Page 154 - Bible History

THE WANDERINGS OF THE ISRAELITES 127
of grapes. It was so large that, when they cut it o the vine, two men had to carry it upon a pole. They also took pomegranates and gs from that place and brought them to Cades.
All the people gathered together th Moses and Aaron to listen to their report. The scouts said, ''We came to the land to which thou didst send us, and in very truth it is a land owing with milk and honey, as thou mayest see by these fruits which we have brought with us. But the people that live there are very strong, and they have great cities, surrounded by strong walls.''
Hearing this, the people began to murmur against Moses, but Caleb, in order to quiet them, said, "Let us go up and possess the land, for we shall be able to conquer it." But the other scouts said, "No, we are not able to go up to this people, because they are stronger than we. The people that we saw are tall; some of them seem to be giants; in comparison with them, we seem like locusts.''
When the discontented people heard this report, Tbe they refused to go any farther. They told Moses they ion did not want him as their leader. They decided to
elect a captain to lead them back to Eg t. This act
was a great sin, because it was rebellion against God.
Caleb and Josue tried to calm the people by advising them to go forward and conquer the land, but they could not persuade them.
Moses and Aaron prayed that God would spare the people in spite of this great sin. God heard their prayer. But the ten scouts, who, by their report, had