Translations
Modern
The plan seemed good to me, so I selected twelve men from among you, one from each tribe.
Traditional
And the saying pleased me well: and I took twelve men of you, one of a tribe:
Literal
And the plan was good in my eyes, and I took from among you twelve men, one man per tribe.
Latin
Cumque mihi sermo placuisset, misi ex vobis duodecim viros, singulos de tribubus suis.
Original
Hebrew
English
The plan seemed good to me, so I selected twelve men from among you, one from each tribe.
Notes
Secular treaties (formal agreements between nations) often included a section about the past relationship between the two partners. This section reviewed what had happened before the agreement.
In this case, the purpose was to review Israel’s successes and failures since the exodus from Egypt. It reminded the people that God had kept his word, even when they did not obey him.
To prepare the Israelites for life in Canaan, Moses reminded them about life in Egypt, their 40 years of wandering in the wilderness, and their past mistakes. He warned them to obey God's covenant. He assured them that God's grace would follow them as they learned to trust and obey the Lord.
Parallels
Glossary
Anak, Anakim, Anakites Archaeology and the Bible Deuteronomy, Book of