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21 Le roi d'Arad, Cananéen, qui habitait le midi, apprit qu'Israël venait par le chemin d'Atharim. Il combattit Israël, et emmena des prisonniers.

Alors Israël fit un voeu à l'Éternel, et dit: Si tu livres ce peuple entre mes mains, je dévouerai ses villes par interdit.

L'Éternel entendit la voix d'Israël, et livra les Cananéens. On les dévoua par interdit, eux et leurs villes; et l'on nomma ce lieu Horma.

Ils partirent de la montagne de Hor par le chemin de la mer Rouge, pour contourner le pays d'Édom. Le peuple s'impatienta en route,

et parla contre Dieu et contre Moïse: Pourquoi nous avez-vous fait monter hors d'Égypte, pour que nous mourions dans le désert? car il n'y a point de pain, et il n'y a point d'eau, et notre âme est dégoûtée de cette misérable nourriture.

Alors l'Éternel envoya contre le peuple des serpents brûlants; ils mordirent le peuple, et il mourut beaucoup de gens en Israël.

Le peuple vint à Moïse, et dit: Nous avons péché, car nous avons parlé contre l'Éternel et contre toi. Prie l'Éternel, afin qu'il éloigne de nous ces serpents. Moïse pria pour le peuple.

L'Éternel dit à Moïse: Fais-toi un serpent brûlant, et place-le sur une perche; quiconque aura été mordu, et le regardera, conservera la vie.

Moïse fit un serpent d'airain, et le plaça sur une perche; et quiconque avait été mordu par un serpent, et regardait le serpent d'airain, conservait la vie.

10 Les enfants d'Israël partirent, et ils campèrent à Oboth.

11 Ils partirent d'Oboth et ils campèrent à Ijjé Abarim, dans le désert qui est vis-à-vis de Moab, vers le soleil levant.

12 De là ils partirent, et ils campèrent dans la vallée de Zéred.

13 De là ils partirent, et ils campèrent de l'autre côté de l'Arnon, qui coule dans le désert en sortant du territoire des Amoréens; car l'Arnon est la frontière de Moab, entre Moab et les Amoréens.

14 C'est pourquoi il est dit dans le livre des Guerres de l'Éternel: ...Vaheb en Supha, et les torrents de l'Arnon,

15 et le cours des torrents, qui s'étend du côté d'Ar et touche à la frontière de Moab.

16 De là ils allèrent à Beer. C'est ce Beer, où l'Éternel dit à Moïse: Rassemble le peuple, et je leur donnerai de l'eau.

17 Alors Israël chanta ce cantique: Monte, puits! Chantez en son honneur!

18 Puits, que des princes ont creusé, Que les grands du peuple ont creusé, Avec le sceptre, avec leurs bâtons!

19 Du désert ils allèrent à Matthana; de Matthana, à Nahaliel; de Nahaliel, à Bamoth;

20 de Bamoth, à la vallée qui est dans le territoire de Moab, au sommet du Pisga, en regard du désert.

21 Israël envoya des messagers à Sihon, roi des Amoréens, pour lui dire:

22 Laisse-moi passer par ton pays; nous n'entrerons ni dans les champs, ni dans les vignes, et nous ne boirons pas l'eau des puits; nous suivrons la route royale, jusqu'à ce que nous ayons franchi ton territoire.

23 Sihon n'accorda point à Israël le passage sur son territoire; il rassembla tout son peuple, et sortit à la rencontre d'Israël, dans le désert; il vint à Jahats, et combattit Israël.

24 Israël le frappa du tranchant de l'épée et s'empara de son pays depuis l'Arnon jusqu'au Jabbok, jusqu'à la frontière des enfants d'Ammon; car la frontière des enfants d'Ammon était fortifiée.

25 Israël prit toutes les villes, et s'établit dans toutes les villes des Amoréens, à Hesbon et dans toutes les villes de son ressort.

26 Car Hesbon était la ville de Sihon, roi des Amoréens; il avait fait la guerre au précédent roi de Moab, et lui avait enlevé tout son pays jusqu'à l'Arnon.

27 C'est pourquoi les poètes disent: Venez à Hesbon! Que la ville de Sihon soit rebâtie et fortifiée!

28 Car il est sorti un feu de Hesbon, Une flamme de la ville de Sihon; Elle a dévoré Ar Moab, Les habitants des hauteurs de l'Arnon.

29 Malheur à toi, Moab! Tu es perdu, peuple de Kemosch! Il a fait de ses fils des fuyards, Et il a livré ses filles captives A Sihon, roi des Amoréens.

