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Numbers Chapter
Twenty-one
New King James Version (NKJV)
INTRODUCTION TO NUMBERS 21
This
chapter gives an account of the defeat of King Arad
the Canaanite
Numbers 21:1 of the
murmurings of the children of Israel
because of difficulties in travelling
round
the land of Edom
for which they were punished with fiery serpents
Numbers 21:4 and
how that upon their repentance a brazen serpent was ordered to be made
and to
be erected on a pole
that whoever looked to it might live
Numbers 21:7 and of
the several journeys and stations of the children of Israel
until they came to
the land of the Amorites
Numbers 21:10
when
they sent a message to Sihon their king
to desire him to grant them a passage
through his country; but he refusing
they fought with him
smote him
and
possessed his land
concerning which many proverbial sayings were used
Numbers 21:21 and
the chapter is concluded with the defeat of Og
king of Bashan
Numbers 21:33.
Numbers 21:1 The king of Arad
the Canaanite
who dwelt in the South
heard that
Israel was coming on the road to Atharim. Then he fought against Israel and
took some of them prisoners.
YLT
1And the Canaanite -- king
Arad -- dwelling in the south
heareth that Israel hath come the way of the
Atharim
and he fighteth against Israel
and taketh [some] of them captive.
And when King Arad the Canaanite
which dwelt in the south
.... Arad
seems rather to be the name of a place
city
or country
of which the
Canaanite was king
than the name of a man
since we read of the king of Arad
Joshua 12:14 see
also Judges 1:16 and so
the Targums of Onkelos and Jerusalem here render it
the king of Arad; and the
Targum of Jonathan says
he changed his seat and reigned in Arad
which might
have its name from Arvad
a son of Canaan
Genesis 10:18 and
Jerom saysF14De locis Heb. fol. 87. K.
that Arath
the same with
Arad
is a city of the Amorites
near the wilderness of Kadesh
and that to
this day it is shown
a village four miles from Malatis and twenty from Hebron
in the tribe of Judah; and so Aben Ezra observes
that the ancients say
this
is Sihon (the king of the Amorites)
and he is called a Canaanite
because all
the Amorites are Canaanites; but
according to Jarchi
the Amalekites are
meant
as it is said
"the Amalekites dwell in the land of the
south": Numbers 13:29 and
so the Targum of Jonathan here
"and when Amalek heard
that dwelt in the
land of the south;'what he heard is particularly expressed in the following
clause:
heard tell that Israel came by the way of the spies: either after
the manner of spies
or rather by the way in which the spies went thirty eight
years ago
which was the way of the south
where this Canaanitish king dwelt
see Numbers 13:17
the
Septuagint version leaves the word untranslated
taking it for the name of a
place
and reads
"by the way of Atharim"
so the Samaritan
Pentateuch and Arabic version; and did such a place appear to have been
hereabout
it would be the most likely sense of the passage; for as the spies
were never discovered by the Canaanites
the way they went could not be known
by them; nor is it very probable that
if it had been known
it should be so
called
since nothing of any consequence to them as yet followed upon it:
then he fought against Israel; raised his forces and
marched out against them
to oppose their passage
and engaged in a battle with
them:
and took some of them prisoners; according to the Targums
of Jonathan and Jerusalem
great numbers of them; but Jarchi says
only one
single maidservant.
Numbers 21:2 2 So Israel made a vow to the Lord
and said
“If You will indeed deliver this people into my hand
then I will utterly destroy their cities.”
YLT
2And Israel voweth a vow to
Jehovah
and saith
`If Thou dost certainly give this people into my hand
then
I have devoted their cities;'
And Israel vowed a vow unto the Lord
.... The
Israelites made supplication to the Lord for help against their enemies
and
that he would give them victory over them
and made promises to him:
and said
if thou wilt indeed deliver this people into my hand; certainly and
entirely deliver them
so as that a complete victory shall be obtained over
them:
then will I utterly destroy their cities; or
"anathematize"
or devote them to utter destructionF15והחרמתי "et anathematisabo"
Montanus;
"devovebo"
Tigurine version. ; slay man and beast
burn their houses
and take their goods
not for a spoil
for their own private use
but reserve
them for the service of God; all which is implied in the vow made
as was done
to Jericho
Joshua 6:21 and so
it is a vow
as Abendana observes
of what they would do when they came to the
land of Canaan.
Numbers 21:3 3 And the Lord listened
to the voice of Israel and delivered up the Canaanites
and they utterly
destroyed them and their cities. So the name of that place was called Hormah.[a]
YLT
3and Jehovah hearkeneth to
the voice of Israel
and giveth up the Canaanite
and he devoteth them and
their cities
and calleth the name of the place Hormah.
And the Lord hearkened to the voice of Israel
.... In their
prayers and vows; with acceptance heard
and answered them according to their
wish:
and delivered up the Canaanites: into their hands
gave
them victory over them:
and they utterly destroyed them and their cities; that is
"anathematized"
them
and devoted them to destruction; for as yet they did not actually destroy
them
since we read of Arad afterwards
Joshua 12:14
but
this they did in Joshua's time
when the whole land of Canaan came into their
hands; for had they entered the land now
and took and destroyed the cities
belonging to Arad
they would doubtless have proceeded
and pursued their
conquests
and not have returned into the wilderness again to go round about
Edom
in order to enter another way; many think
as Aben Ezra observes on Numbers 21:1 that
this section was written by Joshua
after the land was subdued:
and he called the name of the place Hormah; which before
was called Zephath
and it seems to have its name from various disasters which
happened at this place; as the defeat of the Israelites by the Amalekites
Numbers 14:45
and
here of the Canaanites by the Israelites
and afterwards of the inhabitants of
this place by Judah and Simeon
Judges 1:17 it had
its name from "Cherem"
the anathema or destruction it was devoted
to.
