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TORAH
FIVE BOOKS OF MOSES
NEVI'IM
PROPHETS
KETUVIM
WRITINGS

Chapter 13

Translation and Transliteration of 

1Hashem spoke to Moshe, saying,

va-y'-da-BAYR a-do-NAI el mo-SHEH lay-MOR

אוַיְדַבֵּ֥ר יְהֹוָ֖ה אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֥ה לֵּאמֹֽר׃

2“Send men to scout the land of Canaan, which I am giving to B'nei Yisrael; send one man from each of their ancestral tribes, each one a chieftain among them.”

sh'-LAKH-le-KHA a-na-SHEEM v'-ya-tu-RU et E-rets k'-NA-an a-SHER a-NEE no-TAYN li-v'-NAY yis-ra-AYL, EESH e-KHAD, EESH e-KHAD l'-ma-TEH a-vo-TAV tish-la-KHU, KOL na-SEE va-HEM

בשְׁלַח־לְךָ֣ אֲנָשִׁ֗ים וְיָתֻ֙רוּ֙ אֶת־אֶ֣רֶץ כְּנַ֔עַן אֲשֶׁר־אֲנִ֥י נֹתֵ֖ן לִבְנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל אִ֣ישׁ אֶחָד֩ אִ֨ישׁ אֶחָ֜ד לְמַטֵּ֤ה אֲבֹתָיו֙ תִּשְׁלָ֔חוּ כֹּ֖ל נָשִׂ֥יא בָהֶֽם׃

3So Moshe, by Hashem's command, sent them out from the wilderness of Paran, all the men being leaders of the Israelites.

vai-YISH-lakh o-TAM mo-SHEH mi-miD-BAR pa-RAHN al-PI a-do-NAI KU-lam a-na-SHEEM ra-SHEI v'-NAY yis-ra-AYL heM-ma

גוַיִּשְׁלַ֨ח אֹתָ֥ם מֹשֶׁ֛ה מִמִּדְבַּ֥ר פָּארָ֖ן עַל־פִּ֣י יְהֹוָ֑ה כֻּלָּ֣ם אֲנָשִׁ֔ים רָאשֵׁ֥י בְנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל הֵֽמָּה׃

4And these were their names: From the tribe of Reuven, Shamua son of Zaccur.

v'-E-leh sh'-mo-TAM l'-ma-TEH r'-U-ven, sha-MU-a ben za-KUR

דוְאֵ֖לֶּה שְׁמוֹתָ֑ם לְמַטֵּ֣ה רְאוּבֵ֔ן שַׁמּ֖וּעַ בֶּן־זַכּֽוּר׃

5From the tribe of Shimon, Shafat son of Hori.

l'-ma-TEH shi-MO-on sha-FAT ben-kho-REE

הלְמַטֵּ֣ה שִׁמְע֔וֹן שָׁפָ֖ט בֶּן־חוֹרִֽי׃

6From the tribe of Yehuda, Kalev son of Jephunneh.

l'-ma-TEH y'-hu-DAH ka-LEV ben y'-fu-NEH

ולְמַטֵּ֣ה יְהוּדָ֔ה כָּלֵ֖ב בֶּן־יְפֻנֶּֽה׃

7From the tribe of Yissachar, Yigal son of Yosef.

l'-ma-TEH yis-SA-shar yig-AHL ben yo-SEF

זלְמַטֵּ֣ה יִשָּׂשכָ֔ר יִגְאָ֖ל בֶּן־יוֹסֵֽף׃

8From the tribe of Efraim, Hoshea son of Nun.

l'-ma-teh ef-RA-yim ho-SHE-a ben-NU-n

חלְמַטֵּ֥ה אֶפְרָ֖יִם הוֹשֵׁ֥עַ בִּן־נֽוּן׃

9From the tribe of Binyamin, Palti son of Rafu.

l'-ma-TEH vin-YA-min, PAL-tee ben-ra-FU-a

טלְמַטֵּ֣ה בִנְיָמִ֔ן פַּלְטִ֖י בֶּן־רָפֽוּא׃

10From the tribe of Zevulun, Gadiel son of Sodi.

l'-ma-TEH z'-vu-LUN ga-DEE-el ben so-DEE

ילְמַטֵּ֣ה זְבוּלֻ֔ן גַּדִּיאֵ֖ל בֶּן־סוֹדִֽי׃

11From the tribe of Yosef, namely, the tribe of Menashe, Gadi son of Susi.

