Bilangan 13:30

13:30 Then Caleb silenced the people before Moses, saying, “Let us go up ¹  and occupy it, ²  for we are well able to conquer it.” ³ 

Bilangan 14:9

14:9 Only do not rebel against the Lord, and do not fear the people of the land, for they are bread for us. ⁴  Their protection ⁵  has turned aside from them, but the Lord is with us. Do not fear them!”

[13:30]  ¹ tn The construction is emphatic, using the cohortative with the infinitive absolute to strengthen it: עָלֹה נַעֲלֶה (’aloh na’aleh, “let us go up”) with the sense of certainty and immediacy.

[13:30]  ² tn The perfect tense with vav (ו) consecutive brings the cohortative idea forward: “and let us possess it”; it may also be subordinated to form a purpose or result idea.

[13:30]  ³ tn Here again the confidence of Caleb is expressed with the infinitive absolute and the imperfect tense: יָכוֹל נוּכַל (yakhol nukhal), “we are fully able” to do this. The verb יָכַל (yakhal) followed by the preposition lamed means “to prevail over, to conquer.”

[14:9]  ⁴ sn The expression must indicate that they could destroy the enemies as easily as they could eat bread.

[14:9]  ⁵ tn Heb “their shade.” The figure compares the shade from the sun with the protection from the enemy. It is also possible that the text is alluding to their deities here.