, a land of brooks and fountains and springs that flow through the valleys and hills;