King James Version
Numbers 21
35 verses with commentary
The Bronze Serpent
And when king Arad the Canaanite, which dwelt in the south, heard tell that Israel came by the way of the spies; then he fought against Israel, and took some of them prisoners.
View commentary (4 sources)
KJV Study Commentary
King Arad attacked Israel and took prisoners. This unprovoked assault demonstrated that Israel faced genuine military threats requiring divine intervention. God's people experience real opposition; faith doesn't eliminate conflict but provides divine resource for victory. Israel's vow (verse 2) showed they learned to seek God's help rather than trust human strength.
Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers
XXI.
(1) **And when king Arad . . . —**The verse may be rendered thus: *Now the Canaanite, the King of Arad, which dwelt in the south country *(or, *Negeb*)* heard *(or, *had heard*)* that Israel had come by the way of Atharim *(or, *of the spies*)*, and he fought *. . . The date of this occurrence is uncertain. The district of Arad appears to have extended to the southern frontier of Canaan. (Com...
Read full commentary →Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
**5-11. he spake unto Korah and unto all his company--**They were first addressed, not only because they were a party headed by his own cousin and Moses might hope to have more influence in that quarter, but because they were stationed near the tabernacle; and especially because an expostulation was the more weighty coming from him who was a Levite himself, and who was excluded along with his fami...
Read full commentary →Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
Chapter 21
Chapter Outline
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)
**Verses 1-3**
Before the people began their march round the country of Edom, the king of Arad, a ...
Read full commentary →And Israel vowed a vow unto the LORD, and said, If thou wilt indeed deliver this people into my hand, then I will utterly destroy their cities.
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KJV Study Commentary
Israel vowed, 'If thou wilt indeed deliver this people into my hand, then I will utterly destroy their cities.' This vow of 'herem' (total devotion of spoils to God) demonstrated that they sought victory for God's glory, not personal gain. Proper vows subordinate human benefit to divine honor. God answered this prayer because it aligned with His purposes for Canaan.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
**5-11. he spake unto Korah and unto all his company--**They were first addressed, not only because they were a party headed by his own cousin and Moses might hope to have more influence in that quarter, but because they were stationed near the tabernacle; and especially because an expostulation was the more weighty coming from him who was a Levite himself, and who was excluded along with his fami...
Read full commentary →Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
Chapter 21
Chapter Outline
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)
**Verses 1-3**
Before the people began their march round the country of Edom, the king of Arad, a ...
Read full commentary →And the LORD hearkened to the voice of Israel, and delivered up the Canaanites; and they utterly destroyed them and their cities: and he called the name of the place Hormah. Hormah: that is, Utter destruction
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KJV Study Commentary
The LORD 'delivered up the Canaanites' in response to Israel's vow. Divine intervention secured victory they couldn't achieve alone. The place was named 'Hormah' (destruction/devotion), memorializing God's faithfulness. Naming places after God's acts creates permanent testimony to His intervention. Our lives should be marked by memorial experiences of divine faithfulness.
Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers
(3) **And they utterly destroyed them and their cities.**—The meaning of the verb which is here employed is to *devote to destruction, *and hence to *destroy utterly. *It does not clearly appear whether this destruction was effected at once, or whether the fulfilment of the vow took place at a later period. (See Joshua 12:14; Judges 1:17.) If the attack of the Canaanites was made at the time of th...
Read full commentary →Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
**5-11. he spake unto Korah and unto all his company--**They were first addressed, not only because they were a party headed by his own cousin and Moses might hope to have more influence in that quarter, but because they were stationed near the tabernacle; and especially because an expostulation was the more weighty coming from him who was a Levite himself, and who was excluded along with his fami...
Read full commentary →Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
Chapter 21
Chapter Outline
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)
**Verses 1-3**
Before the people began their march round the country of Edom, the king of Arad, a ...
Read full commentary →And they journeyed from mount Hor by the way of the Red sea, to compass the land of Edom: and the soul of the people was much discouraged because of the way. discouraged: or, grieved: Heb. shortened
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KJV Study Commentary
Israel journeyed 'by the way of the Red sea, to compass the land of Edom' because Edom refused passage (20:14-21). This detour tested patience, prompting the complaint that follows. The phrase 'the soul of the people was much discouraged because of the way' reveals how circumstantial difficulty can erode faith, especially when God's path seems indirect or unnecessarily hard.
Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers
(4) **Because of the way.—**Better, *in *(or, *on*)* the way. *In addition to all the hardships and dangers of the journey, they were conscious that they were turning their backs upon the land of Canaan, instead of marching by a direct course into it.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
**5-11. he spake unto Korah and unto all his company--**They were first addressed, not only because they were a party headed by his own cousin and Moses might hope to have more influence in that quarter, but because they were stationed near the tabernacle; and especially because an expostulation was the more weighty coming from him who was a Levite himself, and who was excluded along with his fami...
Read full commentary →Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
**Verses 4-9**
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 wh...
Read full commentary →And 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 our soul loatheth this light bread.
