Worthy.Bible » STRONG » Numbers » Chapter 21 » Verse 20-35

Numbers 21:20-35 King James Version with Strong's Concordance (STRONG)

20 And from Bamoth H1120 in the valley, H1516 that is in the country H7704 of Moab, H4124 to the top H7218 of Pisgah, H6449 which looketh H8259 toward H6440 Jeshimon. H3452

21 And Israel H3478 sent H7971 messengers H4397 unto Sihon H5511 king H4428 of the Amorites, H567 saying, H559

22 Let me pass H5674 through thy land: H776 we will not turn H5186 into the fields, H7704 or into the vineyards; H3754 we will not drink H8354 of the waters H4325 of the well: H875 but we will go along H3212 by the king's H4428 high way, H1870 until we be past H5674 thy borders. H1366

23 And Sihon H5511 would not suffer H5414 Israel H3478 to pass H5674 through his border: H1366 but Sihon H5511 gathered H622 all his people H5971 together, H622 and went out H3318 against H7125 Israel H3478 into the wilderness: H4057 and he came H935 to Jahaz, H3096 and fought H3898 against Israel. H3478

24 And Israel H3478 smote H5221 him with the edge H6310 of the sword, H2719 and possessed H3423 his land H776 from Arnon H769 unto Jabbok, H2999 even unto the children H1121 of Ammon: H5983 for the border H1366 of the children H1121 of Ammon H5983 was strong. H5794

25 And Israel H3478 took H3947 all these cities: H5892 and Israel H3478 dwelt H3427 in all the cities H5892 of the Amorites, H567 in Heshbon, H2809 and in all the villages H1323 thereof.

26 For Heshbon H2809 was the city H5892 of Sihon H5511 the king H4428 of the Amorites, H567 who had fought H3898 against the former H7223 king H4428 of Moab, H4124 and taken H3947 all his land H776 out of his hand, H3027 even unto Arnon. H769

27 Wherefore they that speak in proverbs H4911 say, H559 Come H935 into Heshbon, H2809 let the city H5892 of Sihon H5511 be built H1129 and prepared: H3559

28 For there is a fire H784 gone out H3318 of Heshbon, H2809 a flame H3852 from the city H7151 of Sihon: H5511 it hath consumed H398 Ar H6144 of Moab, H4124 and the lords of the high places H1181 of Arnon. H769

29 Woe H188 to thee, Moab! H4124 thou art undone, H6 O people H5971 of Chemosh: H3645 he hath given H5414 his sons H1121 that escaped, H6412 and his daughters, H1323 into captivity H7622 unto Sihon H5511 king H4428 of the Amorites. H567

30 We have shot H3384 at them; Heshbon H2809 is perished H6 even unto Dibon, H1769 and we have laid them waste H8074 even unto Nophah, H5302 which reacheth unto Medeba. H4311

31 Thus Israel H3478 dwelt H3427 in the land H776 of the Amorites. H567

32 And Moses H4872 sent H7971 to spy out H7270 Jaazer, H3270 and they took H3920 the villages H1323 thereof, and drove out H3423 H3423 the Amorites H567 that were there.

33 And they turned H6437 and went up H5927 by the way H1870 of Bashan: H1316 and Og H5747 the king H4428 of Bashan H1316 went out H3318 against H7125 them, he, and all his people, H5971 to the battle H4421 at Edrei. H154

34 And the LORD H3068 said H559 unto Moses, H4872 Fear H3372 him not: for I have delivered H5414 him into thy hand, H3027 and all his people, H5971 and his land; H776 and thou shalt do H6213 to him as thou didst H6213 unto Sihon H5511 king H4428 of the Amorites, H567 which dwelt H3427 at Heshbon. H2809

35 So they smote H5221 him, and his sons, H1121 and all his people, H5971 until there was none H1115 left H7604 him alive: H8300 and they possessed H3423 his land. H776

Commentary on Numbers 21 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible


CHAPTER 21

Nu 21:1-35. Israel Attacked by the Canaanites.

1. King Arad the Canaanite—rather, "the Canaanite king of Arad"—an ancient town on the southernmost borders of Palestine, not far from Kadesh. A hill called Tell Arad marks the spot.

heard tell that Israel came by the way of the spies—in the way or manner of spies, stealthily, or from spies sent by himself to ascertain the designs and motions of the Israelites. The Septuagint and others consider the Hebrew word "spies" a proper name, and render it: "Came by the way of Atharim towards Arad" [Kennicott].

he fought against Israel, and took some of them prisoners—This discomfiture was permitted to teach them to expect the conquest of Canaan not from their own wisdom and valor, but solely from the favor and help of God (De 9:4; Ps 44:3, 4).

2, 3. Israel vowed a vow unto the Lord—Made to feel their own weakness, they implored the aid of Heaven, and, in anticipation of it, devoted the cities of this king to future destruction. The nature and consequence of such anathemas are described (Le 27:1-34; De 13:1-18). This vow of extermination against Arad [Nu 21:2] gave name to the place Hormah (slaughter and destruction) though it was not accomplished till after the passage of the Jordan. Others think Hormah the name of a town mentioned (Jos 12:14).

