Moses sends the spies on a comprehensive mission that extends far beyond standard military reconnaissance. His goal is not merely to gather intelligence, but to ignite a deep, passionate desire within the Israelites to fight and sacrifice for their future home. Knowing the people might be intimidated by the giant inhabitants of the region, Moses wants to inspire them with the sheer potential of the territory [העמק דבר]. To achieve this complete picture, the spies are instructed to penetrate deep into the heart of the region rather than simply surveying its borders [מלבי״ם].
A primary focus of their expedition is to evaluate the agricultural vitality and economic wealth of the soil. The spies must observe whether the earth yields abundant crops, wheat, and natural springs [אבן עזרא, ביאור יש״ר]. Furthermore, they need to determine if the ground sustains its fertility year after year, or if it depletes quickly, requiring periods of desolation to recover its strength [אור החיים]. Economically, a fertile environment would translate into a society enriched by plentiful and affordable goods [מיני תרגומא]. Mapping these lush and barren zones serves a highly practical purpose, helping the Israelites plan future population centers and establish vital trade routes [ביאור שטיינזלץ].
The instruction to check for the presence of trees carries multiple layers of meaning. On a practical level, some suggest the spies are looking for fruit bearing trees like vines, figs, pomegranates, and olives [ספורנו, ביאור יש״ר], or simply verifying the presence of diverse botanical species [אור החיים]. However, others argue that a fertile land naturally produces fruit, meaning the inquiry is actually about barren forest trees. Wood for construction and heating was a scarce resource in Egypt, and its presence would indicate the potential for industrial development alongside agriculture [מלבי״ם, ביאור שטיינזלץ, רש ר הירש]. Additionally, large trees would be a vital military asset needed to construct siege engines for the upcoming conquest [פענח רזא].
Beyond the physical landscape, the primary approach among commentators is that the search for a tree serves as a metaphor for seeking out a righteous individual. Just as a tree provides shade, a righteous person protects their generation with their spiritual merit [רש״י, מזרחי, דברי דוד, צאינה וראינה]. Some identify this figure specifically as Job, noting the phonetic similarity between the Hebrew word for tree and his homeland of Uz [תורה תמימה, ברטנורא, כלי יקר]. Moses needs to know if such a protector still lives, as the Israelites' right to conquer the territory hinges on the expiration of the local inhabitants' protective merit [ברכת אשר]. On a theological level, the tree also symbolizes the shade of Divine providence, prompting the spies to discern whether the environment is directly supervised by God or governed purely by the standard laws of nature [כלי יקר].
Moses also commands the spies to act with courage and bring back samples of the local produce. This task requires immense bravery on two fronts. First, they must walk openly through the orchards without fear of being identified as spies by local guards [ספורנו, הטור הארוך, חזקוני, רשב״ם]. Second, they need extraordinary physical strength to carry the heavy agricultural yield [פענח רזא]. From a legal standpoint, harvesting this produce is not considered theft. Moses views the territory as the ancestral inheritance of the Israelites, making the act of picking the fruit a formal assertion of ownership and legal possession [צפנת פענח, חתם סופר].
The mission unfolds during the early summer months, precisely when the first grapes begin their ripening process [ביאור שטיינזלץ, ביאור יש״ר, רש״י, שפתי חכמים, גור אריה]. This timing significantly heightens the danger of their task, as vineyard owners guard their crops most fiercely when the first fruits appear [כלי יקר, נחל קדומים]. The spies' ability to publicly harvest a cluster of grapes during this sensitive period without being harmed is seen as a profound miracle and a testament to Divine protection [צרור המור]. Even though the fruit is not yet fully mature, Moses is confident that its impressive size and taste will be enough to prove the land's exceptional quality [ספורנו, דברי דוד]. Symbolically, this season of early ripening mirrors the Israelites themselves, who are often compared to grapes; the time has finally come when they are mature and ready to enter the Promised Land [כלי יקר].