Worthy.Bible » Parallel » Numbers » Chapter 21 » Verse 1-35

Numbers 21:1-35 King James Version (KJV)

1 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.

2 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.

3 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.

4 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.

5 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.

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

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

8 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.

9 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.

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

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

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

13 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.

14 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,

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

16 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.

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

18 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:

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

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

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

22 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.

23 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.

24 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.

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

26 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.

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

28 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.

29 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.

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

31 Thus Israel dwelt in the land of the Amorites.

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

33 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.

34 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.

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


Numbers 21:1-35 King James Version with Strong's Concordance (STRONG)

1 And when king H4428 Arad H6166 the Canaanite, H3669 which dwelt H3427 in the south, H5045 heard H8085 tell that Israel H3478 came H935 by the way H1870 of the spies; H871 then he fought H3898 against Israel, H3478 and took H7617 some of them prisoners. H7628

2 And Israel H3478 vowed H5087 a vow H5088 unto the LORD, H3068 and said, H559 If thou wilt indeed H5414 deliver H5414 this people H5971 into my hand, H3027 then I will utterly destroy H2763 their cities. H5892

3 And the LORD H3068 hearkened H8085 to the voice H6963 of Israel, H3478 and delivered up H5414 the Canaanites; H3669 and they utterly destroyed H2763 them and their cities: H5892 and he called H7121 the name H8034 of the place H4725 Hormah. H2767

4 And they journeyed H5265 from mount H2022 Hor H2023 by the way H1870 of the Red H5488 sea, H3220 to compass H5437 the land H776 of Edom: H123 and the soul H5315 of the people H5971 was much discouraged H7114 because of the way. H1870

5 And the people H5971 spake H1696 against God, H430 and against Moses, H4872 Wherefore have ye brought us up H5927 out of Egypt H4714 to die H4191 in the wilderness? H4057 for there is no bread, H3899 neither is there any water; H4325 and our soul H5315 loatheth H6973 this light H7052 bread. H3899

6 And the LORD H3068 sent H7971 fiery H8314 serpents H5175 among the people, H5971 and they bit H5391 the people; H5971 and much H7227 people H5971 of Israel H3478 died. H4191

7 Therefore the people H5971 came H935 to Moses, H4872 and said, H559 We have sinned, H2398 for we have spoken H1696 against the LORD, H3068 and against thee; pray H6419 unto the LORD, H3068 that he take away H5493 the serpents H5175 from us. And Moses H4872 prayed H6419 for the people. H5971

8 And the LORD H3068 said H559 unto Moses, H4872 Make H6213 thee a fiery serpent, H8314 and set H7760 it upon a pole: H5251 and it shall come to pass, that every one that is bitten, H5391 when he looketh H7200 upon it, shall live. H2425

9 And Moses H4872 made H6213 a serpent H5175 of brass, H5178 and put H7760 it upon a pole, H5251 and it came to pass, that if a serpent H5175 had bitten H5391 any man, H376 when he beheld H5027 the serpent H5175 of brass, H5178 he lived. H2425

10 And the children H1121 of Israel H3478 set forward, H5265 and pitched H2583 in Oboth. H88

11 And they journeyed H5265 from Oboth, H88 and pitched H2583 at Ijeabarim, H5863 in the wilderness H4057 which is before H6440 Moab, H4124 toward the sunrising. H4217 H8121

12 From thence they removed, H5265 and pitched H2583 in the valley H5158 of Zared. H2218

13 From thence they removed, H5265 and pitched H2583 on the other side H5676 of Arnon, H769 which is in the wilderness H4057 that cometh out H3318 of the coasts H1366 of the Amorites: H567 for Arnon H769 is the border H1366 of Moab, H4124 between Moab H4124 and the Amorites. H567

14 Wherefore it is said H559 in the book H5612 of the wars H4421 of the LORD, H3068 What he did H2052 in the Red sea, H5492 and in the brooks H5158 of Arnon, H769

15 And at the stream H793 of the brooks H5158 that goeth down H5186 to the dwelling H3427 of Ar, H6144 and lieth H8172 upon the border H1366 of Moab. H4124

