But my brethren, that had gone up with me, discouraged the heart of the people: and I nevertheless followed the Lord my God.

And my brethren that had gone up with me made the heart of the people melt; but I wholly followed Jehovah my God.

and my brethren who have gone up with me have caused the heart of the people to melt, and I have been fully after Jehovah my God;

My brothers, however, who went up with me, made the heart of the people like water: but I was true to the Lord with all my heart.

But my brothers, who had ascended with me, broke the heart of the people. And I nevertheless followed the Lord my God.

Et quum fratres mei qui descenderant mecum dissolverent cor populi, ego perseveranter sequutus sum Jehovam Deum meum.

Nevertheless my (d) brethren that went up with me made the heart of the people melt: but I wholly followed the LORD my God.
(d) Which were the ten other spies.

Nevertheless, my brethren that went up with me,.... Meaning the rest of the spies, excepting Joshua, that went up with him into the land of Canaan to spy it, which they might be properly said to do, since they went up a hill or mountain, in order to go into it, Numbers 13:17,
made the heart of the people melt; discouraged them, filled them with fears, sunk their spirits, that their hearts flowed, and became as weak as water, having no strength left in them, or hope of possessing the land; being told what stout and gigantic men the inhabitants of it were, and how strongly fortified were their cities:
but I wholly followed the Lord my God; and did not join with them in an ill report of the good land; but having the fear of God before his eyes, walked after that, and delivered in his report faithfully, according to the dictates of his conscience, and the real sentiments of his mind; of this phrase; see Gill on Numbers 14:24.

Whereas the other spies discouraged the people by exaggerated reports concerning the inhabitants of Canaan, he had followed the Lord with perfect fidelity (Numbers 13:31-33). He had not been made to waver in his faithfulness to the Lord and His promises either by the evil reports which the other spies had brought of the land, or by the murmuring and threats of the excited crowd (see Numbers 14:6-10). "My brethren" (Joshua 14:8) are the rest of the spies, of course with the exception of Joshua, to whom Caleb was speaking.
(Note: That Joshua was not included was evident from this circumstance alone, and consequently it is a complete perversion on the part of Knobel to argue, that because the expression is a general one, i.e., because Joshua is not expressly excepted by name, therefore he cannot have been one of the spies, not to mention the fact that the words "concerning me and thee," in v. 6, are sufficient to show to any one acquainted with the account in Numbers 13-14, that Joshua was really one of them.)
המסין for המסוּ (see Ges. 75, anm. 17, and Ewald, 142, a.), from מסה = מסס (see Joshua 2:11).

I wholly followed the Lord - Which self - commendation is justifiable, because it was necessary, as being the ground of his petition. Therefore it was not vain glory in him to speak it: no more than it is for those, who have God's spirit witnessing with their spirits, that they are the children of God, humbly and thankfully to tell others, for their encouragement, what God hath done for their souls.