The Meaning of Numbers 13:17 Explained

Numbers 13:17

KJV: And Moses sent them to spy out the land of Canaan, and said unto them, Get you up this way southward, and go up into the mountain:

YLT: And Moses sendeth them to spy the land of Canaan, and saith unto them, 'Go ye up this way into the south, and ye have gone up the mountain,

Darby: And Moses sent them to search out the land of Canaan, and said to them, Go up this way by the south and go up into the hill-country,

ASV: And Moses sent them to spy out the land of Canaan, and said unto them, Get you up this way by the South, and go up into the hill-country:

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And Moses  sent  them to spy out  the land  of Canaan,  and said  unto them, Get you up  this [way] southward,  and go up  into the mountain: 

What does Numbers 13:17 Mean?

Context Summary

Numbers 13:1-20 - The Spies Sent To Canaan
By comparing the opening verses with Deuteronomy 1:19-22, it appears that the suggestion about the spies emanated from the people, and that their proposal was graciously acquiesced in by God. But let us remember that it is a profound mistake to spy out or criticize the land or lot into which we are being led. We are almost certain to see the difficulties apart from the grace, and they sometimes appear to be insurmountable.
It is better to await with calm trust the unfoldings of divine providence. The book of the future is in the hands of the Lamb that was slain, Revelation 5:7-8. Take no thought for tomorrow! Go steadily on! God will go before you, and cleave your way! Unbelief sees giants and spells them with "G" faith sees God, and spells giants with "g." "Looking unto the promise of God," Abraham "wavered not," Romans 4:20. [source]

Chapter Summary: Numbers 13

1  The names of the men who were sent to search the land
17  Their instructions
21  Their acts
26  Their relation

What do the individual words in Numbers 13:17 mean?

And sent them Moses to spy out - the land of Canaan and said to them go up this [way] into the Negev and go up to the mountains
וַיִּשְׁלַ֤ח אֹתָם֙ מֹשֶׁ֔ה לָת֖וּר אֶת־ אֶ֣רֶץ כְּנָ֑עַן וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֲלֵהֶ֗ם עֲל֥וּ זֶה֙ בַּנֶּ֔גֶב וַעֲלִיתֶ֖ם אֶת־ הָהָֽר

וַיִּשְׁלַ֤ח  And  sent 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: שָׁלַח  
Sense: to send, send away, let go, stretch out.
מֹשֶׁ֔ה  Moses 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: מֹשֶׁה  
Sense: the prophet and lawgiver, leader of the exodus.
לָת֖וּר  to  spy  out 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: תּוּר  
Sense: to seek, search out, spy out, explore.
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
אֶ֣רֶץ  the  land 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: אֶרֶץ  
Sense: land, earth.
כְּנָ֑עַן  of  Canaan 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: כְּנַעַן 
Sense: the 4th son of Ham and the progenitor of the Phoenicians and of the various nations who peopled the seacoast of Palestine.
וַיֹּ֣אמֶר  and  said 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
אֲלֵהֶ֗ם  to  them 
Parse: Preposition, third person masculine plural
Root: אֶל  
Sense: to, toward, unto (of motion).
עֲל֥וּ  go  up 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperative, masculine plural
Root: סָלַק 
Sense: to go up, ascend, climb.
זֶה֙  this  [way] 
Parse: Pronoun, masculine singular
Root: זֶה  
Sense: this, this one, here, which, this … that, the one … the other, another, such.
בַּנֶּ֔גֶב  into  the  Negev 
Parse: Preposition-b, Article, Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: נֶגֶב  
Sense: south-country, Nekeb, south.
וַעֲלִיתֶ֖ם  and  go  up 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, second person masculine plural
Root: סָלַק 
Sense: to go up, ascend, climb.
הָהָֽר  the  mountains 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: הַר  
Sense: hill, mountain, hill country, mount.