Numbers 21:4 4 Then they journeyed from Mount Hor by the Way of the
Red Sea
to go around the land of Edom; and the soul of the people became very
discouraged on the way.
YLT
4And they journey from mount
Hor
the way of the Red Sea
to compass the land of Edom
and the soul of the
people is short in the way
And they journeyed from Mount Hor
.... After the battle
with the king of Arad
and the defeat of him:
by the way of the Red sea
to compass the land of Edom; which lay by
it
and from whence it had the name of the Red sea
Edom signifying red; and by
the way of that the Israelites must needs go
to go round that country:
and the soul of the people was much discouraged because of the way; because it
was going back instead of going forward to Canaan's land
and because of the
length of the way; it was a round about way they were going; when
could they have
been admitted to have passed through the country of Edom
the way would have
been short; or had they pursued their victory over the Canaanite
they would
have gone directly into the land; and this perhaps was what fretted
vexed
and
discouraged them
that they were obliged to go back
and take such a circuit
when they had such an opportunity of entering; and they might be distressed
also with the badness and the roughness of the way
the borders of Edom being
rocky and craggy: it is in the original text
"their soul or breath was
short"F16ותקצר נפש
"et abbreviata est anima"
Montanus
Munster
Fagius
Vatablus;
"decurtata"
Piscator. ; they fetched their breath short
being weary
and faint with travelling
or through anger
as angry persons do
when in a
great passion: so the people of God travelling through the wilderness of this
world are often discouraged
because of the difficulties
trials
and troubles
they meet with in the way
from sin
Satan
and the world
and are fretful and
impatient; but though they are led about and walk in a round about way
and in
a rough way
yet in a right way to the city of their habitation
Psalm 107:7.
Numbers 21:5 5 And the people spoke against God and against Moses:
“Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? For there
is no food and no water
and our soul loathes this worthless bread.”
YLT
5and the people speak
against God
and against Moses
`Why hast thou brought us up out of Egypt to
die in a wilderness? for there is no bread
and there is no water
and our soul
hath been weary of this light bread.'
And the people spake against God
.... Who went before them
in the pillar of cloud and fire
for leading them in such a way; that is
against Christ
as the apostle has taught us to interpret it
1 Corinthians 10:9
and is no inconsiderable proof of the deity of Christ; and so the Targum of
Jonathan paraphrases it
"and the people thought in their heart
and spake
against the Word of the Lord
'the essential Word and Son of God:
and against Moses; his servant
for obeying the orders of the
Lord
and leading and guiding the people as he directed him:
wherefore have ye brought us up out of Egypt to die in the
wilderness? ascribing this equally to God and to Moses; using a strange
word
as Aben Ezra calls it
being in a great passion
and not considering well
what they said; showing great ingratitude for such a mercy
and representing it
in a wrong light
as if the intent of bringing them from thence was to slay
them in the wilderness:
for there is no bread; no bread corn
nothing
in the wilderness to make bread of; nothing that they called and accounted
bread
otherwise they had manna
as is presently owned:
neither is there any water; any fresh water fit to
drink
otherwise they were near the sea; what they had from the rock
lately
perhaps was now spent
and it did not follow them as the other rock had:
and our soul loatheth this light bread; the manna;
this very light
this exceeding light bread
the radicals of the wordF17הקלקל "levissime"
V. L. Pagninus
Montanus
Fagius
Vatablus; "vilissimi"
Junius & Tremellius
Piscator.
used being doubled
which increases the signification: if to be understood of
light and easy digestion
it was the more to be valued; but perhaps they meant
it had but little substance and virtue in it
and was not filling and
satisfying; or rather that it was exceeding vile
mean
and despicable; so they
called the bread of heaven
angel's food
this wonderful gift of Providence; in
like manner is Christ
the hidden manna
treated
and his Gospel
and the
precious truths of it
by unregenerate men and carnal professors
1 Corinthians 1:23.
Numbers 21:6 6 So the Lord sent fiery
serpents among the people
and they bit the people; and many of the people of
Israel died.
YLT
6And Jehovah sendeth among
the people the burning serpents
and they bite the people
and much people of
Israel die;
And the Lord sent fiery serpents among the people
.... Of which
there were great numbers in the deserts of Arabia
and about the Red sea; but
hitherto the Israelites were protected from them by the cloud about them
but
sinning
the Lord suffered them to come among them
to punish them; these are
called fiery
either from their colour
for in Arabia
as there were serpents
of a golden colour
as AelianusF18De Animal. l. 10. c. 13. relates
to which the brazen serpent
after made
bore some likeness
so there were others
in the same parts of Arabia of a red or scarlet colour
as Diodorus Siculus
saysF19Bibliothec. l. 3. p. 180.
of a span long
and their bite
entirely incurable; or else they are so called from the effect of them
exciting heat and thirst in those they bit; so Jarchi says
they are so called
because they burn with the poison of their teeth: these
very probably
were
flying ones
as may seem from Isaiah 14:29 and
being sent of God
might come flying among the people and bite them; and such
there were in the fenny and marshy parts of Arabia
of which many writers speakF20Herodot.
Euterpe
sive
l. 2. c. 15. Aelian. de Animal. l. 2. c. 38. Mela
l. 3. c. 9.