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KJV Study Commentary
Israel's complaint repeated familiar themes: 'Wherefore have ye brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness?' They again despised manna, calling it 'light bread' (Hebrew 'qeloqel', worthless or contemptible). This rejection of God's miraculous provision near the journey's end showed that time doesn't automatically mature faith—Israel ended as they began, in unbelieving complaint.
Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers
(5) **This light bread.—**The word rendered *light *denotes something vile or worthless. It was thus that the Israelites regarded the manna which was given to them from heaven; even as the “spiritual meat” which is given to Christ’s Church in His word and ordinances is too commonly regarded amongst ourselves.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
**12-14. Moses sent to call Dathan and Abiram--**in a separate interview, the ground of their mutiny being different; for while Korah murmured against the exclusive appropriation of the priesthood to Aaron and his family, they were opposed to the supremacy of Moses in civil power. They refused to obey the summons; and their refusal was grounded on the plausible pretext that their stay in the deser...
Read full commentary →Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
**Verses 4-9**
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 wh...
Read full commentary →And the LORD sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people; and much people of Israel died.
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KJV Study Commentary
God sent 'fiery serpents' (Hebrew 'seraphim', burning ones) among Israel, whose bites killed many. The adjective 'fiery' may describe the burning pain of venom or the serpents' appearance. This judgment matched the sin—they complained about lack of food and water, so God removed protection from deadly environment. Yet even this severe discipline aimed at producing repentance.
Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers
(6) **And the Lord sent fiery serpents . . . —**Hebrew, *the serpents, the seraphim *(*i.e., *the burning ones). (See Deuteronomy 8:15; Isaiah 14:29; Isaiah 30:6.) The word appears to denote a particular kind of serpent, as in the following verse. Some think that they were so called because of the bright fiery red upon their heads; others because of the blazing sunbeams on their scales; and others...
Read full commentary →Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
**12-14. Moses sent to call Dathan and Abiram--**in a separate interview, the ground of their mutiny being different; for while Korah murmured against the exclusive appropriation of the priesthood to Aaron and his family, they were opposed to the supremacy of Moses in civil power. They refused to obey the summons; and their refusal was grounded on the plausible pretext that their stay in the deser...
Read full commentary →Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
**Verses 4-9**
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 wh...
Read full commentary →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.
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KJV Study Commentary
Israel confessed 'We have sinned, for we have spoken against the LORD, and against thee' to Moses, requesting his intercession. This acknowledgment of sin against both God and His servant demonstrated genuine repentance. Their request 'pray unto the LORD, that he take away the serpents' sought removal of consequences, yet God's answer provided healing while serpents remained, teaching that forgive...
Read full commentary →Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
**12-14. Moses sent to call Dathan and Abiram--**in a separate interview, the ground of their mutiny being different; for while Korah murmured against the exclusive appropriation of the priesthood to Aaron and his family, they were opposed to the supremacy of Moses in civil power. They refused to obey the summons; and their refusal was grounded on the plausible pretext that their stay in the deser...
Read full commentary →Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
**Verses 4-9**
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 wh...
Read full commentary →And the LORD said unto Moses, Make thee a fiery serpent, and set it upon a pole: and it shall come to pass, that every one that is bitten, when he looketh upon it, shall live.
View commentary (4 sources)
KJV Study Commentary
<strong>And the LORD said unto Moses, Make thee a fiery serpent, and set it upon a pole.</strong> God commands Moses to create a bronze replica of the venomous serpents that had been killing Israelites as judgment for their complaints. This strange command—making an image of the judgment instrument—becomes a means of deliverance when looked upon in faith. The bronze serpent (<em>nachash nechoshet<...
Read full commentary →Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers
(8) **Make thee a fiery serpent.—**The single Hebrew word which is here employed is *saraph *(a seraph), or *burning one, *as in Numbers 21:6, where the word *nehashim*—*serpents*—occurs also. The meaning is explained in the following verse, in which it is said that Moses made “a serpent of brass.”
**Set it upon a pole.—**Better, *a standard. *The LXX. have σημεῖον*, *the Vulgate *signum. *The Heb...
Read full commentary →Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
**15. Moses was very wroth--**Though the meekest of all men [Nu 12:3], he could not restrain his indignation at these unjust and groundless charges; and the highly excited state of his feeling was evinced by the utterance of a brief exclamation in the mixed form of a prayer and an impassioned assertion of his integrity. (Compare 1Sa 12:3).
**and said unto the Lord, Respect not thou their offerin...
Read full commentary →Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
**Verses 4-9**
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 wh...
Read full commentary →And 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.
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KJV Study Commentary
Moses' obedience to God's command creates one of the Old Testament's most powerful types of Christ's atoning work. The bronze serpent (Hebrew: 'nachash nechoshet', נְחַשׁ נְחֹשֶׁת) represents sin itself—the very thing killing the people—fashioned in bronze (a metal suggesting judgment) and lifted up for all to see. The simplicity of the cure is striking: 'when he beheld the serpent of brass, he li...
