Why the Spies Called Canaan a Land That Devours Its Inhabitants

"A land that devours its inhabitants it is" (Numbers 13:32). Why did they say this? Because every single city they entered, the Shekhinah was killing the great men of that city, and all the people of the city were occupied with mourning, and the spies saw them and did not ask them, "From where are you coming?" And for the good that the Holy One did for them, it was not enough that they did not speak its praise — rather, they spoke its disgrace. "Men of measure" (Numbers 13:32). This teaches that they were tall in stature, like Goliath the Philistine, whose height was six cubits and a span (1 Samuel 17:4). And this is what is written: "And I destroyed the Amorite before them, whose height was like the height of cedars, and he was strong as the oaks" (Amos 2:9).