16 And from thence they went to Beer: H876 that is the well H875 whereof the LORD H3068 spake H559 unto Moses, H4872 Gather H622 the people H5971 together, H622 and I will give H5414 them water. H4325

17 Then Israel H3478 sang H7891 this song, H7892 Spring up, H5927 O well; H875 sing H6030 ye unto it:

18 The princes H8269 digged H2658 the well, H875 the nobles H5081 of the people H5971 digged H3738 it, by the direction of the lawgiver, H2710 with their staves. H4938 And from the wilderness H4057 they went to Mattanah: H4980

19 And from Mattanah H4980 to Nahaliel: H5160 and from Nahaliel H5160 to Bamoth: H1120

20 And from Bamoth H1120 in the valley, H1516 that is in the country H7704 of Moab, H4124 to the top H7218 of Pisgah, H6449 which looketh H8259 toward H6440 Jeshimon. H3452

21 And Israel H3478 sent H7971 messengers H4397 unto Sihon H5511 king H4428 of the Amorites, H567 saying, H559

22 Let me pass H5674 through thy land: H776 we will not turn H5186 into the fields, H7704 or into the vineyards; H3754 we will not drink H8354 of the waters H4325 of the well: H875 but we will go along H3212 by the king's H4428 high way, H1870 until we be past H5674 thy borders. H1366

23 And Sihon H5511 would not suffer H5414 Israel H3478 to pass H5674 through his border: H1366 but Sihon H5511 gathered H622 all his people H5971 together, H622 and went out H3318 against H7125 Israel H3478 into the wilderness: H4057 and he came H935 to Jahaz, H3096 and fought H3898 against Israel. H3478

24 And Israel H3478 smote H5221 him with the edge H6310 of the sword, H2719 and possessed H3423 his land H776 from Arnon H769 unto Jabbok, H2999 even unto the children H1121 of Ammon: H5983 for the border H1366 of the children H1121 of Ammon H5983 was strong. H5794

25 And Israel H3478 took H3947 all these cities: H5892 and Israel H3478 dwelt H3427 in all the cities H5892 of the Amorites, H567 in Heshbon, H2809 and in all the villages H1323 thereof.

26 For Heshbon H2809 was the city H5892 of Sihon H5511 the king H4428 of the Amorites, H567 who had fought H3898 against the former H7223 king H4428 of Moab, H4124 and taken H3947 all his land H776 out of his hand, H3027 even unto Arnon. H769

27 Wherefore they that speak in proverbs H4911 say, H559 Come H935 into Heshbon, H2809 let the city H5892 of Sihon H5511 be built H1129 and prepared: H3559

28 For there is a fire H784 gone out H3318 of Heshbon, H2809 a flame H3852 from the city H7151 of Sihon: H5511 it hath consumed H398 Ar H6144 of Moab, H4124 and the lords of the high places H1181 of Arnon. H769

29 Woe H188 to thee, Moab! H4124 thou art undone, H6 O people H5971 of Chemosh: H3645 he hath given H5414 his sons H1121 that escaped, H6412 and his daughters, H1323 into captivity H7622 unto Sihon H5511 king H4428 of the Amorites. H567

30 We have shot H3384 at them; Heshbon H2809 is perished H6 even unto Dibon, H1769 and we have laid them waste H8074 even unto Nophah, H5302 which reacheth unto Medeba. H4311

31 Thus Israel H3478 dwelt H3427 in the land H776 of the Amorites. H567

32 And Moses H4872 sent H7971 to spy out H7270 Jaazer, H3270 and they took H3920 the villages H1323 thereof, and drove out H3423 H3423 the Amorites H567 that were there.

