Numbers33
New American Standard
1 These are the journeys of the sons of Israel, by which they came out of the land of Egypt by their armies, under the leadership of Moses and Aaron.
2 Moses recorded their starting places according to their journeys by the command of the Lord, and these are their journeys according to their starting places.
3 Now they journeyed from Rameses in the first month, on the fifteenth day of the first month; on the day after the Passover the sons of Israel started out boldly in the sight of all the Egyptians,
4 while the Egyptians were burying all their firstborn whom the Lord had fatally struck among them. The Lord had also executed judgments against their gods.
5 Then the sons of Israel journeyed from Rameses and camped in Succoth.
6 They journeyed from Succoth and camped in Etham, which is on the edge of the wilderness.
7 Then they journeyed from Etham and turned back to Pi-hahiroth, which faces Baal-zephon; and they camped before Migdol.
8 They journeyed from Pi-hahiroth and passed through the midst of the sea to the wilderness; and they went three days’ journey in the wilderness of Etham and camped at Marah.
9 They journeyed from Marah and came to Elim; and in Elim there were twelve springs of water and seventy palm trees, and they camped there.
10 They journeyed from Elim and camped by the Red Sea.
11 And they journeyed from the Red Sea and camped in the wilderness of Sin.
12 They journeyed from the wilderness of Sin and camped at Dophkah.
13 They journeyed from Dophkah and camped at Alush.
14 And they journeyed from Alush and camped at Rephidim; now it was there that the people had no water to drink.
15 And they journeyed from Rephidim and camped in the wilderness of Sinai.
16 They journeyed from the wilderness of Sinai, and camped at Kibroth-hattaavah.
17 They journeyed from Kibroth-hattaavah and camped at Hazeroth.
18 They journeyed from Hazeroth and camped at Rithmah.
19 They journeyed from Rithmah and camped at Rimmon-perez.
20 They journeyed from Rimmon-perez and camped at Libnah.
21 They journeyed from Libnah and camped at Rissah.
22 They journeyed from Rissah and camped in Kehelathah.
23 They journeyed from Kehelathah and camped at Mount Shepher.
24 They journeyed from Mount Shepher and camped at Haradah.
25 They journeyed from Haradah and camped at Makheloth.
26 They journeyed from Makheloth and camped at Tahath.
27 They journeyed from Tahath and camped at Terah.
28 They journeyed from Terah and camped at Mithkah.
29 They journeyed from Mithkah and camped at Hashmonah.
30 They journeyed from Hashmonah and camped at Moseroth.
31 They journeyed from Moseroth and camped at Bene-jaakan.
32 They journeyed from Bene-jaakan and camped at Hor-haggidgad.
33 They journeyed from Hor-haggidgad and camped at Jotbathah.
34 They journeyed from Jotbathah and camped at Abronah.
35 They journeyed from Abronah and camped at Ezion-geber.
36 They journeyed from Ezion-geber and camped in the wilderness of Zin, that is, Kadesh.
37 They journeyed from Kadesh and camped at Mount Hor, at the edge of the land of Edom.
38 Then Aaron the priest went up to Mount Hor at the command of the Lord, and died there in the fortieth year after the sons of Israel had come from the land of Egypt, on the first day in the fifth month.
39 Aaron was 123 years old when he died on Mount Hor.
40 Now the Canaanite, the king of Arad who lived in the Negev in the land of Canaan, heard about the coming of the sons of Israel.
41 Then they journeyed from Mount Hor and camped at Zalmonah.
42 They journeyed from Zalmonah and camped at Punon.
43 They journeyed from Punon and camped at Oboth.
44 They journeyed from Oboth and camped at Iye-abarim, at the border of Moab.
45 They journeyed from Iyim and camped at Dibon-gad.
46 They journeyed from Dibon-gad and camped at Almon-diblathaim.
47 They journeyed from Almon-diblathaim and camped in the mountains of Abarim, before Nebo.
48 They journeyed from the mountains of Abarim and camped in the plains of Moab, by the Jordan opposite Jericho.
49 They camped by the Jordan, from Beth-jeshimoth as far as Abel-shittim, in the plains of Moab.
50 Then the Lord spoke to Moses in the plains of Moab by the Jordan opposite Jericho, saying,
51 “Speak to the sons of Israel and say to them, ‘When you cross the Jordan into the land of Canaan,
52 you shall drive out all the inhabitants of the land from you, and destroy all their idolatrous sculptures, destroy all their cast metal images, and eliminate all their high places;
53 and you shall take possession of the land and live in it, for I have given the land to you to possess it.
54 You shall maintain the land as an inheritance by lot according to your families; to the larger you shall give more inheritance, and to the smaller you shall give less inheritance. Wherever the lot falls to anyone, that shall be his. You shall pass on land as an inheritance according to the tribes of your fathers.
