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MARCH 9
DAY 8: If the report of the spies was true, why was it a “bad report”?
The spies were specifically called to explore the land that God had promised to Israel. This
exploration gave valuable information to Moses for the conquest ahead.And while it was true that
the land was flowing with milk and honey, it was also true that “the descendants of Anak” were in
the fortified city of Hebron (Num. 13:22). Anak was probably the ancestor of Ahiman, Sheshai, and
Talmai.They were noted for their height and strength (Deut.2:21;9:2).And “the people…are strong”
(v. 28), as in too strong to be conquered (v. 31).“Giants”were in the land (v. 33).This term was used
in Genesis 6:4 for a group of strong men who lived on the earth before the Flood.The descendants
of Anak were,in exaggeration,compared to these giants,which led the spies to view themselves as
grasshoppers before them.
In v.30,Caleb concurred with the report of the other spies,but called the people to go up and
take the land, knowing that with God’s help they were able to overcome the strong people. The
report of the 10 spies was evil because it exaggerated the dangers of the people in the land,sought
to stir up and instill fear in the people of Israel, and, most importantly, it expressed their faithless
attitude toward God and His promises (v.32).The result was that “all the congregation…wept”over
the circumstances (14:1) and “complained”to the point that they wished they had died in Egypt or
the wilderness (v.2).It was such a “bad report”that they were prepared to “select a leader and return
to Egypt”(v. 4).

so you shall do with everyone according to
MARCH 9 their number. All who are native-born shall
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do these things in this manner, in presenting
an offering made by fire, a sweet aroma to the
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LORD. And if a stranger dwells with you, or
Numbers 15:1–16:50
whoever is among you throughout your gen-
And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, erations, and would present an offering made
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15 “Speak to the children of Israel, and say by fire, a sweet aroma to the LORD, just as you
to them: ‘When you have come into the land do, so shall he do. One ordinance shall be for
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you are to inhabit, which I am giving to you, you of the assembly and for the stranger who
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and you make an offering by fire to the LORD, dwells with you, an ordinance forever through-
a burnt offering or a sacrifice, to fulfill a vow out your generations; as you are, so shall the
or as a freewill offering or in your appointed stranger be before the LORD. One law and one
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feasts, to make a sweet aroma to the LORD, custom shall be for you and for the stranger
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from the herd or the flock, then he who pre- who dwells with you.’ ”
sents his offering to the LORD shall bring a 17 Again the LORD spoke to Moses, saying,
grain offering of one-tenth of an ephah of fine 18 “Speak to the children of Israel, and say to
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flour mixed with one-fourth of a hin of oil; and them: ‘When you come into the land to which I
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one-fourth of a hin of wine as a drink offering bring you, then it will be, when you eat of the
you shall prepare with the burnt offering or bread of the land, that you shall offer up a
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the sacrifice, for each lamb. Or for a ram you heave offering to the LORD. You shall offer up
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shall prepare as a grain offering two-tenths of a cake of the first of your ground meal as a heave
an ephah of fine flour mixed with one-third of offering; as a heave offering of the threshing
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a hin of oil; and as a drink offering you shall floor, so shall you offer it up. Of the first of your
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offer one-third of a hin of wine as a sweet ground meal you shall give to the LORD a heave
aroma to the LORD. And when you prepare a offering throughout your generations.
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young bull as a burnt offering, or as a sacrifice 22 ‘If you sin unintentionally, and do not
to fulfill a vow, or as a peace offering to the observe all these commandments which the
LORD, then shall be offered with the young LORD has spoken to Moses— all that the LORD
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bull a grain offering of three-tenths of an has commanded you by the hand of Moses,
ephah of fine flour mixed with half a hin of oil; from the day the LORD gave commandment
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and you shall bring as the drink offering half and onward throughout your generations—
a hin of wine as an offering made by fire, a 24 then it will be, if it is unintentionally commit-
sweet aroma to the LORD. ted, without the knowledge of the congrega-
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‘Thus it shall be done for each young bull, tion, that the whole congregation shall offer
for each ram, or for each lamb or young goat. one young bull as a burnt offering, as a sweet
According to the number that you prepare, aroma to the LORD, with its grain offering and
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