33 And they turned H6437 and went up H5927 by the way H1870 of Bashan: H1316 and Og H5747 the king H4428 of Bashan H1316 went out H3318 against H7125 them, he, and all his people, H5971 to the battle H4421 at Edrei. H154

34 And the LORD H3068 said H559 unto Moses, H4872 Fear H3372 him not: for I have delivered H5414 him into thy hand, H3027 and all his people, H5971 and his land; H776 and thou shalt do H6213 to him as thou didst H6213 unto Sihon H5511 king H4428 of the Amorites, H567 which dwelt H3427 at Heshbon. H2809

35 So they smote H5221 him, and his sons, H1121 and all his people, H5971 until there was none H1115 left H7604 him alive: H8300 and they possessed H3423 his land. H776


Numbers 21:1-35 American Standard (ASV)

1 And the Canaanite, the king of Arad, who dwelt in the South, heard tell that Israel came by the way of Atharim; and he fought against Israel, and took some of them captive.

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

3 And Jehovah hearkened to the voice of Israel, and delivered up the Canaanites; and they utterly destroyed them and their cities: and the name of the place was called Hormah.

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

5 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, and there is no water; and our soul loatheth this light bread.

6 And Jehovah sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people; and much people of Israel died.

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

8 And Jehovah said unto Moses, Make thee a fiery serpent, and set it upon a standard: and it shall come to pass, that every one that is bitten, when he seeth it, shall live.

9 And Moses made a serpent of brass, and set it upon the standard: and it came to pass, that if a serpent had bitten any man, when he looked unto the serpent of brass, he lived.

10 And the children of Israel journeyed, and encamped in Oboth.

11 And they journeyed from Oboth, and encamped at Iyeabarim, in the wilderness which is before Moab, toward the sunrising.

12 From thence they journeyed, and encamped in the valley of Zered.

13 From thence they journeyed, and encamped on the other side of the Arnon, which is in the wilderness, that cometh out of the border of the Amorites: for the Arnon is the border of Moab, between Moab and the Amorites.

14 Wherefore it is said in the book of the Wars of Jehovah, Vaheb in Suphah, And the valleys of the Arnon,

15 And the slope of the valleys That inclineth toward the dwelling of Ar, And leaneth upon the border of Moab.

16 And from thence `they journeyed' to Beer: that is the well whereof Jehovah said unto Moses, Gather the people together, and I will give them water.

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

18 The well, which the princes digged, Which the nobles of the people delved, With the sceptre, `and' with their staves. And from the wilderness `they journeyed' to Mattanah;

19 and from Mattanah to Nahaliel; and from Nahaliel to Bamoth;

20 and from Bamoth to the valley that is in the field of Moab, to the top of Pisgah, which looketh down upon the desert.

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

22 Let me pass through thy land: we will not turn aside into field, or into vineyard; we will not drink of the water of the wells: we will go by the king's highway, until we have passed thy border.

23 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 came to Jahaz; and he fought against Israel.

24 And Israel smote him with the edge of the sword, and possessed his land from the Arnon unto the Jabbok, even unto the children of Ammon; for the border of the children of Ammon was strong.

25 And Israel took all these cities: and Israel dwelt in all the cities of the Amorites, in Heshbon, and in all the towns thereof.

26 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 the Arnon.

27 Wherefore they that speak in proverbs say, Come ye to Heshbon; Let the city of Sihon be built and established:

28 For a fire is gone out of Heshbon, A flame from the city of Sihon: It hath devoured Ar of Moab, The lords of the high places of the Arnon.

29 Woe to thee, Moab! Thou art undone, O people of Chemosh: He hath given his sons as fugitives, And his daughters into captivity, Unto Sihon king of the Amorites.

30 We have shot at them; Heshbon is perished even unto Dibon, And we have laid waste even unto Nophah, Which `reacheth' unto Medeba.

31 Thus Israel dwelt in the land of the Amorites.

32 And Moses sent to spy out Jazer; and they took the towns thereof, and drove out the Amorites that were there.

33 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 battle at Edrei.

34 And Jehovah 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, who dwelt at Heshbon.

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


Numbers 21:1-35 Young's Literal Translation (YLT)

1 And 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.

2 And Israel voweth a vow to Jehovah, and saith, `If Thou dost certainly give this people into my hand, then I have devoted their cities;'

3 and 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.

4 And 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,

5 and 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.'

