Moses sends out Twelve Spies (Numbers 13:1-14:38)

After the Israelites left Mount Sinai, God continued to guide them towards the Promised Land. To prepare for the conquest of Canaan, God told Moses to choose twelve men, one from each of the tribes of Israel, to explore the country and report back on what they saw.

The plan was to get the lay of the land and to see what kind of opposition the Israelites might face. Moses also told them to bring back some of the fruit that they found growing there. So for forty days, the twelve spies scouted out the Promised Land, from the wilderness to the hill country. Then they returned with a large cluster of grapes, as well as pomegranates and figs.

All of the Israelites assembled to hear their report. The spies said to Moses: “We came to the land to which you sent us; it flows with milk and honey, and this is its fruit. Yet the people who live in the land are strong, and the towns are fortified and very large … We are not able to go up against this people, for they are stronger than we are.” (Numbers 13:27-31). They even claimed to have seen giants!

But two of the spies, Joshua and Caleb, disagreed with the others. They had faith that God would give victory to the Israelites. Referring to the Promised Land, they said: “Let us go up at once and occupy it, for we are well able to overcome it.” However, the people would not listen. Believing the other spies, they complained bitterly and wished that they were back in Egypt.

God wasn’t pleased with their lack of faith, so Moses prayed intently for him to forgive them. He agreed to do so, but said that apart from Joshua and Caleb, who had been loyal to him, only those under the age of twenty would now enter the Promised Land. Moses then told the people that Joshua would be the one to lead them to victory in the upcoming campaign (Deuteronomy 1:34-39).

This opus sectile panel picturing the spies’ return is found within the sanctuary of St James, Spanish Place, in London. Produced by John Francis Bentley between 1899-1900, in his favoured style, the image is part of a series of Old Testament scenes in the apse that each symbolise the Eucharist.

The two spies (probably Joshua and Caleb) are seen presenting a seated Moses with the cluster of grapes they took from the Promised Land. In keeping with this, the scene is captioned ostenderunt fructus terrae, which means ‘they showed the fruits of the earth’ (Numbers 13:26).

In Catholic tradition, these grapes came to be seen as a symbol of the wine that Christ shared at the Last Supper (Luke 22:17-18). Other Christian connections drawn from this passage include the twelve men (like the twelve apostles), the forty days spent in the land (similar to Christ’s time in the desert) and the wooden pole on which the grapes were hung (a sign of the cross).

See the full image:

Detail of the caption

Where to find this work of art
St James Spanish Place, London

Read the relevant passage
Numbers 13:1-14:38

On a similar theme

• From the Old Testament: The sanctuary features other Old Testament scenes that relate to the Eucharist, such as Abram and Melchizedek and the Passover.
• From the New Testament: During the Last Supper, Christ referred to the consecrated wine as the ‘fruit of the vine’ (Matthew 26:29).