Numbers 13:28, Nevertheless/but. This verse begins with the word but or nevertheless. The spies’ initial report (verse 27) was factual and was in agreement with what YHVH had already said about the land, but all that was disqualified and negated in the minds of the faithless spies by the statement in verse 28 beginning by the qualifier but. Medieval Jewish Torah commentator Rambam comments that the key word in their report that revealed them to be lacking in faith was the word but. By using a word that implied a contradiction to the optimism of their first two sentences, they were, in effect, telling that nation that no matter how rich and blessed the land was, it was beyond their reach. The inhabitants were too strong and their cities too impregnable. Ordinary human beings could not do battle with giants. Thus the spies were advising the nation not even to attempt an assault on Canaan.

Numbers 13:32, It is a land which devours its inhabitants.The Jewish commentators in The ArtScroll Stone Edition Chumash cogently observe, “Such misinterpretations are typical of people who choose not to have faith. Invariably they interpret events in a way that will conform to their own notions” (p. 803). Having faith in YHVH is a conscious choice that one has to make. Faith does not come automatically. Fear, doubt and unbelief do, however, and are part of the fallen nature or evil inclination that all men possess. 

Paul talks about leaving behind the fallen, faithless, sin-bent nature (Rom 7) and moving into a walk of faith in the Spirit of Elohim when in Romans 8:1–2 he contrasts the “law of sin and death” with “the law of the Spirit of life in Messiah Yeshua.” Through Yeshua we become more than conquerors (Rom 8:37). Moreover, 1 John 5:4 tells us, “For whatever is born of Elohim overcomes the world, and this is the victory that overcomes the world, even our faith[i.e. faith in Yeshua who is the Author and Finisher of our faith, the One who gives us the gift of faith, the One in whom we have faith, and on whose words and promises believers stand firm and secure as a house built on a rock].” 

The fear of death is the mother of all fears and is what plagued the disbelieving Israelites. Through identification with Yeshua’s death, burial and resurrection at baptism (Rom 6:3–6) we too (through Yeshua) can be victorious over the sting of death and the grave, which is the death sentence upon all Torah-lawbreaking mortals (note 1 Corinthians 15:47–58 and rejoice!).

Numbers 13:33, And so we were in their eyes…(The ArtScroll Stone Edition Chumash). “As [Israelites] and emissaries of the [Israelite] people, they should have thought only of their mission, not of what anyone else thought of them (ibid., p. 803). 

What can we learn from the example of the 12 spies? We must walk by faith and not by sight always keeping our eyes on Yeshua. Remember the Gospel account of Peter walking on the water (Matt 14:22–33)? As long as Peter kept his eyes on Yeshua he was able to walk on the sea, but when he took his eyes off of Yeshua and looked at the stormy circumstances around him he began to sink. The Scriptures tells us, “Now the just shall live by faith, but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him” (Heb 10:38), and, “without faith it is impossible to please him, for he that comes to Elohim must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him” (Heb 11:6).