An Overview of Numbers Chapters 13-16 Answers

1. Who told Moses to send men to search the land of Canaan?

• God did (Numbers 13:1-2).

2. What were the men who were sent supposed to look for in Canaan?

• “And see the land, what it is, and the people that dwelleth therein, whether they be strong or weak, few

or many; And what the land is that they dwell in, whether it be good or bad; and what cities they be that they

dwell in, whether in tents, or in strong holds; And what the land is, whether it be fat or lean, whether there be

wood therein, or not. And be ye of good courage, and bring of the fruit of the land. Now the time was the time

of the firstripe grapes” (Numbers 13:18-20).

3. How long did the men who were sent search through the land of Canaan?

• Forty days (Numbers 13:25).

4. What good was reported about the land of Canaan?

• “And they went and came to Moses, and to Aaron, and to all the congregation of the children of Israel,

unto the wilderness of Paran, to Kadesh; and brought back word unto them, and unto all the congregation,

and shewed them the fruit of the land. And they told him, and said, We came unto the land whither thou

sentest us, and surely it floweth with milk and honey; and this is the fruit of it” (Numbers 13:26-27).

5. Did the men who searched the land immediately cast doubt upon the good they reported?

• Yes, they said: “Nevertheless the people be strong that dwell in the land, and the cities are walled, and

very great: and moreover we saw the children of Anak there. The Amalekites dwell in the land of the south:

and the Hittites, and the Jebusites, and the Amorites, dwell in the mountains: and the Canaanites dwell by the

sea, and by the coast of Jordan” (Numbers 13:28-29).

6. Who said, “Let us go up at once, and possess it; for we are well able to overcome it”?

• Caleb made the above statement (Numbers 13:30).

7. How did most of the men who searched out the land try to counter Caleb’s faithful statement?

• “But the men that went up with him said, We be not able to go up against the people; for they are

stronger than we. And they brought up an evil report of the land which they had searched unto the children

of Israel, saying, The land, through which we have gone to search it, is a land that eateth up the inhabitants

thereof; and all the people that we saw in it are men of a great stature. And there we saw the giants, the sons

of Anak, which come of the giants: and we were in our own sight as grasshoppers, and so we were in their

sight” (Numbers 13:31-33).

• Caleb’s statement was one of faith, for he knew the promise of God (Exodus 13:5; 33:2-3 and Leviticus 25:38).

8. How did the children of Israel respond to the report about the land of Canaan?

• “And all the congregation lifted up their voice, and cried; and the people wept that night. And all the

children of Israel murmured against Moses and against Aaron: and the whole congregation said unto them,

Would God that we had died in the land of Egypt! or would God we had died in this wilderness! And

wherefore hath the Lord brought us unto this land, to fall by the sword, that our wives and our children should

be a prey? were it not better for us to return into Egypt? And they said one to another, Let us make a

captain, and let us return into Egypt” (Numbers 14:1-4).

• Sadly, it seems Israel missed Egypt again (cf. Exodus 16:2-3; 17:2-3).

9. How did Moses, Aaron, Joshua, and Caleb respond to the people’s ignorance?

• “Then Moses and Aaron fell on their faces before all the assembly of the congregation of the children of

Israel. And Joshua the son of Nun, and Caleb the son of Jephunneh, which were of them that searched the

land, rent their clothes. And they spake unto all the company of the children of Israel, saying, The land, which

we passed through to search it, is an exceeding good land. If the Lord delight in us, then he will bring us into

this land, and give it us; a land which floweth with milk and honey. Only rebel not ye against the Lord, neither

fear ye the people of the land; for they are bread for us: their defence is departed from them, and the Lord is

with us: fear them not.” (Numbers 14:5-9).

10. Did the children of Israel turn against Moses, Aaron, Joshua, and Caleb?

• Yes, they were going to stone them (Numbers 14:10).

11. What was God’s reaction to the disbelief in Israel?

• “…And the glory of the Lord appeared in the tabernacle of the congregation before all the children of

Israel. And the Lord said unto Moses, How long will this people provoke me? and how long will it be ere they

believe me, for all the signs which I have shewed among them? I will smite them with the pestilence, and

disinherit them, and will make of thee a greater nation and mightier than they” (Numbers 14:10-12).

12. Who spoke to God on behalf of Israel to get them pardoned for their ignorant rebellion?

• Moses, of whom they were ready to stone, begged the Lord for forgiveness and reasoned with Him

about His promises to Israel. Also putting before the Lord the reaction of the heathen had the Lord destroyed

His children of promise (Numbers 14:13-20).

13. Were those who tempted God going to be off the hook without any consequences?

• No, all except for Caleb and Joshua would not see the promise land. Their children would wander in the

wilderness forty years (one year for every day they searched the land of Canaan). All who were above 20

years of age would die in the wilderness. Those who brought the false report died of a plague. The context

shows the anger of the Lord and how he did not just acquit the wicked (Numbers 14:21-38).

