Numbers 21: Trials, Tribulations, and Triumphs on the Journey to Promise
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
And the Lord sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people; and much people of Israel died.
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.
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.
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.
And the children of Israel set forward, and pitched in Oboth.
And they journeyed from Oboth, and pitched at Ije–abarim, in the wilderness which is before Moab, toward the sunrising.
From thence they removed, and pitched in the valley of Zared.
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.
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,
And at the stream of the brooks that goeth down to the dwelling of Ar, and lieth upon the border of Moab.
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.
Then Israel sang this song, Spring up, O well; sing ye unto it:
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:
And from Mattanah to Nahaliel: and from Nahaliel to Bamoth:
And from Bamoth in the valley, that is in the country of Moab, to the top of Pisgah, which looketh toward Jeshimon.
And Israel sent messengers unto Sihon king of the Amorites, saying,
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.
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.
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.
And Israel took all these cities: and Israel dwelt in all the cities of the Amorites, in Heshbon, and in all the villages thereof.
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.
Wherefore they that speak in proverbs say, Come into Heshbon, let the city of Sihon be built and prepared:
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.
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.
We have shot at them; Heshbon is perished even unto Dibon, and we have laid them waste even unto Nophah, which reacheth unto Medeba.
Thus Israel dwelt in the land of the Amorites.
And Moses sent to spy out Jaazer, and they took the villages thereof, and drove out the Amorites that were there.
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.
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.
So they smote him, and his sons, and all his people, until there was none left him alive: and they possessed his land.
Numbers 21 recounts a pivotal series of events as the Israelites, after decades of wandering, finally approach the Promised Land. This chapter reveals a potent mix of human frailty, divine judgment, and God's unwavering faithfulness. It serves as a reminder that even on the cusp of fulfilling God's promises, our journey of faith remains a process of growth, testing, and reliance on His grace.
Victory Over Arad and the Canaanites (Numbers 21:1-3)
The chapter opens with a military challenge. The Canaanite king of Arad, residing in the Negev (the southern desert region of modern-day Israel), aggressively opposed the Israelites' passage, even taking some prisoners (Numbers 21:1). This unprovoked attack ignited the Israelites' resolve. They made a vow: if God granted them victory, they would utterly destroy the cities of their attacker (Numbers 21:2). God answered their prayer, granting them a resounding triumph. In commemoration of this victory, they named the place Hormah, meaning "Destruction" (Numbers 21:3). This victory, however, was only the beginning of the challenges that lay ahead.
Complaining and the Bronze Serpent (Numbers 21:4-9)
Due to previous setbacks with Arad and Edom, Moses determined that a direct route northward was not feasible. He led the people on a longer, circuitous path around Edom to the east (Numbers 21:4). This arduous journey, unsurprisingly, fueled the Israelites' discontent. They reverted to their familiar pattern of complaining against God and Moses, questioning why they had been led out of Egypt only to die in the wilderness (Numbers 21:5). It’s important to remember the Lord had mercifully preserved them in the wilderness for forty years. To assume the worst of Him at this point was scandalous.
Their complaints centered on the lack of food and water and their loathing for the "miserable food" (manna) provided by God. This blatant ingratitude provoked divine judgment. God sent venomous snakes among the people, and their bites caused many deaths (Numbers 21:6).
Faced with the deadly consequences of their rebellion, the people finally confessed their sin and pleaded with Moses to intercede on their behalf (Numbers 21:7). In His mercy, God provided a means of healing. He instructed Moses to fashion a bronze serpent and mount it on a pole. Anyone who had been bitten by a snake could look at the bronze serpent in faith and be healed (Numbers 21:8). Moses obeyed, and those who looked to the bronze serpent, trusting in God's promise, were miraculously healed (Numbers 21:9).
This episode carries profound theological significance. Jesus Himself drew a parallel between the lifting up of the bronze serpent and His own crucifixion, offering salvation from the venom of sin to all who look to Him in faith (John 3:14-15). The bronze serpent was not inherently magical; it was a symbol of God's provision and a focal point for faith. It serves as a powerful illustration of the necessity of looking to the Lord in faith to be saved.
