Biblical Hebrew Forum

["Yaakov Stein" <yaakov_s AT rad.com>]

I noticed an interesting possible change in meaning over a mere 2
chapters.
 
In Numbers 13 the word TWR is used in a neutral or positive sense.
The 12 men were sent to "spy out" the land, to see the land and bring
back a (positive) report.
 
After the spies bring back a negative report, 
Numbers 15:39 uses the same root TWR in a distinctly derogatory sense,
i.e. that our eyes may "lead us astray".
(I assume that translation would have a hard time in using the same word
here.)
 
History seems to have caused the word to acquire a bad connotation.
 
Yaakov (J) Stein