Solin. Polyhistor
c. 45. & alii.
as flying from those parts into Egypt
where they used to be met by a bird called Ibis
which killed them
and for
that reason was had in great veneration by the Egyptians; and HerodotusF21Thalia
sive
l. 3. c. 109. says they are nowhere but in Arabia
and alsoF23Euterpe
sive
l. 2. c. 76. that they of that kind of serpents
which are called Hydri
their wings are not feathered
but like the wings of bats
and this BochartF24Hierozoic.
par. 2. l. 3. c. 13. col. 423. takes to be here meant:
and they bit the people
and much people of Israel died; for
as
before related from Diodorus Siculus
their bites were altogether incurable;
and SolinusF25Polyhist. c. 45. says
of the same Arabian flying
serpents
that their poison is so quick
that death follows before the pain can
be felt; and of that kind of serpent
the Hydrus
it is said by Leo AfricanusF26Apud
Scheuchzer
Physic. Sacr. vol. 2. p. 386.
that their poison is most
pernicious
and that there is no other remedy against the bite of them
but to
cut off that part of the member bitten
before the poison can penetrate into
the other parts of the body: the Dipsas
another kind of serpent
which others
are of opinion is designed
by biting
brings immediately a thirst on persons
intolerable and almost not extinguishable
and a deadly one
unless help is
most speedily had; and if this was the case here it was very bad indeed
since
there was no water: SolinusF1Polyhist. c. 40. says
this kind of
serpent kills with thirst; AristotleF2Hist. Animal. l. 8. c. 29.
speaks of a serpent some call the sacred one
and that whatsoever it bites
putrefies immediately all around it: these serpents
and their bites
may be
emblems of the old serpent the devil
and of his fiery darts
and of sin
brought in by him
and which he tempts unto
the effects of which are terrible
and deadly
unless prevented by the grace of God.
Numbers 21:7 7 Therefore the people came to Moses
and said
“We have
sinned
for we have spoken against the Lord and against
you; pray to the Lord that He take away the serpents
from us.” So Moses prayed for the people.
YLT
7and the people come in unto
Moses and say
`We have sinned
for we have spoken against Jehovah
and against
thee; pray unto Jehovah
and He doth turn aside from us the serpent;' and Moses
prayeth in behalf of the people.
Therefore the people came to Moses
and said
we have sinned
.... Being
bitten with serpents
and some having died
the rest were frightened
and came
and made an humble acknowledgment of their sins to Moses:
for we have spoken against the Lord
and against thee; murmuring at
their being brought out of Egypt
and because they had no better provision in
the wilderness; concluding they should die there for want
and never enter into
the land of Canaan
of which evils they were now sensible
and confessed them:
pray unto the Lord that he take away the serpents from us; or "the
serpent"F3את נחש
"serpentem"
Montanus; "hunc serpentem"
Piscator
in the
singular
which is put for the plural
as it often is; or the plague of the
serpent
as the Targum of Jonathan
that it might cease
and they be no more
distressed by them: they were sensible they came from God
and that none could
remove them but him; and knowing that Moses was powerful in prayer
and had
interest with God
they entreat him to be their intercessor
though they had
spoken against him and used him ill:
and Moses prayed for the people; which proves him to be
of a meek and forgiving spirit; who
though he had been so sadly reflected on
yet readily undertakes to pray to God for them.
Numbers 21:8 8 Then the Lord said to
Moses
“Make a fiery serpent
and set it on a pole; and it shall be that
everyone who is bitten
when he looks at it
shall live.”
YLT
8And Jehovah saith unto
Moses
`Make for thee a burning [serpent]
and set it on an ensign; and it hath
been
every one who is bitten and hath seen it -- he hath lived.
And the Lord said unto Moses
.... Out of the cloud;
or
it may be
Moses went into the sanctuary
and there prayed
and the Lord
answered him from between the cherubim:
make them a fiery serpent; not a real one
but the
likeness of one
one that should very much resemble the fiery serpents Israel
had been bitten with:
and set it upon a pole; a standard
banner
or
ensign
as the word signifies; perhaps meaning one of the poles on which their
ensigns were carried: the Targum of Jonathan renders it
on an high place
that
so it might be seen by all in the camp:
and it shall come to pass
that everyone that is bitten
when he
looketh upon it
shall live; which is very wonderful
that by looking to
the figure of a serpent
men should be cured of the bites of real ones
and
which bites were deadly; the virtue of healing could not come from the figure
but from God
who appointed it to be made
the Targum of Jonathan adds
that
one bitten should live
"if he directed his heart to the Word of the
Lord
'even to that divine Logos or Word of God
whose lifting up was figured
hereby; see John 3:14.
Numbers 21:9 9 So Moses made a bronze serpent
and put it on a pole;
and so it was
if a serpent had bitten anyone
when he looked at the bronze
serpent
he lived.
YLT
9And Moses maketh a serpent
of brass
and setteth it on the ensign
and it hath been
if the serpent hath
bitten any man
and he hath looked expectingly unto the serpent of brass -- he
hath lived.
And Moses made a serpent of brass
.... Which was the most
proper metal to make it of
that it might resemble the fiery serpents
whether
of a golden or scarlet colour: and Diodorus SiculusF4Bibliothec. l.
17. p. 560. speaks of some of the colour of brass
whose bite was immediately
followed with death
and by which
if anyone was struck
he was seized with
terrible pains
and a bloody sweat flowed all over him; and this was chosen
also
because being burnished and bright
could be seen at a great distance
and with this metal Moses might be furnished from Punon
the next station to
this
where they now were
Zalmonah
as appears from Numbers 33:42 a
place famous for brass mines
and which JeromF5De locis Heb. fol.
