THE FOURTH BOOK OF

MOSES,
called
N U M B E R S

Numbers 21

1Israel with some loss destroy the Canaanites at Hormah. 4The people murmuring are plagued with fiery serpents. 7Repenting they are healed by a brasen serpent. 10Sundry journeys of the Israelites, with their song on finding water. 21Sihon is overcome, 33and Og.


1AND when king 1Arad the Canaanite, which dwelt in 2the south, heard tell that Israel came 3by the way of the spies; then he fought against Israel, and took some of them prisoners.

1Arad seems to be the name of the city where this king had his residence. See Joshua 12:14. Others are of the opinion that the king himself was called Arad.

2 Namely, of the land of Canaan, to which the spies went, Num. 13:17. See also Num. 33:40.

3 That is, the same way which the spies had taken whom Moses had sent forth. Some perceive the word Atharim (rendered spies here) to be the name of a certain place.

2And Israel vowed a vow unto the LORD, and said, If thou wilt indeed deliver this people into my hand, then I will utterly 4destroy their cities.

4 That is, I will not keep the same for mine, or to our own use and advantage, but hallow them unto Thee, or destroy them for Thine honor. See Lev. 27:28, 29; Joshua 6:17, 19, 21, 24.

3And the LORD hearkened to the voice of Israel, and 5delivered up the Canaanites; and 6they utterly destroyed them and their cities: and 7he called the name of the place 8Hormah.

5 Namely, into his hand, as verse 2.

6 This was not completely performed in Moses’ time, but by Joshua afterwards. See Joshua 12:14; Judges 1:16, 17.

7 Namely, Israel, that is, the Israelites.

8 That is, banishment, utter destruction.

4¶And they journeyed from mount Hor by the way of the 9Red sea, to compass the land of Edom: and the soul of the people 10was much discouraged 11because of the way.

9 See Exod. 13:18.

10 Hebr. were shortened. See Judges 10 on verse 16.

11 Or, upon this way.

5And the people spake against God, and against Moses, Wherefore have ye brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? for there is no bread, neither is there any water; and oura soul loatheth 12this light bread.

a Num. 11:6.

12 Thus they call the bread of heaven.

6And the LORD sentb13fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people; and much people of Israel died.

b 1 Cor. 10:9.

13 Hebr. burning serpents. Thus called from the effect of their biting, which caused a mortal burning and consequently an excessive thirst.

7¶Therefore the people came to Moses, and said, We have sinned, for we have spoken against the LORD, and against thee; pray unto the LORD, that he take away the serpents from us. And Moses prayed for the people.

8And the LORD said unto Moses, Make thee 14a fiery serpent, and set it upon a 15pole: and it shall come to pass, thatc every one that is bitten, when he looketh upon it, 16shall live.

14 Verse 9 it is called a serpent of brass. The meaning here is: Make a brazen serpent like unto one of these fiery ones.

15 Or, stake, spar. Other, for a sign, or, upon a banner.

c John 3:14.

16 That is, he shall recover and remain alive.

9Andd Moses made a serpent of brass, and put it upon a pole, and it came to pass, that if a serpent had bitten any man, when he beheld the serpent of brass, he lived.

d 2 Kings 18:4; John 3:14.

10¶Ande the children of Israel set forward, and pitched in Oboth.

e Num. 33:43.

11And they journeyed from Oboth, and pitched at Ije-abarim, in the wilderness which is before Moab, toward the sunrising.

12¶From thence they removed, and pitched in the valley of Zared.

13From thence they removed, and pitched 17on the other side of Arnon, which is in the wilderness that cometh out of the coasts of the Amorites: forf Arnon is the border of Moab, between Moab and the Amorites.

17 Other, at the ferry of Arnon.

f Judges 11:18.

14Wherefore it 18is said in the 19book of the 20wars of the LORD, 21What he did in the 22Red sea, and in the brooks of Arnon,

18 Other, it shall be said, namely, in future ages, in time to come.

19 This book, writing, or account is now no more in existence, though without any prejudice or detriment of the canonical Scriptures.

20 That is, of such wars as were made by the appointment and manifest power of the LORD.

21 As it may be understood, were those wars of the LORD, or fighting against (Vaheb), etc., or the like. The words following, as also verse 15, are hard to be understood and are variously interpreted; we write them down here as they are rendered by the most learned men. Vaheb is thought to have been the king of the Moabites whom Sihon subdued, verse 26.

22 Hebr. besuphah. Some take this to be the name of a certain place, otherwise called Suphah, Deut. 1 on verse 1. Other: whirlwind.

15And at the stream of the brooks that goeth down to the 23dwelling of 24Ar, and 25lieth upon the border of Moab.

23 Or, situation.

24Ar is the name of a city in the land of the Moabites, verse 28.

25 Or, bordereth, toucheth, leaneth.

16And from thence they went to Beer: that is the well whereof the LORD spake unto Moses, Gather the people together, and I will give them water.

17¶Then Israel sang 26this song, Spring up, O well; 27sing ye unto it:

26 With this song they sing and praise the goodness of God in providing this good well or fountain for them.

27 Or, sing it by turns. See Exod. 15:21; 1 Sam. 18:7; Psalm 147:7.

18The princes digged the well, the nobles of the people digged it, by the direction of 28the lawgiver, 29with their staves. And from the wilderness they went to Mattanah:

28 That is, by the discretion of the lawgiver, namely, Moses; as also Deut. 33:21. Or, by the Lawgiver, God Himself may here be understood, as Isa. 33:22.

