Moses and Aaron lay prostrate before God, their faces in the dust. Caleb and Joshua, the two who, of all the twelve spies, trusted in the word of God, rent their clothes in distress when they perceived that these unfavorable reports had discouraged the whole camp. They endeavored to reason with them; but the congregation were filled with madness and disappointment, and refused to listen to these two men. Finally Caleb urged his way to the front, and his clear, ringing voice was heard above all the clamor of the multitude. He opposed the cowardly views of his fellow spies, which had weakened the faith and courage of all Israel. He commanded the attention of the people, and they hushed their complaints for a moment to listen to him. He spoke of the land he had visited. Said he: “Let us go up at once, and possess it; for we are well able to overcome it.” But as he spoke, the unfaithful spies interrupted him, crying: “We be not able to go up against the people; for they are stronger than we.” {4T 149.1}

Moses og Aron kastede sig til jorden med ansigterne i støvet for Gud. Kaleb og Josua, de to som ud af alle tolv spejdere stolede på Guds ord, sønderrev deres klæder i sorg da de så at disse ugunstige beretninger havde taget modet fra hele lejren. De dristede sig til at tale med dem; men forsamlingen var fyldt med vanvid og skuffelse og ville ikke lytte til de to mænd. til sidst trængte Kaleb sig op foran og hans klare og rungende røst blev hørt igennem hele mængdens råb og skrig. Han modsagde sine medspejderes feje synspunkter, som havde svækket hele Israels tro og mod, Han påkaldte sig folkets opmærksomhed og de stoppede deres beklagelser for et øjeblik, for at lytte til ham. Han talte om det land han havde besøgt. Han sagde: "Lad os gå der hen med det samme og tage det i besiddelse; for vi kan godt indtage det." Men idet han talte, afbrød de utrofaste spejdere ham og sagde: »Vi kan ikke drage op imod dette folk, thi det er stærkere end vi!«