6 And Jehovah sendeth among the people the burning serpents, and they bite the people, and much people of Israel die;

7 and 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.

8 And 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.

9 And 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.

10 And the sons of Israel journey, and encamp in Oboth.

11 And 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.

12 From thence they have journeyed, and encamp in the valley of Zared.

13 From 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;

14 therefore it is said in a book, `The wars of Jehovah,' -- `Waheb in Suphah, And the brooks of Arnon;

15 And the spring of the brooks, Which turned aside to the dwelling of Ar, And hath leaned to the border of Moab.'

16 And 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.'

17 Then singeth Israel this song, concerning the well -- they have answered to it:

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,

19 and from Mattanah to Nahaliel, and from Nahaliel to Bamoth,

20 and 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.

21 And Israel sendeth messengers unto Sihon king of the Amorite, saying,

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.'

23 And 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.

24 And 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.

25 And Israel taketh all these cities, and Israel dwelleth in all the cities of the Amorite, in Heshbon, and in all its villages;

26 for 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;

27 therefore those using similes say -- `Enter ye Heshbon, Let the city of Sihon be built and ready,

28 For 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.

29 Wo 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!

30 And we shoot them, Perished hath Heshbon unto Dibon, And we make desolate unto Nophah, Which `is' unto Medeba.'

31 And Israel dwelleth in the land of the Amorite,

32 and Moses sendeth to spy out Jaazer, and they capture its villages, and dispossess the Amorite who `is' there,

33 and 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.

34 And 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.'

35 And they smite him, and his sons, and all his people, until he hath not left to him a remnant, and they possess his land.


Numbers 21:1-35 Darby English Bible (DARBY)

1 And the Canaanite king of Arad, who dwelt in the south, heard that Israel came by the way of Atharim, and he fought against Israel, and took some of them prisoners.

2 Then Israel vowed a vow to Jehovah, and said, If thou give this people wholly into my hand, then I will utterly destroy their cities.

3 And Jehovah listened to the voice of Israel, and delivered up the Canaanites; and they utterly destroyed them, and their cities. And they called the name of the place Hormah.

4 And they journeyed from mount Hor by the way of the Red sea, to go round the land of Edom; and the soul of the people became impatient on the way;

5 and the people spoke against God, and against Moses, Why have ye brought us up out of Egypt that we should die in the wilderness? for there is no bread, and no water, and our soul loathes this light bread.

6 Then Jehovah sent fiery serpents among the people, which bit the people; and much people of Israel died.

7 And the people came to Moses and said, We have sinned, in that we have spoken against Jehovah, and against thee: pray to Jehovah that he take away the serpents from us. And Moses prayed for the people.

8 And Jehovah said to Moses, Make thee a fiery [serpent], and set it upon a pole; and it shall come to pass, that every one that is bitten, and looketh upon it, shall live.

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

10 And the children of Israel journeyed, and encamped in Oboth.

11 And they removed from Oboth, and encamped at Ijim-Abarim, in the wilderness that is before Moab, toward the sun-rising.

12 From thence they removed, and encamped at the torrent Zered.

13 From thence they removed, and encamped on the other side of the Arnon, which is in the wilderness that comes out of the border of the Amorites. For the Arnon is the border of Moab, between Moab and the Amorites.

14 Therefore it is said in the book of the wars of Jehovah, Vaheb in Suphah, and the brooks of Arnon;

15 And the stream of the brooks which turneth to the dwelling of Ar, And inclineth toward the border of Moab.

16 And from thence to Beer: that is the well of which Jehovah spoke to Moses, Assemble the people, and I will give them water.

17 Then Israel sang this song, Rise up, well! sing unto it:

18 Well which princes digged, which the nobles of the people hollowed out at [the word of] the lawgiver, with their staves. And from the wilderness [they went] to Mattanah;

19 and from Mattanah to Nahaliel; and from Nahaliel to Bamoth;

20 and from Bamoth to the valley that is in the fields of Moab, to the top of Pisgah, which looks over the surface of the waste.