Journey Markers and the Well of Beer (Numbers 21:10-20)
These verses detail the Israelites' continued journey, listing various locations they passed through (Numbers 21:10-20). One notable stop was Beer, meaning "well." It was at Beer that God instructed Moses to dig a well, providing a much-needed source of water for the thirsty people (Numbers 21:16). The discovery of a reliable water source must have been a joyous occasion, prompting the people to sing a song of praise and thanksgiving (Numbers 21:17-18). Their journey eventually led them to the Pisgah highlands, which overlooked the wasteland (Numbers 21:20). "Pisgah" would later become significant as the place where God allowed Moses to view the Promised Land before his death (Deuteronomy 34:1).
Confrontations with Sihon and Og (Numbers 21:21-35)
As the Israelites approached the more populated regions, they encountered resistance from two Amorite kings: Sihon and Og. Following the precedent set with Edom, Moses requested permission from King Sihon of the Amorites to peacefully pass through his land, promising not to take anything from his fields, vineyards, or wells (Numbers 21:22). However, like the king of Edom, Sihon refused and instead gathered his army to attack Israel (Numbers 21:23). This was a grave miscalculation.
Israel decisively defeated Sihon and seized his land, extending their territory from the Arnon River to the Jabbok River (Numbers 21:24). The narrative even includes a fragment of an ancient Amorite poem celebrating Sihon's earlier conquest of the Moabites (Numbers 21:26-30). Its inclusion highlights the poetic justice of Israel wresting from Sihon what he had previously taken from Moab (Numbers 21:31).
Next, the Israelites faced King Og of Bashan, another Amorite ruler (Numbers 21:33). God assured Israel that He had already delivered Og and his land into their hands. The Lord's assurance made Og's defeat a foregone conclusion. Israel defeated Og and took possession of his land as well (Numbers 21:35).
Numbers 21 demonstrates that God was actively working on Israel’s behalf, setting the stage for their entrance into the land He had promised to give them.
Numbers 21 offers valuable insights into the nature of faith, obedience, and God's unwavering faithfulness. It reminds us that even amidst trials and temptations, God provides a way of deliverance and that His promises are ultimately fulfilled. This chapter serves as both a warning against the dangers of complaining and unbelief, and an encouragement to trust in God's provision and power.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
And the Lord sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people; and much people of Israel died.
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.
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.
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.
And the children of Israel set forward, and pitched in Oboth.
And they journeyed from Oboth, and pitched at Ije–abarim, in the wilderness which is before Moab, toward the sunrising.
From thence they removed, and pitched in the valley of Zared.
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.
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,
And at the stream of the brooks that goeth down to the dwelling of Ar, and lieth upon the border of Moab.
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.
Then Israel sang this song, Spring up, O well; sing ye unto it:
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:
And from Mattanah to Nahaliel: and from Nahaliel to Bamoth:
And from Bamoth in the valley, that is in the country of Moab, to the top of Pisgah, which looketh toward Jeshimon.
And Israel sent messengers unto Sihon king of the Amorites, saying,
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.
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.
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.
And Israel took all these cities: and Israel dwelt in all the cities of the Amorites, in Heshbon, and in all the villages thereof.
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.
Wherefore they that speak in proverbs say, Come into Heshbon, let the city of Sihon be built and prepared:
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.
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.
We have shot at them; Heshbon is perished even unto Dibon, and we have laid them waste even unto Nophah, which reacheth unto Medeba.
Thus Israel dwelt in the land of the Amorites.
And Moses sent to spy out Jaazer, and they took the villages thereof, and drove out the Amorites that were there.
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.
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.
So they smote him, and his sons, and all his people, until there was none left him alive: and they possessed his land.
Numbers 21 recounts a pivotal series of events as the Israelites, after decades of wandering, finally approach the Promised Land. This chapter reveals a potent mix of human frailty, divine judgment, and God's unwavering faithfulness. It serves as a reminder that even on the cusp of fulfilling God's promises, our journey of faith remains a process of growth, testing, and reliance on His grace.