l'-ma-TEH yo-SEF l'-ma-TEH m'-na-SHEH ga-DEE ben-su-SI

יאלְמַטֵּ֥ה יוֹסֵ֖ף לְמַטֵּ֣ה מְנַשֶּׁ֑ה גַּדִּ֖י בֶּן־סוּסִֽי׃

12From the tribe of Dan, Amiel son of Gemalli.

l'-ma-TEH dan a-mi-YA-el ben g'-ma-LEE

יבלְמַטֵּ֣ה דָ֔ן עַמִּיאֵ֖ל בֶּן־גְּמַלִּֽי׃

13From the tribe of Asher, Setur son of Michael.

l'-ma-TEH a-SHER s'-TOOR ben mi-KHA-el

יגלְמַטֵּ֣ה אָשֵׁ֔ר סְת֖וּר בֶּן־מִיכָאֵֽל׃

14From the tribe of Naftali, Nachbi son of Vophsi.

l'-ma-TEH naf-ta-LEE, nakh-BEE ben vof-SEE

ידלְמַטֵּ֣ה נַפְתָּלִ֔י נַחְבִּ֖י בֶּן־וׇפְסִֽי׃

15From the tribe of Gad, Geuel son of Machi.

l'-ma-TEH gad, g'-u-EYL ben ma-KHEE

טולְמַטֵּ֣ה גָ֔ד גְּאוּאֵ֖ל בֶּן־מָכִֽי׃

16Those were the names of the men whom Moshe sent to scout the land; but Moshe changed the name of Hoshea son of Nun to Yehoshua.

AY-leh sh'-MOT ha-a-na-SHEEM a-SHER sha-LAK mo-SHEH la-TUR et ha-A-retz vai-YIK-ra mo-SHEH l'-ho-SHE-a ben-NUUN y'-ho-SHU-a

טזאֵ֚לֶּה שְׁמ֣וֹת הָֽאֲנָשִׁ֔ים אֲשֶׁר־שָׁלַ֥ח מֹשֶׁ֖ה לָת֣וּר אֶת־הָאָ֑רֶץ וַיִּקְרָ֥א מֹשֶׁ֛ה לְהוֹשֵׁ֥עַ בִּן־נ֖וּן יְהוֹשֻֽׁעַ׃

17When Moshe sent them to scout the land of Canaan, he said to them, “Go up there into the Negev and on into the hill country,

vai-YISH-lakh o-TAM MO-sheh la-TUR et E-rets k'-NA-an va-YO-mer a-LE-hem a-LU ZEH ba-NE-gev va-a-lee-TEM et ha-HAR

יזוַיִּשְׁלַ֤ח אֹתָם֙ מֹשֶׁ֔ה לָת֖וּר אֶת־אֶ֣רֶץ כְּנָ֑עַן וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֲלֵהֶ֗ם עֲל֥וּ זֶה֙ בַּנֶּ֔גֶב וַעֲלִיתֶ֖ם אֶת־הָהָֽר׃

18and see what kind of country it is. Are the people who dwell in it strong or weak, few or many?

u-ri-TEM et ha-A-retz mah hi, v'-et ha-AHM ha-yo-SHEV a-LE-ha, he-KHA-zak HU, ha-RA-feh HU, ha-m'-AT HU, im-RAV

יחוּרְאִיתֶ֥ם אֶת־הָאָ֖רֶץ מַה־הִ֑וא וְאֶת־הָעָם֙ הַיֹּשֵׁ֣ב עָלֶ֔יהָ הֶחָזָ֥ק הוּא֙ הֲרָפֶ֔ה הַמְעַ֥ט ה֖וּא אִם־רָֽב׃

19Is the country in which they dwell good or bad? Are the towns they live in open or fortified?

u-MA ha-A-retz a-SHER hu yo-SHEV BAH, ha-TO-va HI im-ra-AH, u-MA he-a-RIM a-SHER hu yo-SHEV ba-HE-nah, ha-b'-ma-cha-NEEM im b'-miv-tza-REEM.