Read full commentary →Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers
(9) **And Moses made a serpent of brass.—**The old serpent was the cause of death, temporal and spiritual. Christ Jesus, “in the likeness of sinful flesh” (Romans 8:3), was made sin for us (2Corinthians 5:21), and thus fulfilled, as He Himself explained to Nicodemus, the type of the brazen serpent (John 3:14-15). The meaning of this type, or “sign of salvation,” is explained in the Book of Wisdom ...
Read full commentary →Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
**16-18. Moses said unto Korah, Be thou and all thy company before the Lord--**that is, at "the door of the tabernacle" (Nu 16:18), that the assembled people might witness the experiment and be properly impressed by the issue.
Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
**Verses 4-9**
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 wh...
Read full commentary →Journey to Moab
And the children of Israel set forward, and pitched in Oboth.
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KJV Study Commentary
<strong>And the children of Israel set forward, and pitched in Oboth.</strong> This seemingly simple geographical notation carries profound theological weight within Israel's wilderness journey. The Hebrew verb <em>nasa</em> (נָסַע, "set forward") indicates purposeful movement under divine direction, not aimless wandering. Each stage of the journey was ordained by God through the pillar of cloud a...
Read full commentary →Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers
(10) **And pitched in Oboth.—**The intermediate stations between Mount Hor and Oboth were Zalmonah and Punon (Numbers 33:41-43). The former of these places is thought by some to have derived its name from the Hebrew word *zelem *(image, or likeness), and to have been the place at which the likeness of the serpents which bit the Israelites was set up.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
**16-18. Moses said unto Korah, Be thou and all thy company before the Lord--**that is, at "the door of the tabernacle" (Nu 16:18), that the assembled people might witness the experiment and be properly impressed by the issue.
Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
**Verses 10-20**
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 ...
Read full commentary →And they journeyed from Oboth, and pitched at Ijeabarim, in the wilderness which is before Moab, toward the sunrising . Ijeabarim: or, heaps of Abarim
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KJV Study Commentary
<strong>They journeyed from Oboth, and pitched at Ije-abarim</strong> (עִיֵּי הָעֲבָרִים, <em>iyye ha-abarim</em>, "ruins of the regions beyond")—Israel's encampment names marked their progress toward Canaan. <strong>In the wilderness which is before Moab, toward the sunrising</strong> locates them east of the Dead Sea, approaching Transjordan from the southern route. Each encampment testified to ...
Read full commentary →Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers
(11) **At Ije-abarim.—**This word seems to denote *the heaps *(or, *ruins*)* of passages or of coast or river lands*—*i.e., *of districts bordering upon the sea or a river. It is called *Iim *or *Iyim *simply in Numbers 33:45.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
**16-18. Moses said unto Korah, Be thou and all thy company before the Lord--**that is, at "the door of the tabernacle" (Nu 16:18), that the assembled people might witness the experiment and be properly impressed by the issue.
Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
**Verses 10-20**
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 ...
Read full commentary →From thence they removed, and pitched in the valley of Zared.
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KJV Study Commentary
<strong>From thence they removed, and pitched in the valley of Zared</strong> (נַחַל זָרֶד, <em>nachal Zared</em>)—This wadi marked the boundary between Edomite territory and Moabite lands. Deuteronomy 2:13-14 identifies this crossing as the moment when the condemned generation finally died off—38 years after Kadesh-barnea. The <em>nachal</em> (torrent valley) becomes a theological marker: death's...
Read full commentary →Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
**Verses 10-20**
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 ...
Read full commentary →From thence they removed, and pitched on the other side of Arnon, which is in the wilderness that cometh out of the coasts of the Amorites: for Arnon is the border of Moab, between Moab and the Amorites.
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KJV Study Commentary
<strong>Pitched on the other side of Arnon</strong> (אַרְנוֹן, <em>Arnon</em>)—This gorge, cut 1,700 feet deep into Moab's plateau, formed the border <strong>between Moab and the Amorites</strong>. Israel carefully avoided Moabite territory (Deuteronomy 2:9) but camped in no-man's-land north of Arnon. <strong>Which cometh out of the coasts of the Amorites</strong> clarifies that this wilderness be...
Read full commentary →Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers
(13) **On the other side of Arnon.**—Better, *by the side of the Arnon. *(Comp. Deuteronomy 2:24; Deuteronomy 2:26.) The Hebrew word which is here used does not determine on which side of the Arnon the encampment was. (Comp. Numbers 22:1, and Note.)
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
**20-21. the Lord spake unto Moses and Aaron, saying, Separate yourselves from among this congregation--**Curiosity to witness the exciting spectacle attracted a vast concourse of the people, and it would seem that the popular mind had been incited to evil by the clamors of the mutineers against Moses and Aaron. There was something in their behavior very offensive to God; for after His glory had a...
Read full commentary →Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
**Verses 10-20**
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 ...
