to take part in the lottery.”
“You misunderstand me, Caleb.”
“So it would seem.” Caleb looked out at the other tents clustered close. He did not want Zimri to see his deep hurt. Angry words rose, but he held them back. Rash speaking would cause a permanent rift between them, and Caleb had few friends among the sons of Judah as it was. “Who won the lottery?”
“You are the only man I know who would see it as winning.”
Caleb gave a bleak laugh. “Who is God sending?”
“Who do you think?” The old man stared at him. After a moment, he smiled faintly. “It would seem among all the men of Judah, God has chosen you to represent us.”
Caleb felt gooseflesh rise up and down his back and arms. First joy, then terror, filled him. He released his breath unevenly.
Zimri laughed. “Wonders never cease, my friend. This is the first time I’ve seen you speechless.” He rose. “Report to Moses and he will give you further instructions. Whatever you need, Caleb, anything, you have only to ask. The men of Judah will give it.”
When Caleb saw Joshua among the other spies, he pressed his way through the men gathered. “Ah, my young friend.” Caleb grinned. “Let an old man travel with you. Between us, we will have the impetuousness of youth and the cunning of age on our side.”
Joshua laughed. “I wondered if Judah would send you.”
They clasped hands. “God sent me.”
“I would meet your friend, Joshua.”
Caleb would know that voice if it had spoken to him in darkness. Heart hammering, he turned and bowed his head low to Moses. He had never been this close to God’s chosen prophet. Aaron, dressed in the garments of high priest, stood behind his brother, forgiven and restored by God.
“Do not bow low before me.” Moses put his hand upon Caleb. “I am but a man.”
Caleb straightened. “A man, yes, but God’s anointed prophet who speaks the Word of the Lord. You have pleaded for our lives when we deserved death. And God granted us mercy. May the Lord grant you long life and teach us obedience.”
Joshua grasped his shoulder. “This is Caleb of the tribe of Judah.”
“Ah, yes. I saw you fight alongside Joshua against the Amalekites.”
Stunned that he had been noticed, Caleb received his blessing.
Moses gathered the men. “The Lord told me to send out from the people men to explore the land of Canaan, which He is going to give to us. Go northward through the Negev into the hill country. See what the land is like and find out whether the people living there are strong or weak, few or many. What kind of land do they live in? Is it good or bad? Do their towns have walls or are they unprotected? How is the soil? Is it fertile or poor? Are there many trees? Enter the land boldly, and bring back samples of the crops you see.”
After praying for them and blessing them, Moses and Aaron left them alone to make their plans for departure.
The men agreed to meet at dawn and leave together.
Caleb, with ideas of his own, returned to his tent to make preparations.
When he arrived at the agreed meeting site the next morning, the others stared and spoke in derision. “You look like an Egyptian trader.”
Caleb grinned. “Good.” Dressed in finery, he held the lead rope of three donkeys laden with trade goods donated by the men of Judah, and another with a saddle, but no rider. “This is the best way to get inside the walled cities and take a good look around.”
“ Inside the walls? Are you out of your mind?”
“We can see all we need to see from the outside.”
It was too early to argue. “You go your way, and we will go ours.” He tossed the reins to Joshua, then tapped the flank of his mount with a stick and set off. Once away from Kadesh and the multitude and camped the first night on their own in the wilderness of Paran, he would be able to speak with these men. Perhaps then they would listen. The others came along behind, mumbling.
Joshua rode alongside him. “What do you
“You misunderstand me, Caleb.”
“So it would seem.” Caleb looked out at the other tents clustered close. He did not want Zimri to see his deep hurt. Angry words rose, but he held them back. Rash speaking would cause a permanent rift between them, and Caleb had few friends among the sons of Judah as it was. “Who won the lottery?”
“You are the only man I know who would see it as winning.”
Caleb gave a bleak laugh. “Who is God sending?”
“Who do you think?” The old man stared at him. After a moment, he smiled faintly. “It would seem among all the men of Judah, God has chosen you to represent us.”
Caleb felt gooseflesh rise up and down his back and arms. First joy, then terror, filled him. He released his breath unevenly.
Zimri laughed. “Wonders never cease, my friend. This is the first time I’ve seen you speechless.” He rose. “Report to Moses and he will give you further instructions. Whatever you need, Caleb, anything, you have only to ask. The men of Judah will give it.”
When Caleb saw Joshua among the other spies, he pressed his way through the men gathered. “Ah, my young friend.” Caleb grinned. “Let an old man travel with you. Between us, we will have the impetuousness of youth and the cunning of age on our side.”
Joshua laughed. “I wondered if Judah would send you.”
They clasped hands. “God sent me.”
“I would meet your friend, Joshua.”
Caleb would know that voice if it had spoken to him in darkness. Heart hammering, he turned and bowed his head low to Moses. He had never been this close to God’s chosen prophet. Aaron, dressed in the garments of high priest, stood behind his brother, forgiven and restored by God.
“Do not bow low before me.” Moses put his hand upon Caleb. “I am but a man.”
Caleb straightened. “A man, yes, but God’s anointed prophet who speaks the Word of the Lord. You have pleaded for our lives when we deserved death. And God granted us mercy. May the Lord grant you long life and teach us obedience.”
Joshua grasped his shoulder. “This is Caleb of the tribe of Judah.”
“Ah, yes. I saw you fight alongside Joshua against the Amalekites.”
Stunned that he had been noticed, Caleb received his blessing.
Moses gathered the men. “The Lord told me to send out from the people men to explore the land of Canaan, which He is going to give to us. Go northward through the Negev into the hill country. See what the land is like and find out whether the people living there are strong or weak, few or many. What kind of land do they live in? Is it good or bad? Do their towns have walls or are they unprotected? How is the soil? Is it fertile or poor? Are there many trees? Enter the land boldly, and bring back samples of the crops you see.”
After praying for them and blessing them, Moses and Aaron left them alone to make their plans for departure.
The men agreed to meet at dawn and leave together.
Caleb, with ideas of his own, returned to his tent to make preparations.
When he arrived at the agreed meeting site the next morning, the others stared and spoke in derision. “You look like an Egyptian trader.”
Caleb grinned. “Good.” Dressed in finery, he held the lead rope of three donkeys laden with trade goods donated by the men of Judah, and another with a saddle, but no rider. “This is the best way to get inside the walled cities and take a good look around.”
“ Inside the walls? Are you out of your mind?”
“We can see all we need to see from the outside.”
It was too early to argue. “You go your way, and we will go ours.” He tossed the reins to Joshua, then tapped the flank of his mount with a stick and set off. Once away from Kadesh and the multitude and camped the first night on their own in the wilderness of Paran, he would be able to speak with these men. Perhaps then they would listen. The others came along behind, mumbling.
Joshua rode alongside him. “What do you
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