Numbers 13:20

18 See what the land is like and whether its people are strong or weak, few or many.

19 Is the land where they live good or bad? Are the cities where they dwell open camps or fortifications?

Is the soil fertile or unproductive? Are there trees in it or not? Be courageous, and bring back some of the fruit of the land.” (It was the season for the first ripe grapes.)

21 So they went up and spied out the land from the Wilderness of Zin as far as Rehob, toward Lebo-hamath.

22 They went up through the Negev and came to Hebron, where Ahiman, Sheshai, and Talmai, the descendants of Anak, dwelled. It had been built seven years before Zoan in Egypt.

Here the Bible tells a story about someone else. Ask yourself what it can say to us today. Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.

Compare

BSB
Is the soil fertile or unproductive? Are there trees in it or not? Be courageous, and bring back some of the fruit of the land.” (It was the season for the first ripe grapes.)
KJV
And what the land is, whether it be fat or lean, whether there be 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 firstripe grapes.
WEB
and what the land is, whether it is fertile or poor, whether there is wood therein, or not. Be courageous, and bring some of the fruit of the land.” Now the time was the time of the first-ripe grapes.
ASV
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.
DARBY
and what the land is, whether it is fat or lean, whether there are trees in it, or not. And take courage, and bring of the fruit of the land. Now the time was the time of the first grapes.
BLB
and how is the land, is it fat or lean, is there wood in it or not. And be of good courage, and bring some of the fruit of the land.” (And the time [was] the season of the firstfruits of grapes.)
ÅB
og hvordan jorden er, om den er fet eller mager, om det er trær der eller ikke! Vær ved godt mot og ta med dere av landets frukt! Det var nettopp på den tid de første druer ble modne.
OTB
Og hvordan er jorden? Er den fruktbar eller mager? Er det trær på den eller ikke? Vær modige og ta med noe av frukten fra landet." Nå var det sesongen for de første modne druene.
B1930
og hvordan jorden er, om den er fet eller mager, om det er trær der eller ikke! Vær ved godt mot og ta med eder av landets frukt! Det var nettop på den tid de første druer blev modne.

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

Cross references

  • Deuteronomy 31:23

    Then the LORD commissioned Joshua son of Nun and said, “Be strong and courageous, for you will bring the Israelites into the land that I swore to give them, and I will be with you.”

    Read in context
  • Nehemiah 9:35

    For even while they were in their kingdom, with the abundant goodness that You had given them, and in the spacious and fertile land that You had set before them, they would not serve You or turn from their wicked ways.

    Read in context
  • Deuteronomy 31:6–8

    Be strong and courageous; do not be afraid or terrified of them, for it is the LORD your God who goes with you; He will never leave you nor forsake you.”

    Read in context
  • Ezekiel 34:14

    I will feed them in good pasture, and the lofty mountains of Israel will be their grazing land. There they will lie down in a good grazing land; they will feed in rich pasture on the mountains of Israel.

    Read in context
  • Nehemiah 9:25

    They captured fortified cities and fertile land and took houses full of all goods, wells already dug, vineyards, olive groves, and fruit trees in abundance. So they ate and were filled; they grew fat and delighted in Your great goodness.

    Read in context
  • Deuteronomy 1:25

    They took some of the fruit of the land in their hands, carried it down to us, and brought us word: “It is a good land that the LORD our God is giving us.”

    Read in context
  • Micah 7:1

    Woe is me! For I am like one gathering summer fruit at the gleaning of the vineyard; there is no cluster to eat, no early fig that I crave.

    Read in context
  • Joshua 1:6

    Be strong and courageous, for you shall give these people the inheritance of the land that I swore to their fathers I would give them.

    Read in context