21 And Israel sent messengers to Sihon king of the Amorites, saying,

22 Let us pass through thy land; we will not turn into the fields, or into the vineyards; we will not drink water out of the wells; on the king's road will we go until we have passed thy border.

23 But Sihon would not suffer Israel to go through his border; and Sihon gathered all his people, and went out against Israel into the wilderness, and came to Jahaz, and fought against Israel.

24 And Israel smote him with the edge of the sword, and took possession of his land from the Arnon to the Jabbok, even unto the children of Ammon; for the border of the children of Ammon was strong.

25 And Israel took all these cities, and Israel dwelt in all the cities of the Amorites, at Heshbon, and in all its dependent villages.

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

27 Therefore the poets say, Come to Heshbon; let the city of Sihon be built and established.

28 For there went forth fire from Heshbon, a flame from the city of Sihon; It consumed Ar of Moab, the lords of the high places of the Arnon.

29 Woe to thee, Moab! thou art undone, people of Chemosh: He gave his sons that had escaped, and his daughters into captivity to Sihon the king of the Amorites.

30 And we have shot at them; Heshbon is perished even unto Dibon; and we have laid [them] waste even unto Nophah, which reacheth unto Medeba.

31 And Israel dwelt in the land of the Amorites.

32 And Moses sent to spy out Jaazer, and they took its dependent villages, and he dispossessed the Amorites that were there.

33 And they turned and went up by the way to Bashan; and Og the king of Bashan went out against them, he and all his people, for battle to Edrei.

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

35 And they smote him, and his sons, and all his people, so that they left him none remaining, and took possession of his land.


Numbers 21:1-35 World English Bible (WEB)

1 The Canaanite, the king of Arad, who lived in the South, heard tell that Israel came by the way of Atharim; and he fought against Israel, and took some of them captive.

2 Israel vowed a vow to Yahweh, and said, If you will indeed deliver this people into my hand, then I will utterly destroy their cities.

3 Yahweh listened to the voice of Israel, and delivered up the Canaanites; and they utterly destroyed them and their cities: and the name of the place was called Hormah.

4 They traveled from Mount Hor by the way to the Red Sea, to compass the land of Edom: and the soul of the people was much discouraged because of the way.

5 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 bread, and there is no water; and our soul loathes this light bread.

6 Yahweh sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people; and much people of Israel died.

7 The people came to Moses, and said, We have sinned, because we have spoken against Yahweh, and against you; pray to Yahweh, that he take away the serpents from us. Moses prayed for the people.

8 Yahweh said to Moses, Make you a fiery serpent, and set it on a standard: and it shall happen, that everyone who is bitten, when he sees it, shall live.

9 Moses made a serpent of brass, and set it on the standard: and it happened, that if a serpent had bitten any man, when he looked to the serpent of brass, he lived.

10 The children of Israel traveled, and encamped in Oboth.

11 They traveled from Oboth, and encamped at Iyeabarim, in the wilderness which is before Moab, toward the sunrise.

12 From there they traveled, and encamped in the valley of Zered.

13 From there they traveled, and encamped on the other side of the Arnon, which is in the wilderness, that comes out of the border of the Amorites: for the Arnon is the border of Moab, between Moab and the Amorites.

14 Therefore it is said in the book of the Wars of Yahweh, Vaheb in Suphah, The valleys of the Arnon,

15 The slope of the valleys That inclines toward the dwelling of Ar, Leans on the border of Moab.

16 From there they traveled to Beer: that is the well of which Yahweh said to Moses, Gather the people together, and I will give them water.

17 Then sang Israel this song: Spring up, well; sing you to it:

18 The well, which the princes dug, Which the nobles of the people dug, With the scepter, [and] with their poles. From the wilderness [they traveled] to Mattanah;

19 and from Mattanah to Nahaliel; and from Nahaliel to Bamoth;

20 and from Bamoth to the valley that is in the field of Moab, to the top of Pisgah, which looks down on the desert.

21 Israel sent messengers to Sihon king of the Amorites, saying,

22 Let me pass through your land: we will not turn aside into field, or into vineyard; we will not drink of the water of the wells: we will go by the king's highway, until we have passed your border.