29 Understand this of the staves of Moses and Aaron, or, of the staves of authority, which the princes and governors did usually carry in their hands unto a sign of their office and authority which they had received from God.

19And from Mattanah to Nahaliel: and from Nahaliel to Bamoth:

20And from Bamoth in the valley, that is 30in the country of Moab, to the top of Pisgah, which looketh toward 31Jeshimon.

30 That is, in the land.

31 Or, the wilderness.

21¶Andg Israel sent messengers unto Sihon king of the Amorites, saying,

g Deut. 2:26; Judges 11:19.

22Let me pass through thy land: weh will not turn into the fields, or into the vineyards; we will not drink of the waters of the well: but we will go along by the king's high way, until we be past thy borders.

h Num. 20:17.

23Andi Sihon would not suffer Israel to pass through his border: but Sihon gathered all his people together, and went out against Israel into the wilderness: and he came to 32Jahaz, and fought against Israel.

i Deut. 2:30; 29:7; Joshua 24:8; Judges 11:20.

32 The name of a city, likewise mentioned Deut. 2:32; Judges 11:20; Jer. 48:21, 34.

24Andj Israel smote him with the 33edge of the sword, and possessedk his land from 34Arnon unto Jabbok, evenl unto the children of Ammon: 35for the border of the children of Ammon was strong.

j Deut. 2:33; 29:7; Joshua 12:2; 24:8; Judges 11:21.

33 Hebr. mouth.

k Psalm 135:11, 12; 136:19; Amos 2:9.

34 These are names of two rivers.

l Deut. 2:37.

35 This is the reason why Sihon could not take the border, as he had taken the land of the Moabites.

25Andm Israel took all these cities: and Israel dwelt in all the cities of the Amorites, in Heshbon, and in all the 36villages thereof.

m Deut. 2:34, 35.

36 Hebr. daughters, that is, small cities, towns and villages, resorting under and subjected to Hebron as their metropolis or capital city. Moses calls them unwalled cities or towns, Deut. 3:5.

26For Heshbon was the city of Sihon the king of the Amorites, who had fought 37against the former king of Moab, and taken all his land out of his hand, even unto Arnon.

37 Namely, with him who was king there immediately before Balak.

27Wherefore they that speak in proverbs say, Come into Heshbon, 38let the city of Sihon be built and prepared:

38 Namely, greater and stronger than she was before.

28For there 39is a fire gone out of Heshbon, a flame from the city of Sihon: it hath consumed 40Ar of Moab, and 41the lords of the high places of Arnon.

39 That is, Sihon, after he had subdued Heshbon, has flown forth from there as a fire towards Moab.

40 This was the capital of the land of the Moabites from which the entire land got its name.

41 Understand the priests and princes who were not able to save or defend the city by their idol. See Jer. 48:7. Other, the citizens of Bamoth, at Arnon.

29Woe to thee, Moab! thou art undone, O 42people of Chemosh:n43he hath given 44his sons 45that escaped, and his daughters, into captivity unto Sihon king of the Amorites.

42 That is, ye people who serve and worship Chemosh. Thus the idol of the Moabites was called, 1 Kings 11:33.

n 1 Kings 11:7, 33.

43 Namely, Chemosh.

44 Namely, Moab’s sons, that is, the Moabites.

45 That is, Chemosh has suffered them to be led away captive instead of protecting and defending them.

30We have 46shot at them; Heshbon is perished even unto 47Dibon, and we have laid them waste even unto Nophah, which reacheth unto 48Medeba.

46 Or, thrown them down, namely with arrows. Other, their lamp is perished, that is, their glory.

47 One of the high places or cities in the land of Moab, Isa. 15:2; Jer. 48:18, 22.

48 A city in the land of Moab, Isa. 15:2.

31¶Thus Israel dwelt in the land of the Amorites.

32And Moses sent to spy out 49Jaazer, and they took the 50villages thereof, and drove out the Amorites that were there.

49 The name of a city, which previously belonged to the Moabites, of which is spoken Num. 32:1, 3, 35; Jer. 48:32.

50 See verse 25.

33¶And they turned and went up by the way of 51Bashan: ando52Og the king of Bashan went out against them, he, and all his people, to the battle at 53Edrei.

51 This was a good, fat pasture country, of which is spoken Deut. 32:14; Psalm 22:12; Jer. 50:19; Amos 4:1; Micah 7:14.

o Deut. 3:1; 29:7.

52Og was likewise a king of the Moabites, a giant, of whom see further Deut. 3:1, 11.

53 A city situated in the kingdom of Og, Deut. 3:10.

34And the LORD said unto Moses, Fear him not: for I have delivered him into thy hand, and all his people, and his land; and thoup shalt do to him as thou didst unto Sihon king of the Amorites, which dwelt at Heshbon.

p Psalm 136:20.

35So they smote him,q and his sons, and all his people, until there was 54none left him alive: and they possessed 55his land.

q Psalm 136:20, 21, 22.

54 Hebr. no remaining remained.

55 Namely, the land of Og, the king.