Numbers 21
New English Translation
Victory at Hormah
21 [a] When the Canaanite king of Arad[b] who lived in the Negev[c] heard that Israel was approaching along the road to Atharim, he fought against Israel and took some of them prisoner.
2 So Israel made a vow[d] to the Lord and said, “If you will indeed deliver[e] this people into our[f] hand, then we will utterly destroy[g] their cities.” 3 The Lord listened to the voice of Israel and delivered up the Canaanites,[h] and they utterly destroyed them and their cities. So the name of the place was called[i] Hormah.
Fiery Serpents
4 Then they traveled from Mount Hor by the road to the Red Sea,[j] to go around the land of Edom, but the people[k] became impatient along the way. 5 And the people spoke against God and against Moses, “Why have you brought us up from Egypt to die in the wilderness, for there is no bread or water, and we[l] detest this worthless[m] food.”
6 So the Lord sent venomous[n] snakes[o] among the people, and they bit the people; many people of Israel died. 7 Then the people came to Moses and said, “We have sinned, for we have spoken against the Lord and against you. Pray to the Lord that he would take away[p] the snakes from us.” So Moses prayed for the people.
8 The Lord said to Moses, “Make a poisonous snake and set it on a pole. When anyone who is bitten looks[q] at it, he will live.” 9 So Moses made a bronze snake and put it on a pole, so that if a snake had bitten someone, when he looked at the bronze snake he lived.[r]
The Approach to Moab
10 [s] The Israelites traveled on and camped in Oboth. 11 Then they traveled on from Oboth and camped at Iye Abarim,[t] in the wilderness that is before Moab on the eastern side.[u] 12 From there they moved on and camped in the valley of Zered. 13 From there they moved on and camped on the other side of the Arnon, in the wilderness that extends from the regions[v] of the Amorites, for Arnon is the border of Moab, between Moab and the Amorites. 14 This is why it is said in the Book of the Wars of the Lord,
“Waheb in Suphah[w] and the wadis,
the Arnon 15 and the slope of the valleys[x]
that extends to the dwelling of Ar,[y]
and falls off at the border of Moab.”
16 And from there they traveled[z] to Beer;[aa] that is the well where the Lord spoke to Moses, “Gather the people and I will give them water.” 17 Then Israel sang[ab] this song:
“Spring up, O well, sing to it!
18 The well which the princes[ac] dug,
which the leaders of the people opened
with their scepters and their staffs.”
And 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 country of Moab, near the top of Pisgah, which overlooks the wastelands.[ad]
The Victory over Sihon and Og
21 [ae] Then Israel sent messengers to King Sihon of the Amorites, saying,[af]
22 “Let us[ag] pass through your land;[ah] we will not turn aside into the fields or into the vineyards, nor will we drink water from any well, but we will go along the King’s Highway until we pass your borders.” 23 But Sihon did not permit Israel to pass through his border; he[ai] gathered all his forces[aj] together and went out against Israel into the wilderness. When[ak] he came to Jahaz, he fought against Israel. 24 But the Israelites[al] defeated him in battle[am] and took possession of his land from the Arnon to the Jabbok, as far as the Ammonites, for the border of the Ammonites was strongly defended. 25 So Israel took all these cities; and Israel settled in all the cities of the Amorites, in Heshbon, and in all its villages.[an] 26 For Heshbon was the city of King Sihon of the Amorites. Now he had fought against the former king of Moab and had taken all his land from his control,[ao] as far as the Arnon. 27 That is why those who speak in proverbs[ap] say,
“Come to Heshbon, let it be built.
Let the city of Sihon be established![aq]
28 For fire went out from Heshbon,
a flame from the city of Sihon.
It has consumed Ar of Moab
and the lords[ar] of the high places of Arnon.
29 Woe to you, Moab.
You are ruined, O people of Chemosh![as]
He has made his sons fugitives,
and his daughters the prisoners of King Sihon of the Amorites.
30 We have overpowered them;[at]
Heshbon has perished as far as Dibon.
