Deuteronomy 1–4 are Moses’ historical recollection for the benefit of the second generation post-captivity in Mitzraim (Egypt). This discourse took between three to five weeks, according to Jewish tradition. By that time, the first generation, at least all the males of that generation, were dead, except for Joshua, Caleb, Phineas the cohen and Eliezer the cohen ha-gadol (high priest).

I’m sure that the second generation had heard from their parents their version of why they didn’t enter the Promised Land, but in these introductory chapters, Moses was setting the record is set straight. This is Moshe’s last opportunity to correct all that history.

The daughters of Zelophahad (Num. 27:1–10) had said their father “died in his own sin” (Num. 27:3 NASB) with the first generation. They understood their parents had made real mistakes in judgment, and deserve to die in the wilderness, but not all the second generation had a correct understanding of why that first generation weren’t allowed to enter the Promised Land.

In this Torah reading, דברים Devarim(“words,” Deut. 1:1–3:22), Moses started giving a more complete record of what happened during the entire 38 years in the wilderness. There there are events that are recorded in the book of Numbers that are not recorded the same way Moses is describing here.

Most likely, the accounts in the original account in the Book of Numbers is incomplete and Moses is making sure a children of Israel have a fuller historical account.

Imagine a nation in which only 5 men are over the age of 60 years old? Wiping out a generation in 40 years, takes a lot. A lot of people have to die.

There were people in their early 20s, when God cursed them and the entire nation has to wait 40 years until all of them die.  It’s shocking how that happened, because most people live past the late 50s.

God used the various plagues and punishments to hasten the death of that generation so they would all be dead in 40 years. If God hadn’t intervened to hasten their deaths, the younger generation would have to wait 60-70 years before entering the promised land. It was God’s mercy on the second generation to hasten the deaths of those in the first generation.

But he left them a remnant of 60+ year old elders to enter the Promised land with them: Joshua, Caleb, Phineas the cohen, and Eliezer the cohen ha-gadol (high priest).

Deuteronomy 1:22–46: Who sent the spies out?

The first recollection of the entry of the spies in the Promised Land is recorded in Numbers 13. In Deuteronomy, the sending of the spies is the people’s idea while in Numbers, it looks like it’s God’s idea to send the spies into the land. I believe the recollection recorded is Deuteronomy is more accurate, although both are correct. The version in Deuteronomy gives more detail.

We know that God would not lead His people into a miserable fruitless, desolate, awful land. God is promising them a land of milk and honey.

So, why send spies? What’s the point of investigating the land. They’re trying to verify whether God’s description of the land was true. The people were testing God and doubted God’s provision. Their intent was to find out if God was really bringing them to a good land or not.

Moses had no doubt in God’s provision so he decided to humor them and he approached God with their request to send some spies into the land. God then gave instructions for the spies, one man per tribe. God did not set the people up for failure. They set themselves up for failure because their intentions were not honest and they slandered God in the tone of their request.

I’m sure that Egypt doesn’t grow the same fruits and vegetables and whatever else that grows in the land of Israel. The lands supported two different cultures, different climates,