Números 21
Bob Utley · You Can Understand the Bible
Números 21
NJB (MT versing) Arad Conquered Canaanites Defeated at Hormah Events Along the Way Victory Over the Canaanites The Capture of Hormah 21:1-3 21:1-3 21:1-3 21:1-3 21:1-3 The Bronze Serpent The Snake Made of Bronze The Bronze Serpent 21:4-5 21:4-9 21:4-9 21:4-9 21:4-5 The Bronze Serpent 21:6-15 21:6-9 From Mount Hor to Moab From Mount Hor to the Valley of the Moabites By Stages to Transjordan 21:10-15 (15) 21:10-15 (14b-15) 21:10-15 21:10-12a 21:12b-15 21:16 21:16-20 21:16-20 21:16-18a 21:16-20 21:17-20 (17) (18a) (17b) (18a) (17b) (18a) (17b) (18a) (17b) (18a) 21:18b-20 Two Victories King Sihon Defeated Victory Over King Sihon and King Og The Conquest of Transjordan 21:21-30 21:21-32 21:21-30 21:21-30 21:21-22 21:23-24 (27-30) (27-30) (27-30) (27-30) 21:25-30 (27-30) 21:31-32 King Og Defeated 21:31-32 21:31-32 21:31-32 21:33-35 21:33-35 21:33-35 21:33-35 21:33-22:1 Etc.
Números 21:1-3
21:1 "When the Canaanite, the king of Arad, who lived in the Negev, heard that Israel was coming by the way of Atharim" Arad is about seventeen miles south of Hebron. Apparently this name refers not only to this king, but also to a city and a region. This very same locality is where Israel was defeated when she tried to take the Promised Land by her own strength (cf. Num. 14:35-45). The first victory against the Canaanites is the exact site of their earlier humiliating defeat. This theory is further strengthened by the fact that the word Atharim (BDB 87) is translated "the way of the spies" by all early versions of the Bible except the Septuagint, which translates it as a place name (probably the name of a pass). This translation as a place name has been followed by both the Revised Standard Version and the New English Bible. It is interesting to wonder if the king of Arad attacked Israel because he felt that the death of Aaron would incapacitate them. ▣ "Negev" This (BDB 616) term refers to the semi-arid wilderness with few human inhabitants, in the south of Canaan (i.e., Josh. 15:21-32). ▣ "he fought against Israel and took some of them captive" The rabbis are nervous about Israel losing some of her men in a war (cf. Joshua 7) to the Canaanites. Therefore, the rabbis say that only one slave was captured, but this does not seem to be the thrust of the text. 21:2 "So Israel made a vow to the Lord" This vow (lit. "vowed a vow," BDB 623, KB 674) is in the form of an oath to totally dedicate this king and his cities to the Lord. We later know this by the term herem (BDB 356, KB 353), which means "something utterly dedicated to God" or "to put under the ban." This is what happened to Jericho (cf. Joshua 6). Everything in these cities would die and all of the possessions would be burned because they belonged uniquely to God (i.e., Holy War; see SPECIAL TOPIC: CURSE). There may be a biblical distinction between "vow" and "oath." A vow is asking God to act first then a required action of a person, but an "oath" focused on a promised act (cf. NIDOTTE, vol. 4, p. 33, #2, paragraph 5). ▣ "indeed deliver" This is an intensified grammatical form (INFINITIVE ABSOLUTE and an IMPERFECT VERB of the same root, BDB 678, KB 733). ▣ "into my hand" This is an idiom of power and military victory. See SPECIAL TOPIC: HAND. 21:3 "Hormah" This place name (BDB 356) is the exact site of the earlier defeat (cf. Num. 14:45). It is a word play on herem.
Números 21:4-5
21:4 "they set out from Mount Hor by the way of the Red Sea" It is obvious that they are turning back to the southeast. They are trying to circumvent the land of Edom. Whether this is referring to the exact way back to Egypt, which would be ironical because this is the way the people earlier wanted to go back to Egypt, or if it is referring to the Red Sea as meaning by the city of Ezion-Geber or Elath on the Gulf of Aqaba is unclear. See SPECIAL TOPIC: THE RED SEA. ▣ "the people became impatient because of the journey" The MT is literally "her soul was short." Maybe they are upset because they were heading in the wrong direction they wanted to enter the land on the heels of their victory against the king of Arad of the rugged dryness of the territory through which they were traveling Whatever the reason, this is another characteristic "grumbling" of the book of Numbers. 21:5 This is the same complaining, rebellious spirit that we have seen throughout the book of Numbers. The people of God were attacking Moses but, in reality, they were attacking God and His provisions and plan for them. This attack angered God particularly because they were ungrateful for the supernatural water and the unique bread of heaven, called manna, which He provided for them (cf. Exodus 16 and Numbers 11). See Special Topics: WATERS MANNA ▣ "miserable food" This ADJECTIVE (BDB 887, KB 1106) occurs only here. There is some disagreement among scholars on its etymological root (cf. NIDOTTE, vol. 3, pp. 933-934). BDB says it means "contemptible" or "worthless." Since the root is uncertain, then context, context, context must be our guide.