יטוּמָ֣ה הָאָ֗רֶץ אֲשֶׁר־הוּא֙ יֹשֵׁ֣ב בָּ֔הּ הֲטוֹבָ֥ה הִ֖וא אִם־רָעָ֑ה וּמָ֣ה הֶֽעָרִ֗ים אֲשֶׁר־הוּא֙ יוֹשֵׁ֣ב בָּהֵ֔נָּה הַבְּמַֽחֲנִ֖ים אִ֥ם בְּמִבְצָרִֽים׃

20Is the soil rich or poor? Is it wooded or not? And take pains to bring back some of the fruit of the land.”—Now it happened to be the season of the first ripe grapes.

u-ma ha-A-retz ha-sh'-ME-na, hi im-ra-ZAH ha-yesh-BAH etz im-AYIN, v'-hit-cha-za-KHEM u-l'-kaKH-TEM mi-p'-REE ha-A-retz, v'-ha-ya-MEEM ye-MAY bi-KU-rei a-na-VEEM

כוּמָ֣ה הָ֠אָ֠רֶץ הַשְּׁמֵנָ֨ה הִ֜וא אִם־רָזָ֗ה הֲיֵֽשׁ־בָּ֥הּ עֵץ֙ אִם־אַ֔יִן וְהִ֨תְחַזַּקְתֶּ֔ם וּלְקַחְתֶּ֖ם מִפְּרִ֣י הָאָ֑רֶץ וְהַ֨יָּמִ֔ים יְמֵ֖י בִּכּוּרֵ֥י עֲנָבִֽים׃

21They went up and scouted the land, from the wilderness of Zin to Rehob, at Lebo-hamath.

vai-ya-a-LU vai-ya-TU et ha-A-retz mi-mi-d'bar-TZIN ad r'-KHOB l'-VO kha-MAT

כאוַֽיַּעֲל֖וּ וַיָּתֻ֣רוּ אֶת־הָאָ֑רֶץ מִמִּדְבַּר־צִ֥ן עַד־רְחֹ֖ב לְבֹ֥א חֲמָֽת׃

22They went up into the Negev and came to Chevron, where lived Ahiman, Sheshai, and Talmai, the Anakites.—Now Chevron was founded seven years before Zoan of Egypt.—

va-ya-a-LU va-NE-gev va-ya-VO ad khev-RON v'-SHAM a-khi-MAN shay-SHAI v'-tal-MAI y'-lee-DAY ha-a-NAK v'-khev-RON SHE-va sha-NEEM niv-ni-TAH lif-NAY TZO-an mitz-RA-yim

כבוַיַּעֲל֣וּ בַנֶּ֘גֶב֮ וַיָּבֹ֣א עַד־חֶבְרוֹן֒ וְשָׁ֤ם אֲחִימַן֙ שֵׁשַׁ֣י וְתַלְמַ֔י יְלִידֵ֖י הָעֲנָ֑ק וְחֶבְר֗וֹן שֶׁ֤בַע שָׁנִים֙ נִבְנְתָ֔ה לִפְנֵ֖י צֹ֥עַן מִצְרָֽיִם׃

23They reached the wadi Eshcol, and there they cut down a branch with a single cluster of grapes—it had to be borne on a carrying frame by two of them—and some pomegranates and figs.

vai-ya-VO-u ad-NA-khal es-KOL va-yikh-r'-TU mi-SHAM ze-MO-RAH v'-esh-KOL a-na-VIM e-KHAD vai-sa-U-hu va-MOT b'-sha-NA-yim u-min ha-ri-MO-nim u-min ha-t'-E-nim

כגוַיָּבֹ֜אוּ עַד־נַ֣חַל אֶשְׁכֹּ֗ל וַיִּכְרְת֨וּ מִשָּׁ֤ם זְמוֹרָה֙ וְאֶשְׁכּ֤וֹל עֲנָבִים֙ אֶחָ֔ד וַיִּשָּׂאֻ֥הוּ בַמּ֖וֹט בִּשְׁנָ֑יִם וּמִן־הָרִמֹּנִ֖ים וּמִן־הַתְּאֵנִֽים׃

24That place was named the wadi Eshcol because of the cluster that the Israelites cut down there.

la-ma-KOM ha-HU ka-RA na-KHAL es-KOL al o-DOT ha-es-KOL a-SHER kor-TO mi-SHAM b'-NAY yis-ra-AYL

כדלַמָּק֣וֹם הַה֔וּא קָרָ֖א נַ֣חַל אֶשְׁכּ֑וֹל עַ֚ל אֹד֣וֹת הָֽאֶשְׁכּ֔וֹל אֲשֶׁר־כָּרְת֥וּ מִשָּׁ֖ם בְּנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃

25At the end of forty days they returned from scouting the land.