14. What did the Amalekites and the Canaanites do to the children of Israel?

• The Lord was no longer with the children of Israel to protect them, but they thought they’d just go into

the promise land anyway (Numbers 14:40-44). Since God was not with them to protect them, those who

chose to go up were smote and driven back at the hands of the Amalekites and the Canaanites (Numbers 14:

45).

15. Were the children of Israel expected to have atonement made for them if they sinned in ignorance?

• Yes, (Numbers 15:22-29).

16. What offering could be made for the one who sinned presumptuously [with a high hand; knowingly; willingly]?

• Nothing could be offered for this rebellious soul. That person was to be cut off from among the people

(Numbers 15:30-31).

17. What was done to the one who picked up sticks on the Sabbath Day?

• According to the commandment of God, he was stoned to death (Numbers 15:32-36; cf. Exodus 20:8-

10; 35:2).

18. Why were the children of Israel told to make fringes in the borders of their garments and to put a blue ribbon
thereon?

• “Speak unto the children of Israel, and bid them that they throughout their generations, and that they

put upon the fringe of the borders a ribband of blue: And it shall be unto you for a fringe, that ye may look

upon it, and remember all the commandments of the Lord, and do them and that ye seek not after your own

heart and your own eyes, after which ye use to go a whoring: That ye may remember, and do all my

commandments, and be holy unto your God” (Numbers 15:38-40).

19. Who headed the revolt against Moses and Aaron?

• Korah brought 250 princes, famous among the people against Moses an Aaron saying they took too

much upon themselves (Numbers 16:1-3).

20. Who did Moses leave the decision of who is holy up to?

• God (Numbers 16:5).

21. Who did the Lord desire to consume in a moment?

• The congregation of Israel (Numbers 16:20-21).

22. After Moses and Aaron appealed to God no to destroy all the people because of Korah, the Lord gave what
solution to the question against Moses and Aaron?

• “And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, Speak unto the congregation, saying, Get you up from about

the tabernacle of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram. And Moses rose up and went unto Dathan and Abiram; and

the elders of Israel followed him. And he spake unto the congregation, saying, Depart, I pray you, from the

tents of these wicked men, and touch nothing of theirs, lest ye be consumed in all their sins. So they gat up

from the tabernacle of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram, on every side: and Dathan and Abiram came out, and

stood in the door of their tents, and their wives, and their sons, and their little children. And Moses said,

Hereby ye shall know that the Lord hath sent me to do all these works; for I have not done them of mine own

mind. If these men die the common death of all men, or if they be visited after the visitation of all men; then

the Lord hath not sent me. But if the Lord make a new thing, and the earth open her mouth, and swallow

them up, with all that appertain unto them, and they go down quick into the pit; then ye shall understand that

these men have provoked the Lord” (Numbers 16:23-30).

23. What happened as the Lord made an end of speaking His solution?

• “And it came to pass, as he had made an end of speaking all these words, that the ground clave

asunder that was under them: And the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed them up, and their houses,

and all the men that appertained unto Korah, and all their goods. They, and all that appertained to them,

went down alive into the pit, and the earth closed upon them: and they perished from among the

congregation. And all Israel that were round about them fled at the cry of them: for they said, Lest the earth

swallow us up also. And there came out a fire from the Lord, and consumed the two hundred and fifty men

that offered incense” (Numbers 16:31-35).

24. Who did the children of Israel blame for the deaths of Korah and those who joined with him?

• Moses and Aaron (Numbers 16:41).

25. How did the Lord respond to the people’s charges against Moses and Aaron?

• “And it came to pass, when the congregation was gathered against Moses and against Aaron, that they

looked toward the tabernacle of the congregation: and, behold, the cloud covered it, and the glory of the Lord

appeared. And Moses and Aaron came before the tabernacle of the congregation. And the Lord spake unto

Moses, saying, Get you up from among this congregation, that I may consume them as in a moment. And they

fell upon their faces. And Moses said unto Aaron, Take a censer, and put fire therein from off the altar, and

put on incense, and go quickly unto the congregation, and make an atonement for them: for there is wrath

gone out from the Lord; the plague is begun. And Aaron took as Moses commanded, and ran into the midst

of the congregation; and, behold, the plague was begun among the people: and he put on incense, and made

an atonement for the people. And he stood between the dead and the living; and the plague was stayed.

Now they that died in the plague were fourteen thousand and seven hundred, beside them that died about the

matter of Korah. And Aaron returned unto Moses unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation: and

the plague was stayed” (Numbers 16:42-50).

Having A Basic Understanding of Some Old Testament Truths
Part 20 – The Investigation Of Canaan Through The Stopping Of The Plague (Numbers 13-16)

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