30 Nous avons lancé sur eux nos traits: De Hesbon à Dibon tout est détruit; Nous avons étendu nos ravages jusqu'à Nophach, Jusqu'à Médeba.

31 Israël s'établit dans le pays des Amoréens.

32 Moïse envoya reconnaître Jaezer; et ils prirent les villes de son ressort, et chassèrent les Amoréens qui y étaient.

33 Ils changèrent ensuite de direction, et montèrent par le chemin de Basan. Og, roi de Basan, sortit à leur rencontre, avec tout son peuple, pour les combattre à Édréi.

34 L'Éternel dit à Moïse: Ne le crains point; car je le livre entre tes mains, lui et tout son peuple, et son pays; tu le traiteras comme tu as traité Sihon, roi des Amoréens, qui habitait à Hesbon.

35 Et ils le battirent, lui et ses fils, et tout son peuple, sans en laisser échapper un seul, et ils s'emparèrent de son pays.

Chapter 21

Israel Destroys Arad. When the Canaanite king Arad (who lived in the Negeb) heard that Israel was coming along the road to Atharim, he attacked the people of Israel and took some of them prisoner. [a]Israel made a vow to the Lord saying, “If you will deliver this people into our hands, then we will utterly destroy their cities!” The Lord listened to the plea of Israel and delivered up the Canaanites. They totally destroyed them and their cities, therefore the place is called Hormah.

The Bronze Serpent.[b] They traveled from Mount Hor along the way to the Red Sea in order to bypass the land of Edom, but the people became discouraged along the way. The people spoke against God and Moses, saying, “Why have you brought us out of Egypt to have us die in the desert. There is no bread, no water, and we loathe this miserable food.”[c]

The Lord sent seraph[d] serpents among the people. They bit the people, and many of the people of Israel died. The people came to Moses and said, “We have sinned, for we have spoken against the Lord and against you. Pray to the Lord so that he might save us from the serpents.” So Moses prayed for the people. The Lord said to Moses, “Make a seraph serpent and put it upon a pole. Whoever has been bitten and looks upon it will live.” So Moses made a bronze serpent and put it upon a pole. If someone had been bitten by a serpent and he looked up at the bronze serpent, he lived.

10 The Move to Moab. The people of Israel moved on and camped in Oboth. 11 They left Oboth and camped in Iye-abarim in the desert that lie to the east of Moab. 12 From there they moved on and camped in the Valley of Zered. 13 They then moved on from there and camped on the other side of the Arnon in the desert that extends from the boundary of the Amorites. The Arnon is the boundary of Moab, the border between Moab and the Amorites. 14 Thus, it is written in the Book of Wars of the Lord,

“Waheb in Suphah,
    and the wadis of the Arnon,
15     and the slope of the wadis
that extend to the site of Ar,
    that lies along the boundary of Moab.”

16 From there they continued on to Beer, which is where the Lord spoke to Moses saying, “Gather up the people and I will give them water.”

17 Then Israel sang this song,

“Spring up, O well! Sing to it!
18 The well which the leaders dug,
    which the nobles of the people sank,
    with the scepter and with their staves.”

From the desert they continued on to Mattanah, 19 and from Mattanah to Nahaliel, from Nahaliel to Bamoth, 20 and from Bamoth to the valley in the land of Moab which is on the heights of the Pisgah overlooking the wasteland.

21 Victory over Sihon and Og.[e] Israel sent messengers to Sihon, king of the Amorites, saying, 22 “Let us pass through your land. We will not wander into the fields nor into the vineyards. We will not drink water from any well. We will pass along the King’s Highway until we have crossed over your borders.”

23 But Sihon would not allow Israel to cross over his border. Sihon gathered all of his people and marched out into the desert against Israel. He went out to Jahaz and fought with Israel.

24 But Israel put him to the sword and occupied his land from the Arnon to the Jabbok up to the Ammonite territory (for the boundary with the Ammonites was fortified). 25 Israel captured all of these cities, and Israel settled in all of the cities of the Amorites, in Heshbon and in all of its surrounding villages. 26 Heshbon was the city of Sihon, king of the Amorites, for he had fought with the former king of Moab, conquering all of his lands up to the Arnon. 27 [f]This is why those who speak in proverbs say,

“Come to Heshbon, let it be built.
    Let Sihon’s city be restored.
28 For fire went out from Heshbon,
    a flame from the city of Sihon.
It devoured Ar of Moab,
    the lords of the heights of the Arnon.
29 Woe to you, Moab.
    You have perished, O people of Chemosh.[g]
He has given up his sons as fugitives,
    his daughters as captives to Sihon,
    the king of the Amorites.
30 But we have shot at them,
    Heshbon has perished even as far as Dibon.
We have laid them waste up to Nophah,
    which extends to the Medeba.”