4. they journeyed from mount Hor—On being refused the passage requested, they returned through the Arabah, "the way of the Red Sea," to Elath, at the head of the eastern gulf of the Red Sea, and thence passed up through the mountains to the eastern desert, so as to make the circuit of the land of Edom (Nu 33:41, 42).

the soul of the people was much discouraged because of the way—Disappointment on finding themselves so near the confines of the promised land without entering it; vexation at the refusal of a passage through Edom and the absence of any divine interposition in their favor; and above all, the necessity of a retrograde journey by a long and circuitous route through the worst parts of a sandy desert and the dread of being plunged into new and unknown difficulties—all this produced a deep depression of spirits. But it was followed, as usually, by a gross outburst of murmuring at the scarcity of water, and of expressions of disgust at the manna.

5. our soul loatheth this light bread—that is, bread without substance or nutritious quality. The refutation of this calumny appears in the fact, that on the strength of this food they performed for forty years so many and toilsome journeys. But they had been indulging a hope of the better and more varied fare enjoyed by a settled people; and disappointment, always the more bitter as the hope of enjoyment seems near, drove them to speak against God and against Moses (1Co 10:9).

6. The Lord sent fiery serpents among the people—That part of the desert where the Israelites now were—near the head of the gulf of Akaba—is greatly infested with venomous reptiles, of various kinds, particularly lizards, which raise themselves in the air and swing themselves from branches; and scorpions, which, being in the habit of lying in long grass, are particularly dangerous to the barelegged, sandaled people of the East. The only known remedy consists in sucking the wound, or, in the case of cattle, in the application of ammonia. The exact species of serpents that caused so great mortality among the Israelites cannot be ascertained. They are said to have been "fiery," an epithet applied to them either from their bright, vivid color, or the violent inflammation their bite occasioned.

7-9. the people came to Moses, and said, We have sinned—The severity of the scourge and the appalling extent of mortality brought them to a sense of sin, and through the intercessions of Moses, which they implored, they were miraculously healed. He was directed to make the figure of a serpent in brass, to be elevated on a pole or standard, that it might be seen at the extremities of the camp and that every bitten Israelite who looked to it might be healed. This peculiar method of cure was designed, in the first instance, to show that it was the efficacy of God's power and grace, not the effect of nature or art, and also that it might be a type of the power of faith in Christ to heal all who look to Him because of their sins (Joh 3:14, 15; see also on 2Ki 18:4).

10. the children of Israel set forward—along the eastern frontier of the Edomites, encamping in various stations.

12. pitched in the valley—literally, the "woody brook-valley" of Zared (De 2:13; Isa 15:7; Am 6:14). This torrent rises among the mountains to the east of Moab, and flowing west, empties itself into the Dead Sea. Ije-Abarim is supposed to have been its ford [Calmet].

13. pitched on the other side of Arnon—now El-Mojib, a deep, broad, and rapid stream, dividing the dominions of the Moabites and Amorites.

14. book of the wars of the Lord—A fragment or passage is here quoted from a poem or history of the wars of the Israelites, principally with a view to decide the position of Arnon.

15. Ar—the capital of Moab.

16. from thence they went to Beer—that is, a "well." The name was probably given to it afterwards [see Jud 9:21], as it is not mentioned (Nu 33:1-56).

17, 18. Then Israel sang—This beautiful little song was in accordance with the wants and feelings of travelling caravans in the East, where water is an occasion both of prayer and thanksgiving. From the princes using their official rods only, and not spades, it seems probable that this well was concealed by the brushwood or the sand, as is the case with many wells in Idumea still. The discovery of it was seasonable, and owing to the special interposition of God.

21-23. Israel sent messengers unto Sihon—The rejection of their respectful and pacific message was resented—Sihon was discomfited in battle—and Israel obtained by right of conquest the whole of the Amorite dominions.

24. from Arnon unto Jabbok—now the Zurka. These rivers formed the southern and northern boundaries of his usurped territory.

for the border of … Ammon was strong—a reason stated for Sihon not being able to push his invasion further.

25. Israel dwelt in all the cities—after exterminating the inhabitants who had been previously doomed (De 2:34).

26. Heshbon—(So 7:4)—situated sixteen English miles north of the Arnon, and from its ruins it appears to have been a large city.

27-30. Wherefore they that speak in proverbs—Here is given an extract from an Amorite song exultingly anticipating an extension of their conquests to Arnon. The quotation from the poem of the Amorite bard ends at Nu 21:28. The two following verses appear to be the strains in which the Israelites expose the impotence of the usurpers.

29. people of Chemosh—the name of the Moabite idol (1Ki 11:7-33; 2Ki 23:13; Jer 48:46).

he—that is, their god, hath surrendered his worshippers to the victorious arms of Sihon.

33. they turned and went up by the way of Bashan—a name given to that district from the richness of the soil—now Batanea or El-Bottein—a hilly region east of the Jordan lying between the mountains of Hermon on the north and those of Gilead on the south.

Og—a giant, an Amoritish prince, who, having opposed the progress of the Israelites, was defeated.

34, 35. The Lord said unto Moses, Fear him not—a necessary encouragement, for Og's gigantic stature (De 3:11) was calculated to inspire terror. He and all his were put to the sword.