God promised the Israelites the land of Canaan, so Moses sent twelve spies to report on the land’s strength and its people. While Joshua and Caleb believed God would help them conquer the land despite its strong inhabitants, the other ten spies spread fear, causing the people to moan and rebel. Because the people lacked faith and wanted to return to Egypt, God decreed they would wander the desert for forty years, though Joshua and Caleb were permitted to enter eventually.
