The Meaning of Numbers 14:6 Explained

Numbers 14:6

KJV: And Joshua the son of Nun, and Caleb the son of Jephunneh, which were of them that searched the land, rent their clothes:

YLT: And Joshua son of Nun, and Caleb son of Jephunneh, of those spying the land, have rent their garments,

Darby: And Joshua the son of Nun, and Caleb the son of Jephunneh, of them that searched out the land, rent their garments.

ASV: And Joshua the son of Nun and Caleb the son of Jephunneh, who were of them that spied out the land, rent their clothes:

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And Joshua  the son  of Nun,  and Caleb  the son  of Jephunneh,  [which were] of them that searched  the land,  rent  their clothes: 

What does Numbers 14:6 Mean?

Context Summary

Numbers 14:1-12 - An Unbelieving And Rebellious People
What in any other nation would have been described as a panic of fear, was, in the case of Israel, a panic of unbelief, which deserved the reproachful expostulation of Jehovah in Numbers 14:11. The transition is easy from unbelief to open rebellion against God, as expressed in the words, "Let us make a captain, and let us return into Egypt." The connection between the fearful and unbelieving is very close, Revelation 21:8. On the other hand, we have the exhortation of 2 Peter 1:5 (A.V.), "Add to your faith virtue (or courage)," as exemplified in the language of Joshua and Caleb. But their words of faith and encouragement only elicited hatred and murder.
Compare Numbers 14:10 with Genesis 4:4 and Hebrews 11:4. God's two stalwart witnesses did not minimize the strength or the numbers of the foe, but magnified the mighty power pledged to fulfill the ancient covenant with Abraham: "The Lord is with us; fear them not." He cannot fail the trustful soul! [source]

Chapter Summary: Numbers 14

1  The people murmur at the news
6  Joshua and Caleb labor to still them
11  God threatens them
13  Moses intercedes with God, and obtains pardon
26  The Murmurers are debarred from entering into the land
36  The men who raised the evil report die by a plague
40  The people that would invade the land against the will of God are smitten

What do the individual words in Numbers 14:6 mean?

But Joshua son of Nun and Caleb son of Jephunneh among [who were] those who had spied out - the land tore their clothes
וִיהוֹשֻׁ֣עַ בִּן־ נ֗וּן וְכָלֵב֙ בֶּן־ יְפֻנֶּ֔ה מִן־ הַתָּרִ֖ים אֶת־ הָאָ֑רֶץ קָרְע֖וּ בִּגְדֵיהֶֽם

וִיהוֹשֻׁ֣עַ  But  Joshua 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יְהֹושֻׁעַ  
Sense: son of Nun of the tribe of Ephraim and successor to Moses as the leader of the children of Israel; led the conquest of Canaan.
בִּן־  son 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: בֵּן 
Sense: son, grandson, child, member of a group.
נ֗וּן  of  Nun 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: נוּן  
Sense: father of Joshua the successor of Moses.
וְכָלֵב֙  and  Caleb 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: כָּלֵב 
Sense: the godly son of Jephunneh and the faithful spy who reported the Promised Land favourably and urged its capture.
בֶּן־  son 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: בֵּן 
Sense: son, grandson, child, member of a group.
יְפֻנֶּ֔ה  of  Jephunneh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יְפֻנֶּה  
Sense: a Kenezite and father of Caleb the spy from the tribe of Judah.
הַתָּרִ֖ים  [who  were]  those  who  had  spied  out 
Parse: Article, Verb, Qal, Participle, 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.
הָאָ֑רֶץ  the  land 
Parse: Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: אֶרֶץ  
Sense: land, earth.
קָרְע֖וּ  tore 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person common plural
Root: קָרַע  
Sense: to tear, tear in pieces.
בִּגְדֵיהֶֽם  their  clothes 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, third person masculine plural
Root: בֶּגֶד 
Sense: treachery, deceit.