Numbers 13:17
“Moses sent them to spy out the land of Canaan, and said to them, “Go up this way by the South, and go up into the hill country.”
What does Numbers 13:17 mean?
Moses is sending twelve scouts to explore the land God promised to give Israel, and he's giving them specific instructions on their route. They're to head south first, then move into the hill country, which was the most strategic way to assess both the terrain and the people living there. This reconnaissance mission was meant to help the Israelites understand what lay ahead before they entered, so they could move forward with good information rather than fear or uncertainty.