Caleb uses the term brothers
to refer to the other spies who were sent with him (Numbers 13:1–16). The other spies made the heart of the people melt by telling them that the land is full of big strong men who live in fortified cities (Numbers 13:27–29) and that it was not worth fighting against them because the Israelites will lose and be destroyed (Numbers 13:31–33). As a result of this report they grumbled against Moses and Aaron and they wanted to turn around and go back to Egypt (Numbers 14:1–4).
8 But my brothers who went up with me made the heart of the people melt; yet I wholly followed the LORD my God.