Read full commentary →Wherefore it is said in the book of the wars of the LORD, What he did in the Red sea, and in the brooks of Arnon, What: or, Vaheb in Suphah
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KJV Study Commentary
<strong>In the book of the wars of the LORD</strong> (בְּסֵפֶר מִלְחֲמֹת יְהוָה, <em>be-sefer milchamot YHWH</em>)—Moses cites an ancient military chronicle, now lost, documenting Yahweh's victories. This proves biblical writers used historical sources and expected readers to verify references. <strong>What he did in the Red sea, and in the brooks of Arnon</strong> parallels the Exodus deliverance...
Read full commentary →Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers
(14, 15) **The book of the wars of the Lord.—**Nothing is known about this book. The last days of Moses, as Baumgarten has observed, may have been a suitable time for the commencement of such a work. The history of the journey from Kadesh to the *Arboth Moab *was not written by Moses until after the defeat of the two kings of the Amorites, and the subjugation of the land on the east of the Jordan....
Read full commentary →Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
**20-21. the Lord spake unto Moses and Aaron, saying, Separate yourselves from among this congregation--**Curiosity to witness the exciting spectacle attracted a vast concourse of the people, and it would seem that the popular mind had been incited to evil by the clamors of the mutineers against Moses and Aaron. There was something in their behavior very offensive to God; for after His glory had a...
Read full commentary →Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
**Verses 10-20**
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 ...
Read full commentary →And at the stream of the brooks that goeth down to the dwelling of Ar, and lieth upon the border of Moab. lieth: Heb. leaneth
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KJV Study Commentary
<strong>At the stream of the brooks that goeth down to the dwelling of Ar</strong>—This verse continues the poetic fragment from the Book of the Wars. <em>Ar</em> (עָר) was Moab's chief city, and these wadis marked territorial boundaries. <strong>Lieth upon the border of Moab</strong> reiterates Israel's careful navigation of international boundaries under divine supervision.<br><br>The repetition...
Read full commentary →Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
**22. they fell upon their faces, and said, O God, the God of the spirits of all flesh--**The benevolent importunity of their prayer was the more remarkable that the intercession was made for their enemies.
Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
**Verses 10-20**
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 ...
Read full commentary →And 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.
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KJV Study Commentary
<strong>From thence they went to Beer: that is the well</strong> (בְּאֵר, <em>be'er</em>, meaning "well")—After recounting military boundaries, the narrative shifts to water provision. <strong>Gather the people together, and I will give them water</strong> echoes earlier water miracles (Exodus 17, Numbers 20) but without Moses' intercession or rock-striking. This generation receives water through ...
Read full commentary →Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
**Verses 10-20**
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 ...
Read full commentary →Then Israel sang this song, Spring up, O well; sing ye unto it: Spring: Heb. Ascend sing: or, answer
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KJV Study Commentary
Israel sang: 'Spring up, O well; sing ye unto it.' This spontaneous worship celebrated God's provision of water in the wilderness. The Hebrew 'ali' (spring up/ascend) personifies the well, calling water forth. This joyful song contrasts sharply with earlier complaints about water (Ex 15:24, 17:1-7, Num 20:2-5), showing spiritual progress in the new generation. Corporate worship expresses faith and...
Read full commentary →Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
**24-26. Speak unto the congregation, ... Get you up from about the tabernacle--**Moses was attended in the execution of this mission by the elders. The united and urgent entreaties of so many dignified personages produced the desired effect of convincing the people of their crime, and of withdrawing them from the company of men who were doomed to destruction, lest, being partakers of their sins, ...
Read full commentary →Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
**Verses 10-20**
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 ...
Read full commentary →The princes digged the well, the nobles of the people digged it, by the direction of the lawgiver, with their staves. And from the wilderness they went to Mattanah:
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KJV Study Commentary
The song celebrating the well 'which the princes digged, which the nobles of the people digged, with the scepter, and with their staves' shows joyful cooperation in obtaining God's provision. The imagery of leaders digging with their official staffs (normally not used for manual labor) suggests that even those in authority humble themselves for the community's benefit. The well represents God's pr...
Read full commentary →Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers
(18) **By the direction of the lawgiver.—**Better, *with the ruler’s staff. *The same word occurs in Genesis 49:10, where it stands in parallelism to “the sceptre.” (See Note *in loc.*)
**And from the wilderness they went to Mat-tanah.—**The Targums interpret this and Numbers 21:19-20 of the well, *And from the wilderness it was given to them for a gift, and from thence it was given to them in Mat...
Read full commentary →Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
**24-26. Speak unto the congregation, ... Get you up from about the tabernacle--**Moses was attended in the execution of this mission by the elders. The united and urgent entreaties of so many dignified personages produced the desired effect of convincing the people of their crime, and of withdrawing them from the company of men who were doomed to destruction, lest, being partakers of their sins, ...
Read full commentary →Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
**Verses 10-20**
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 ...
Read full commentary →And from Mattanah to Nahaliel: and from Nahaliel to Bamoth:
View commentary (3 sources)
KJV Study Commentary
<strong>From Mattanah to Nahaliel: and from Nahaliel to Bamoth</strong>—These three place names form a wordplay pregnant with meaning: <em>Mattanah</em> (מַתָּנָה, "gift"), <em>Nahaliel</em> (נַחֲלִיאֵל, "valley of God"), and <em>Bamoth</em> (בָּמוֹת, "high places"). The progression maps spiritual ascent: from God's gift, through God's valley, to elevated worship. Whether intentional naming or Mos...