va-ya-SHU-vu mit-TUR ha-A-retz mi-KETZ ar-BA-eem YOM

כהוַיָּשֻׁ֖בוּ מִתּ֣וּר הָאָ֑רֶץ מִקֵּ֖ץ אַרְבָּעִ֥ים יֽוֹם׃

26They went straight to Moshe and Aharon and the whole Israelite community at Kadesh in the wilderness of Paran, and they made their report to them and to the whole community, as they showed them the fruit of the land.

vai-YEL-khu va-ya-VO-u el mo-SHEH v'-el a-ha-RON v'-el kol a-DAT b'-NAY yis-ra-AYL el mid-BAR pa-RAHN ka-DE-sha, vai-YA-shi-VU o-TAM da-VAR v'-et kol ha-E-da, vai-RA-uM et p'-REE ha-A-retz.

כווַיֵּלְכ֡וּ וַיָּבֹ֩אוּ֩ אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֨ה וְאֶֽל־אַהֲרֹ֜ן וְאֶל־כׇּל־עֲדַ֧ת בְּנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֛ל אֶל־מִדְבַּ֥ר פָּארָ֖ן קָדֵ֑שָׁה וַיָּשִׁ֨יבוּ אֹתָ֤ם דָּבָר֙ וְאֶת־כׇּל־הָ֣עֵדָ֔ה וַיַּרְא֖וּם אֶת־פְּרִ֥י הָאָֽרֶץ׃

27This is what they told him: “We came to the land you sent us to; it does indeed flow with milk and honey, and this is its fruit.

vai-sa-p'-ru LO va-YO-m'-RU BA-nu el ha-A-retz a-SHER sh'-lakh-TA-nu v'-GAM za-VAT kha-LAV u-d'-VASH HEE v'-zeh pir-YAH

כזוַיְסַפְּרוּ־לוֹ֙ וַיֹּ֣אמְר֔וּ בָּ֕אנוּ אֶל־הָאָ֖רֶץ אֲשֶׁ֣ר שְׁלַחְתָּ֑נוּ וְ֠גַ֠ם זָבַ֨ת חָלָ֥ב וּדְבַ֛שׁ הִ֖וא וְזֶה־פִּרְיָֽהּ׃

 13:27   This is what they told him 

The spies’ slanderous report against Eretz Yisrael is one of the worst, if not the single gravest, sin described in the Bible. Moshe sends one representative from each tribe to scout out the land, and ten of the twelve return with a negative report. Only Kalev and Yehoshua have faith in Hashem and speak positively about the Land of Israel. Whereas Hashem forgives many sins throughout the Bible, slandering Eretz Yisrael is unacceptable, and the entire generation is punished for accepting the report. They are condemned to wander in the desert for forty years until the entire generation of the spies dies, as they no longer deserve to enter the Promised Land. Like Kalev and Yehoshua, we must not fall into the trap of criticizing the greatest of all God’s gifts. Rather, we must speak positively about Israel at every opportunity.

28However, the people who inhabit the country are powerful, and the cities are fortified and very large; moreover, we saw the Anakites there.

EFES KI-AZ HA-AM HA-YO-SHEV BA-A-RETZ V'-HE-A-RIM B'-Tzu-ROT GE-DOL-OT ME-OD V'-GAM Y'-LI-DEI HA-A-NAK RA-I-NU SHAM

כחאֶ֚פֶס כִּֽי־עַ֣ז הָעָ֔ם הַיֹּשֵׁ֖ב בָּאָ֑רֶץ וְהֶֽעָרִ֗ים בְּצֻר֤וֹת גְּדֹלֹת֙ מְאֹ֔ד וְגַם־יְלִדֵ֥י הָֽעֲנָ֖ק רָאִ֥ינוּ שָֽׁם׃

29Amalekites dwell in the Negev region; Hittites, Jebusites, and Amorites inhabit the hill country; and Canaanites dwell by the Sea and along the Yarden.”

a-MA-lek yo-SHEV b'-E-rets ha-NE-gev, v'-ha-KHI-tee v'-ha-y'-BU-see v'-ha-e-MO-ree yo-SHEV ba-HAR, v'-ha-ke-NA-a-nee yo-SHEV al ha-YAM, v'-al yad ha-YAR-den