Números 21:6-15
21:6 "The Lord sent fiery serpents among the people" The term "fiery" (BDB 977 I) has been explained in three different ways. the color of the snake the sting of the bite the fever which the bite caused We are uncertain as to which one is true. The fact that Moses made a bronze serpent (v. 9) might lend itself to the theory of the color of the snake. 21:7 "intercede with the Lord" This is the only place where the people asked Moses to intercede for them ("intercede," BDB 813, KB 933, Hithpael IMPERATIVE). One of the beautiful things about Moses was his wonderful intercessory prayers on behalf of the rebellious, sinful people of God. See SPECIAL TOPIC: INTERCESSORY PRAYER. 21:8 "Then the Lord said to Moses, 'Make a fiery serpent, and set it on a standard; and it shall come about, that everyone who is bitten, when he looks at it, he will live'" This is a very significant theological issue. It is referred to in John 3:14 to speak of Jesus Christ and His being lifted up on the cross (see full note in John online). There was no magic in the bronze serpent but it was faith in God's word that was the key. The people had been balking at God's promises and provisions and now their only means of being delivered from the death sentence of these poisonous snakes was that they believe God and do that which they could not understand. The same is true for our faith in Jesus Christ. It is obvious from the writings of Paul that the Gospel is foolishness to humans, but it is the power of God unto all who believe (cf. 1 Cor. 1:18-2:16). The key is that God told them to do it (i.e., John 1:12; 3:16)! The term "fiery" (BDB 977 I, NIDOTTE, vol. 3, pp. 1289-1290) is related to seraphim (BDB 977 II, cf. Isa. 6:2). If one consults Isa. 14:29; 30:6, possibly a flying serpent. See SPECIAL TOPIC: SERAPHIM. 21:10 Numbers 33 has a brief list of the camping sites of the Israelites during this period (cf. Deuteronomy 2). See especially vv. 40-49. Both "Oboth" and "Iyeabarim" are mentioned in v. 43. The mountain "Pisgah" is mentioned in v. 47 by its other name, "Nebo," the mountain where Moses will die. 21:12 "Wadi Zered. . .Arnon" There were four nations occupying this trans-Jordan area. The most southern one was Edom, then Moab, then one of the Canaanite tribes called "Amorites," and then further to the north is Ammon. These rivers which flow into the Dead Sea mark the boundary between these different groups (i.e., Zered, Arnon, Jabbock). 21:14 "the Book of the Wars of the Lord" It is somewhat unusual that a written source would have already been written on this since many of the wars do not begin until the book of Joshua (i.e., Book of Jashar, Josh. 10:13). However, because of the poetic verses that follow, many believe that this book was made up of pieces of poetry and songs about Israel's victories in the wilderness and later the Promised Land (i.e., a collected anthology). 21:15 "Ar" This (BDB786 I) refers to a city or region on the northern border of Moab, south of the Arnon River (cf. Numbers 21; 28; Deut. 2:9, 18, 29).
Números 21:16
21:16 "Beer" This is the word for "well" (BDB 91). The reason it is hard to locate many of the sites mentioned in the OT is that they were descriptions of a place. well fortress watchtower pass ascent All are common features of many areas on the eastern and western sides of the Jordan River.
Números 21:17-20
21:17 The well is personified and is commanded to flow. spring up ‒ BDB 748, KB 828, Qal IMPERATIVE sing ‒ BDB 777, KB 854, Qal IMPERATIVE 21:18 This is poetic imagery which is often difficult to interpret. Did the leaders of Israel really dig the well themselves with their "scepters"/"staffs"? they "sing" to it? YHWH do it supernaturally? Literalism is not "conservative" in poetry, but ridiculous! See SPECIAL TOPIC: HEBREW POETRY and Video Seminar on Biblical Interpretation. 21:20 "the top of Pisgah" This same mountain range is also called by one of the names of the sons of Reuben (cf. Num. 27:12). It is also known as Mt. Nebo (BDB 612 I, cf. Num. 33:47). It has been theorized that the relationshp between Nebo, Pisgah (BDB 820) and the mountains of Abiram (BDB 720) is the same as between Horeb and Sinai. One is referring to the ridge and the other to the peak, but this is simply uncertain. This mountain on the eastern side of the Dead Sea is going to be the perch on which YHWH would allow Moses to view the Promised Land, although he could not enter it. He will die on this mountain peak.
