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When Moses sent men to "spy out" the Promised Land, they reported by James Russell Lowell

Summary, meaning, line-by-line analysis & FAQ.

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This poem by James Russell Lowell draws inspiration from the biblical tale in Numbers 13, where Moses sends scouts into Canaan, and they come back with huge, delicious fruit showcasing the land's richness.

Poet
James Russell Lowell
Themes
faith, hope, memory
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The PoemFull text

When Moses sent men to "spy out" the Promised Land, they reported

James Russell Lowell

a land that "floweth with milk and honey," and they "came unto the brook of Eshcol, and cut down from thence a branch with one cluster of grapes, and they bare it between two upon a staff; and they brought of the pomegranates and of the figs" (Numbers xiii.)

Public domain

Sourced from Project Gutenberg

§01Quick summary

What this poem is about

This poem by James Russell Lowell draws inspiration from the biblical tale in Numbers 13, where Moses sends scouts into Canaan, and they come back with huge, delicious fruit showcasing the land's richness. Lowell employs the imagery of the Promised Land — overflowing with milk and honey, abundant with grapes and figs — to delve into the idea of yearning for something better that seems just out of grasp. It's a brief, allusive work that interprets the biblical report as a dream: a vision of abundance that encourages people to persist, even when the goal feels frustratingly distant.

§02Themes

Recurring themes

§03Line by line

Stanza by stanza, with notes

  1. a land that "floweth with milk and honey," and they "came unto the brook of Eshcol..."

    Editor's note

    Lowell begins by quoting from Numbers 13, allowing the biblical language to set the tone. The phrase "floweth with milk and honey" has long been a metaphor for paradise — a land of effortless sustenance. By starting mid-sentence in lowercase, Lowell immerses the reader in the scouts' report, as if we’re already part of the conversation, eager to hear the news. The brook of Eshcol (which means "cluster" in Hebrew) is where the spies cut a single branch of grapes so massive that it required two men and a carrying pole to transport it back. This detail isn’t just embellishment — it's central to the argument. The fruit serves as undeniable evidence. You can't fabricate a cluster of grapes that heavy. Lowell allows the imagery to convey its own message: abundance is tangible, it exists somewhere, and someone has experienced it.

§04Tone & mood

How this poem feels

The tone is respectful yet down-to-earth. Lowell doesn't preach or moralize — he merely presents the biblical image and allows it to shine. There’s a sense of quiet wonder here, similar to when someone describes a place so incredible it feels fictional, then shows you proof. Beneath that wonder lies a subtle longing: the scouts viewed the land, but the people had yet to step foot in it. That space between seeing and arriving adds emotional depth to the piece.

§05Symbols & metaphors

Symbols & metaphors

Milk and honey
The timeless biblical vision of the Promised Land. For Lowell, it represents any ideal—such as a better life, a just society, or a future we should strive for. It's about abundance that comes naturally and is freely given, rather than something created or forced.
The cluster of grapes on a staff
Two men balancing a single branch of grapes on a pole between them captures an extraordinary image, one that feels larger than life. It serves as solid evidence that the ideal exists in reality, not just in our minds — a hope made tangible and substantial enough for two people to lift.
Pomegranates and figs
These fruits, along with the grapes, paint a vivid picture of the Promised Land's abundance. In biblical tradition, they symbolize fertility, wisdom, and divine blessing. Here, they emphasize that the land provides everything one might need.

§06Historical context

Historical context

James Russell Lowell (1819–1891) was a prominent American poet and thinker in the nineteenth century, deeply involved in the abolitionist movement and a co-founder of the Atlantic Monthly. He often wrote at the crossroads of scripture, politics, and moral aspiration. For his contemporaries, the Promised Land was not just a religious concept; it served as a powerful political metaphor in discussions about slavery, westward expansion, and the vision for America’s future. In referencing Numbers 13, Lowell highlights the moment when Moses sends twelve scouts into Canaan. Ten of them come back with fearful tales of giants, while two—Joshua and Caleb—encourage the people to believe in the land’s richness. By choosing this specific story—focusing on the fruit, the evidence, and the report—Lowell aligns with the tradition of using biblical narratives to express American hope and the bravery needed to pursue it.

§07FAQ

Questions readers ask

At its core, this is about hope and the evidence that supports it. Lowell focuses on the moment in Numbers 13 when the scouts return from Canaan with enormous fruit, using it as a universal symbol: occasionally, you catch sight of something better — like a cluster of grapes so heavy that it takes two men to carry it — and that glimpse can be enough to inspire you to keep moving forward.

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