Numbers 21

New International Version

Arad Destroyed

21 When the Canaanite king of Arad,^(A) who lived in the Negev,^(B) heard that Israel was coming along the road to Atharim, he attacked the Israelites and captured some of them. ²Then Israel made this vow^(C) to the Lord: “If you will deliver these people into our hands, we will totally destroy^[a]^(D) their cities.” ³The Lord listened to Israel’s plea and gave the Canaanites^(E) over to them. They completely destroyed them^(F) and their towns; so the place was named Hormah.^[b]^(G)

The Bronze Snake

⁴They traveled from Mount Hor^(H) along the route to the Red Sea,^[c]^(I) to go around Edom.^(J) But the people grew impatient on the way;^(K) ⁵they spoke against God^(L) and against Moses, and said, “Why have you brought us up out of Egypt^(M) to die in the wilderness?^(N) There is no bread! There is no water!^(O) And we detest this miserable food!”^(P)

⁶Then the Lord sent venomous snakes^(Q) among them; they bit the people and many Israelites died.^(R) ⁷The people came to Moses^(S) and said, “We sinned^(T) when we spoke against the Lord and against you. Pray that the Lord^(U) will take the snakes away from us.” So Moses prayed^(V) for the people.

⁸The Lord said to Moses, “Make a snake and put it up on a pole;^(W) anyone who is bitten can look at it and live.” ⁹So Moses made a bronze snake^(X) and put it up on a pole. Then when anyone was bitten by a snake and looked at the bronze snake, they lived.^(Y)

The Journey to Moab

¹⁰The Israelites moved on and camped at Oboth.^(Z) ¹¹Then they set out from Oboth and camped in Iye Abarim, in the wilderness that faces Moab^(AA) toward the sunrise. ¹²From there they moved on and camped in the Zered Valley.^(AB) ¹³They set out from there and camped alongside the Arnon^(AC), which is in the wilderness extending into Amorite territory. The Arnon is the border of Moab, between Moab and the Amorites.^(AD) ¹⁴That is why the Book of the Wars^(AE) of the Lord says:

“. . . Zahab^[d] in Suphah and the ravines,
the Arnon ¹⁵and^[e] the slopes of the ravines
that lead to the settlement of Ar^(AF)
and lie along the border of Moab.”

¹⁶From there they continued on to Beer,^(AG) the well where the Lord said to Moses, “Gather the people together and I will give them water.”

¹⁷Then Israel sang this song:^(AH)

“Spring up, O well!
    Sing about it,
¹⁸about the well that the princes dug,
    that the nobles of the people sank—
    the nobles with scepters and staffs.”

Then they went from the wilderness to Mattanah, ¹⁹from Mattanah to Nahaliel, from Nahaliel to Bamoth, ²⁰and from Bamoth to the valley in Moab where the top of Pisgah^(AI) overlooks the wasteland.

Defeat of Sihon and Og

²¹Israel sent messengers^(AJ) to say to Sihon^(AK) king of the Amorites:^(AL)

²²“Let us pass through your country. We will not turn aside into any field or vineyard, or drink water from any well. We will travel along the King’s Highway until we have passed through your territory.^(AM)”

²³But Sihon would not let Israel pass through his territory.^(AN) He mustered his entire army and marched out into the wilderness against Israel. When he reached Jahaz,^(AO) he fought with Israel.^(AP) ²⁴Israel, however, put him to the sword^(AQ) and took over his land^(AR) from the Arnon to the Jabbok,^(AS) but only as far as the Ammonites,^(AT) because their border was fortified. ²⁵Israel captured all the cities of the Amorites^(AU) and occupied them,^(AV) including Heshbon^(AW) and all its surrounding settlements. ²⁶Heshbon was the city of Sihon^(AX) king of the Amorites,^(AY) who had fought against the former king of Moab^(AZ) and had taken from him all his land as far as the Arnon.^(BA)

²⁷That is why the poets say:

“Come to Heshbon and let it be rebuilt;
let Sihon’s city be restored.

²⁸“Fire went out from Heshbon,
    a blaze from the city of Sihon.^(BB)
It consumed^(BC) Ar^(BD) of Moab,
    the citizens of Arnon’s heights.^(BE)
²⁹Woe to you, Moab!^(BF)
    You are destroyed, people of Chemosh!^(BG)
He has given up his sons as fugitives^(BH)
    and his daughters as captives^(BI)
    to Sihon king of the Amorites.