Números 21:21-30
21:21 "Amorites" See Special Topics: AMORITES and PRE-ISRAELITE INHABITANTS OF PALESTINE. 21:22 The request to Sihon was just like the request to the king of Moab (cf. Num. 20:14-21). 21:24 NASB, NJB, LXX "Jazer" NKJV, Peshitta "fortified" "strong" "strongly defended" "Az" "the country became difficult" The MT has the ADJECTIVE "strong" (BDB 738), which can denote "strong," "mighty," or "strength." This is reflected in the NKJV, NRSV, TEV. There are two suggested place names. NASB, LXX ‒ Jazer JPSOA ‒ Az 21:25 "villages" This is literally "daughters" (BDB 123 I). It is a Hebrew idiom for unwalled cities/villages. 21:27 "proverbs say" This is an example of Wisdom Literature which is very common to all the cultures of the ANE. This particular proverb seems to be an Amorite taunt song about their war with Moab, but Num. 21:30 has been adapted by the Israelites to their defeat of the Amorites. Originally, God's people attacked only the Canaanite tribes on the eastern side of the Jordan until Moab, one of the descendants of Lot, did them evil (cf. Numbers 22-24). 21:28 "A flame went forth. . . A flame from. . ." This is imagery of war (cf. Zech. 12:10). Fire is often used of judgment or to describe YHWH's glory, but rarely as war imagery. See SPECIAL TOPIC: FIRE. ▣ "the dominant heights" "the Lords of the heights" "swallowed up the heights" "devoured the hills" "engulfing the heights" "the Lords of Bamoth" "swept the heights" "swallowed the steles" "the worshipers of the high places" The MT has "the lords" (BDB 127), but the UBS Text Project, p. 237, gives it a "C" rating (i.e., considerable doubt). Some translations emend the NOUN (ילצב) to a VERB (בצלב) (BDB 118 I), meaning "swallow" or "devour." This makes it parallel with "devoured," BDB 37, KB 46. Notice that the JPSOA and Peshitta seem to link this word with the Ba'al (i.e., "the Baalim," see SPECIAL TOPIC: FERTILITY WORSHIP OF THE ANE) worship in the high places of Arnon (i.e., Moab). Remember, ANE poetry is slippery stuff! 21:29 "Chemosh" See full note online at Jer. 48:7. Chemosh and Molech are linked in Ugaritic poems to Anath-chemosh. See SPECIAL TOPIC: MOLECH. 21:30 "we have cast them down" NKJV, Rotherham "we have shot them" "their posterity perished" REV "their descendants are destroyed" "their posterity has been destroyed" "we have cast them down utterly" "their offspring shall perish" The MT has "shoot" (BDB 434, KB 436, Qal IMPERFECT with waw). The LXX translated it as a NOUN, "posterity" or "offspring" (BDB 630). The UBS Text Project, p. 237, gives the MT a "C" rating (i.e., considerable doubt). The LXX fits the context of "holy war" (i.e., herem) against these native inhabitants (cf. Gen. 15:12-21). ▣ "Which reaches to Medeba" The LXX and Samaritan Pentateuch supply the word "fire," which fits the context.
Números 21:31-32
21:32 "dispossessed" The MT has BDB 439, KB 441, Qal IMPERFECT with waw, but the Masoretic scholars altered it to a Qal IMPERFECT with waw (Qere). They tried to make the MT as contextual and accurate as possible based on their traditions and A.D. understanding of the MT text.
Números 21:33-35
21:33 See good brief discussion at NIDOTTE, vol. 4, pp. 1022-1023. 21:33-35 This refers to the Israeli defeat of another group of Canaanites close to the Sea of Galilee in the area known as Bashan (cf. Deut. 3:1-17). The city of Enderi is northeast of Ramoth-Gilead in the trans-Jordan area. Numbers 21:35 implies that they were also put under the ban and all of them were destroyed. See SPECIAL TOPIC: CURSE. 21:34 "Do not fear him" This is a Qal IMPERFECT used in a JUSSIVE sense (BDB 431, KB 432; see SPECIAL TOPIC: FEAR.