We have shattered them as far as Nophah,
which[au] reaches to Medeba.”
31 So the Israelites[av] lived in the land of the Amorites. 32 Moses sent spies to reconnoiter[aw] Jazer, and they captured its villages[ax] and dispossessed the Amorites who were there.
33 Then they turned and went up by the road to Bashan. And King Og of Bashan and all his forces[ay] marched out against them to do battle at Edrei. 34 And the Lord said to Moses, “Do not fear him, for I have delivered him and all his people and his land into your hand. You will do to him what you did to King Sihon of the Amorites, who lived in Heshbon.” 35 So they defeated Og,[az] his sons, and all his people, until there were no survivors,[ba] and they possessed his land.
Footnotes
- Numbers 21:1 sn This chapter has several events in it: the victory over Arad (vv. 1-3), the plague of serpents (vv. 4-9), the approach to Moab (vv. 10-20), and the victory over Sihon and Og (vv. 21-35). For information, see D. M. Gunn, “The ‘Battle Report’: Oral or Scribal Convention.” JBL 93 (1974): 513-18; and of the extensive literature on the archaeological site, see EAEHL 1:74-89.
- Numbers 21:1 sn The name Arad probably refers to a place a number of miles away from Tel Arad in southern Israel. The name could also refer to the whole region (like Edom).
- Numbers 21:1 tn Or “the south”; “Negev” has become a technical name for the southern desert region and is still in use in modern times.
- Numbers 21:2 tn The Hebrew text uses a cognate accusative with the verb: “Israel vowed a vow.” The Israelites were therefore determined with God’s help to defeat Arad.
- Numbers 21:2 tn The Hebrew text has the infinitive absolute and the imperfect tense of נָתַן (natan) to stress the point—“if you will surely/indeed give.”
- Numbers 21:2 tn Heb “my.”
- Numbers 21:2 tn On the surface this does not sound like much of a vow. But the key is in the use of the verb for “utterly destroy”—חָרַם (kharam). Whatever was put to this “ban” or “devotion” belonged to God, either for his use or for destruction. The oath was in fact saying that they would take nothing from this for themselves. It would simply be the removal of what was alien to the faith or to God’s program.
- Numbers 21:3 tc Smr, Greek, and Syriac add “into his hand.”
- Numbers 21:3 tn In the Hebrew text the verb has no expressed subject, and so here too is made passive. The name “Hormah” is etymologically connected to the verb “utterly destroy,” forming the popular etymology (or paronomasia, a phonetic wordplay capturing the significance of the event).
- Numbers 21:4 tn The “Red Sea” is the general designation for the bodies of water on either side of the Sinai peninsula, even though they are technically gulfs from the Red Sea.
- Numbers 21:4 tn Heb “the soul of the people,” expressing the innermost being of the people as they became frustrated.
- Numbers 21:5 tn Heb “our souls.”
- Numbers 21:5 tn The Israelites’ opinion about the manna was clear enough—“worthless.” The word used is קְלֹקֵל (qeloqel, “good for nothing, worthless, miserable”).
- Numbers 21:6 tn Heb “flaming serpents”; KJV, NASB “fiery serpents”; NAB “saraph serpents.” This figure of speech (metonymy) probably describes the venomous and painful results of snakebite. The feeling from such an experience would be like a burning fire (שָׂרָף, saraf).
- Numbers 21:6 tn The designation of the serpents/ snakes is נְחָשִׁים (nekhashim), which is similar to the word for “bronze” (נְחֹשֶׁת, nekhoshet). This has led some scholars to describe the serpents as bronze in color. The description of them as fiery indicates they were poisonous. Perhaps the snake in question is a species of adder.
- Numbers 21:7 tn The verb is the Hiphil jussive with a vav (ו) consecutive from the verb סוּר (sur); after the imperative this form may be subordinated to become a purpose clause.
- Numbers 21:8 tn The word order is slightly different in Hebrew: “and it shall be anyone who is bitten when he looks at it he shall live.”
