We are continuing with the names of the twelve spies to see if their names tell us anything about why 10 came back with a bad report, and only 2 had a good report.

Joseph = “Jehovah has added”

1) the eldest son of Jacob by Rachel

Manasseh = “causing to forget”

1) the eldest son of Joseph and progenitor of the tribe of Manasseh

Gaddi = “my fortune”

1) the son of Susi, spy from the tribe of Manasseh sent by Moses to spy out the land of Canaan

Susi = “my horse”

1) father of Gaddi, the spy for the tribe of Manasseh

Dan = “a judge”

1) the 5th son of Jacob, the 1st of Bilhah, Rachel’s handmaid

Ammiel = “my kinsman is God”

1) the spy from the tribe of Dan who perished in the plague for his evil report

Gemalli = “camel driver”

1) the father of Ammiel, the Danite spy

Asher = “happy”

1) son of Jacob and Zilpah

Sethur = “hidden”

1) son of Michael, the spy from the tribe of Asher

Michael = “who is like God”

1) one of, the chief, or the first archangel who is described as the one who stands in time of conflict for the children of Israel

2) an Asherite, father of Sethur, one of the 12 spies of Israel

Naphtali = “wrestling”

1) the 5th son of Jacob and the 2nd by Bilhah the handmaid of Rachel

Nahbi = “hidden”

1) son of Vophsi, a Naphtalite, and one of the 12 spies sent to spy out the promised land

Vophsi = “rich”

1) father of Nahbi, the man chosen as the spy for Naphtali

Gad = “troop”

1) seventh son of Jacob by Zilpah, Leah’s handmaid, and full brother of Asher.

Geuel = “majesty of God”

1) the Gadite chosen to spy out the land, son of Machi

Machi = “decrease”

1) father of Geuel the Gadite who was one of the 12 spies of Israel