The Meaning of Numbers 13:3 Explained

Numbers 13:3

KJV: And Moses by the commandment of the LORD sent them from the wilderness of Paran: all those men were heads of the children of Israel.

YLT: And Moses sendeth them from the wilderness of Paran by the command of Jehovah; all of them are men, heads of the sons of Israel they are,

Darby: And Moses sent them from the wilderness of Paran: according to the commandment of Jehovah, all of them heads of the children of Israel.

ASV: And Moses sent them from the wilderness of Paran according to the commandment of Jehovah: all of them men who were heads of the children of Israel.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And Moses  by the commandment  of the LORD  sent  them from the wilderness  of Paran:  all those men  [were]  heads  of the children  of Israel. 

What does Numbers 13:3 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 13:3 mean?

So sent them Moses from the Wilderness of Paran according to the command of Yahweh all of them men heads of the sons of Israel were
וַיִּשְׁלַ֨ח אֹתָ֥ם מֹשֶׁ֛ה מִמִּדְבַּ֥ר פָּארָ֖ן עַל־ פִּ֣י יְהוָ֑ה כֻּלָּ֣ם אֲנָשִׁ֔ים רָאשֵׁ֥י בְנֵֽי־ יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל הֵֽמָּה

וַיִּשְׁלַ֨ח  So  sent 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: שָׁלַח  
Sense: to send, send away, let go, stretch out.
מֹשֶׁ֛ה  Moses 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: מֹשֶׁה  
Sense: the prophet and lawgiver, leader of the exodus.
מִמִּדְבַּ֥ר  from  the  Wilderness 
Parse: Preposition-m, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: מִדְבָּר 
Sense: wilderness.
פָּארָ֖ן  of  Paran 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: פָּארָן  
Sense: wilderness area bounded on the north by Palestine, on the west by the wilderness of Etham, on the south by the desert of Sinai, and on the east by the valley of Arabah; the exodus was through this area and probably all 8 stops were in this area.
עַל־  according  to 
Parse: Preposition
Root: עַל 
Sense: upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against.
פִּ֣י  the  command 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: פֶּה  
Sense: mouth.
יְהוָ֑ה  of  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
כֻּלָּ֣ם  all  of  them 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine plural
Root: כֹּל  
Sense: all, the whole.
אֲנָשִׁ֔ים  men 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural
Root: אִישׁ 
Sense: man.
רָאשֵׁ֥י  heads 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: רֹאשׁ 
Sense: head, top, summit, upper part, chief, total, sum, height, front, beginning.
בְנֵֽי־  of  the  sons 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: בֵּן 
Sense: son, grandson, child, member of a group.
יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל  of  Israel 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יִשְׂרָאֵל  
Sense: the second name for Jacob given to him by God after his wrestling with the angel at Peniel.