55 But if you do not drive out the inhabitants of the land from you, then it will come about that those whom you let remain of them will be like thorns in your eyes and like pricks in your sides, and they will trouble you in the land in which you live.
56 And just as I plan to do to them, I will do to you.’”
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Numbers 33Public-domain commentary and original-language notes for Numbers 33. The full AI study guide (summary, themes, context) has its own page.
Chapter Summary
In this chapter: Encampments of the Israelites. (1–49). The Canaanites to be destroyed. (50–56).
vv1-49
This is a brief review of the travels of the children of Israel through the wilderness. It is a memorable history. In their travels towards Canaan they were continually on the remove. Such is our state in this world; we have here no continuing city, and all our removes in this world are but from one part a desert to another. They were led to and fro, forward and backward, yet were all the while under the direction of the pillar of cloud and fire. God led them about, yet led them the right way. The way God takes in bringing his people to himself is always the best way, though it does not always seem to us the nearest way. Former events are mentioned. Thus we ought to keep in mind the providences of God concerning us and families, us and our land, and the many instances of that Divine care which has led us, and fed us, and kept us all our days hitherto. Few periods of our lives can be thought upon, without reminding us of the Lord's goodness, and our own ingratitude and disobedience: his kindness leaves us without excuse for our sins. We could not wish to travel over again the stages we have passed, unless we could hope, by the grace of God, to shun the sins we then committed, and to embrace such opportunities of doing good as we have let slip. Soon will our wanderings end, and our eternal state be fixed beyond recall; how important then is the present moment! Happy are those whom the Lord now guides with his counsel, and will at length receive to his glory. To this happiness the gospel calls us. Behold now is the accepted time, now is the day of salvation. Let sinners seize the opportunity, and flee for refuge to the hope set before them. Let us redeem our time, to glorify God and serve our generation; and he will carry us safely through all, to his eternal kingdom.
vv50-56
Now that they were to pass over Jordan, they were entering again into temptation to follow idols; and they are threatened that, if they spared either the idols or the idolaters, their sin would certainly be their punishment. They would foster vipers in their own bosoms. The remnant of the Canaanites, if they made any peace with them, though but for a time, would be pricks in their eyes, and thorns in their sides. We must expect trouble and affliction from whatever sin we indulge; that which we are willing should tempt us, will vex us. It was intended that the Canaanites should be put out of the land; but if the Israelites learned their wicked ways, they also would be put out. Let us hear this and fear. If we do not drive out sin, sin will drive us out. If we are not the death of our lusts, our lusts will be the death of our souls.
Key Words
אֵלֶּה: these or those
מַסַּע: a departure (from striking the tents), i.e. march (not necessarily a single day's travel); by implication, a station (or point of departure)
בֵּן: a son (as a builder of the family name), in the widest sense (of literal and figurative relationship, including grandson, subject, nation, quality or condition, etc., (like father or brother), etc.)
יִשְׂרָאֵל: Jisrael, a symbolical name of Jacob; also (typically) of his posterity
יָצָא: to go (causatively, bring) out, in a great variety of applications, literally and figuratively, direct and proxim.
אֶרֶץ: the earth (at large, or partitively a land)
מִצְרַיִם: Mitsrajim, i.e. Upper and Lower Egypt
צָבָא: a mass of persons (or figuratively, things), especially reg. organized forwar (an army); by implication, a campaign, literally or figuratively (specifically, hardship, worship)
יָד: a hand (the open one (indicating power, means, direction, etc.),
מֹשֶׁה: Mosheh, the Israelite lawgiver
Cross References
Numbers 33Direct parallel showing God executed judgment on both Egypt's firstborn and their false gods.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Calvin highlights this law of breaking down Canaanite altars and images to prevent idolatry.
Supported by John Calvin
Records Israel departing from Egypt 'with an high hand' in the sight of all.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Chronicles Aaron dying on Mount Hor, matching the account recorded in Numbers 33:38.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Warns remaining Canaanites will be 'scourges in your sides' and 'thorns in your eyes.'
Supported by Matthew Henry
Poole links Moseroth and Bene-jaakan to the itinerary recorded in Deuteronomy 10:6.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Poole links Hor-haggiggad and Jotbathah to Gudgodah and Jotbath in Deuteronomy 10:7.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Identifies Ezion-geber's location as being on the shore of the Red Sea.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Describes King Arad the Canaanite fighting Israel when they approached the south.
Supported by JFB
Identifies Elim as the place containing twelve fountains of water and seventy palm trees.
Supported by JFB
Matches instructions for dividing the Promised Land by lot among tribes based on size.
Supported by JFB
Matches the detail that Israel went out of Egypt armed and in orderly arrays.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Geographical parallel where Israel arrives at the Wilderness of Sin after the Red Sea.
Supported by JFB
Identifies Rephidim as the specific wilderness station where there was no water to drink.
Supported by JFB
Connects the mountains of Abarim near Nebo with Moses' final view of Canaan.
Supported by JFB