Whither shall we go up? our brethren have discouraged our heart, saying, The people is greater and taller than we; the cities are great and walled up to heaven; and moreover we have seen the sons of the Anakims there.
DEUTERONOMY 1:28KJVWhat does Deuteronomy 1:28 mean?
Deuteronomy 1:28 describes the Israelites’ fear and discouragement after hearing a negative report from their fellow Israelites about the land they were supposed to enter. The people are worried because their “brethren” have said that the inhabitants are stronger and taller, the cities are large and heavily fortified, and even the intimidating “sons of the Anakims” live there.
In this verse, Moses is retelling to the new generation how their ancestors responded when they first approached the Promised Land. The “brethren” here refers to the spies who scouted the land and came back with a frightening report, causing the people’s courage to fail. The verse captures the moment when fear and doubt spread among the Israelites, leading them to question whether they should proceed.
The Hebrew behind Deuteronomy 1:28
- “Discouraged” (נָמַס, namas, H4549) means to melt or dissolve. Here it describes how the people’s “heart” (לֵבָב, levav, H3824) lost courage, as if their resolve just melted away.
- “Brethren” (אַח, ach, H251) refers specifically to the fellow Israelites who went as spies. Their words carried extra weight because they were trusted members of the community.
- “Walled up to heaven” uses “heaven” (שָׁמַיִם, shamayim, H8064) to emphasize how impossibly high and strong the city walls seemed, not literally but as an expression of overwhelming size.
- “Anakims” (עֲנָקִים, anakim, H6062) refers to a group of people known for their great size and reputation, making the threat feel even more real and intimidating.
Why Deuteronomy 1:28 matters
- This verse explains why the Israelites hesitated to enter the land, showing that their fear was based on the testimony of people they trusted, not just their own imagination.
- By recalling the discouraging report, Moses highlights how easily fear can spread and paralyze a whole community, even when God’s promise is clear.
- The verse sets up the contrast between the people’s fear and God’s faithfulness, which is a key theme in the opening chapters of Deuteronomy.