BibleWord.ai› Bible› Numbers› Chapter 13› Verse 33

Numbers 13:33

Old Testament Law (Torah) ASV (1901)

What does Numbers 13:33 say?

The American Standard Version records this verse as: “And there we saw the Nephilim, the sons of Anak, who come of the Nephilim: and we were in our own sight as grasshoppers, and so we were in their sight.” Read the surrounding verses and the named sources below before drawing broader conclusions.

The verse

And there we saw the Nephilim, the sons of Anak, who come of the Nephilim: and we were in our own sight as grasshoppers, and so we were in their sight.
Numbers 13:33 — American Standard Version

Context — Numbers 13

American Standard Version (1901) — public domain. Click any verse for its study page.
30And Caleb stilled the people before Moses, and said, Let us go up at once, and possess it; for we are well able to overcome it.
31But the men that went up with him said, We are not able to go up against the people; for they are stronger than we.
32And they brought up an evil report of the land which they had spied out unto the children of Israel, saying, The land, through which we have gone to spy it out, is a land that eateth up the inhabitants thereof; and all the people that we saw in it are men of great stature.
33And there we saw the Nephilim, the sons of Anak, who come of the Nephilim: and we were in our own sight as grasshoppers, and so we were in their sight.
← Numbers 13:32Numbers 14:1 →
← Full Chapter 13 Numbers 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 there we saw the giants, etc.] Not throughout the land, and yet it is so expressed, and in such connection with what goes before, that it might be so understood, and as they might choose it should; that as there were men everywhere of an uncommon size, and were generally so, there were some larger than they in all places, of a prodigious size, of a gigantic stature; and yet this was only in Hebron where they saw them; the sons of Anak; whose names are given, (<041322>Numbers 13:22); and there were but three of them: [which came] of the giants; they, were of the race of giants; for not only Anak their father, but Arba their grandfather was one; (<061415>Joshua 14:15) (<061513>Joshua…”
Read attributed excerpt →
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown · Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible · 19th-century historical commentary
“there we saw the giants, the sons of Anak--The name is derived from the son of Arba, a great man among the Arabians (Jos 15:14), who probably obtained his appellation from wearing a splendid collar or chain round his neck, as the word imports. The epithet "giant" evidently refers here to stature. (See on Gen 6:4). And it is probable the Anakims were a distinguished family, or perhaps a select body of warriors, chosen for their extraordinary size. we were in our own sight as grasshoppers--a strong Orientalism, by which the treacherous spies gave an exaggerated report of the physical strength of the people of Canaan. Next: Numbers Chapter 14”
Read attributed excerpt →
Tyndale Open Study Notes
Tyndale House Publishers · Tyndale Open Study Notes · Modern study notes
“13:33 giants: See study note on Gen 6:4.”
Read attributed excerpt →
Treasury of Scriptural Knowledge
R. A. Torrey and contributors · The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge · Cross-reference reference work
“saw the giants: Num 13:22; Deu 1:28, Deu 2:10, Deu 3:11, Deu 9:2; Sa1 17:4-7; Sa2 21:20-22; Ch1 11:23 and we were: Sa1 17:42; Isa 40:22 Next: Numbers Chapter 14”
Read attributed excerpt →

Related study paths

Read Numbers 13 in contextBrowse Hebrew word studiesOpen this verse in the study reader

Sources and verification