17 Bible Verses about Spies

Most Relevant Verses

Genesis 42:9-11

And Joseph remembered the dreams which he dreamed of them, and said unto them, You are spies; to see the nakedness of the land you are come. And they said unto him, Nay, my lord, but to buy food are your servants come. We are all one man's sons; we are honest men, your servants are no spies.

Numbers 13:1-20

And the LORD spoke unto Moses, saying, Send men, that they may search the land of Canaan, which I give unto the children of Israel: of every tribe of their fathers shall you send a man, every one a leader among them. And Moses by the commandment of the LORD sent them from the wilderness of Paran: all those men were heads of the children of Israel.read more.
And these were their names: of the tribe of Reuben, Shammua the son of Zaccur. Of the tribe of Simeon, Shaphat the son of Hori. Of the tribe of Judah, Caleb the son of Jephunneh. Of the tribe of Issachar, Igal the son of Joseph. Of the tribe of Ephraim, Hoshea the son of Nun. Of the tribe of Benjamin, Palti the son of Raphu. Of the tribe of Zebulun, Gaddiel the son of Sodi. Of the tribe of Joseph, namely, of the tribe of Manasseh, Gaddi the son of Susi. Of the tribe of Dan, Ammiel the son of Gemalli. Of the tribe of Asher, Sethur the son of Michael. Of the tribe of Naphtali, Nahbi the son of Vophsi. Of the tribe of Gad, Geuel the son of Machi. These are the names of the men whom Moses sent to spy out the land. And Moses called Hoshea the son of Nun Joshua. And Moses sent them to spy out the land of Canaan, and said unto them, Go up this way into the South, and go up into the mountains: And see the land, what it is; and the people that dwell there, whether they are strong or weak, few or many; And what the land is that they dwell in, whether it is good or bad; and what cities there are that they dwell in, whether in camps, or in strongholds; And what the land is, whether it is rich or poor, whether there be wood in it, or not. And be of good courage, and bring some of the fruit of the land. Now the time was the time of the first ripe grapes.

Numbers 21:32

And Moses sent to spy out Jazer, and they took the villages thereof, and drove out the Amorites that were there.

Deuteronomy 1:22

And you came near unto me every one of you, and said, We will send men before us, and they shall search us out the land, and bring us word again by what way we must go up, and into what cities we shall come.

Joshua 2:1-3

And Joshua the son of Nun sent out of Shittim two men to spy secretly, saying, Go view the land, even Jericho. And they went, and came into a harlot's house, named Rahab, and lodged there. And it was told the king of Jericho, saying, Behold, there came men in here tonight of the children of Israel to search out the country. And the king of Jericho sent unto Rahab, saying, Bring forth the men that are come to you, who are entered into your house: for they are come to search out all the country.

Joshua 6:17

And the city shall be accursed, even it, and all that are therein, to the LORD: only Rahab the harlot shall live, she and all that are with her in the house, because she hid the messengers that we sent.

James 2:25

Likewise also was not Rahab the harlot justified by works, when she had received the messengers, and had sent them out another way?

Joshua 7:2

And Joshua sent men from Jericho to Ai, which is beside Bethaven, on the east side of Bethel, and spoke unto them, saying, Go up and view the country. And the men went up and viewed Ai.

Judges 1:23-24

And the house of Joseph sent to spy out Bethel. (Now the name of the city before was Luz.) And the spies saw a man come forth out of the city, and they said unto him, Show us, we pray you, the entrance into the city, and we will show you mercy.

Judges 18:2

And the children of Dan sent of their family five men from their territory, men of valor, from Zorah, and from Eshtaol, to spy out the land, and to search it; and they said unto them, Go, search the land: who when they came to mount Ephraim, to the house of Micah, they lodged there.

2 Samuel 10:3

And the princes of the children of Ammon said unto Hanun their lord, Think you that David does honor your father, that he has sent comforters unto you? Has not David rather sent his servants unto you, to search the city, and to spy it out, and to overthrow it?

1 Chronicles 19:3

But the princes of the children of Ammon said to Hanun, Think you that David does honor your father, that he has sent comforters unto you? are not his servants come unto you to search, and to overthrow, and to spy out the land?

Luke 20:20-22

And they watched him, and sent forth spies, who should pretend themselves just men, that they might take hold of his words, that so they might deliver him unto the power and authority of the governor. And they asked him, saying, Teacher, we know that you say and teach rightly, neither do you regard any person, but teach the way of God truly: Is it lawful for us to give tribute unto Caesar, or not?

Matthew 22:15-16

Then went the Pharisees, and took counsel how they might entangle him in his talk. And they sent out unto him their disciples with the Herodians, saying, Teacher, we know that you are true, and teach the way of God in truth, neither care you for any man: for you regard not the person of men.

