Комментарий о цитате к Йеошуа 11:4

לא ירבה לו סוסים. Das Pferd war das eigentliche Tier des Krieges, also daß in der Erzählung von Schlachten überall Ross und Reiter in dem Vordergrund stehen und zur Kriegsbereitschaft in erster Linie eine bedeutende Anzahl Pferde gehörte (vergl. Dewarim 20, 1; — Pharaos Heer Schmot 14; — Josua 11, 4; — Richter 5, 22; — Kön. I. 22. 4; — Kön. II. 7, 6; — Jirmija 51, 27; — Ezechiel 39, 20 — und sonst so häufig. Daher auch Prov. 21, 31; Psalm 39, 17 u. 147, 10 etc. etc.). Das Halten einer großen Anzahl Pferde und eine unbeschränkte Vermehrung derselben ist daher gleichbedeutend mit Halten einer großen Kriegesmacht.

רעה מוציאי דבת-הארץ, “spreading slanderous report about the land,” Nachmanides says that the “slander” mentioned here was their claim that the land consumes its inhabitants. This was an outright lie, as not only was the land full of people, but the spies themselves during the forty days they had spent in the land had not experienced any problems with their health. We have a record of Joshua describing the Land of Canaan as densely populated in Joshua The precise wording is עם רב כחול הים אשר על שפת הים לרוב, “a people as numerous as the sand on the beaches of the sea.” Rashi explains the words מוציאי דבת הארץ as causing people to speak fluently, i.e. in this case as harping on the negative aspects. On occasions, the same expression is used to describe someone constantly underlining the positive aspects of something. This is why the Torah had to add the word רעה when referring to דבת הארץ. Nachmanides counters that we have a statement in Pessachim 3 containing the word דבה, where it is clearly referring to negative comments without the word רעה being added. According to Nachmanides the reason the Torah did add the word רעה here although it had already been implied by the use of the word דבה, is to tell us of how much the spies overemphasized the negative aspects of what they claimed to have seen.

AND THOSE MEN, THAT DID BRING FORTH ‘DIBATH’ (AN EVIL REPORT) OF THE LAND, DIED. I have already explained¹⁵⁹Above, 13:32. that their severe punishment was because of the report which they spread that it is a Land that eateth up the inhabitants thereof,¹⁵⁹Above, 13:32. which was a complete falsehood since the Land was full with many people, as it is written in the Book of Joshua, And they went out, they and all their hosts with them, much people, even as the sand that is upon the sea-shore in multitude, with horses and chariots very many.¹⁶⁰Joshua 11:4. And in the Torah it is written, and He shall cast out many nations before thee … seven nations greater and mightier than thou.¹⁶¹Deuteronomy 7:1. The spies also emphasized the strength of the people, saying: the people are fierce,¹⁶²Above, 13:28. and they are very strong,¹⁶³Ibid., Verse 31: for they are stronger than we. and did not report back concerning the words of Moses who told them [to ascertain] whether they are few or many,¹⁶⁴Ibid., Verse 18. but they told the people afterwards that the Land is one that eateth up the inhabitants thereof!¹⁵⁹Above, 13:32.
Now Rashi commented:¹⁶⁵On Verse 36: And they [the spies] made all the congregation to murmur against him by bringing forth ‘dibah’ against the Land. “Whenever Scripture uses the expression ‘he brings forth dibah’ it means bringing forth words which ‘capture’ a person so that he speaks about it, just like ‘doveiv’ (stirring) the lips of those that are asleep.¹⁶⁶Song of Songs 7:10. And [the expression ‘bringing forth dibah’] may be for good, or for evil. That is why it says [the men … that did bring forth an “‘evil’ dibath” (report of) the Land],¹⁶⁷Verse 37 here. because there may be a dibah which is good.” [Thus far is the language of Rashi.] But it is written: he that bringeth forth ‘dibah’ is a fool,¹⁶⁸Proverbs 10:18. See Ramban above, 13:32. and this cannot [refer] to a good [utterance]. Similarly, bringing forth ‘dibah’ against the Land,¹⁶⁹Verse 36. and so also, ‘v’dibathcha’ (and thine utterance of ‘dibah’) he will not turn away¹⁷⁰Proverbs 25:10. — all signify speech of evil, as the term dibah itself connotes evil, and when Scripture uses the expression dibah ra’ah [“evil dibah,” as it does in our verse: and those men that did bring up ‘dibath ha’aretz ra’ah’ (an evil report of the Land) died] it is to emphasize the greatness of the evil that they did.