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29 [1] They also said, *Amalek dwelleth in the land of the south* by which they intended to allege that there was no direction from which they could enter the Land, as all [its inhabitants] are strong men, for Amalek dwells in the south, and the Canaanite in the west and in the east, *and the Amorite in the mountains*. Thus they reported that which they had been sent [to find out], in such a way as to discourage the people’s confidence by means of allusion [and not openly], because they were afraid of Moses and Aaron. Thus they gave an answer to all that Moses commanded them [to ascertain], except for his statement [that they were to see] *whether they are few or many*, to which they gave no reply at all, nor did they report back [*whether it is*] *good*. This is because they intended to tell the people afterwards by way of an evil report, *it is a Land that eateth up the inhabitants thereof*, [thus implying] that its people are few but very strong. Now the people understood their intention and so all the congregation which was present began to murmur, this being the sense of the expression, *And Caleb stilled the people*, for he silenced them and said, *We should go up at once, for we are well able to overcome it*, meaning: “It is true that the people are strong, but we shall be stronger than them and their fortified cities.” Therefore Caleb said *lah* [“it” — *we are well able to overcome ‘it,’* the word *‘it’* referring to the Land, and including the people and their fortifications]. Then the spies spoke up again, explaining their words clearly, and said, *We are not able to go up against the people, for they are stronger than we*, meaning: “Even if *the people came out unto us into the field* we are not able to contest them in battle, and we surely cannot capture any of their great and fortified cities.” For the meaning of the expression *to go up ‘against the people’* is similar to [what Goliath said]: *choose you a man for you, and let him come down to me*, which is an expression for those fighting in battle formation.
Version: Commentary on the Torah by Ramban (Nachmanides). Translated and annotated by Charles B. Chavel. New York, Shilo Pub. House, 1971-1976
Source: https://www.nli.org.il/he/books/NNL_ALEPH002108945/NLI
License: CC-BY