And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
The Lord spake unto Moses, saying, Send thou men - (cf. Deuteronomy 1:22), whence it appears, that while the proposal of delegating confidential men from each tribe to explore the land of Canaan emanated from the people who petitioned for it, the measure received the special unction of God, who granted their request at once as a trial and a punishment of their distrust.