Caleb Says “Go Up”; the Majority Makes Fear Contagious

Caleb urges immediate trust, but the other spies say Israel cannot prevail and spread an evil report. Their fearful description culminates with Anakim and the rare word “Nephilim,” also used in Genesis 6. The repeated word is real; exactly how the two passages relate remains disputed, and the report itself is part of the chapter’s fear-driven rhetoric.