This
verse is quite straightforward except for the term 
= 'or' which had a standard meaning of 'light'. It is
clearly a statement by the Shining Ones that they wanted
light - but, in our context, they had all the light that they
needed. What they were short of was enlightenment;
they needed enlightenment about conditions in the unexplored
Lowlands - a land that they had only seen from the air - in
order to make a decision whether the area was suitable for
agricultural development.
We are
encouraged in making this interpretation by reference to the
Urim. This was a device, carried in Aaron's breast-pocket,
which enabled him to communicate with Yahweh at a distance
- in effect, to obtain enlightenment from Yahweh on how to
deal with the problems of the day. Urim is a plural word,
of which the singular form is 
= 'light' or 'enlightenment'.
| jerusalem bible | (alternative genesis) |
|---|---|
God said, 'Let there be light', and there was light. |
The Shining Ones said, 'Let us enlighten ourselves' [concerning this land] ø and they explored it. |
We believe that the Shining Ones decided to start by exploring the Highlands in the hope of finding a suitable place for their principal agriculturally-based Settlement; they intended to leave the exploration of the Lowlands (the Jordan Valley) until later. This would have been dependent on a successful reconnaissance of the Highlands.