³⁰“But we have overthrown them;
Heshbon’s dominion has been destroyed all the way to Dibon.^(BJ)
We have demolished them as far as Nophah,
which extends to Medeba.^(BK)”

³¹So Israel settled in the land of the Amorites.^(BL)

³²After Moses had sent spies^(BM) to Jazer,^(BN) the Israelites captured its surrounding settlements and drove out the Amorites who were there. ³³Then they turned and went up along the road toward Bashan^(BO),^(BP) and Og king of Bashan and his whole army marched out to meet them in battle at Edrei.^(BQ)

³⁴The Lord said to Moses, “Do not be afraid of him, for I have delivered him into your hands, along with his whole army and his land. Do to him what you did to Sihon king of the Amorites, who reigned in Heshbon.^(BR)”

³⁵So they struck him down, together with his sons and his whole army, leaving them no survivors.^(BS) And they took possession of his land.^(BT)

Footnotes

Numbers 21:2 The Hebrew term refers to the irrevocable giving over of things or persons to the Lord, often by totally destroying them; also in verse 3.
Numbers 21:3 Hormah means destruction.
Numbers 21:4 Or the Sea of Reeds
Numbers 21:14 Septuagint; Hebrew Waheb
Numbers 21:15 Or “I have been given from Suphah and the ravines / of the Arnon ¹⁵to

Isaiah 10:5-34

New International Version

God’s Judgment on Assyria

⁵“Woe^(A) to the Assyrian,^(B) the rod^(C) of my anger,
    in whose hand is the club^(D) of my wrath!^(E)
⁶I send him against a godless^(F) nation,
    I dispatch^(G) him against a people who anger me,^(H)
to seize loot and snatch plunder,^(I)
    and to trample^(J) them down like mud in the streets.
⁷But this is not what he intends,^(K)
    this is not what he has in mind;
his purpose is to destroy,
    to put an end to many nations.
⁸‘Are not my commanders^(L) all kings?’ he says.
⁹    ‘Has not Kalno^(M) fared like Carchemish?^(N)
Is not Hamath^(O) like Arpad,^(P)
    and Samaria^(Q) like Damascus?^(R)
¹⁰As my hand seized the kingdoms of the idols,^(S)
    kingdoms whose images excelled those of Jerusalem and Samaria—
¹¹shall I not deal with Jerusalem and her images
    as I dealt with Samaria and her idols?^(T)’”

¹²When the Lord has finished all his work^(U) against Mount Zion^(V) and Jerusalem, he will say, “I will punish the king of Assyria^(W) for the willful pride^(X) of his heart and the haughty look^(Y) in his eyes. ¹³For he says:

“‘By the strength of my hand^(Z) I have done this,^(AA)
    and by my wisdom, because I have understanding.
I removed the boundaries of nations,
    I plundered their treasures;^(AB)
    like a mighty one I subdued^[a] their kings.^(AC)
¹⁴As one reaches into a nest,^(AD)
    so my hand reached for the wealth^(AE) of the nations;
as people gather abandoned eggs,
    so I gathered all the countries;^(AF)
not one flapped a wing,
    or opened its mouth to chirp.^(AG)’”

¹⁵Does the ax raise itself above the person who swings it,
    or the saw boast against the one who uses it?^(AH)
As if a rod were to wield the person who lifts it up,
    or a club^(AI) brandish the one who is not wood!
¹⁶Therefore, the Lord, the Lord Almighty,
    will send a wasting disease^(AJ) upon his sturdy warriors;^(AK)
under his pomp^(AL) a fire^(AM) will be kindled
    like a blazing flame.
¹⁷The Light of Israel will become a fire,^(AN)
    their Holy One^(AO) a flame;
in a single day it will burn and consume
    his thorns^(AP) and his briers.^(AQ)
¹⁸The splendor of his forests^(AR) and fertile fields
    it will completely destroy,^(AS)
    as when a sick person wastes away.
¹⁹And the remaining trees of his forests^(AT) will be so few^(AU)
    that a child could write them down.

