Saadia's Tafsir on Bamidbar 13 (Parashat Sh’lach)

Bamidbar 13:1

וַיְדַבֵּר יְהוָה אֶל-מֹשֶׁה לֵּאמֹר

Then God spoke to Moses directly.

Bamidbar 13:2

שְׁלַח-לְךָ אֲנָשִׁים וְיָתֻרוּ אֶת-אֶרֶץ כְּנַעַן אֲשֶׁר-אֲנִי נֹתֵן לִבְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל אִישׁ אֶחָד אִישׁ אֶחָד לְמַטֵּה אֲבֹתָיו תִּשְׁלָחוּ--כֹּל נָשִׂיא בָהֶם

. . . .

Send forth men to scout the land of Canaan, which I am giving to the sons of Israel — one man from the tribe of their fathers you shall send with him, every noble among them.

Bamidbar 13:3

וַיִּשְׁלַח אֹתָם מֹשֶׁה מִמִּדְבַּר פָּארָן עַל-פִּי יְהוָה כֻּלָּם אֲנָשִׁים רָאשֵׁי בְנֵי-יִשְׂרָאֵל הֵמָּה

. . .

And Moses sent them forth from the wilderness of Paran, at the word of God; all of them men, heads of the sons of Israel.

Bamidbar 13:4

וְאֵלֶּה שְׁמוֹתָם לְמַטֵּה רְאוּבֵן שַׁמּוּעַ בֶּן-זַכּוּר

. .

And these are their names: from the tribe of Reuben — Shammua son of Zaccur.

Bamidbar 13:5

לְמַטֵּה שִׁמְעוֹן שָׁפָט בֶּן-חוֹרִי

.

And from the tribe of Simeon — Shaphat son of Hori.

Bamidbar 13:6

לְמַטֵּה יְהוּדָה כָּלֵב בֶּן-יְפֻנֶּה

.

And from the tribe of Judah — Caleb son of Jephunneh.

Bamidbar 13:7

לְמַטֵּה יִשָּׂשכָר יִגְאָל בֶּן-יוֹסֵף

.

And from the tribe of Issachar — Igal son of Joseph.

Bamidbar 13:8

לְמַטֵּה אֶפְרָיִם הוֹשֵׁעַ בִּן-נוּן

.

And from the tribe of Ephraim — Hoshea son of Nun.

Bamidbar 13:9

לְמַטֵּה בִנְיָמִן פַּלְטִי בֶּן-רָפוּא

.

And from the tribe of Benjamin — Palti son of Raphu.

Bamidbar 13:10

לְמַטֵּה זְבוּלֻן גַּדִּיאֵל בֶּן-סוֹדִי

.

And from the tribe of Zebulun — Gaddiel son of Sodi.

Bamidbar 13:11

לְמַטֵּה יוֹסֵף לְמַטֵּה מְנַשֶּׁה--גַּדִּי בֶּן-סוּסִי

.

And from the tribe of Joseph — which is the tribe of Manasseh — Gaddi son of Susi.

Bamidbar 13:12

לְמַטֵּה דָן עַמִּיאֵל בֶּן-גְּמַלִּי

.

And from the tribe of Dan — Ammiel son of Gemalli.

Bamidbar 13:13

לְמַטֵּה אָשֵׁר סְתוּר בֶּן-מִיכָאֵל

.

And from the tribe of Asher — Sethur son of Michael.

Bamidbar 13:14

לְמַטֵּה נַפְתָּלִי נַחְבִּי בֶּן-וָפְסִי

.

And from the tribe of Naphtali — Nahbi son of Vophsi.

Bamidbar 13:15

לְמַטֵּה גָד גְּאוּאֵל בֶּן-מָכִי

.

And from the tribe of Gad — Geuel son of Machi.

Bamidbar 13:16

אֵלֶּה שְׁמוֹת הָאֲנָשִׁים אֲשֶׁר-שָׁלַח מֹשֶׁה לָתוּר אֶת-הָאָרֶץ וַיִּקְרָא מֹשֶׁה לְהוֹשֵׁעַ בִּן-נוּן יְהוֹשֻׁעַ

. . .

These are the names of the men whom Moses sent forth to scout the land. And Moses called Hoshea son of Nun — Joshua.