91. G. says
in his time
was a little village
from whence brass metal was
dug
by such that were condemned to the mines:
and put it upon a pole; as he was directed:
and it came to pass
that if a serpent had bitten any man
when he
beheld the serpent of brass
he lived: which was very
marvellous
and the more so
if what physicians say is true
as Kimchi relatesF6Sepher
Sherash. rad. נחש
that if a man bitten by a serpent
looks upon a piece of brass he dies immediately: the lifting up of this serpent
on a pole for such a purpose was a figure of the lifting up of Christ
either
upon the cross
or in the ministry of the word
that whosoever looks unto him
by faith may have healing; see Gill on John 3:14
where
this type or figure is largely explained: the station the Israelites were now
at
when this image was made
is called Zalmonah
which signifies an image
shadow
or resemblance
as the brazen serpent was; from Mount Hor
where they
were last
to this place
according to BuntingF7Travels of the
Patriarchs
&c. 83.
were twenty eight miles: this serpent did not remain
in the place where it was set
but was taken with them
and continued until the
days of Hezekiah
2 Kings 18:4.
Numbers 21:10 10 Now the children of Israel moved on and camped in
Oboth.
YLT
10And the sons of Israel
journey
and encamp in Oboth.
And the children of Israel set forward
.... From
Zalmonah
and came to Punon
which
according to the above writer
was twenty
miles from it; though here indeed
some think
the brazen serpent was set up
here being
as before observed
brass mines to furnish with that metal:
and pitched in Oboth; which was twenty four
miles from Punon
as says the same writer: the word signifies bottles; perhaps
here the Israelites got water and filled their bottles
or
as others think
they filled them with the wine of Moab
and called the name of the place from
thence; it is perhaps the same with the Eboda of PtolemyF8Geograph.
l. 5. c. 17.
which he places in Arabia Petraea; and of which PlinyF9Nat.
Hist. l. 6. c. 28. also makes mention.
Numbers 21:11 11 And they journeyed from Oboth and camped at Ije
Abarim
in the wilderness which is east of Moab
toward the sunrise.
YLT
11And they journey from
Oboth
and encamp in Ije-Abarim
in the wilderness that [is] on the front of
Moab
at the rising of the sun.
And they journeyed from Oboth
.... How long they stayed
there is not certain:
and pitched at Ijeabarim; which
according to
BuntingF11Ut supra. (Travels of the Patriarchs
&c. 83.)
was
sixteen miles from Oboth; Jarchi says it was the way that passengers pass by
Mount Nebo to the land of Canaan
and which divides between the land of Moab
and the land of the Amorites:
in the wilderness which is before Moab; called the
wilderness of Moab
Deuteronomy 2:8.
towards the sunrising; the east side of the
land of Moab
Judges 11:18.
Numbers 21:12 12 From there they moved and camped in the Valley of
Zered.
YLT
12From thence they have
journeyed
and encamp in the valley of Zared.
From thence they removed
and pitched in the valley of Zered. Or the brook
Zered
as in Deuteronomy 13:14
that is near it: this seems to be the same station with Dibongad
Numbers 33:45
and
which
according to the above writer
was sixteen miles from Ijeabarim.
Numbers 21:13 13 From there they moved and camped on the other side of
the Arnon
which is in the wilderness that extends from the border of
the Amorites; for the Arnon is the border of Moab
between Moab and the
Amorites.
YLT
13From thence they have
journeyed
and encamp beyond Arnon
which [is] in the wilderness which is
coming out of the border of the Amorite
for Arnon [is] the border of Moab
between Moab and the Amorite;
From thence they removed
and pitched on the other side of Arnon
.... A river
on the borders of Moab:
which is in the wilderness that cometh out of the coasts of the
Amorites; according to Jarchi
they went round the land of Moab
all to
the south and east
and came not into the border of Moab
as Jephthah said
Judges 11:18 but
before they came hither they had a station at Almondiblathaim
Numbers 33:46.
for Arnon is the border of Moab
between Moab and the Amorites; a river which
divided these two countries
and bounded them; and Moses is the more particular
in this account
to show that the Israelites took nothing from the Moabites
but what the Amorites had taken from them
they being charged not to distress
the Moabites and Ammonites
Deuteronomy 2:9
see Jephthah's defence
Judges 11:15.
Numbers 21:14 14 Therefore it is said in the Book of the Wars of the Lord: “Waheb in Suphah
[b] The brooks
of the Arnon
YLT
14therefore it is said in a
book
`The wars of Jehovah
' -- `Waheb in Suphah
And the brooks of Arnon;
Wherefore it is said in the book of the wars of the Lord
.... A history
of wars in former times
which the Lord had suffered to be in the world; and
which
as Aben Ezra thinks
reached from the times of Abraham and so might
begin with the battle of the kings in his time
and take in others in later
times
and particularly those of Sihon
king of the Amorites
and his conquests
of some parts of Moab; and to this book
which might be written by some one of
those nations
Moses refers in proof of what he here says:
what he did in the Red sea; that is
what Sihon king
of the Amorites did
or the Lord by him
"at Vaheb in Suphah"
as the
words may be rendered; either against a king
or rather city
of Moab
whose
name was Vaheb
in the borders of the land of Moab
or how he destroyed that
city Vaheb with a storm or terrible assaultF12Vid. L'Empereur. Not.
in Mosis Kimchi οδοιπορια p. 195. :
and in the brooks of Arnon: some places situated on
the streams of that river
which were taken by the Amorites from the Moabites
as the book quoted plainly testified.
Numbers 21:15 15 And the slope of the brooks That reaches to the
dwelling of Ar
And lies on the border of Moab.”
YLT
15And the spring of the
brooks
Which turned aside to the dwelling of Ar
And hath leaned to the border
of Moab.'
And at the stream of the brooks that goeth down to the dwelling of
Ar
.... All that part of the country which lay upon the stream
as
far as the city of Ar
the metropolis of Moab
called Ar of Moab
Isaiah 15:1
and lieth upon the border of Moab; as that city did; so far
goes the quotation out of the aforesaid book
as a proof of what was taken by
the Amorites from the Moabites
and were not in their possession when Israel
were upon their borders; and therefore
in taking them from the Amorites
did
no wrong to Moab.
