The Lord spoke to Moses: “Send out men to investigate the land of Canaan…”^[1]  To quote Dickens, “This must be distinctly understood, or nothing wonderful can come of the story I am going to relate.”^[2]  The Lord wasn’t surprised by what happened.  He knew it from the beginning.^[3]

All of [the men] were leaders of the Israelites.^[4]  They returned after forty days and reported to the whole community: “We went to the land where you sent us.  It is indeed flowing with milk and honey, and this is its fruit.”^[5]  They had brought back a branch with one cluster of grapes, and they carried it on a staff between two men.^[6]  “But,” the leaders of the Israelites continued, “the inhabitants are strong, and the cities are fortified and very large.  Moreover we saw the descendants of Anak there”^[7] (the descendants of Anak came from the Nephilim).^[8]

The Nephilim used to be giants: There were giants in the earth in those days; and also after that, when the sons of God came in unto the daughters of men, and they bare children to them, the same became mighty men which were of old, men of renown.^[9]  Now they are God (and human imagination) only knows what.  The word occurs twice in the Old Testament, once when the leaders of the Israelites were obviously spinning the truth for their own purposes.  A lot of human conjecture about the Nephilim stems from the “lost book of Enoch.”^[10]

“It happened after the sons of men had multiplied in those days,” Enoch began his tale, “that daughters were born to them, elegant and beautiful.  And when the angels, the sons of heaven, beheld them, they became enamoured of them, saying to each other, Come, let us select for ourselves wives from the progeny of men, and let us beget children.”^[11]  Then he filled in the details:  There were “two hundred angels”^[12] led by Samyaza^[13] (Book of Enoch, Section II, Chapter 7, vv. 10-13):

Then they took wives, each choosing for himself; whom they began to approach, and with whom they cohabited; teaching them sorcery, incantations, and the dividing of roots and trees.  And the women conceiving brought forth giants, Whose stature was each three hundred cubits [i.e., the same as the length of the ark, Genesis 6:15 (KJV)].  These devoured all which the labour of men produced; until it became impossible to feed them; When they turned themselves against men, in order to devour them…

There is seemingly no end to the detail Enoch supplied (Book of Enoch, Section XI, Chapter 68, vv. 3-28):

These are the chiefs of their angels, and the names of the leaders of their hundreds, and the leaders of their fifties, and the leaders of their tens.  The name of the first is Yekun: he it was who seduced all the sons of the holy angels; and causing them to descend on earth, led astray the offspring of men.  The name of the second is Kesabel, who pointed out evil counsel to the sons of the holy angels, and induced them to corrupt their bodies by generating mankind.

The name of the third is Gadrel: he discovered every stroke of death to the children of men.  He seduced Eve; and discovered to the children of men the instruments of death, the coat of mail, the shield, and the sword for slaughter; every instrument of death to the children of men.  From his hand were these things derived to them who dwell upon earth, from that period for ever.

The name of the fourth is Penemue: he discovered to the children of men bitterness and sweetness; And pointed out to them every secret of their wisdom.  He taught men to understand writing, and the use of  ink and paper.  Therefore numerous have been those who have gone astray from every period of the world, even to this day.  For men were not born for this, thus with pen and with ink to confirm their faith;  Since they were not created, except that, like the angels, they might remain righteous and pure.  Nor would death, which destroys everything, have affected them; But by this their knowledge they perish, and by this also its power consumes them.

The name of the fifth is Kasyade: he discovered to the children of men every wicked stroke of spirits and of demons: The stroke of the embryo in the womb, to diminish it; the stroke of the spirit by the bite of the serpent, and the stroke which is given in the mid-day by the offspring of the serpent, the name of which is Tabaet.  This is the number of the Kesbel; the principal part of the oath which the Most High, dwelling in glory, revealed to the holy ones.  Its name is Beka. He spoke to holy Michael to discover to them the sacred name, that they might understand that secret name, and thus remember the oath; and that those who pointed out every secret thing to the children of men might tremble at that name and oath.

This is the power of that oath; for powerful it is, and strong.  And he established this oath of Akae by the instrumentality of the holy Michael.  These are the secrets of this oath, and by it were they confirmed. Heaven was suspended by it before the world was made, for ever.  By it has the earth been founded upon the flood; while from the concealed parts of the hills the agitated waters proceed forth from the creation to the end of the world.  By this oath the sea has been formed, and the foundation of it.  During the period of its fury he has established the sand against it, which continues unchanged for ever; and by this oath the abyss has been made strong; nor is it removable from its station for ever and ever.  By this oath the sun and moon complete their progress, never swerving from the command given to them for ever and ever.