Bamidbar 13:17

וַיִּשְׁלַח אֹתָם מֹשֶׁה לָתוּר אֶת-אֶרֶץ כְּנָעַן וַיֹּאמֶר אֲלֵהֶם עֲלוּ זֶה בַּנֶּגֶב וַעֲלִיתֶם אֶת-הָהָר

. . .

And he sent them forth to scout the land of Canaan, and said to them: 'Go up first to the south, then go up to the mountain.'

Bamidbar 13:18

וּרְאִיתֶם אֶת-הָאָרֶץ מַה-הִוא וְאֶת-הָעָם הַיֹּשֵׁב עָלֶיהָ--הֶחָזָק הוּא הֲרָפֶה הַמְעַט הוּא אִם-רָב

. . .

'And observe the land — what it is, and the people who dwell in it — whether it is strong or slack, whether it is few or many.'

Bamidbar 13:19

וּמָה הָאָרֶץ אֲשֶׁר-הוּא יֹשֵׁב בָּהּ--הֲטוֹבָה הִוא אִם-רָעָה וּמָה הֶעָרִים אֲשֶׁר-הוּא יוֹשֵׁב בָּהֵנָּה--הַבְּמַחֲנִים אִם בְּמִבְצָרִים

. . . . .

'And what is the land in which it dwells — whether it is good or poor; and what are the towns in which it dwells — whether they are in open encampments or in fortresses.'

Bamidbar 13:20

וּמָה הָאָרֶץ הַשְּׁמֵנָה הִוא אִם-רָזָה הֲיֵשׁ-בָּהּ עֵץ אִם-אַיִן וְהִתְחַזַּקְתֶּם וּלְקַחְתֶּם מִפְּרִי הָאָרֶץ וְהַיָּמִים--יְמֵי בִּכּוּרֵי עֲנָבִים

. . . . . .

'And what is the land — whether it is fat or lean, and whether there are planted trees in it or not. And be courageous, and take of its fruit.' And behold, this season was the days of the first-ripening of the grapes.

Bamidbar 13:21

וַיַּעֲלוּ וַיָּתֻרוּ אֶת-הָאָרֶץ מִמִּדְבַּר-צִן עַד-רְחֹב לְבֹא חֲמָת

.

And they went up and scouted the land, from the wilderness of Zin to Rehob, toward Hamath.

Bamidbar 13:22

וַיַּעֲלוּ בַנֶּגֶב וַיָּבֹא עַד-חֶבְרוֹן וְשָׁם אֲחִימַן שֵׁשַׁי וְתַלְמַי יְלִידֵי הָעֲנָק וְחֶבְרוֹן שֶׁבַע שָׁנִים נִבְנְתָה לִפְנֵי צֹעַן מִצְרָיִם

. . .

And they went up first to the south, and came to Hebron; and there were Ahiman, Sheshai, and Talmai — the children of the giants. And Hebron had already been built before Zoan, the seat of Egypt, by seven years.

Bamidbar 13:23

וַיָּבֹאוּ עַד-נַחַל אֶשְׁכֹּל וַיִּכְרְתוּ מִשָּׁם זְמוֹרָה וְאֶשְׁכּוֹל עֲנָבִים אֶחָד וַיִּשָּׂאֻהוּ בַמּוֹט בִּשְׁנָיִם וּמִן-הָרִמֹּנִים וּמִן-הַתְּאֵנִים

. . .

And they came to the Valley of the Cluster, and cut from there a branch and one cluster of grapes, and carried it on a pole between two; and also some of the pomegranates and of the figs.

Bamidbar 13:24

לַמָּקוֹם הַהוּא קָרָא נַחַל אֶשְׁכּוֹל עַל אֹדוֹת הָאֶשְׁכּוֹל אֲשֶׁר-כָּרְתוּ מִשָּׁם בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל

. .

Therefore that place was named the Valley of the Cluster, on account of the cluster which the sons of Israel cut from there.

Bamidbar 13:25

וַיָּשֻׁבוּ מִתּוּר הָאָרֶץ מִקֵּץ אַרְבָּעִים יוֹם

.

And they returned from scouting the land, after forty days.

