Numbers 13:29

“The Amalekites dwell in the land of the south, etc.] On the southern side of the land of Canaan: not in it, for they were not Canaanites, but neighbours to them, and lay nearest to the camp of Israel, and at the entrance into the land of Canaan; and as they were enemies of Israel, as appears from an attack upon them quickly after they came from the Red sea, in Rephidim, (<021708>Exodus 17:8); and friends to the Canaanites, they would no doubt oppose their passage into their land, as they did, (<041443>Numbers 14:43,45); this is one difficulty in the way of possessing the land hinted at, others follow: and the Hittites, and the Jebusites, and the Amorites, dwell in the mountains; and guard…”

“The Amalekites dwell in the land of the south--Their territory lay between the Dead and the Red Seas, skirting the borders of Canaan. Hittites . . . dwell in the mountains--Their settlements were in the southern and mountainous part of Palestine (Gen 23:7). the Canaanites dwell by the sea--The remnant of the original inhabitants, who had been dispossessed by the Philistines, were divided into two nomadic hordes--one settled eastward near the Jordan; the other westward, by the Mediterranean.”

“The Amalekites - See Numbers 14:25 note. The Canaanites - i. e. those of the Phoenician race: the word is here used in its narrow sense: compare Genesis 10:15-18 note. return to 'Top of Page'”

“The Amalekites in the south - Where we are to enter the land, and they who were so fierce against us that they came into the wilderness to fight with us, will, without doubt, oppose us when we come close by their land, the rather, to revenge themselves for their former loss. Therefore they mention them, though they were not Canaanites. In the mountains - In the mountainous country, in the south - east part of the land, so that you cannot enter there without great difficulty, both because of the noted strength and valour of those people, and because of the advantage they have from the mountains. By the sea - Not the mid - land sea, which is commonly understood by that expression, but the salt…”

“13:29 The spies answer the question of 13:18. Many ethnic groups occupied ancient Canaan.”

“Amalekites: Num 14:43, Num 24:20; Gen 14:7; Exo 17:8-16; Jdg 6:3; Sa1 14:48, Sa1 15:3-9, Sa1 30:1; Psa 83:7 the Hittites: Gen 15:19-21; Exo 3:8, Exo 3:17 Numbers 13:30”