Numbers 21:16 16 From there they went to Beer
which is
the well where the Lord said to Moses
“Gather the
people together
and I will give them water.”
YLT
16And from thence [they
journeyed] to Beer; it [is] the well [concerning] which Jehovah said to Moses
`Gather the people
and I give to them -- water.'
And from thence they went to Beer
.... A place so called
from a well which sprung up here
of which the following account is given:
that is
the well whereof the Lord spake unto Moses; promising him
to give it to the children of Israel
without asking for it; which was a very
singular favour
and for which they were thankful: saying to him:
gather the people together
and I will give them water; for as they
were now gone from the river Arnon
and the streams and brooks of it
they
might be in want of water
though they did not murmur as they had been used to
do; and without their petition for it
the Lord promises to give it to them;
and that they might be witness of the miracle that would be wrought for them
they are ordered to be gathered together.
Numbers 21:17 17 Then Israel sang this song: “Spring up
O well! All of
you sing to it—
YLT
17Then singeth Israel this
song
concerning the well -- they have answered to it:
Then Israel sang this song
.... Being affected with
the free favour and good will of God towards them:
spring up
O well; for the springing up of which they prayed
in faith
believing in the promise of God
that it would spring up; and so
encouraged one another not only to believe it
but even to sing on account of
it before it actually did:
sing ye unto it; or on account of it praise the Lord for it;
or "answer to it"F13ענו לה "respondete ei"
Montanus; "alternis
canite ei"
Tigurine version
Piscator.
it being their manner to sing
their songs by responses
or alternately.
Numbers 21:18 18 The well the leaders sank
Dug by the nation’s nobles
By the lawgiver
with their staves.” And from the wilderness they went
to Mattanah
YLT
18`A well -- digged it have
princes
Prepared it have nobles of the people
With the lawgiver
with their
staves.' And from the wilderness [they journeyed] to Mattanah
The princes digged the well
.... The princes and
heads of the several tribes:
the nobles of the people digged it; the seventy elders
according to the Targum of Jonathan:
by the direction of the lawgiver; either the Lord himself
the lawgiver of his people
who pointed out the spot
and directed the princes
where to dig
that is
be did this by Moses; and who
as Jarchi thinks
is the
lawgiver
and not amiss: the Targums of Jonathan and Jerusalem render the word
by Scribes
in the plural number
and interpret them of Moses and Aaron: and
this the princes and nobles "dug with their staves"; either their
walking sticks
or their rods
the ensigns of their authority; with these they
smote the ground
or stuck them in a soft and sandy place
upon which the
waters bubbled up and flowed out. Dr. ShawF14Travels
p. 67. Ed. 2.
chooses to render the words
"with their united applause"
or
"clapping of hands"
as the word שען in
Chaldee signifies; or it may be expressed
as by Dr. Hunt
quoted by him
"by describing" or "marking out" the figure or fashion of
the well "with staves". Mr. Ainsworth thinks that this well signified
Christ
the fountain of gardens
and well of living waters; and the waters of
it the Spirit and his graces
which are a well of living water springing up
unto everlasting life; the means of which are the labours of the governors of
the church
the ministers of Christ
by preaching the word
and opening the
Scriptures; and such grace is worthy of a song
and to be had with joy out of
the wells of salvation
Isaiah 12:3
and from the wilderness they went to Mattanah; from the
wilderness near Arnon
which came out of the coasts of the Amorites
Numbers 21:13 to a
place which signifies a gift. The Targums of Jonathan and Jerusalem render
it
"and from the wilderness it was given to them for a gift'that is
the
well; and so the people of God
that are called out of the wilderness of this
world
and come up from it
are called to partake of the gifts and blessings of
grace
which are freely given unto them of God.
Numbers 21:19 19 from Mattanah to Nahaliel
from Nahaliel to Bamoth
YLT
19and from Mattanah to
Nahaliel
and from Nahaliel to Bamoth
And from Mattanah to Nahaliel
and from Nahaliel to Bamoth. All the
Targums interpret this
and the following verse
not of the journeying of the
children of Israel
but of the motion of the well
that that
from the place
from whence it was given them
descended with them into the valleys
and from
thence to the high places
as these words signify: and indeed those places are
not mentioned in the journeys of the children of Israel
Numbers 33:1 and
were not stations where they pitched
but places they passed through before
they came to Abarim
and the wilderness of Kedemoth.
Numbers 21:20 20 and from Bamoth
in the valley that is
in the country of Moab
to the top of Pisgah which looks down on the wasteland.[c]
YLT
20and from Bamoth in the
valley which [is] in the field of Moab [to] the top of Pisgah
which hath
looked on the front of the wilderness.
And from Bamoth
in the valley
.... Or rather
"to the valley"
as the Targum of Onkelos
since Bamoth signifies
high places; though
according to the Jerusalem TalmudF15Sheviith
fol. 38. 4.
Bamoth
Baal
which seems to be the same place
was in a plain:
that is in the country of Moab; the valley belonged to
Moab
into which Israel came:
to the top of Pisgah; not that the valley
reached to the top
nor did the children of Israel go to the top of it
only
Moses
but rather to the bottom
which indeed is meant; for it intends the
beginning of it
where Pisgah
which was an high mountain near the plains of
Moab
began
and which was properly the foot of it:
which looketh towards Jeshimon; that is
Pisgah
as
Jarchi rightly interprets it
which looked over a place called Jeshimon; and
which signifies a wilderness
and is no other indeed than the wilderness of
Kedemoth
Deuteronomy 2:26
for from thence the following messengers were sent.