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

24 Israel struck him with the edge of the sword, and possessed his land from the Arnon to the Jabbok, even to the children of Ammon; for the border of the children of Ammon was strong.

25 Israel took all these cities: and Israel lived in all the cities of the Amorites, in Heshbon, and in all the towns of it.

26 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 to the Arnon.

27 Therefore those who speak in proverbs say, Come you to Heshbon; Let the city of Sihon be built and established:

28 For a fire is gone out of Heshbon, A flame from the city of Sihon: It has devoured Ar of Moab, The lords of the high places of the Arnon.

29 Woe to you, Moab! You are undone, people of Chemosh: He has given his sons as fugitives, His daughters into captivity, To Sihon king of the Amorites.

30 We have shot at them; Heshbon is perished even to Dibon, We have laid waste even to Nophah, Which [reaches] to Medeba.

31 Thus Israel lived in the land of the Amorites.

32 Moses sent to spy out Jazer; and they took the towns of it, and drove out the Amorites who were there.

33 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 battle at Edrei.

34 Yahweh said to Moses, Don't fear him: for I have delivered him into your hand, and all his people, and his land; and you shall do to him as you did to Sihon king of the Amorites, who lived at Heshbon.

35 So they struck him, and his sons and all his people, until there was none left him remaining: and they possessed his land.


Numbers 21:1-35 Bible in Basic English (BBE)

1 And it came to the ears of the Canaanite, the king of Arad, living in the South, that Israel was coming by the way of Atharim, and he came out against them and took some of them prisoners.

2 Then Israel made an oath to the Lord, and said, If you will give up this people into my hands, then I will send complete destruction on all their towns.

3 And the Lord, in answer to the voice of Israel, gave the Canaanites up to them; and they put them and their towns completely to destruction: and that place was named Hormah.

4 Then they went on from Mount Hor by the way to the Red Sea, going round the land of Edom: and the spirit of the people was overcome with weariness on the way.

5 And crying out against God and against Moses, they said, Why have you taken us out of Egypt to come to our death in the waste land? For there is no bread and no water, and this poor bread is disgusting to us.

6 Then the Lord sent poison-snakes among the people; and their bites were a cause of death to numbers of the people of Israel.

7 Then the people came to Moses and said, We have done wrong in crying out against the Lord and against you: make prayer to the Lord to take away the snakes from us. So Moses made prayer for the people.

8 And the Lord said to Moses, Make an image of a snake and put it on a rod, and anyone who has been wounded by the snakes, looking on it will be made well.

9 So Moses made a snake of brass and put it on a rod; and anyone who had a snakebite, after looking on the snake of brass, was made well.

10 Then the children of Israel went on and put up their tents in Oboth.

11 And journeying on again from Oboth, they put up their tents in Iye-abarim, in the waste land before Moab looking east.

12 And moving on from there, they put up their tents in the valley of Zered.

13 From there they went on and put up their tents on the other side of the Arnon, which is on the waste land at the edge of the land of the Amorites; for the Arnon is the line of division between Moab and the Amorites:

14 As it says in the book of the Wars of the Lord, Vaheb in Suphah, and the valley of the Amon;

15 The slope of the valleys going down to the tents of Ar and touching the edge of Moab.

16 From there they went on to Beer, the water-spring of which the Lord said to Moses, Make the people come together and I will give them water.

17 Then Israel gave voice to this song: Come up, O water-spring, let us make a song to it:

18 The fountain made by the chiefs, made deep by the great ones of the people, with the law-givers' rod, and with their sticks. Then from the waste land they went on to Mattanah:

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

20 And from Bamoth to the valley in the open country of Moab, and to the top of Pisgah looking over Jeshimon.

21 And Israel sent men to Sihon, king of the Amorites, saying,

22 Let me go through your land: we will not go into field or vine-garden, or take the water of the springs; we will go by the highway till we have gone past the limits of your land.

23 And Sihon would not let Israel go through his land; but got all his people together and went out against Israel into the waste land, as far as Jahaz, to make war on Israel.

