They came unto the brook of Eshcol— The original word signifies a brook or valley. Valley appears much more proper for this place, as it seems rather uncouth to say, they cut down a branch from a brook. The reason for the name Eshcol is given in the 24th verse. Some have thought that they bare this cluster of grapes upon a staff or bier, (see chap. Numbers 4:10.) merely on account of its size and weight; and, accordingly, authors are cited to prove, that the vines and grapes in those eastern countries are of an extraordinary magnitude, Huetius, in his Quaest.—Alnet mentions bunches of grapes in some islands of the Archipelago, of thirty-six or forty pounds weight; and Pliny describes bunches of grapes in Africa which exceed the size of young children, quae infantum puerorum magnitudinem exsuperant. Strabo, in his Geog. lib. 2: reports, that in many provinces of the East, there are vine trees, which two men cannot encompass. Adam Olearus, an eye-witness, confirms the same thing; Itin. Pers. par. 3: p. 584. See Scheuchzer, who, notwithstanding these accounts of the largeness of the grapes, is of opinion, that they were carried on a bier, rather for the conveniency of preserving them from being bruised, than on account of the enormity of the weight. The reader will find in Calmet, on the place, a further account of the largeness of the grapes in many parts of the East.
REFLECTIONS.—The spies immediately proceed on their errand; and having passed unsuspected through the land, perhaps in separate parties, they might on their return unite at Hebron, a place of great antiquity, and possessed by the sons of Anak, near unto which lay Machpelah, the burying-place of the patriarchs. They bring back with them a specimen of the land, enough to confirm God's declaration, and to confute their own subsequent evil report. These grapes were a proof of the goodness of that land, and an earnest of their possessing it. Note; When faith goes up to spy out the heavenly Canaan, the present joys of believing are the foretastes of eternal bliss.