- Numbers 21:9 sn The image of the snake was to be a symbol of the curse that the Israelites were experiencing; by lifting the snake up on a pole Moses was indicating that the curse would be drawn away from the people—if they looked to it, which was a sign of faith. This symbol was later stored in the temple, until it became an object of worship and had to be removed (2 Kgs 18:4). Jesus, of course, alluded to it and used it as an illustration of his own mission. He would become the curse, and be lifted up, so that people who looked by faith to him would live (John 3:14). For further material, see D. J. Wiseman, “Flying Serpents,” TynBul 23 (1972): 108-10; and K. R. Joines, “The Bronze Serpent in the Israelite Cult,” JBL 87 (1968): 245-56.
- Numbers 21:10 sn See further D. L. Christensen, “Numbers 21:14-15 and the Book of the Wars of Yahweh,” CBQ 36 (1974): 359-60; G. W. Coats, “The Wilderness Itinerary,” CBQ 34 (1972): 135-52; G. I. Davies, “The Wilderness Itinerary,” TB 25 (1974): 46-81; idem, The Way of the Wilderness; G. E. Mendenhall, “The Hebrew Conquest of Palestine,” BA 25 (1962): 66-87.
- Numbers 21:11 sn These places are uncertain. Oboth may be some 15 miles (25 km) from the south end of the Dead Sea at a place called ‘Ain el-Weiba. Iye Abarim may be the modern Mahay at the southeastern corner of Moab. See J. Simons, The Geographical and Topographical Texts of the Old Testament.
- Numbers 21:11 tn Heb “the rising of the sun.”
- Numbers 21:13 tn Or “border.”
- Numbers 21:14 tc The ancient versions show a wide variation here: Smr has “Waheb on the Sea of Reeds,” the Greek version has “he has set Zoob on fire and the torrents of Arnon.” Several modern versions treat the first line literally, taking the two main words as place names: Waheb and Suphah. This seems most likely, but then there would be no subject or verb. One would need something like “the Israelites marched through.” The KJV, following the Vulgate, made the first word a verb and read the second as “Red Sea”—“what he did in the Red Sea.” But the subject of the passage is the terrain. D. L. Christensen proposed emending the first part from אֶת וָהֵב (ʾet vahev) to אַתָּה יְהוָה (ʾattah yehvah, “the Lord came”). But this is subjective. See his article “Num 21:14-15 and the Book of the Wars of Yahweh,” CBQ 36 (1974): 359-60.
- Numbers 21:15 tc There are many variations in this text, but the MT reading of something like “the descent of the torrents/valleys” is preferable, since it is describing the topography.
- Numbers 21:15 sn The place is unknown; it is apparently an important city in the region.
- Numbers 21:16 tn The words “they traveled” are not in the Hebrew text, but are supplied here because of English style. The same phrase is supplied at the end of v. 18.
- Numbers 21:16 sn Isa 15:8 mentions a Moabite Beerelim, which Simons suggests is Wadi Ettemed.
- Numbers 21:17 tn After the adverb “then” the prefixed conjugation has the preterite force. For the archaic constructions, see D. N. Freedman, “Archaic Forms in Early Hebrew Poetry,” ZAW 72 (1960): 101-7. The poem shows all the marks of being ancient.
- Numbers 21:18 sn The brief song is supposed to be an old workers’ song, and so the mention of leaders and princes is unusual. Some think they are given credit because they directed where the workers were to dig. The scepter and staff might have served some symbolic or divining custom.
- Numbers 21:20 tn Or perhaps as a place name, “Jeshimon.”
- Numbers 21:21 sn For this section, see further J. R. Bartlett, “Sihon and Og of the Amorites,” VT 20 (1970): 257-77, and “The Moabites and the Edomites,” Peoples of Old Testament Times, 229-58; S. H. Horn, “The Excavations at Tell Hesban, 1973,” ADAJ 18 (1973): 87-88.