Numbers 21:21 21 Then Israel sent messengers to Sihon king of the
Amorites
saying
YLT
21And Israel sendeth
messengers unto Sihon king of the Amorite
saying
And Israel sent messengers unto Sihon king of the Amorites
.... Who were
one of the nations of the Canaanites
and a principal and powerful one
and who
were devoted to destruction
and their land designed for the people of Israel;
see Genesis 15:16
at
this time Sihon was their king
to whom Moses
in the name of Israel
sent a
very peaceable message from the wilderness of Kedemoth
which lay near his
country
Deuteronomy 2:26
saying; as follows.
Numbers 21:22 22 “Let me pass through your land. We will not turn aside
into fields or vineyards; we will not drink water from wells. We will go by the
King’s Highway until we have passed through your territory.”
YLT
22`Let me pass through thy
land
we do not turn aside into a field
or into a vineyard
we do not drink
waters of a well; in the king's way we go
till that we pass over thy border.'
Let me pass through thy land
.... Through some part of
it
which would have been a shorter way to the river Jordan
over which Israel
was to pass into the land of Canaan; the terms proposed
or things to be
observed in their passage
which they would bind themselves strictly to
are
the same that were made to the king of Edom. See Gill on Numbers 20:17.
Numbers 21:23 23 But Sihon would not allow Israel to pass through his
territory. So Sihon gathered all his people together and went out against
Israel in the wilderness
and he came to Jahaz and fought against Israel.
YLT
23And Sihon hath not suffered
Israel to pass through his border
and Sihon gathereth all his people
and
cometh out to meet Israel into the wilderness
and cometh in to Jahaz
and
fighteth against Israel.
And Sihon would not suffer Israel to pass through his border
.... Because
he could not trust them
and confide in the promises they made
and thought it
not safe to let such a body of people into any part of his dominions
Judges 11:20 and
chiefly because his heart was hardened by the Lord
that he might be delivered
into the hands of Israel
as was determined
Deuteronomy 2:30
but Sihon gathered all his people together; all that were
able to bear arms out of his cities
and which made no doubt a very numerous
and powerful army; but then these being defeated
as they were
it became more
easy to the Israelites to take their cities
where there were none left but
women and children:
and went out against Israel into the wilderness; the
wilderness of Kedemoth; not content to reject a peaceable message
he went out
in an hostile manner against Israel
even out of his own dominions; so that he
was the aggressor and unprovoked
which made his ruin appear the more just
and
the children of Israel to have a better claim to his country conquered by them:
and he came to Jahaz; a frontier town in the
land of Moab
see Isaiah 15:4 and
which
according to BuntingF16Travels of the Patriarchs
p. 83.
was sixteen miles from Abarim:
and fought against Israel; at the above place
where they had a pitched battle.
Numbers 21:24 24 Then Israel defeated him with the edge of the sword
and took possession of his land from the Arnon to the Jabbok
as far as the
people of Ammon; for the border of the people of Ammon was fortified.
YLT
24And Israel smiteth him by
the mouth of the sword
and possesseth his land from Arnon unto Jabbok -- unto
the sons of Ammon; for the border of the sons of Ammon [is] strong.
And Israel smote him with the edge of the sword
.... Slew him
and his army
entirely routed them
and got a complete victory over them; God
giving them up into their hands
who otherwise were a very strong
powerful
and warlike people; see Amos 2:9.
and possessed his land from Arnon unto Jabbok; two rivers
the one to the south
the other to the north of his country; the one was the
boundary of his country between him and the Moabites
the other the boundary of
his country between him and the Ammonites
as it follows:
even unto the children of Ammon; for the border of the children of
Ammon was strong; which is given as a reason why the Israelites proceeded no
further in their conquest; there was another reason for that
which was the order
of the Lord not to distress the Ammonites
nor meddle with them; though Jarchi
makes this prohibition to be their strength
Deuteronomy 2:19
but this is given as a reason why Sihon could not extend his conquests further
because it was so well fortified
either by nature or art
or both
by the
river Jabbok
by mountains and frontier towns
and particularly by Rabbah
as
the Targum of Jonathan suggests
which was their royal city in later times
and
a very strong place; see 2 Samuel 12:26.
Numbers 21:25 25 So Israel took all these cities
and Israel dwelt in
all the cities of the Amorites
in Heshbon and in all its villages.
YLT
25And Israel taketh all these
cities
and Israel dwelleth in all the cities of the Amorite
in Heshbon
and
in all its villages;
And Israel took all these cities
.... Which lay between
the rivers Arnon and Jabbok; their particular names may be seen in Numbers 32:3
and Israel dwelt in all the cities of the Amorites; being given
to the Reubenites and Gadites
who inhabited them
as their possession and
inheritance
Numbers 32:2
in Heshbon
and in all the villages thereof; or
"daughters thereof"F17בנתיה
"filiabus ejus"
Montanus
Munster
Fagius
Grotius. . Heshbon was
the metropolis or mother city
and all the towns and villages adjacent were as
daughters to it; of which city more is said in the following verses; see Gill
on Isaiah 15:4.
Numbers 21:26 26 For Heshbon was the city of Sihon king of the
Amorites
who had fought against the former king of Moab
and had taken all his
land from his hand as far as the Arnon.
YLT
26for Heshbon is a city of
Sihon king of the Amorite
and he hath fought against the former king of Moab
and taketh all his land out of his hand
unto Arnon;
For Heshbon was the city of Sihon the king of the Amorites
.... His royal
city
where he kept his palace
where he had resided for some time
and perhaps
some of his predecessors; and therefore being now in his possession when taken
by the Israelites
they had a good right and title to keep it
and dwell in it:
and indeed this is here given as a reason of it:
who had fought against the former king of Moab; either the
king that reigned before Balak
or some king of Moab
that reigned formerly
against whom one of the name of Sihon
which might be a common name to the
kings of the Amorites
as Pharaoh to the Egyptians
had engaged in war:
and taken all his land out of his hand
even unto Arnon; and had been
in the hands of the Amorites some years; and therefore the Moabites had no
reason to object to the Israelites dwelling in it
and possessing it
which
they had not taken from them
but from the Amorites in a lawful war. And for
proof of this
reference is had to the bards and poets of those times
who were
the persons that transmitted in verse the history of famous actions to posterity.
