We may question the redundancy of this pasuk. It should have been sufficient to simply state, “and they brought back word unto them,” why does does the Torah add the phrase “and to all the congregation?” We may suggest that the Torah chose to emphasize the misconduct of the meraglim even in the manner in which they communicated their message. Moshe sent them to investigate the land. Therefore, upon returning from their mission, they should have reported directly to Moshe himself. This may be inferred from the opening pasuk of this parsha, which states, “send for yourself men.” Hashem was commanding Moshe to be in complete control of this mission by demanding that the spies immediately return to him after they completed their mission. Had this transpired, Moshe would have been able to prevent the entire debacle by assuaging the spies’ fears. Unfortunately, the spies took this matter into their own hands, and they acted as if they were the emissaries of all of the people. This misguided notion was but another aspect of the arrogance which precipitated the tragic catastrophe of the the sin of the spies.