31 So Israel settled in the land of the Amorites. 32 Moses sent out spies to Jazer, and they captured those villages, driving out the Amorites who lived there. 33 They then turned and went along the road to Bashan.[h] Og, the king of Bashan, went out with all his people to battle them in Edrei.

34 The Lord said to Moses, “Do not be afraid of him, for I have delivered him and all his people and land into your hands. You will do to him what you did to Sihon, the king of the Amorites, who dwelt in Heshbon.” 35 So they killed him and his sons and all of his people until there was not a single one alive, and they conquered his land.

Footnotes

  1. Numbers 21:2 Hormah means “dedicated to destruction.” The entire booty taken in war is destroyed as an act of homage to God. See Num 18:14; Jos 6:7.
  2. Numbers 21:4 The bronze serpent, a sign of repentance and forgiveness, will be used by Jesus as a prefiguration of his own being lifted up on the cross (Jn 3:14).
  3. Numbers 21:5 We loathe this miserable food: this statement showed more than a distaste for the manna that the Lord had provided and that had been the brunt of ongoing complaints by the people. While they were rejecting the Lord’s physical nourishment, they were turning away from his gift of grace.
  4. Numbers 21:6 Seraph: the Hebrew for a type of poisonous viper. The etymology suggests “fiery one,” “burning one.”
  5. Numbers 21:21 God fights alongside his people; nothing can resist him. These incidents will remain as exemplars for Israel and will be repeatedly extolled in national songs (see Pss 135:11; 136:10-20).
  6. Numbers 21:27 An ancient Amorite song of victory, taken over by the Israelites.
  7. Numbers 21:29 Chemosh is the god of the Moabites. See Jdg 11:24; 1 Ki 11:7.
  8. Numbers 21:33 Bashan: a region on the border between present day Syria and Jordan. Og: a legendary giant; see Deut 3:11.

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. Then 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.” The 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

They 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) they 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)

Then the Lord sent venomous snakes(Q) among them; they bit the people and many Israelites died.(R) The 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.

The 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.” So 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

10 The Israelites moved on and camped at Oboth.(Z) 11 Then they set out from Oboth and camped in Iye Abarim, in the wilderness that faces Moab(AA) toward the sunrise. 12 From there they moved on and camped in the Zered Valley.(AB) 13 They 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) 14 That is why the Book of the Wars(AE) of the Lord says:

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

16 From 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.”

17 Then Israel sang this song:(AH)

“Spring up, O well!
    Sing about it,
18 about 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, 19 from Mattanah to Nahaliel, from Nahaliel to Bamoth, 20 and from Bamoth to the valley in Moab where the top of Pisgah(AI) overlooks the wasteland.

Defeat of Sihon and Og

21 Israel 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)

23 But 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) 24 Israel, 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. 25 Israel captured all the cities of the Amorites(AU) and occupied them,(AV) including Heshbon(AW) and all its surrounding settlements. 26 Heshbon 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)

27 That 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)
29 Woe 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)

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

32 After Moses had sent spies(BM) to Jazer,(BN) the Israelites captured its surrounding settlements and drove out the Amorites who were there. 33 Then 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)

34 The 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)

35 So 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

  1. 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.
  2. Numbers 21:3 Hormah means destruction.
  3. Numbers 21:4 Or the Sea of Reeds
  4. Numbers 21:14 Septuagint; Hebrew Waheb
  5. Numbers 21:15 Or “I have been given from Suphah and the ravines / of the Arnon 15 to

Derrota de Arad

21 Cuando el cananeo que reinaba en la ciudad de Arad y vivía en el Néguev se enteró de que los israelitas venían por el camino de Atarín, los atacó y capturó a algunos de ellos. Entonces el pueblo de Israel hizo este voto al Señor: «Si tú nos aseguras la victoria sobre este enemigo, destruiremos por completo sus ciudades». El Señor atendió la súplica de los israelitas y les concedió la victoria sobre los cananeos, a los que destruyeron por completo, junto con sus ciudades. Por eso a aquel lugar se le llamó Jormá.[a]

La serpiente de bronce

Los israelitas salieron del monte Hor por la ruta del Mar Rojo, bordeando el territorio de Edom. En el camino se impacientaron y comenzaron a hablar contra Dios y contra Moisés:

―¿Para qué nos trajisteis vosotros de Egipto a morir en este desierto? ¡Aquí no hay pan ni agua! ¡Ya estamos hartos de esta pésima comida!