Victory Over Arad and the Canaanites (Numbers 21:1-3)
The chapter opens with a military challenge. The Canaanite king of Arad, residing in the Negev (the southern desert region of modern-day Israel), aggressively opposed the Israelites' passage, even taking some prisoners (Numbers 21:1). This unprovoked attack ignited the Israelites' resolve. They made a vow: if God granted them victory, they would utterly destroy the cities of their attacker (Numbers 21:2). God answered their prayer, granting them a resounding triumph. In commemoration of this victory, they named the place Hormah, meaning "Destruction" (Numbers 21:3). This victory, however, was only the beginning of the challenges that lay ahead.
Complaining and the Bronze Serpent (Numbers 21:4-9)
Due to previous setbacks with Arad and Edom, Moses determined that a direct route northward was not feasible. He led the people on a longer, circuitous path around Edom to the east (Numbers 21:4). This arduous journey, unsurprisingly, fueled the Israelites' discontent. They reverted to their familiar pattern of complaining against God and Moses, questioning why they had been led out of Egypt only to die in the wilderness (Numbers 21:5). It’s important to remember the Lord had mercifully preserved them in the wilderness for forty years. To assume the worst of Him at this point was scandalous.
Their complaints centered on the lack of food and water and their loathing for the "miserable food" (manna) provided by God. This blatant ingratitude provoked divine judgment. God sent venomous snakes among the people, and their bites caused many deaths (Numbers 21:6).
Faced with the deadly consequences of their rebellion, the people finally confessed their sin and pleaded with Moses to intercede on their behalf (Numbers 21:7). In His mercy, God provided a means of healing. He instructed Moses to fashion a bronze serpent and mount it on a pole. Anyone who had been bitten by a snake could look at the bronze serpent in faith and be healed (Numbers 21:8). Moses obeyed, and those who looked to the bronze serpent, trusting in God's promise, were miraculously healed (Numbers 21:9).
This episode carries profound theological significance. Jesus Himself drew a parallel between the lifting up of the bronze serpent and His own crucifixion, offering salvation from the venom of sin to all who look to Him in faith (John 3:14-15). The bronze serpent was not inherently magical; it was a symbol of God's provision and a focal point for faith. It serves as a powerful illustration of the necessity of looking to the Lord in faith to be saved.
Journey Markers and the Well of Beer (Numbers 21:10-20)
These verses detail the Israelites' continued journey, listing various locations they passed through (Numbers 21:10-20). One notable stop was Beer, meaning "well." It was at Beer that God instructed Moses to dig a well, providing a much-needed source of water for the thirsty people (Numbers 21:16). The discovery of a reliable water source must have been a joyous occasion, prompting the people to sing a song of praise and thanksgiving (Numbers 21:17-18). Their journey eventually led them to the Pisgah highlands, which overlooked the wasteland (Numbers 21:20). "Pisgah" would later become significant as the place where God allowed Moses to view the Promised Land before his death (Deuteronomy 34:1).
Confrontations with Sihon and Og (Numbers 21:21-35)
As the Israelites approached the more populated regions, they encountered resistance from two Amorite kings: Sihon and Og. Following the precedent set with Edom, Moses requested permission from King Sihon of the Amorites to peacefully pass through his land, promising not to take anything from his fields, vineyards, or wells (Numbers 21:22). However, like the king of Edom, Sihon refused and instead gathered his army to attack Israel (Numbers 21:23). This was a grave miscalculation.
Israel decisively defeated Sihon and seized his land, extending their territory from the Arnon River to the Jabbok River (Numbers 21:24). The narrative even includes a fragment of an ancient Amorite poem celebrating Sihon's earlier conquest of the Moabites (Numbers 21:26-30). Its inclusion highlights the poetic justice of Israel wresting from Sihon what he had previously taken from Moab (Numbers 21:31).
Next, the Israelites faced King Og of Bashan, another Amorite ruler (Numbers 21:33). God assured Israel that He had already delivered Og and his land into their hands. The Lord's assurance made Og's defeat a foregone conclusion. Israel defeated Og and took possession of his land as well (Numbers 21:35).
Numbers 21 demonstrates that God was actively working on Israel’s behalf, setting the stage for their entrance into the land He had promised to give them.
Numbers 21 offers valuable insights into the nature of faith, obedience, and God's unwavering faithfulness. It reminds us that even amidst trials and temptations, God provides a way of deliverance and that His promises are ultimately fulfilled. This chapter serves as both a warning against the dangers of complaining and unbelief, and an encouragement to trust in God's provision and power.