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Numbers 13:20

Old Testament Law (Torah) ASV (1901)

What does Numbers 13:20 say?

The American Standard Version records this verse as: “and what the land is, whether it is fat or lean, whether there is 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 first-ripe grapes.” Read the surrounding verses and the named sources below before drawing broader conclusions.

The verse

and what the land is, whether it is fat or lean, whether there is 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 first-ripe grapes.
Numbers 13:20 — American Standard Version

Context — Numbers 13

American Standard Version (1901) — public domain. Click any verse for its study page.
17And Moses sent them to spy out the land of Canaan, and said unto them, Get you up this way by the South, and go up into the hill-country:
18and see the land, what it is; and the people that dwell therein, whether they are strong or weak, whether they are few or many;
19and what the land is that they dwell in, whether it is good or bad; and what cities they are that they dwell in, whether in camps, or in strongholds;
20and what the land is, whether it is fat or lean, whether there is 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 first-ripe grapes.
21So they went up, and spied out the land from the wilderness of Zin unto Rehob, to the entrance of Hamath.
22And they went up by the South, and came unto Hebron; and Ahiman, Sheshai, and Talmai, the children of Anak, were there. (Now Hebron was built seven years before Zoan in Egypt.)
23And they came unto the valley of Eshcol, and cut down from thence a branch with one cluster of grapes, and they bare it upon a staff between two; [they brought] also of the pomegranates, and of the figs.
← Numbers 13:19Numbers 13:21 →
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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 what the land [is], whether it be fat or lean, etc.] That is, what the soil of it is, whether it be rich and fertile, or whether it be poor and barren, which would be seen by the fruits it produced, this being now the fruitful season of the year; and so the Targum of Jonathan, “and what is the praise of the land, whether its fruits are fat or lean;” plump and full, rich and juicy, or otherwise, as their grapes, olives, etc. whether it was a land flowing with milk and honey, (<023303>Exodus 33:3), abounding with all good things, and those of the best sort, or not: whether there be wood thereon or not; timber for building, and other manual operations, or wood for fuel, which are great…”
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Jamieson, Fausset & Brown
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown · Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible · 19th-century historical commentary
“Now the time was the time of the first grapes--This was in August, when the first clusters are gathered. The second are gathered in September, and the third in October. The spies' absence for a period of forty days determines the grapes they brought from Eshcol to have been of the second period.”
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Barnes' Notes
Albert Barnes (1798–1870) · Notes on the Whole Bible · 19th-century historical commentary
“The time ... of the firstripe grapes - The first grapes ripen in Palestine in July and August: the vintage is gathered in September and October. This indication of date tallies with what we should have inferred from the previous narrative. For the Israelite host had quitted Sinai on the 20th day of the second month Numbers 13:10, Numbers 13:11, or about the middle of May: since then they had spent a month at Kibroth-hattaavah and a week at Hazeroth, and had accomplished, in all, from 150 to 200 miles of march: it therefore must have been at least the beginning of July, and may have been a month later, when the spies were despatched into the land of promise. return to 'Top of Page'”
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Wesley's Explanatory Notes
John Wesley (1703–1791) · Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament and Old Testament notes · 18th-century historical commentary
“Fat - Rich and fertile. Numbers 13:21”
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Tyndale Open Study Notes
Tyndale House Publishers · Tyndale Open Study Notes · Modern study notes
“13:20 The season for harvesting the first ripe grapes came in late July or August.”
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Treasury of Scriptural Knowledge
R. A. Torrey and contributors · The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge · Cross-reference reference work
“whether it be: Neh 9:25, Neh 9:35; Eze 34:14 good courage: Num 13:30, Num 13:31; Deu 31:6-8, Deu 31:23; Jos 1:6, Jos 1:9, Jos 2:3, Jos 2:22, Jos 2:23; Ch1 22:11; Heb 13:6 the firstripe: Num 13:23, Num 13:24; Mic 7:1 Numbers 13:21”
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Related study paths

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Sources and verification