- Numbers 21:21 tc Smr and the LXX have “words of peace.”
- Numbers 21:22 tn The Hebrew text uses the singular in these verses to match the reference to “Israel.”
- Numbers 21:22 tc Smr has “by the King’s way I will go. I will not turn aside to the right or the left.”
- Numbers 21:23 tn Heb “Sihon.”
- Numbers 21:23 tn Heb “people.”
- Numbers 21:23 tn The clause begins with a preterite with vav (ו) consecutive, but may be subordinated to the next preterite as a temporal clause.
- Numbers 21:24 tn The Hebrew text has “Israel,” but the verb is plural.
- Numbers 21:24 tn Heb “with the edge of the sword.”
- Numbers 21:25 tn Heb “its daughters.”
- Numbers 21:26 sn There is a justice, always, in the divine plan for the conquest of the land. Modern students of the Bible often think that the conquest passages are crude and unjust. But an understanding of the ancient Near East is critical here. This Sihon was not a part of the original population of the land. He himself invaded the territory and destroyed the population of Moab that was indigenous there and established his own kingdom. The ancient history is filled with such events; it is the way of life they chose—conquer or be conquered. For Israel to defeat them was in part a turning of their own devices back on their heads—“those that live by the sword will die by the sword.” Sihon knew this, and he did not wait, but took the war to Israel. Israel wanted to pass through, not fight. But now they would either fight or be pushed into the gorge. So God used Israel to defeat Sihon, who had no claim to the land, as part of divine judgment.
- Numbers 21:27 sn Proverbs of antiquity could include pithy sayings or longer songs, riddles, or poems composed to catch the significance or the irony of an event. This is a brief poem to remember the event, like an Egyptian victory song. It may have originated as an Amorite war taunt song; it was sung to commemorate this victory. It was cited later by Jeremiah (48:45-46). The composer invites his victorious people to rebuild the conquered city as a new capital for Sihon. He then turns to address the other cities which his God(s) has/have given to him. See P. D. Hanson, “The Song of Heshbon and David’s Nir,” HTR 61 (1968): 301.
- Numbers 21:27 tn Meaning, “rebuilt and restored.”
- Numbers 21:28 tc Some scholars emend to בָּלְעָה (balʿah), reading “and devoured,” instead of בַּעֲלֵי (baʿale, “its lords”); cf. NAB, NRSV, TEV. This emendation is closer to the Greek and makes a better parallelism, but the MT makes good sense as it stands.
- Numbers 21:29 sn The note of holy war emerges here as the victory is a victory over the local gods as well as over the people.
- Numbers 21:30 tc The first verb is difficult. MT has “we shot at them.” The Greek has “their posterity perished” (see GKC 218 §76.f).
- Numbers 21:30 tc The relative pronoun “which” (אֲשֶׁר, ʾasher) posed a problem for the ancient scribes here, as indicated by the so-called extraordinary point (punta extraordinaria) over the letter ר (resh) of אֲשֶׁר. Smr and the LXX have “fire” (אֵשׁ, ʾesh) here (cf. NAB, NJB, RSV, NRSV). Some modern scholars emend the word to שֹׁאָה (shoʾah, “devastation”).
- Numbers 21:31 tn Heb “Israel.”
- Numbers 21:32 tn Heb “Moses sent to spy out.”
- Numbers 21:32 tn Heb “daughters.”
- Numbers 21:33 tn Heb “people.”
- Numbers 21:35 tn Heb “him”; the referent (Og) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
- Numbers 21:35 tn Heb “no remnant.”