Read full commentary →Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
**24-26. Speak unto the congregation, ... Get you up from about the tabernacle--**Moses was attended in the execution of this mission by the elders. The united and urgent entreaties of so many dignified personages produced the desired effect of convincing the people of their crime, and of withdrawing them from the company of men who were doomed to destruction, lest, being partakers of their sins, ...
Read full commentary →Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
**Verses 10-20**
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 ...
Read full commentary →And from Bamoth in the valley, that is in the country of Moab, to the top of Pisgah, which looketh toward Jeshimon. country: Heb. field Pisgah: or, the hill Jeshimon: or, the wilderness
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KJV Study Commentary
<strong>From Bamoth in the valley...to the top of Pisgah</strong> (פִּסְגָּה, <em>Pisgah</em>)—This mountain ridge overlooking the Dead Sea and Jordan Valley would become Moses' viewpoint for surveying the Promised Land before his death (Deuteronomy 34:1). <strong>Which looketh toward Jeshimon</strong> (הַיְשִׁימֹן, <em>ha-yeshimon</em>, "the wasteland") identifies the barren desert stretching tow...
Read full commentary →Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers
(20) **And from Bamoth in the valley.—**Better, *and from Bamoth to the valley that is *. . . The *country *(or, rather, *field*) of Moab was a portion of the table-land which stretches from Rabbath Ammân to the Arnon. The valley in this table-land was upon the height of Pisgah—i.e., the northern part of the mountains of Abarim.
**Toward Jeshimon.—**Or, *across the waste *(or, *desert*)*.*
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
**27. the tabernacle of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram--**Korah being a Kohathite, his tent could not have been in the Reubenite camp, and it does not appear that he himself was on the spot where Dathan and Abiram stood with their families. Their attitude of defiance indicated their daring and impenitent character, equally regardless of God and man.
Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
**Verses 10-20**
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 ...
Read full commentary →Victory over Sihon and Og
And Israel sent messengers unto Sihon king of the Amorites, saying,
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KJV Study Commentary
Israel 'sent messengers unto Sihon king of the Amorites, saying, Let me pass through thy land.' The humble request 'let me pass' (Hebrew 'abar') with promise not to turn aside sought peaceful passage. Sihon's refusal and attack (v.23) proved costly - Israel defeated him and took his land (v.24-25). This began Transjordan conquest, unplanned but divinely enabled. The pattern teaches that when peopl...
Read full commentary →Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
**28-34. Moses said, Hereby ye shall know that the Lord hath sent me to do all these works--**The awful catastrophe of the earthquake which, as predicted by Moses, swallowed up those impious rebels in a living tomb, gave the divine attestation to the mission of Moses and struck the spectators with solemn awe.
Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
**Verses 21-35**
Sihon went with his forces against Israel, out of his own borders, without provocation, and so ran upon his own ruin. The enemies of God's church often perish by the counsels they think most wisely taken. Og, king of Bashan, instead of being warned by the fate of his neighbours, to make peace with Israel, makes war with them, which proves in like manner his destruction. Wicked...
Read full commentary →Let me pass through thy land: we 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.
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KJV Study Commentary
Israel's request to the king of the Amorites 'Let me pass through thy land' demonstrates their attempt at peaceful passage. The promise 'we will not turn into the fields, or into the vineyards; we will not drink of the waters of the well' pledged non-interference with Amorite property. This respectful approach shows that Israel, despite their military strength (600,000+ fighting men), sought peace...
Read full commentary →Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
**28-34. Moses said, Hereby ye shall know that the Lord hath sent me to do all these works--**The awful catastrophe of the earthquake which, as predicted by Moses, swallowed up those impious rebels in a living tomb, gave the divine attestation to the mission of Moses and struck the spectators with solemn awe.
Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
**Verses 21-35**
Sihon went with his forces against Israel, out of his own borders, without provocation, and so ran upon his own ruin. The enemies of God's church often perish by the counsels they think most wisely taken. Og, king of Bashan, instead of being warned by the fate of his neighbours, to make peace with Israel, makes war with them, which proves in like manner his destruction. Wicked...
Read full commentary →And 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 Jahaz, and fought against Israel.
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KJV Study Commentary
<strong>Sihon would not suffer Israel to pass through</strong>—Unlike Edom's refusal (Numbers 20:18-21), Sihon's rejection escalated to aggression. <strong>But Sihon gathered all his people together, and went out against Israel into the wilderness: and he came to Jahaz</strong> (יַהְצָה, <em>Yahtsah</em>)—This wasn't mere border defense but offensive warfare. Deuteronomy 2:30 reveals God hardened ...
Read full commentary →Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
**28-34. Moses said, Hereby ye shall know that the Lord hath sent me to do all these works--**The awful catastrophe of the earthquake which, as predicted by Moses, swallowed up those impious rebels in a living tomb, gave the divine attestation to the mission of Moses and struck the spectators with solemn awe.
Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
**Verses 21-35**
Sihon went with his forces against Israel, out of his own borders, without provocation, and so ran upon his own ruin. The enemies of God's church often perish by the counsels they think most wisely taken. Og, king of Bashan, instead of being warned by the fate of his neighbours, to make peace with Israel, makes war with them, which proves in like manner his destruction. Wicked...
Read full commentary →And Israel smote him with the edge of the sword, and possessed his land from Arnon unto Jabbok, even unto the children of Ammon: for the border of the children of Ammon was strong.
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KJV Study Commentary
<strong>Israel smote him with the edge of the sword</strong> (לְפִי־חָרֶב, <em>le-fi-charev</em>, literally "by the mouth of the sword")—Israel's first major conquest fulfilled God's promise to give them victory. <strong>And possessed his land from Arnon unto Jabbok</strong>—This territory, roughly 60 miles north-south, became the inheritance of Reuben, Gad, and half of Manasseh (Numbers 32). <str...
Read full commentary →Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers
(24) **For the border of the children of Ammon was strong.—**These words assign the reason why the conquests of the Amorites were arrested, not why the children of Israel did not take possession of the land of the Ammonites, with whom they were forbidden to meddle, and whose land they were not to occupy. (See Deuteronomy 2:19.)
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
**28-34. Moses said, Hereby ye shall know that the Lord hath sent me to do all these works--**The awful catastrophe of the earthquake which, as predicted by Moses, swallowed up those impious rebels in a living tomb, gave the divine attestation to the mission of Moses and struck the spectators with solemn awe.
Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
**Verses 21-35**
Sihon went with his forces against Israel, out of his own borders, without provocation, and so ran upon his own ruin. The enemies of God's church often perish by the counsels they think most wisely taken. Og, king of Bashan, instead of being warned by the fate of his neighbours, to make peace with Israel, makes war with them, which proves in like manner his destruction. Wicked...
Read full commentary →And Israel took all these cities: and Israel dwelt in all the cities of the Amorites, in Heshbon, and in all the villages thereof. villages: Heb. daughters
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KJV Study Commentary
After defeating Sihon, 'Israel took all these cities: and Israel dwelt in all the cities of the Amorites, in Heshbon, and in all the villages thereof.' The Hebrew 'yashab' (dwelt/settled) marks Israel's first possession of promised territory - Transjordan became Reuben, Gad, and half-Manasseh's inheritance (ch 32). This initial conquest demonstrated God's enabling power and encouraged faith for Ca...
Read full commentary →Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers
(25) **And Israel dwelt in all the cities of the Amorites.**—If, as appears most probable, this and the thirty-first verse form a part of the original narrative, the word which is rendered *dwelt *should be rendered *sojourned, *or *abode, *and understood, in accordance with the frequent use of the word (as, *e.g., *in Numbers 22:5; Numbers 22:8), of a temporary occupation or encampment. The perma...
Read full commentary →Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
**28-34. Moses said, Hereby ye shall know that the Lord hath sent me to do all these works--**The awful catastrophe of the earthquake which, as predicted by Moses, swallowed up those impious rebels in a living tomb, gave the divine attestation to the mission of Moses and struck the spectators with solemn awe.
Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
**Verses 21-35**
Sihon went with his forces against Israel, out of his own borders, without provocation, and so ran upon his own ruin. The enemies of God's church often perish by the counsels they think most wisely taken. Og, king of Bashan, instead of being warned by the fate of his neighbours, to make peace with Israel, makes war with them, which proves in like manner his destruction. Wicked...
Read full commentary →For Heshbon was the city of Sihon the king of the Amorites, who had fought against the former king of Moab, and taken all his land out of his hand, even unto Arnon.
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KJV Study Commentary
<strong>For Heshbon was the city of Sihon the king of the Amorites</strong>—This explains Israel's right to Moabite-named territory: Sihon had conquered it from Moab first. <strong>Who had fought against the former king of Moab, and taken all his land out of his hand, even unto Arnon</strong>—Amorite conquest invalidated Moabite claims. Israel took from Amorites what Amorites took from Moab, creat...
Read full commentary →Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers
(26) **And taken all his land . . . —***i.e., *the land between the Arnon and the Jabbok, as it is explained in the last clause of the verse.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
**28-34. Moses said, Hereby ye shall know that the Lord hath sent me to do all these works--**The awful catastrophe of the earthquake which, as predicted by Moses, swallowed up those impious rebels in a living tomb, gave the divine attestation to the mission of Moses and struck the spectators with solemn awe.
Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
**Verses 21-35**
Sihon went with his forces against Israel, out of his own borders, without provocation, and so ran upon his own ruin. The enemies of God's church often perish by the counsels they think most wisely taken. Og, king of Bashan, instead of being warned by the fate of his neighbours, to make peace with Israel, makes war with them, which proves in like manner his destruction. Wicked...