Numbers 21:27 27 Therefore those who speak in proverbs say: “Come to
Heshbon
let it be built; Let the city of Sihon be repaired.
YLT
27therefore those using
similes say -- `Enter ye Heshbon
Let the city of Sihon be built and ready
Wherefore they that speak in proverbs say
.... The
historical writers of those times
among the Amorites
who were usually poets
and wrote the history of the wars between the Moabites and Amorites in verse;
as Homer among the Greeks wrote the wars of Troy; and the compositions of those
ancient bards were short and compendious
and wrapped up in proverbial sayings
and enigmatical and figurative expressions
that they might be the better
retained in memory
and therefore were called proverbialists. Jarchi says
they
were Balaam and Beor that took up their parables
and said:
come into Heshbon; which words are the beginning of the song
and in which the Amorites are represented as inviting Sihon
and his nobles
to
enter Heshbon
which he had taken
and make it his royal seat; or as
encouraging one another to go into it and repair it
having suffered much at
the taking of it
which seems to be confirmed by what follows:
let the city of Sihon be built and prepared; that is
let
us set about rebuilding of the city
and let us fit it up for Sihon our king
and let it be called his city
and made the place of his residence
his palace
and where his court may be kept.
Numbers 21:28 28 “For fire went out from Heshbon
A flame from the city
of Sihon; It consumed Ar of Moab
The lords of the heights of the Arnon.
YLT
28For fire hath gone out from
Heshbon
A flame from the city of Sihon
It hath consumed Ar of Moab
Owners of
the high places of Arnon.
For there is a fire gone out of Heshbon
.... Not
before
but after Sihon had subdued it
as Jarchi observes; and is to be
understood of his soldiers going out from thence
and making desolations in the
adjacent parts
like a strong fire
and the fierce flames of it there is no
resisting; and so the Jerusalem Targum
"for a people mighty
and burning
like fire
are gone out of Heshbon:'see Amos 1:4
a flame
from the city of Sihon: which is the same thing in other words
the city of
Sihon being Heshbon
and a flame the same with fire; warriors
as both the
Targums of Oakelos and Jerusalem interpret it; this seems to be what those
composers undertook in their poetical way to foretell would be the case in
future times; concluding
from the conquests already made
that they would be
extended much further
and that no opposition could hinder:
it hath consumed Ar of Moab; the metropolis of the
country of Moab
that is
they were as sure of it
and endeavoured to make the
people by these their compositions as confident of it
that this city would
fall into the hands of their armies
and be destroyed
as if it was already
done; otherwise it does not appear that it ever was taken out of the hands of
the Moabites
until taken by the Assyrians or Chaldeans; of this city See Gill
on Isaiah 15:1.
and the lords of the high places of Arnon; who had the
government of the high
strong
and fortified places all along the river Arnon;
these it is suggested would be conquered by the Amorites; all the three Targums
interpret it of the priests and worshippers in the temples
and at the altars
of the idols in Arnon; and it may be rendered
"the Baals of the high places
of Arnon"
as if the gods of those places should fall into the victors'
hands; and which seems to have some confirmation from what follows; and it may
be observed
that in these parts there were some places called Bamoth Baal
or
the high places of Baal
see Numbers 22:41
and
Beth Baal Meon
which has its name from its being the temple and habitation of
Baal
Joshua 13:17.
Numbers 21:29 29 Woe to you
Moab! You have perished
O people of
Chemosh! He has given his sons as fugitives
And his daughters into captivity
To
Sihon king of the Amorites.
YLT
29Wo to thee
O Moab
Thou
hast perished
O people of Chemosh
He hath given his sons who escape -- Also
his daughters -- Into captivity
to a king of the Amorite -- Sihon!
Woe to thee
Moab! thou art undone
.... The whole country
ruined
or likely to be so:
O people of Chemosh; which was the name of
their idol
who is called the abomination of the Moabites
1 Kings 11:7
he hath given his sons that escaped; that is
the idol
Chemosh had given his sons
the men of the country that worshipped him
who
escaped the sword of the Amorites
these:
and his daughters
into captivity unto Sihon king of the Amorites; who took
captive what he slew not
or would do so
Chemosh their god not being able to
preserve them
but obliged to deliver them up: thus the composers of this song
insult the god of the Moabites
as it was usual for conquerors so to do; see Isaiah 10:10
though some think these are the words of the Israelites
making their
observations upon the above song
which ends at verse twenty eight
and
scoffing at the idol of the Moabites.
Numbers 21:30 30 “But we have shot at them; Heshbon has perished as far
as Dibon. Then we laid waste as far as Nophah
Which reaches to Medeba.”
YLT
30And we shoot them
Perished
hath Heshbon unto Dibon
And we make desolate unto Nophah
Which [is] unto
Medeba.'