24 But Israel overcame him, and took all his land from the Arnon to the Jabbok, as far as the country of the children of Ammon, for the country of the children of Ammon was strongly armed.

25 And Israel took all their towns, living in Heshbon and all the towns and small places of the Amorites.

26 For Heshbon was the town of Sihon, king of the Amorites, who had made war against an earlier king of Moab and taken from him all his land as far as the Arnon.

27 So the makers of wise sayings say, Come to Heshbon, building up the town of Sihon and making it strong:

28 For a fire has gone out of Heshbon, a flame from the town of Sihon: for the destruction of Ar in Moab, and the lords of the high places of the Arnon.

29 Sorrow is yours, O Moab! Destruction is your fate, O people of Chemosh: his sons have gone in flight, and his daughters are prisoners, in the hands of Sihon, king of the Amorites.

30 They are wounded with our arrows; destruction has come on Heshbon, even to Dibon; and we have made the land waste as far as Nophah, stretching out to Medeba.

31 So Israel put up their tents in the land of the Amorites.

32 And Moses sent men secretly to Jazer, and they took its towns, driving out the Amorites who were living there.

33 Then turning they went up by the way of Bashan; and Og, king of Bashan, went out against them with all his people, to the fight at Edrei.

34 And the Lord said to Moses, Have no fear of him: for I have given him up into your hands, with all his people and his land; do to him as you did to Sihon, king of the Amorites, at Heshbon.

35 So they overcame him and his sons and his people, driving them all out: and they took his land for their heritage.

Commentary on Numbers 21 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible


CHAPTER 21

Nu 21:1-35. Israel Attacked by the Canaanites.

1. King Arad the Canaanite—rather, "the Canaanite king of Arad"—an ancient town on the southernmost borders of Palestine, not far from Kadesh. A hill called Tell Arad marks the spot.

heard tell that Israel came by the way of the spies—in the way or manner of spies, stealthily, or from spies sent by himself to ascertain the designs and motions of the Israelites. The Septuagint and others consider the Hebrew word "spies" a proper name, and render it: "Came by the way of Atharim towards Arad" [Kennicott].

he fought against Israel, and took some of them prisoners—This discomfiture was permitted to teach them to expect the conquest of Canaan not from their own wisdom and valor, but solely from the favor and help of God (De 9:4; Ps 44:3, 4).

2, 3. Israel vowed a vow unto the Lord—Made to feel their own weakness, they implored the aid of Heaven, and, in anticipation of it, devoted the cities of this king to future destruction. The nature and consequence of such anathemas are described (Le 27:1-34; De 13:1-18). This vow of extermination against Arad [Nu 21:2] gave name to the place Hormah (slaughter and destruction) though it was not accomplished till after the passage of the Jordan. Others think Hormah the name of a town mentioned (Jos 12:14).

4. they journeyed from mount Hor—On being refused the passage requested, they returned through the Arabah, "the way of the Red Sea," to Elath, at the head of the eastern gulf of the Red Sea, and thence passed up through the mountains to the eastern desert, so as to make the circuit of the land of Edom (Nu 33:41, 42).

the soul of the people was much discouraged because of the way—Disappointment on finding themselves so near the confines of the promised land without entering it; vexation at the refusal of a passage through Edom and the absence of any divine interposition in their favor; and above all, the necessity of a retrograde journey by a long and circuitous route through the worst parts of a sandy desert and the dread of being plunged into new and unknown difficulties—all this produced a deep depression of spirits. But it was followed, as usually, by a gross outburst of murmuring at the scarcity of water, and of expressions of disgust at the manna.

5. our soul loatheth this light bread—that is, bread without substance or nutritious quality. The refutation of this calumny appears in the fact, that on the strength of this food they performed for forty years so many and toilsome journeys. But they had been indulging a hope of the better and more varied fare enjoyed by a settled people; and disappointment, always the more bitter as the hope of enjoyment seems near, drove them to speak against God and against Moses (1Co 10:9).