民数记 21
Chinese Union Version Modern Punctuation (Simplified)
21 住南地的迦南人亚拉得王，听说以色列人从亚他林路来，就和以色列人争战，掳了他们几个人。 2 以色列人向耶和华发愿说：“你若将这民交付我手，我就把他们的城邑尽行毁灭。” 3 耶和华应允了以色列人，把迦南人交付他们，他们就把迦南人和迦南人的城邑尽行毁灭。那地方的名便叫何珥玛[a]。
火蛇与铜蛇
4 他们从何珥山起行，往红海那条路走，要绕过以东地。百姓因这路难行，心中甚是烦躁， 5 就怨讟神和摩西说：“你们为什么把我们从埃及领出来，使我们死在旷野呢？这里没有粮，没有水，我们的心厌恶这淡薄的食物！” 6 于是耶和华使火蛇进入百姓中间，蛇就咬他们，以色列人中死了许多。 7 百姓到摩西那里，说：“我们怨讟耶和华和你，有罪了。求你祷告耶和华，叫这些蛇离开我们。”于是摩西为百姓祷告。 8 耶和华对摩西说：“你制造一条火蛇，挂在杆子上。凡被咬的，一望这蛇，就必得活。” 9 摩西便制造一条铜蛇，挂在杆子上。凡被蛇咬的，一望这铜蛇就活了。
民由阿伯起行至毗斯迦山
10 以色列人起行，安营在阿伯。 11 又从阿伯起行，安营在以耶亚巴琳，与摩押相对的旷野，向日出之地。 12 从那里起行，安营在撒烈谷。 13 从那里起行，安营在亚嫩河那边。这亚嫩河是在旷野，从亚摩利的境界流出来的。原来亚嫩河是摩押的边界，在摩押和亚摩利人搭界的地方。 14 所以《耶和华的战记》上说：“苏法的哇哈伯与亚嫩河的谷， 15 并向亚珥城众谷的下坡，是靠近摩押的境界。” 16 以色列人从那里起行，到了比珥[b]。从前耶和华吩咐摩西说：“招聚百姓，我好给他们水喝”，说的就是这井。 17 当时，以色列人唱歌说：“井啊，涌上水来！你们要向这井歌唱。 18 这井是首领和民中的尊贵人用圭用杖所挖所掘的。”以色列人从旷野往玛他拿去， 19 从玛他拿到拿哈列，从拿哈列到巴末， 20 从巴末到摩押地的谷，又到那下望旷野之毗斯迦的山顶。
击败亚摩利巴珊二王
21 以色列人差遣使者去见亚摩利人的王西宏，说： 22 “求你容我们从你的地经过。我们不偏入田间和葡萄园，也不喝井里的水，只走大道[c]，直到过了你的境界。” 23 西宏不容以色列人从他的境界经过，就招聚他的众民出到旷野，要攻击以色列人，到了雅杂与以色列人争战。 24 以色列人用刀杀了他，得了他的地，从亚嫩河到雅博河，直到亚扪人的境界，因为亚扪人的境界多有坚垒。 25 以色列人夺取这一切的城邑，也住亚摩利人的城邑，就是希实本与希实本的一切乡村。 26 这希实本是亚摩利王西宏的京城，西宏曾与摩押的先王争战，从他手中夺取了全地，直到亚嫩河。 27 所以那些作诗歌的说：“你们来到希实本，愿西宏的城被修造，被建立！ 28 因为有火从希实本发出，有火焰出于西宏的城，烧尽摩押的亚珥和亚嫩河丘坛的祭司[d]。 29 摩押啊，你有祸了！基抹的民哪，你们灭亡了！基抹的男子逃奔，女子被掳，交付亚摩利的王西宏。 30 我们射了他们，希实本直到底本尽皆毁灭。我们使地变成荒场，直到挪法。这挪法直延到米底巴。” 31 这样，以色列人就住在亚摩利人之地。 32 摩西打发人去窥探雅谢，以色列人就占了雅谢的镇市，赶出那里的亚摩利人。
33 以色列人转回，向巴珊去。巴珊王噩和他的众民都出来，在以得来与他们交战。 34 耶和华对摩西说：“不要怕他。因我已将他和他的众民，并他的地，都交在你手中。你要待他像从前待住希实本的亚摩利王西宏一般。” 35 于是他们杀了他和他的众子，并他的众民，没有留下一个，就得了他的地。
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