The Remnant of Israel

²⁰In that day^(AV) the remnant of Israel,
    the survivors^(AW) of Jacob,
will no longer rely^(AX) on him
    who struck them down^(AY)
but will truly rely^(AZ) on the Lord,
    the Holy One of Israel.^(BA)
²¹A remnant^(BB) will return,^[b]^(BC) a remnant of Jacob
    will return to the Mighty God.^(BD)
²²Though your people be like the sand^(BE) by the sea, Israel,
    only a remnant will return.^(BF)
Destruction has been decreed,^(BG)
    overwhelming and righteous.
²³The Lord, the Lord Almighty, will carry out
    the destruction decreed^(BH) upon the whole land.^(BI)

²⁴Therefore this is what the Lord, the Lord Almighty, says:

“My people who live in Zion,^(BJ)
    do not be afraid^(BK) of the Assyrians,
who beat^(BL) you with a rod^(BM)
    and lift up a club against you, as Egypt did.
²⁵Very soon^(BN) my anger against you will end
    and my wrath^(BO) will be directed to their destruction.^(BP)”

²⁶The Lord Almighty will lash^(BQ) them with a whip,
    as when he struck down Midian^(BR) at the rock of Oreb;
and he will raise his staff^(BS) over the waters,^(BT)
    as he did in Egypt.
²⁷In that day^(BU) their burden^(BV) will be lifted from your shoulders,
    their yoke^(BW) from your neck;^(BX)
the yoke^(BY) will be broken
    because you have grown so fat.^[c]

²⁸They enter Aiath;
    they pass through Migron;^(BZ)
    they store supplies^(CA) at Mikmash.^(CB)
²⁹They go over the pass, and say,
    “We will camp overnight at Geba.^(CC)”
Ramah^(CD) trembles;
    Gibeah^(CE) of Saul flees.^(CF)
³⁰Cry out, Daughter Gallim!^(CG)
    Listen, Laishah!
    Poor Anathoth!^(CH)
³¹Madmenah is in flight;
    the people of Gebim take cover.
³²This day they will halt at Nob;^(CI)
    they will shake their fist^(CJ)
at the mount of Daughter Zion,^(CK)
    at the hill of Jerusalem.

³³See, the Lord, the Lord Almighty,
    will lop off^(CL) the boughs with great power.
The lofty trees will be felled,^(CM)
    the tall^(CN) ones will be brought low.^(CO)
³⁴He will cut down^(CP) the forest thickets with an ax;
    Lebanon^(CQ) will fall before the Mighty One.^(CR)

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Footnotes

Isaiah 10:13 Or treasures; / I subdued the mighty,
Isaiah 10:21 Hebrew shear-jashub (see 7:3 and note); also in verse 22
Isaiah 10:27 Hebrew; Septuagint broken / from your shoulders

Psalm 126

New International Version

Psalm 126

A song of ascents.

¹When the Lord restored^(A) the fortunes of^[a] Zion,
    we were like those who dreamed.^[b]
²Our mouths were filled with laughter,^(B)
    our tongues with songs of joy.^(C)
Then it was said among the nations,
    “The Lord has done great things^(D) for them.”
³The Lord has done great things^(E) for us,
    and we are filled with joy.^(F)

⁴Restore our fortunes,^[c]^(G) Lord,
    like streams in the Negev.^(H)
⁵Those who sow with tears^(I)
    will reap^(J) with songs of joy.^(K)
⁶Those who go out weeping,^(L)
    carrying seed to sow,
will return with songs of joy,
    carrying sheaves with them.

Footnotes

Psalm 126:1 Or Lord brought back the captives to
Psalm 126:1 Or those restored to health
Psalm 126:4 Or Bring back our captives

New International Version (NIV)

Numbers 21

New International Version

Arad Destroyed

The Bronze Snake

The Journey to Moab

Defeat of Sihon and Og

Footnotes

Cross references

Isaiah 10:5-34

New International Version

God’s Judgment on Assyria

The Remnant of Israel

Footnotes

Cross references

Psalm 126

New International Version

Psalm 126

A song of ascents.

Footnotes

Cross references

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Numbers 21 New International Version

Arad Destroyed

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The Journey to Moab

Defeat of Sihon and Og

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Isaiah 10:5-34 New International Version

God’s Judgment on Assyria

The Remnant of Israel

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Psalm 126 New International Version

Psalm 126

A song of ascents.

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Numbers 21

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