כטעֲמָלֵ֥ק יוֹשֵׁ֖ב בְּאֶ֣רֶץ הַנֶּ֑גֶב וְ֠הַֽחִתִּ֠י וְהַיְבוּסִ֤י וְהָֽאֱמֹרִי֙ יוֹשֵׁ֣ב בָּהָ֔ר וְהַֽכְּנַעֲנִי֙ יוֹשֵׁ֣ב עַל־הַיָּ֔ם וְעַ֖ל יַ֥ד הַיַּרְדֵּֽן׃

30Kalev hushed the people before Moshe and said, “Let us by all means go up, and we shall gain possession of it, for we shall surely overcome it.”

va-ya-HAS ka-LAYV et ha-AM el mo-SHEH va-YO-mer a-LOH na-a-LEH v'-ya-RASH-nu o-TAH kee ya-KHOL nu-KHAL LAH

לוַיַּ֧הַס כָּלֵ֛ב אֶת־הָעָ֖ם אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֑ה וַיֹּ֗אמֶר עָלֹ֤ה נַעֲלֶה֙ וְיָרַ֣שְׁנוּ אֹתָ֔הּ כִּֽי־יָכ֥וֹל נוּכַ֖ל לָֽהּ׃

31But the men who had gone up with him said, “We cannot attack that people, for it is stronger than we.”

v'-ha-a-na-SHEEM a-SHER a-LU i-MO a-M'-RU lo NOO-khal la-a-LOT el ha-AHM, ki-cha-ZAK HU mi-ME-nu

לאוְהָ֨אֲנָשִׁ֜ים אֲשֶׁר־עָל֤וּ עִמּוֹ֙ אָֽמְר֔וּ לֹ֥א נוּכַ֖ל לַעֲל֣וֹת אֶל־הָעָ֑ם כִּֽי־חָזָ֥ק ה֖וּא מִמֶּֽנּוּ׃

32Thus they spread calumnies among the Israelites about the land they had scouted, saying, “The country that we traversed and scouted is one that devours its settlers. All the people that we saw in it are men of great size;

vai-yo-TZI-u di-BAT ha-A-retz a-SHER ta-RO o-TAH el b'-NAY yis-ra-AYL lay-MOR: ha-A-retz a-SHER a-VA-r'-NU VAH l'-TOOR o-TAH, E-retz o-KHE-let yo-sh'-VE-ha, HI v'-KOL-ha-AHM a-SHER ra-EE-nu v'-to-KHA, an-SHAY mi-DOT

לבוַיֹּצִ֜יאוּ דִּבַּ֤ת הָאָ֙רֶץ֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר תָּר֣וּ אֹתָ֔הּ אֶל־בְּנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל לֵאמֹ֑ר הָאָ֡רֶץ אֲשֶׁר֩ עָבַ֨רְנוּ בָ֜הּ לָת֣וּר אֹתָ֗הּ אֶ֣רֶץ אֹכֶ֤לֶת יוֹשְׁבֶ֙יהָ֙ הִ֔וא וְכׇל־הָעָ֛ם אֲשֶׁר־רָאִ֥ינוּ בְתוֹכָ֖הּ אַנְשֵׁ֥י מִדּֽוֹת׃

33we saw the Nephilim there—the Anakites are part of the Nephilim—and we looked like grasshoppers to ourselves, and so we must have looked to them.”

v'-SHAM ra-EE-nu et ha-n'-fee-LEEM b'-NAY a-NAK min ha-n'-fee-LEEM va-n'-HEE v'-ay-NAY-nu ka-kha-ga-VEEM v'-KHAYN ha-YEE-nu b'-ay-nay-HEM

לגוְשָׁ֣ם רָאִ֗ינוּ אֶת־הַנְּפִילִ֛ים בְּנֵ֥י עֲנָ֖ק מִן־הַנְּפִלִ֑ים וַנְּהִ֤י בְעֵינֵ֙ינוּ֙ כַּֽחֲגָבִ֔ים וְכֵ֥ן הָיִ֖ינוּ בְּעֵינֵיהֶֽם׃

 13:33   And so we must have looked to them.

Rabbi Menachem Mendel of Kotzk (1787-1859)

In comparison to the giants living in Canaan, the spies report that “we looked like grasshoppers to ourselves, and so we must have looked to them.” Rabbi Menachem Mendel of Kotzk, a Hasidic leader in the nineteenth century, suggests that the sin of the spies was that they worried about what others thought of them. As emissaries of Hashem, they should have been concerned only with fulfilling their mission, despite how they might be perceived by the people around them. We all have a special mission, to spread God’s messages to the world. Since we know we are fulfilling Hashem’s work, we should not worry about what others will think about us.