Numbers21
New International Version
1When the Canaanite king of Arad, who lived in the Negev, heard that Israel was coming along the road to Atharim, he attacked the Israelites and captured some of them.
2Then Israel made this vow to the Lord: “If you will deliver these people into our hands, we will totally destroy their cities.”
3The Lord listened to Israel’s plea and gave the Canaanites over to them. They completely destroyed them and their towns; so the place was named Hormah.
4They traveled from Mount Hor along the route to the Red Sea, to go around Edom. But the people grew impatient on the way;
5they spoke against God and against Moses, and said, “Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? There is no bread! There is no water! And we detest this miserable food!”
6Then the Lord sent venomous snakes among them; they bit the people and many Israelites died.
7The people came to Moses and said, “We sinned when we spoke against the Lord and against you. Pray that the Lord will take the snakes away from us.” So Moses prayed for the people.
8The Lord said to Moses, “Make a snake and put it up on a pole; anyone who is bitten can look at it and live.”
9So Moses made a bronze snake and put it up on a pole. Then when anyone was bitten by a snake and looked at the bronze snake, they lived.
10The Israelites moved on and camped at Oboth.
11Then they set out from Oboth and camped in Iye Abarim, in the wilderness that faces Moab toward the sunrise.
12From there they moved on and camped in the Zered Valley.
13They set out from there and camped alongside the Arnon, which is in the wilderness extending into Amorite territory. The Arnon is the border of Moab, between Moab and the Amorites.
14That is why the Book of the Wars of the Lord says: “. . . Zahab in Suphah and the ravines, the Arnon
15and the slopes of the ravines that lead to the settlement of Ar and lie along the border of Moab.”
16From there they continued on to Beer, the well where the Lord said to Moses, “Gather the people together and I will give them water.”
17Then Israel sang this song: “Spring up, O well! Sing about it,
18about the well that the princes dug, that the nobles of the people sank— the nobles with scepters and staffs.” Then they went from the wilderness to Mattanah,
19from Mattanah to Nahaliel, from Nahaliel to Bamoth,
20and from Bamoth to the valley in Moab where the top of Pisgah overlooks the wasteland.
21Israel sent messengers to say to Sihon king of the Amorites:
22“Let us pass through your country. We will not turn aside into any field or vineyard, or drink water from any well. We will travel along the King’s Highway until we have passed through your territory.”
23But Sihon would not let Israel pass through his territory. He mustered his entire army and marched out into the wilderness against Israel. When he reached Jahaz, he fought with Israel.
24Israel, however, put him to the sword and took over his land from the Arnon to the Jabbok, but only as far as the Ammonites, because their border was fortified.
25Israel captured all the cities of the Amorites and occupied them, including Heshbon and all its surrounding settlements.
26Heshbon was the city of Sihon king of the Amorites, who had fought against the former king of Moab and had taken from him all his land as far as the Arnon.
27That is why the poets say: “Come to Heshbon and let it be rebuilt; let Sihon’s city be restored.
28“Fire went out from Heshbon, a blaze from the city of Sihon. It consumed Ar of Moab, the citizens of Arnon’s heights.
29Woe to you, Moab! You are destroyed, people of Chemosh! He has given up his sons as fugitives and his daughters as captives to Sihon king of the Amorites.
30“But we have overthrown them; Heshbon’s dominion has been destroyed all the way to Dibon. We have demolished them as far as Nophah, which extends to Medeba.”
31So Israel settled in the land of the Amorites.
32After Moses had sent spies to Jazer, the Israelites captured its surrounding settlements and drove out the Amorites who were there.
33Then they turned and went up along the road toward Bashan, and Og king of Bashan and his whole army marched out to meet them in battle at Edrei.
34The Lord said to Moses, “Do not be afraid of him, for I have delivered him into your hands, along with his whole army and his land. Do to him what you did to Sihon king of the Amorites, who reigned in Heshbon.”
35So they struck him down, together with his sons and his whole army, leaving them no survivors. And they took possession of his land.
Study Guide
Public-domain commentary and original-language notes for Numbers 21.
Chapter Summary
In this chapter: The Canaanites of Arad destroyed. (1–3). The people murmuring, are plagued with fiery serpents, They repenting, are healed through the brazen serpent. (4–9). Further journeys of the Israelites. (10–20). Sihon and Og overcome, Their land possessed. (21–35).
vv1-3
Before the people began their march round the country of Edom, the king of Arad, a Canaanite, who inhabited the southern part of the country, attacked them in the wilderness, and took some prisoners. This was to lead the Israelites to look more thoroughly to the Lord.