Enoch had yet more to say about these angels (Book of Enoch, Section II, Chapter 8, vv. 1-9):

Moreover Azazyel taught men to make swords, knives, shields, breastplates, the fabrication of mirrors, and the workmanship of bracelets and ornaments, the use of paint, the beautifying of the eyebrows, the use of stones of every valuable and select kind, and of all sorts of dyes, so that the world became altered.  Impiety increased; fornication multiplied; and they transgressed and corrupted all their ways.  Amazarak taught all the sorcerers, and dividers of roots: Armers taught the solution of sorcery; Barkayal  taught the observers of the stars; Akibeel taught signs; Tamiel taught astronomy; And Asaradel taught the motion of the moon.  And men, being destroyed, cried out; and their voice reached to heaven.

And how, according to Enoch, did God respond to the desperate men who “cried out; and their voice reached to heaven”?  The “waters of a deluge shall come over the whole earth, and all things which are in it shall be destroyed.”^[14]  The Bible doesn’t mention a word about these reprobate angels.  In the Bible the flood came because the Lord saw that the wickedness of humankind had become great on the earth.  Every inclination of the thoughts of their minds was only evil all the time.^[15]  “The fallen angels made me do it,” wrote Enoch.

As I urged you when I was leaving for Macedonia, Paul wrote Timothy, stay on in Ephesus to instruct certain people not to spread false teachings, nor to occupy themselves with myths (μύθοις, a form of μῦθος)^[16] and interminable genealogies.  Such things promote useless speculations rather than God’s redemptive plan that operates by faith.^[17]  And, By pointing out such things to the brothers and sisters, you will be a good servant of Christ Jesus, having nourished yourself on the words of the faith and of the good teaching that you have followed.  But reject those myths (μύθους, another form of μῦθος) fit only for the godless and gullible, and train yourself for godliness.^[18]

For there will be a time, Paul warned Timothy, when people will not tolerate sound teaching.  Instead, following their own desires, they will accumulate teachers for themselves, because they have an insatiable curiosity to hear new things.  And they will turn away from hearing the truth, but on the other hand they will turn aside to myths (μύθους, another form of μῦθος).^[19]  For this reason rebuke them sharply, he wrote Titus, that they may be healthy in the faith and not pay attention to Jewish myths (μύθοις, a form of μῦθος) and commands of people who reject the truth.^[20]

This Enoch sounds more like a mythmaker to me than the Enoch who walked with God for 300 years.^[21]  This Enoch made excuses, not unlike the leaders of the Israelites (Numbers 13:31-33 NET):

“We are not able to go up against these people, because “they are stronger than we are!” [Table]  Then they presented the Israelites with a discouraging report of the land they had investigated, saying, “The land that we passed through to investigate is a land that devours its inhabitants.  All the people we saw there are of great stature [Table].  We even saw the Nephilim there (the descendants of Anak came from the Nephilim), and we seemed liked grasshoppers both to ourselves and to them” [Table].

Then all the community raised a loud cry, and the people wept that night.  And all the Israelites murmured against Moses and Aaron, and the whole congregation said to them, “If only we had died in the land of Egypt, or if only we had perished in this wilderness [Table]!  Why has the Lord brought us into this land only to be killed by the sword, that our wives and our children should become plunder?  Wouldn’t it be better for us to return to Egypt [Table]?”  So they said to one another, “Let’s appoint a leader and return to Egypt [Table].”^[22]

One of the leaders of the Israelites, Caleb, a descendant of Judah,^[23] voiced his dissent from the majority.  “The land we passed through to investigate is an exceedingly good land [Table],” he said to the whole community.  “If the Lord delights in us, then he will bring us into this land and give it to us – a land that is flowing with milk and honey [Table].  Only do not rebel against the Lord, and do not fear (yârêʼ)^[24] the people of the land, for they are bread for us.  Their protection has turned aside from them, but the Lord is with us.  Do not fear (yârêʼ) them [Table]!”^[25]

The rabbis who translated the Septuagint chose φοβηθῆτε (a form of φοβέω)^[26] here.  “A disciple is not greater than his teacher,” Jesus said according to Matthew’s Gospel account, “nor a slave greater than his master.  It is enough for the disciple to become like his teacher, and the slave like his master.  If they have called the head of the house ‘Beelzebul,’ how much more will they defame the members of his household!  Do not be afraid (φοβηθῆτε, a form of φοβέω) of them, for nothing is hidden that will not be revealed, and nothing is secret that will not be made known.  What I say to you in the dark, tell in the light, and what is whispered in your ear, proclaim from the housetops.^[27]