Bamidbar 13:26

וַיֵּלְכוּ וַיָּבֹאוּ אֶל-מֹשֶׁה וְאֶל-אַהֲרֹן וְאֶל-כָּל-עֲדַת בְּנֵי-יִשְׂרָאֵל אֶל-מִדְבַּר פָּארָן--קָדֵשָׁה וַיָּשִׁיבוּ אֹתָם דָּבָר וְאֶת-כָּל-הָעֵדָה וַיַּרְאוּם אֶת-פְּרִי הָאָרֶץ

. . . .

And they journeyed until they came to Moses and Aaron, and the rest of the congregation of the sons of Israel, to the wilderness of Paran, to Kadesh; and they answered them with the report — them and the rest of the congregation — and showed them the fruit of the land.

Bamidbar 13:27

וַיְסַפְּרוּ-לוֹ וַיֹּאמְרוּ בָּאנוּ אֶל-הָאָרֶץ אֲשֶׁר שְׁלַחְתָּנוּ וְגַם זָבַת חָלָב וּדְבַשׁ הִוא--וְזֶה-פִּרְיָהּ

. . .

And they recounted to him, and said: 'We went to the land to which you sent us, and indeed it flows with milk and honey — and here is its fruit.'

Bamidbar 13:28

אֶפֶס כִּי-עַז הָעָם הַיֹּשֵׁב בָּאָרֶץ וְהֶעָרִים בְּצֻרוֹת גְּדֹלֹת מְאֹד וְגַם-יְלִדֵי הָעֲנָק רָאִינוּ שָׁם

. . .

'However, the people who dwell in it are mighty, and the towns are very greatly fortified; and moreover, the children of the giants — we saw them there.'

Bamidbar 13:29

עֲמָלֵק יוֹשֵׁב בְּאֶרֶץ הַנֶּגֶב וְהַחִתִּי וְהַיְבוּסִי וְהָאֱמֹרִי יוֹשֵׁב בָּהָר וְהַכְּנַעֲנִי יוֹשֵׁב עַל-הַיָּם וְעַל יַד הַיַּרְדֵּן

. . . .

'The Amalekites dwell in the land of the south; and the Hittites and the Jebusites and the Amorites dwell in the mountain; and the Canaanites dwell by the sea and along the bank of the Jordan.'

Bamidbar 13:30

וַיַּהַס כָּלֵב אֶת-הָעָם אֶל-מֹשֶׁה וַיֹּאמֶר עָלֹה נַעֲלֶה וְיָרַשְׁנוּ אֹתָהּ--כִּי-יָכוֹל נוּכַל לָהּ

. . .

And Caleb silenced the people toward what Moses had said, and said: 'Nay, we shall go up and seize it — for we are able to overcome them!'

Bamidbar 13:31

וְהָאֲנָשִׁים אֲשֶׁר-עָלוּ עִמּוֹ אָמְרוּ לֹא נוּכַל לַעֲלוֹת אֶל-הָעָם כִּי-חָזָק הוּא מִמֶּנּוּ

. .

But the men who had gone with him said: 'We are not able to go up to the people, for they are stronger than us.'

Bamidbar 13:32

וַיֹּצִיאוּ דִּבַּת הָאָרֶץ אֲשֶׁר תָּרוּ אֹתָהּ אֶל-בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל לֵאמֹר הָאָרֶץ אֲשֶׁר עָבַרְנוּ בָהּ לָתוּר אֹתָהּ אֶרֶץ אֹכֶלֶת יוֹשְׁבֶיהָ הִוא וְכָל-הָעָם אֲשֶׁר-רָאִינוּ בְתוֹכָהּ אַנְשֵׁי מִדּוֹת

. . . . . .

And they spread an evil slander against the land which they had scouted, to the sons of Israel, saying: 'The land through which we passed to scout it is a land that destroys its inhabitants; and all the people whom we saw in it are of great stature.'

Bamidbar 13:33

וְשָׁם רָאִינוּ אֶת-הַנְּפִילִים בְּנֵי עֲנָק--מִן-הַנְּפִלִים וַנְּהִי בְעֵינֵינוּ כַּחֲגָבִים וְכֵן הָיִינוּ בְּעֵינֵיהֶם

. . .

'And we saw there the brutes — children of the giants from among their brutes — and we were in our own eyes as locusts; and so were we in their eyes.'