Por eso el Señor mandó contra ellos serpientes venenosas, para que les mordieran, y muchos israelitas murieron. El pueblo se acercó entonces a Moisés, y le dijo:

―Hemos pecado al hablar contra el Señor y contra ti. Ruégale al Señor que nos quite esas serpientes.

Moisés intercedió por el pueblo, y el Señor le dijo:

―Hazte una serpiente, y ponla en un asta. Todos los que sean mordidos y la miren vivirán.

Moisés hizo una serpiente de bronce y la puso en un asta. Los que eran mordidos miraban a la serpiente de bronce y vivían.

En camino a Moab

10 Los israelitas se pusieron en marcha y acamparon en Obot. 11 De allí partieron y acamparon en Iyé Abarín, que está en el desierto, al oriente de Moab. 12 De allí partieron y acamparon en el valle de Zéred. 13 De allí partieron y acamparon al otro lado del río Arnón, que está en el desierto que se extiende desde el territorio de los amorreos. El río Arnón sirve de frontera entre el territorio de los moabitas y el de los amorreos. 14 Por eso puede leerse en el libro de las guerras del Señor:

«…hacia el Mar Rojo,[b] los valles y el Arnón.
15 La ladera de los valles que se extienden
    hasta la región de Ar y la frontera de Moab».

16 De allí continuaron hasta Ber, el pozo donde el Señor le dijo a Moisés: «Reúne al pueblo, y les daré agua». 17 En esa ocasión Israel entonó este cántico:

«¡Que brote el agua!
    ¡Que cante el pozo!
18 ¡Pozo que el gobernante cavó con su cetro
    y que el noble abrió con su vara!»

Desde el desierto se dirigieron a Matana; 19 de Matana a Najaliel, de Najaliel a Bamot, 20 y de Bamot al valle que está en la región de Moab, hasta la cumbre del monte Pisgá, desde donde puede verse el desierto de Jesimón.

Victoria sobre Sijón

21 Israel envió emisarios a Sijón, rey de los amorreos, con este mensaje:

22 «Te pido que nos dejes pasar por tus dominios. Te prometo que no entraremos en ningún campo ni viña, ni beberemos agua de ningún pozo. Nos limitaremos a pasar por el camino real, hasta que salgamos de tu territorio».

23 Pero Sijón no dejó que los israelitas pasaran por sus dominios. Más bien, reunió a sus tropas y salió a hacerles frente en el desierto. Cuando llegó a Yahaza, los atacó. 24 Pero los israelitas lo derrotaron y se apoderaron de su territorio, desde el río Arnón hasta el río Jaboc, es decir, hasta la frontera de los amonitas, la cual estaba fortificada. 25 Israel se apoderó de todas las ciudades amorreas y se estableció en ellas, incluso en Hesbón y en todas sus aldeas. 26 Hesbón era la ciudad capital de Sijón, rey de los amorreos, quien había luchado en contra del anterior rey de Moab, conquistando todo su territorio, hasta el río Arnón.

27 Por eso dicen los poetas:

«Venid a Hesbón, la ciudad de Sijón.
    ¡Reconstruidla! ¡Restauradla!
28 Porque de Hesbón ha salido fuego;
    de la ciudad de Sijón salieron llamas.
¡Y consumieron las ciudades de Moab
    y las alturas que dominan el Arnón!
29 ¡Ay de ti, Moab!
    ¡Estás destruido, pueblo de Quemós!
Tu dios convirtió a tus hijos en fugitivos
    y a tus hijas en prisioneras de Sijón,
    rey de los amorreos.

30 »Los hemos destruido por completo,
    desde Hesbón hasta Dibón.
Los devastamos hasta Nofa,
    ¡los destruimos hasta Medeba!»

31 Así fue como Israel se estableció en la tierra de los amorreos.

Victoria sobre el rey Og de Basán

32 Moisés también envió a explorar Jazer, y los israelitas se apoderaron de sus aldeas, expulsando a los amorreos que vivían allí. 33 Al volver, tomaron el camino de Basán. Fue allí donde Og, el rey de Basán, salió con su ejército para hacerles frente en Edrey.

34 Pero el Señor le dijo a Moisés: «No le tengas miedo, porque voy a entregar en tus manos a Og con su ejército y su territorio. Harás con él lo mismo que hiciste con Sijón, el rey de los amorreos que vivía en Hesbón».

35 Así fue como los israelitas mataron a Og, a sus hijos y a todo su ejército, hasta no dejar sobreviviente, y se apoderaron de su territorio.

Footnotes

  1. 21:3 En hebreo, Jormá significa destrucción.
  2. 21:14 hacia el Mar Rojo. Texto de difícil traducción.