BibleWord.ai› Bible› Deuteronomy› Chapter 1› Verse 23

Deuteronomy 1:23

Old Testament Law (Torah) ASV (1901)

What does Deuteronomy 1:23 say?

The American Standard Version records this verse as: “And the thing pleased me well; and I took twelve men of you, one man for every tribe:” Read the surrounding verses and the named sources below before drawing broader conclusions.

The verse

And the thing pleased me well; and I took twelve men of you, one man for every tribe:
Deuteronomy 1:23 — American Standard Version

Context — Deuteronomy 1

American Standard Version (1901) — public domain. Click any verse for its study page.
20And I said unto you, Ye are come unto the hill-country of the Amorites, which Jehovah our God giveth unto us.
21Behold, Jehovah thy God hath set the land before thee: go up, take possession, as Jehovah, the God of thy fathers, hath spoken unto thee; fear not, neither be dismayed.
22And ye came near unto me every one of you, and said, Let us send men before us, that they may search the land for us, and bring us word again of the way by which we must go up, and the cities unto which we shall come.
23And the thing pleased me well; and I took twelve men of you, one man for every tribe:
24and they turned and went up into the hill-country, and came unto the valley of Eshcol, and spied it out.
25And they took of the fruit of the land in their hands, and brought it down unto us, and brought us word again, and said, It is a good land which Jehovah our God giveth unto us.
26Yet ye would not go up, but rebelled against the commandment of Jehovah your God:
← Deuteronomy 1:22Deuteronomy 1:24 →
← Full Chapter 1 Deuteronomy Overview

What do historical commentaries say?

John Gill's Exposition
John Gill (1697–1771) · Exposition of the Old and New Testament · 18th-century historical commentary
“And the saying pleased me well, etc.] Taking it to be a rational and prudent scheme, not imagining it was the effect of fear and distrust: and I took twelve men of you out of a tribe; whose names are given in (<041304>Numbers 13:4-15).”
Read attributed excerpt →
Barnes' Notes
Albert Barnes (1798–1870) · Notes on the Whole Bible · 19th-century historical commentary
“The plan of sending the spies originated with the people; and, as in itself a reasonable one, it approved itself to Moses; it was submitted to God, sanctioned by Him, and carried out under special divine direction. The orator’s purpose in this chapter is to bring before the people emphatically their own responsibilites and behavior. It is therefore important to remind them, that the sending of the spies, which led immediately to their complaining and rebellion, was their own suggestion. The following verses to the end of the chapter give a condensed account, the fuller one being in Num. 13–14, of the occurrences which led to the banishment of the people for 40 years into the wilderness.…”
Read attributed excerpt →
Treasury of Scriptural Knowledge
R. A. Torrey and contributors · The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge · Cross-reference reference work
“Num. 13:3-33 Deuteronomy 1:24”
Read attributed excerpt →

Related study paths

Read Deuteronomy 1 in contextBrowse Hebrew word studiesOpen this verse in the study reader

Sources and verification