We have shot at them
.... Either the
Amorites at the Moabites
or else the Israelites at the Amorites; for
according to Aben Ezra
these are the words of Moses
though they
with Numbers 21:29
seem
rather to be a continuation of the song of the old Amorite bards
describing
the ruin of the country of Moab by them; and this clause may be rendered with
the next
"their light
or lamp
is perished from Heshbon"F18נירם אבד חשבון
"lucerna eorum
Heshbon (seilicet) periit"
Tigurine version;
"regnum eorum periit a Chesbon"
Pagninus
Vatablus; "imperium
eorum"
Munster. ; or their yoke
as Jarchi
and so the Vulgate Latin
version; that is
their kingdom
and the glory of it
as the Targums of Onkelos
and Jonathan interpret it
and so Jarchi:
even unto Dibon; which was another city in the land of Moab;
see Isaiah 15:2
and we have laid them waste even unto Nophah
which reached
unto Medeba; Nophah perhaps is the same with Nebo
mentioned along with
Medeba
Isaiah 15:2
however
they were both places in Moab
and are mentioned to show how far the
desolation had or would spread; and the whole is observed to prove
that this
part of the country of Moab
now possessed by the Israelites
was taken from
them
not by them
but by the Amorites
a people Israel now conquered
and so
had a right to what they found them in the possession of.
Numbers 21:31 31 Thus Israel dwelt in the land of the Amorites.
YLT
31And Israel dwelleth in the
land of the Amorite
Thus Israel dwelt in the
land of the Amorites. Not the land of the Moabites; and by those means before
mentioned; by conquering Sihon their king
they came into the possession of it
and took up their dwelling in it; this was the beginning of the conquest of the
Canaanites
and an earnest and pledge of inheriting their land promised unto
them; the Israelites that dwelt here were the tribes of Reuben and Gad.
Numbers 21:32 32 Then Moses sent to spy out Jazer; and they took its
villages and drove out the Amorites who were there.
YLT
32and Moses sendeth to spy
out Jaazer
and they capture its villages
and dispossess the Amorite who [is]
there
And Moses sent to spy out
Jaazer
.... Or Jazer
as it is called in Isaiah 16:9
another
city that belonged to the Amorites
and which they had taken from the Moabites;
and which came into the hands of the latter again
after the captivity of the
ten tribes
as appears from the above places; according to JeromF19De
locis Heb. fol. 92. G.
it was fifteen miles distant from Heshbon:
and they took the villages thereof; not the spies
as
Jarchi
but the Israelites under Moses; who upon the return of the spies
and
the report they made
marched towards it
and took it
and all the towns and
villages round about it; for it seems to have been a principal city:
and drove out the Amorites that were there; that dwelt
there
and were in possession of it; otherwise they would not have attacked it
had it
and its villages
been in the hands of the Moabites.
Numbers 21:33 33 And they turned and went up by the way to Bashan. So
Og king of Bashan went out against them
he and all his people
to battle at
Edrei.
YLT
33and turn and go up the way
of Bashan
and Og king of Bashan cometh out to meet them
he and all his
people
to battle
[at] Edrei.
And they turned
.... From
Jaazer
after they had taken it
and came back a little way:
and went up by the way of Bashan; which was a nearer way
to Canaan
a fine country abounding with oxen and sheep
having rich pastures
and very famous for its oaks; it had its name from the mountain of Bashan in
it
and has been since called Batanea; it was at this time in the hands of the
Amorites
and from them it was taken by Israel
as follows: who marched this
way for that purpose
or at least were so directed by the providence of God for
that end:
and Og king of Bashan went out against them; who was of
the race of the giants
and he himself of a gigantic stature
and was a king of
the Amorites
as well as Sihon
Deuteronomy 3:8
he
came out in an hostile manner against Israel
to stop them going any further:
he
and all his people: out of his many cities
a numerous army no doubt:
to the battle at Edrei; where it was fought
between him and Israel. Jerom saysF20De locis Heb. fol. 87. I. &
92. M. it was in his time called Adara
a famous city of Arabia
twenty four or
twenty five miles from Bozra
and six from Ashtaroth Karnaim
the ancient seat
of the Rephaim
or giants from whom Og sprung
Genesis 14:5
and
was the seat of Og now
from whence he came to Edrei or Adara
to meet and
fight Israel there; see Deuteronomy 1:4.
Numbers 21:34 34 Then the Lord said to
Moses
“Do not fear him
for I have delivered him into your hand
with all his
people and his land; and you shall do to him as you did to Sihon king of the
Amorites
who dwelt at Heshbon.”
YLT
34And Jehovah saith unto
Moses
`Fear him not
for into thy hand I have given him
and all his people
and his land
and thou hast done to him as thou hast done to Sihon king of the
Amorite
who is dwelling in Heshbon.'
And the Lord said unto
Moses
fear him not
.... Og being of a gigantic stature
and his forces numerous
might cause some fear in Moses
and in the people
and therefore the Lord
encouraged them not to be afraid of him and his army:
for I have delivered him into thy hand
and all his people
and
his land; that is
he had determined to do it
and now promised it
and it
might be depended on and looked upon as if actually done:
and thou shalt do to him as thou didst unto Sihon king of the
Amorites
which dwelt at Heshbon; slay him and his people
and take possession of his country.
Numbers 21:35 35 So they defeated him
his sons
and all his people
until there was no survivor left him; and they took possession of his land.
YLT
35And they smite him
and his
sons
and all his people
until he hath not left to him a remnant
and they
possess his land.
So they smote him and his sons
and all his people
.... They
engaged in battle with him
slew him and his sons that came with him
and all
his armies; and which consisted
as is probable
of all able to bear arms in
all his cities; which the more easily came into the hands of the Israelites
after this battle
in which such a carnage was made:
until there was none left him alive; so universal was the
slaughter at the battle
and in the cities that fell into their hands; they
utterly destroyed men
women
and children
Deuteronomy 3:3
and they possessed his land; in which were sixty
cities fenced with high walls
gates
and bars
besides a great many unwalled
towns; these were possessed by the half tribe of Manasseh
Deuteronomy 3:4.
──《John Gill’s
Exposition of the Bible》
New King James
Version (NKJV)