Read full commentary →Wherefore they that speak in proverbs say, Come into Heshbon, let the city of Sihon be built and prepared:
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KJV Study Commentary
<strong>Wherefore they that speak in proverbs say</strong> (הַמֹּשְׁלִים, <em>ha-moshelim</em>, "the parable-makers")—Moses quotes an ancient victory song, possibly Amorite, celebrating Sihon's earlier conquest of Heshbon from Moab. <strong>Come into Heshbon, let the city of Sihon be built and prepared</strong>—The taunt invited settlement in newly conquered territory. Ironically, Israel now sings...
Read full commentary →Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers
(27-30) **Come into Heshbon.—**These verses appear to commemorate first the victory of the Amorites over the Moabites, and then that of the Israelites over the Amorites. They may be rendered thus:—
“*Come ye to Heshbon!
Let the city of Sihon be built up and restored!
For a fire went out from Heshbon—
A flame from the city of Sihon:
It devoured Ar *(*or, the city*)* of Moab—
The lords of the high p...
Read full commentary →Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
**28-34. Moses said, Hereby ye shall know that the Lord hath sent me to do all these works--**The awful catastrophe of the earthquake which, as predicted by Moses, swallowed up those impious rebels in a living tomb, gave the divine attestation to the mission of Moses and struck the spectators with solemn awe.
Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
**Verses 21-35**
Sihon went with his forces against Israel, out of his own borders, without provocation, and so ran upon his own ruin. The enemies of God's church often perish by the counsels they think most wisely taken. Og, king of Bashan, instead of being warned by the fate of his neighbours, to make peace with Israel, makes war with them, which proves in like manner his destruction. Wicked...
Read full commentary →For there is a fire gone out of Heshbon, a flame from the city of Sihon: it hath consumed Ar of Moab, and the lords of the high places of Arnon.
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KJV Study Commentary
<strong>For there is a fire gone out of Heshbon, a flame from the city of Sihon</strong>—This poetic metaphor describes Sihon's military devastation of Moab. <strong>It hath consumed Ar of Moab, and the lords of the high places of Arnon</strong> (בַּעֲלֵי בָמוֹת אַרְנֹן, <em>ba'ale bamot Arnon</em>)—The "lords" (<em>ba'alim</em>) likely refers to both political rulers and cultic officiants at Cana...
Read full commentary →Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
**35. there came out a fire from the Lord--**that is, from the cloud. This seems to describe the destruction of Korah and those Levites who with him aspired to the functions of the priesthood. (See Nu 26:11, 58; 1Ch 6:22, 37).
Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
**Verses 21-35**
Sihon went with his forces against Israel, out of his own borders, without provocation, and so ran upon his own ruin. The enemies of God's church often perish by the counsels they think most wisely taken. Og, king of Bashan, instead of being warned by the fate of his neighbours, to make peace with Israel, makes war with them, which proves in like manner his destruction. Wicked...
Read full commentary →Woe to thee, Moab! thou art undone, O people of Chemosh: he hath given his sons that escaped, and his daughters, into captivity unto Sihon king of the Amorites.
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KJV Study Commentary
<strong>Woe to thee, Moab! thou art undone, O people of Chemosh</strong> (כְּמוֹש, <em>Kemosh</em>)—Chemosh was Moab's national deity (1 Kings 11:7), here mocked for inability to protect his worshipers. <strong>He hath given his sons that escaped, and his daughters, into captivity unto Sihon</strong>—The false god delivers his own people to defeat, reversing expected divine protection. This taunt ...
Read full commentary →Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
**Verses 21-35**
Sihon went with his forces against Israel, out of his own borders, without provocation, and so ran upon his own ruin. The enemies of God's church often perish by the counsels they think most wisely taken. Og, king of Bashan, instead of being warned by the fate of his neighbours, to make peace with Israel, makes war with them, which proves in like manner his destruction. Wicked...
Read full commentary →We have shot at them; Heshbon is perished even unto Dibon, and we have laid them waste even unto Nophah, which reacheth unto Medeba.
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KJV Study Commentary
<strong>We have shot at them</strong>—The victory song continues with graphic battle imagery. <strong>Heshbon is perished even unto Dibon</strong>—These cities marked the extent of Sihon's (and now Israel's) conquest. <strong>And we have laid them waste even unto Nophah, which reacheth unto Medeba</strong>—Each place-name testifies to comprehensive defeat. The litany of conquered cities demonstrat...
Read full commentary →Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
**37-40. Speak unto Eleazar--**He was selected lest the high priest might contract defilement from going among the dead carcasses.
Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
**Verses 21-35**
Sihon went with his forces against Israel, out of his own borders, without provocation, and so ran upon his own ruin. The enemies of God's church often perish by the counsels they think most wisely taken. Og, king of Bashan, instead of being warned by the fate of his neighbours, to make peace with Israel, makes war with them, which proves in like manner his destruction. Wicked...
Read full commentary →Thus Israel dwelt in the land of the Amorites.