vv4-9
The children of Israel were wearied by a long march round the land of Edom. They speak discontentedly of what God had done for them, and distrustfully of what he would do. What will they be pleased with, whom manna will not please? Let not the contempt which some cast on the word of God, make us value it less. It is the bread of life, substantial bread, and will nourish those who by faith feed upon it, to eternal life, whoever may call it light bread. We see the righteous judgment God brought upon them for murmuring. He sent fiery serpents among them, which bit or stung many to death. It is to be feared that they would not have owned the sin, if they had not felt the smart; but they relent under the rod. And God made a wonderful provision for their relief. The Jews themselves say it was not the sight of the brazen serpent that cured; but in looking up to it, they looked up to God as the Lord that healed them. There was much gospel in this. Our Saviour declared, Joh 3:14, 15, that as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so the Son of man must be lifted up, that whatsoever believeth in him, should not perish. Compare their disease and ours. Sin bites like a serpent, and stings like an adder. Compare the application of their remedy and ours. They looked and lived, and we, if we believe, shall not perish. It is by faith that we look unto Jesus, Heb 12:2. Whosoever looked, however desperate his case, or feeble his sight, or distant his place, was certainly and perfectly cured. The Lord can relieve us from dangers and distresses, by means which human reason never would have devised. Oh that the venom of the old serpent, inflaming men's passions, and causing them to commit sins which end in their eternal destruction, were as sensibly felt, and the danger as plainly seen, as the Israelites felt pain from the bite of the fiery serpents, and feared the death which followed! Then none would shut their eyes to Christ, or turn from his gospel. Then a crucified Saviour would be so valued, that all things else would be accounted loss for him; then, without delay, and with earnestness and simplicity, all would apply to him in the appointed way, crying, Lord, save us; we perish! Nor would any abuse the freeness of Christ's salvation, while they reckoned the price which it cost him.
vv10-20
We have here the removes of the children of Israel, till they came to the plains of Moab, from whence they passed over Jordan into Canaan. The end of their pilgrimage was near. “They set forward.” It were well if we did thus; and the nearer we come to heaven, were so much the more active and abundant in the work of the Lord. The wonderful success God granted to his people, is here spoken of, and, among the rest, their actions on the river Arnon, at Vaheb in Suphah, and other places on that river. In every stage of our lives, nay, in every step, we should notice what God has wrought for us; what he did at such a time, and what in such a place, ought to be distinctly remembered. God blessed his people with a supply of water. When we come to heaven, we shall remove to the well of life, the fountain of living waters. They received it with joy and thankfulness, which made the mercy doubly sweet. With joy must we draw water out of the wells of salvation, Isa 12:3. As the brazen serpent was a figure of Christ, who is lifted up for our cure, so is this well a figure of the Spirit, who is poured forth for our comfort, and from whom flow to us rivers of living waters, Joh 7:38, 39. Does this well spring up in our souls? If so, we should take the comfort to ourselves, and give the glory to God. God promised to give water, but they must open the ground. God's favours must be expected in the use of such means as are within our power, but still the power is only of God.
Key Words
כְּנַעַנִי: a Kenaanite or inhabitant of Kenaan; by implication, a pedlar (the Canaanites standing for their neighbors the Ishmaelites, who conducted mercantile caravans)
מֶלֶךְ: a king
עֲרָד: Arad, the name of a place near Palestine, also of a Canaanite and an Israelite
יָשַׁב: properly, to sit down (specifically as judge. in ambush, in quiet); by implication, to dwell, to remain; causatively, to settle, to marry
נֶגֶב: the south (from its drought); specifically, the Negeb or southern district of Judah, occasionally, Egypt (as south to Palestine)
שָׁמַע: to hear intelligently (often with implication of attention, obedience, etc.; causatively, to tell, etc.)
יִשְׂרָאֵל: Jisrael, a symbolical name of Jacob; also (typically) of his posterity
בּוֹא: to go or come (in a wide variety of applications)
דֶּרֶךְ: a road (as trodden); figuratively, a course of life or mode of action, often adverb
אֲתָרִים: Atharim, a place near Palestine
Cross References
Numbers 21Jesus directly compares Himself being lifted up to Moses lifting up the serpent in the wilderness.
Supported by Matthew Henry, JFB
Paul warns against tempting Christ as Israel did, resulting in their destruction by fiery serpents.
Supported by JFB
Moses recalls God leading Israel through the great wilderness infested with fiery serpents and scorpions.
Supported by JFB
Hezekiah destroys this very bronze serpent because the Israelites had turned it into an idol.
Supported by JFB
The promised well of water typifies the Holy Spirit, poured forth to satisfy and comfort believers.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Recounts Sihon refusing passage, hardening his heart, and marching out to fight at Jahaz.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Parallel account of the battle against Og, king of Bashan, at Edrei and his defeat.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Contrast with their earlier defeat at Hormah when they presumptuously fought without God.
Jephthah historical defense citing Moses' peaceful messengers and Sihon's hostile refusal.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Poetic celebration of God smiting great kings, specifically mentioning Sihon and Og.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Jeremiah directly quotes this ancient proverb of Heshbon, Sihon, and Moab's destruction.
Confirms the geographical identity of King Arad the Canaanite in the south.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Details the transition at the valley of Zered, marking thirty-eight years of wandering.
Supported by JFB
Jephthah refers to Chemosh, the national god of Moab, matching the proverb quoted here.