I’ll continue with Luke’s Gospel account because he chose φοβηθῆτε, too.  “I tell you, my friends, do not be afraid (φοβηθῆτε, a form of φοβέω) of those who kill the body, and after that have nothing more they can do.  But I will warn you whom you should fear (φοβηθῆτε, a form of φοβέω): Fear (φοβήθητε, a form of φοβέω) the one who, after the killing, has authority to throw you into hell.  Yes, I tell you, fear (φοβήθητε, a form of φοβέω) him!”^[28]  Ordinarily I would return to Matthew’s Gospel, So do not be afraid, Jesus concluded, you are more valuable than many sparrows.^[29]  But this time I’ll let fear stand.

Here I can really see how fear became a euphemism for reverence.  The Israelites acted upon, obeyed and followed their fear.  Learning to fear God like that would have looked a lot like faith.  “How long will this people despise me,” the Lord said as the Israelites threatened to stone Moses, Aaron, Joshua and Caleb, and return to Egypt, “and how long will they not believe in me, in spite of the signs that I have done among them?”^[30]

And then I’m treated to a reprise of the conversation between God and Moses after the incident with the golden calf.  “I will strike them with the pestilence,” the Lord said, “and I will disinherit them; I will make you into a nation that is greater and mightier than they!”^[31]

Moses doesn’t come off quite as clueless^[32] this time.  “When the Egyptians hear it,” he said, “for you brought up this people by your power from among them – then they will tell it to the inhabitants of this land.  They have heard that you, Lord, are among this people, that you, Lord, are seen face to face, that your cloud stands over them, and that you go before them by day in a pillar of cloud and in a pillar of fire by night.  If you kill this entire people at once, then the nations that have heard of your fame will say, ‘Because the Lord was not able to bring this people into the land that he swore to them, he killed them in the wilderness.’”^[33]

Then he rehearsed his knowledge of God, reciting the Lord’s long name: “So now, let the power of my Lord be great, just as you have said, ‘The Lord is slow to anger and abounding in loyal love, forgiving iniquity and transgression, but by no means clearing the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children until the third and fourth generations.’”^[34]

And once again he interceded with God for his people: “Please forgive the iniquity of this people according to your great loyal love, just as you have forgiven this people from Egypt even until now.”^[35]

“I have forgiven them as you asked,” the Lord said.  “But truly, as I live, all the earth will be filled with the glory of the Lord.”^[36]  He would not strike them with the pestilence (except those men who produced the evil report about the land, died by the plague before the Lord^[37]).  Nor would He clear the guilty.  “For all the people have seen my glory and my signs that I did in Egypt and in the wilderness, and yet have tempted me now these ten times, and have not obeyed me, they will by no means see the land that I swore to their fathers, nor will any of them who despised me see it.  Only my servant Caleb, because he had a different spirit and has followed me fully – I will bring him into the land where he had gone, and his descendants will possess it.”^[38]

Communicating this knowledge of God (Jesus called it eternal life^[39]) was more urgent and important to Jehovah than fulfilling the promise^[40] that Abraham’s descendants would inherit the land.  I know this because, The Lord (Jehovah) spoke to Moses: “Send out men to investigate the land of Canaan…” knowing that the promise would be delayed another 40 years (Numbers 14:28-35 NET).

As I live, says the Lord, I will surely do to you just what you have spoken in my hearing.  Your dead bodies will fall in this wilderness – all those of you who were numbered, according to your full number, from twenty years old and upward, who have murmured against me.  You will by no means enter into the land where I swore to settle you.  The only exceptions are Caleb son of Jephunneh and Joshua son of Nun.  But I will bring in your little ones, whom you said would become victims of war, and they will enjoy the land that you have despised.  But as for you, your dead bodies will fall in this wilderness, and your children will wander in the wilderness forty years and suffer for your unfaithfulness, until your dead bodies lie finished in the wilderness.  According to the number of the days you have investigated this land, forty days – one day for a year – you will suffer for your iniquities, forty years, and you will know what it means to thwart me.  I, the Lord, have said, “I will surely do so to all this evil congregation that has gathered together against me.  In this wilderness they will be finished, and there they will die!”