6. The Lord sent fiery serpents among the people—That part of the desert where the Israelites now were—near the head of the gulf of Akaba—is greatly infested with venomous reptiles, of various kinds, particularly lizards, which raise themselves in the air and swing themselves from branches; and scorpions, which, being in the habit of lying in long grass, are particularly dangerous to the barelegged, sandaled people of the East. The only known remedy consists in sucking the wound, or, in the case of cattle, in the application of ammonia. The exact species of serpents that caused so great mortality among the Israelites cannot be ascertained. They are said to have been "fiery," an epithet applied to them either from their bright, vivid color, or the violent inflammation their bite occasioned.

7-9. the people came to Moses, and said, We have sinned—The severity of the scourge and the appalling extent of mortality brought them to a sense of sin, and through the intercessions of Moses, which they implored, they were miraculously healed. He was directed to make the figure of a serpent in brass, to be elevated on a pole or standard, that it might be seen at the extremities of the camp and that every bitten Israelite who looked to it might be healed. This peculiar method of cure was designed, in the first instance, to show that it was the efficacy of God's power and grace, not the effect of nature or art, and also that it might be a type of the power of faith in Christ to heal all who look to Him because of their sins (Joh 3:14, 15; see also on 2Ki 18:4).

10. the children of Israel set forward—along the eastern frontier of the Edomites, encamping in various stations.

12. pitched in the valley—literally, the "woody brook-valley" of Zared (De 2:13; Isa 15:7; Am 6:14). This torrent rises among the mountains to the east of Moab, and flowing west, empties itself into the Dead Sea. Ije-Abarim is supposed to have been its ford [Calmet].

13. pitched on the other side of Arnon—now El-Mojib, a deep, broad, and rapid stream, dividing the dominions of the Moabites and Amorites.

14. book of the wars of the Lord—A fragment or passage is here quoted from a poem or history of the wars of the Israelites, principally with a view to decide the position of Arnon.

15. Ar—the capital of Moab.

16. from thence they went to Beer—that is, a "well." The name was probably given to it afterwards [see Jud 9:21], as it is not mentioned (Nu 33:1-56).

17, 18. Then Israel sang—This beautiful little song was in accordance with the wants and feelings of travelling caravans in the East, where water is an occasion both of prayer and thanksgiving. From the princes using their official rods only, and not spades, it seems probable that this well was concealed by the brushwood or the sand, as is the case with many wells in Idumea still. The discovery of it was seasonable, and owing to the special interposition of God.

21-23. Israel sent messengers unto Sihon—The rejection of their respectful and pacific message was resented—Sihon was discomfited in battle—and Israel obtained by right of conquest the whole of the Amorite dominions.

24. from Arnon unto Jabbok—now the Zurka. These rivers formed the southern and northern boundaries of his usurped territory.

for the border of … Ammon was strong—a reason stated for Sihon not being able to push his invasion further.

25. Israel dwelt in all the cities—after exterminating the inhabitants who had been previously doomed (De 2:34).

26. Heshbon—(So 7:4)—situated sixteen English miles north of the Arnon, and from its ruins it appears to have been a large city.

27-30. Wherefore they that speak in proverbs—Here is given an extract from an Amorite song exultingly anticipating an extension of their conquests to Arnon. The quotation from the poem of the Amorite bard ends at Nu 21:28. The two following verses appear to be the strains in which the Israelites expose the impotence of the usurpers.

29. people of Chemosh—the name of the Moabite idol (1Ki 11:7-33; 2Ki 23:13; Jer 48:46).

he—that is, their god, hath surrendered his worshippers to the victorious arms of Sihon.

33. they turned and went up by the way of Bashan—a name given to that district from the richness of the soil—now Batanea or El-Bottein—a hilly region east of the Jordan lying between the mountains of Hermon on the north and those of Gilead on the south.

Og—a giant, an Amoritish prince, who, having opposed the progress of the Israelites, was defeated.

34, 35. The Lord said unto Moses, Fear him not—a necessary encouragement, for Og's gigantic stature (De 3:11) was calculated to inspire terror. He and all his were put to the sword.