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KJV Study Commentary
<strong>Thus Israel dwelt in the land of the Amorites</strong> (וַיֵּשֶׁב יִשְׂרָאֵל, <em>va-yeshev Yisrael</em>)—The verb <em>yashav</em> means "to dwell, settle, inhabit"—not temporary camping but possession. This simple statement marks epochal transition: from wanderers to landowners, from nomads to settlers. Israel's 40-year wilderness sojourn ended not in Canaan proper but in Transjordan conq...
Read full commentary →Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers
(31) **Thus Israel dwelt . . .**-Better, *And Israel sojourned, *&c. (See Note on Numbers 21:25.)
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers
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Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
**37-40. Speak unto Eleazar--**He was selected lest the high priest might contract defilement from going among the dead carcasses.
Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
**Verses 21-35**
Sihon went with his forces against Israel, out of his own borders, without provocation, and so ran upon his own ruin. The enemies of God's church often perish by the counsels they think most wisely taken. Og, king of Bashan, instead of being warned by the fate of his neighbours, to make peace with Israel, makes war with them, which proves in like manner his destruction. Wicked...
Read full commentary →And Moses sent to spy out Jaazer, and they took the villages thereof, and drove out the Amorites that were there.
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KJV Study Commentary
<strong>And Moses sent to spy out Jaazer</strong> (יַעְזֵר, <em>Ya'azer</em>)—Unlike the fearful spying at Kadesh-barnea (Numbers 13-14), this reconnaissance preceded immediate conquest. <strong>And they took the villages thereof, and drove out the Amorites that were there</strong>—The contrast is stark: same action (spying), opposite outcomes (faith vs. fear). The new generation acts on intellige...
Read full commentary →Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
**37-40. Speak unto Eleazar--**He was selected lest the high priest might contract defilement from going among the dead carcasses.
Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
**Verses 21-35**
Sihon went with his forces against Israel, out of his own borders, without provocation, and so ran upon his own ruin. The enemies of God's church often perish by the counsels they think most wisely taken. Og, king of Bashan, instead of being warned by the fate of his neighbours, to make peace with Israel, makes war with them, which proves in like manner his destruction. Wicked...
Read full commentary →And they turned and went up by the way of Bashan: and Og the king of Bashan went out against them, he, and all his people, to the battle at Edrei.
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KJV Study Commentary
<strong>And they turned and went up by the way of Bashan: and Og the king of Bashan went out against them</strong>—<em>Og</em> (עוֹג) was the last of the Rephaim (Deuteronomy 3:11), the giant-race that terrified the earlier generation (Numbers 13:33). <strong>He, and all his people, to the battle at Edrei</strong> (אֶדְרֶעִי, <em>Edre'i</em>)—Og's aggression mirrors Sihon's: both attacked Israel, ...
Read full commentary →Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
**37-40. Speak unto Eleazar--**He was selected lest the high priest might contract defilement from going among the dead carcasses.
Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
**Verses 21-35**
Sihon went with his forces against Israel, out of his own borders, without provocation, and so ran upon his own ruin. The enemies of God's church often perish by the counsels they think most wisely taken. Og, king of Bashan, instead of being warned by the fate of his neighbours, to make peace with Israel, makes war with them, which proves in like manner his destruction. Wicked...
Read full commentary →And the LORD said unto Moses, Fear him not: for I have delivered him into thy hand, and all his people, and his land; and thou shalt do to him as thou didst unto Sihon king of the Amorites, which dwelt at Heshbon.
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KJV Study Commentary
Before battling Og king of Bashan, God reassures Moses 'Fear him not: for I have delivered him into thy hand.' The perfect tense 'have delivered' indicates completed action before battle commenced, showing divine sovereignty accomplishing victory before human participation. Og's great stature (Deuteronomy 3:11) made fear understandable, yet God's promise made courage possible.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
**41. the children of Israel murmured against Moses and against Aaron, saying, Ye have killed the people of the Lord--**What a strange exhibition of popular prejudice and passion--to blame the leaders for saving the rebels! Yet Moses and Aaron interceded for the people--the high priest perilling his own life in doing good to that perverse race.
Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
**Verses 21-35**
Sihon went with his forces against Israel, out of his own borders, without provocation, and so ran upon his own ruin. The enemies of God's church often perish by the counsels they think most wisely taken. Og, king of Bashan, instead of being warned by the fate of his neighbours, to make peace with Israel, makes war with them, which proves in like manner his destruction. Wicked...
Read full commentary →So they smote him, and his sons, and all his people, until there was none left him alive: and they possessed his land.
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KJV Study Commentary
Israel 'smote him, and his sons, and all his people, until there was none left him alive remaining: and they possessed his land.' This complete conquest fulfilled God's promise and provided territory for Reuben, Gad, and half-Manasseh. The totality of victory demonstrated God's power when Israel obeyed in faith, contrasting with earlier failure at Kadesh-barnea when they feared similar giants.
Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
**Verses 21-35**
Sihon went with his forces against Israel, out of his own borders, without provocation, and so ran upon his own ruin. The enemies of God's church often perish by the counsels they think most wisely taken. Og, king of Bashan, instead of being warned by the fate of his neighbours, to make peace with Israel, makes war with them, which proves in like manner his destruction. Wicked...
Read full commentary →