Mark 12:13-14

And they sent unto him certain of the Pharisees and of the Herodians, to catch him in his words. And when they were come, they said unto him, Teacher, we know that you are true, and care for no man: for you regard not the person of men, but teach the way of God in truth: Is it lawful to give tribute to Caesar, or not?

Galatians 2:4

And because of false brethren brought in unawares, who came in secretly to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus, that they might bring us into bondage:

From Thematic Bible


Israel » Sent » Twleve » Spies » Land » Canaan

Numbers 32:8

Thus did your fathers, when I sent them from Kadeshbarnea to see the land.

Joshua 14:7

Forty years old was I when Moses the servant of the LORD sent me from Kadeshbarnea to spy out the land; and I brought him word again as it was in my heart.

Deuteronomy 1:22

And you came near unto me every one of you, and said, We will send men before us, and they shall search us out the land, and bring us word again by what way we must go up, and into what cities we shall come.

Deuteronomy 1:25

And they took of the fruit of the land in their hands, and brought it down unto us, and brought us word again, and said, It is a good land which the LORD our God does give us.

Spies » Used at the court of absalom

2 Samuel 15:10

But Absalom sent spies throughout all the tribes of Israel, saying, As soon as you hear the sound of the trumpet, then you shall say, Absalom reigns in Hebron.

2 Samuel 17:1-17

Moreover Ahithophel said unto Absalom, Let me now choose out twelve thousand men, and I will arise and pursue after David this night: And I will come upon him while he is weary and weak handed, and will make him afraid: and all the people that are with him shall flee; and I will strike the king only: And I will bring back all the people unto you: only the man whom you seek will be struck: so all the people shall be in peace. read more.
And the saying pleased Absalom well, and all the elders of Israel. Then said Absalom, Call now Hushai the Archite also, and let us hear likewise what he says. And when Hushai was come to Absalom, Absalom spoke unto him, saying, Ahithophel has spoken after this manner: shall we do after his saying? if not; speak you. And Hushai said unto Absalom, The counsel that Ahithophel has given is not good at this time. For, said Hushai, you know your father and his men, that they are mighty men, and they are chafed in their minds, as a bear robbed of her whelps in the field: and your father is a man of war, and will not lodge with the people. Behold, he is hid now in some pit, or in some other place: and it will come to pass, when some of the people fall at the first attack, that whosoever hears it will say, There is a slaughter among the people that follow Absalom. And he also that is valiant, whose heart is as the heart of a lion, shall utterly melt: for all Israel knows that your father is a mighty man, and they who are with him are valiant men. Therefore I counsel that all Israel be generally gathered unto you, from Dan even to Beer-sheba, as the sand that is by the sea for multitude; and that you go to battle in your own person. So shall we come upon him in some place where he shall be found, and we will light upon him as the dew falls on the ground: and of him and of all the men that are with him there shall not be left so much as one. Moreover, if he has gotten into a city, then shall all Israel bring ropes to that city, and we will draw it into the river, until there be not one small stone found there. And Absalom and all the men of Israel said, The counsel of Hushai the Archite is better than the counsel of Ahithophel. For the LORD had purposed to defeat the good counsel of Ahithophel, to the intent that the LORD might bring evil upon Absalom. Then said Hushai unto Zadok and to Abiathar the priests, Thus and thus did Ahithophel counsel Absalom and the elders of Israel; and thus and thus have I counseled. Now therefore send quickly, and tell David, saying, Lodge not this night in the plains of the wilderness, but speedily pass over; lest the king be swallowed up, and all the people that are with him. Now Jonathan and Ahimaaz stayed by En-rogel; for they dared not be seen to come into the city: and a maidservant went and told them; and they went and told king David.

Spies » Sent to investigate » Jaazer

Numbers 21:32

And Moses sent to spy out Jazer, and they took the villages thereof, and drove out the Amorites that were there.

Spies » Pharisees acted as

Luke 20:20

And they watched him, and sent forth spies, who should pretend themselves just men, that they might take hold of his words, that so they might deliver him unto the power and authority of the governor.

Spies » Used by david

1 Samuel 26:4

David therefore sent out spies, and understood that Saul was come indeed.

Spies » Sent to investigate » Jericho

Joshua 2:1

And Joshua the son of Nun sent out of Shittim two men to spy secretly, saying, Go view the land, even Jericho. And they went, and came into a harlot's house, named Rahab, and lodged there.

Spies » In the congregation of galatia

Galatians 2:4

And because of false brethren brought in unawares, who came in secretly to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus, that they might bring us into bondage:

Spies » Sent to investigate » Canaan

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