The Meaning of Numbers 13:2 Explained

Numbers 13:2

KJV: Send thou men, that they may search the land of Canaan, which I give unto the children of Israel: of every tribe of their fathers shall ye send a man, every one a ruler among them.

YLT: 'Send for thee men, and they spy the land of Canaan, which I am giving to the sons of Israel; one man, one man for the tribe of his fathers ye do send, every one a prince among them.'

Darby: Send thou men, that they may search out the land of Canaan, which I give unto the children of Israel. Ye shall send a man of every tribe of his fathers, each a prince among them.

ASV: Send thou men, that they may spy out the land of Canaan, which I give unto the children of Israel: of every tribe of their fathers shall ye send a man, every one a prince among them.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Send  thou men,  that they may search  the land  of Canaan,  which I give  unto the children  of Israel:  of every  tribe  of their fathers  shall ye send  a man,  every one a ruler  among them. 

What does Numbers 13:2 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 13:2 mean?

Send - men and to spy out - the land of Canaan which I am giving to the sons of Israel man one man one for the tribe of their fathers you shall send every one a leader among them
שְׁלַח־ לְךָ֣ אֲנָשִׁ֗ים וְיָתֻ֙רוּ֙ אֶת־ אֶ֣רֶץ כְּנַ֔עַן אֲשֶׁר־ אֲנִ֥י נֹתֵ֖ן לִבְנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל אִ֣ישׁ אֶחָד֩ אִ֨ישׁ אֶחָ֜ד לְמַטֵּ֤ה אֲבֹתָיו֙ תִּשְׁלָ֔חוּ כֹּ֖ל נָשִׂ֥יא בָהֶֽם

שְׁלַח־  Send 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperative, masculine singular
Root: שָׁלַח  
Sense: to send, send away, let go, stretch out.
לְךָ֣  - 
Parse: Preposition, second person masculine singular
אֲנָשִׁ֗ים  men 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural
Root: אֱנׄושׁ 
Sense: man, mortal man, person, mankind.
וְיָתֻ֙רוּ֙  and  to  spy  out 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive imperfect, third person masculine plural
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.
כְּנַ֔עַן  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.
נֹתֵ֖ן  am  giving 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine singular
Root: יָתַן 
Sense: to give, put, set.
לִבְנֵ֣י  to  the  sons 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: בֵּן 
Sense: son, grandson, child, member of a group.
יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל  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.
אִ֣ישׁ  man 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: אִישׁ 
Sense: man.
אֶחָד֩  one 
Parse: Number, masculine singular
Root: אֶחָד  
Sense: one (number).
אִ֨ישׁ  man 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: אִישׁ 
Sense: man.
אֶחָ֜ד  one 
Parse: Number, masculine singular
Root: אֶחָד  
Sense: one (number).
לְמַטֵּ֤ה  for  the  tribe 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: מַטֶּה  
Sense: staff, branch, tribe.
אֲבֹתָיו֙  of  their  fathers 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, third person masculine singular
Root: אָב  
Sense: father of an individual.
תִּשְׁלָ֔חוּ  you  shall  send 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, second person masculine plural
Root: שָׁלַח  
Sense: to send, send away, let go, stretch out.
כֹּ֖ל  every  one 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: כֹּל  
Sense: all, the whole.
נָשִׂ֥יא  a  leader 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: נָשִׂיא 
Sense: one lifted up, chief, prince, captain, leader.
בָהֶֽם  among  them 
Parse: Preposition, third person masculine plural