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Numbers 21
Good News Translation
Numbers 21
Good News Translation
Victory over the Canaanites
21 (A)When the Canaanite king of Arad in the southern part of Canaan heard that the Israelites were coming by way of Atharim, he attacked them and captured some of them. 2 Then the Israelites made a vow to the Lord: “If you will let us conquer these people, we will unconditionally dedicate[a] them and their cities to you and will destroy them.” 3 The Lord heard them and helped them conquer the Canaanites. So the Israelites completely destroyed them and their cities, and named the place Hormah.[b]
The Snake Made of Bronze
4 (B)The Israelites left Mount Hor by the road that leads to the Gulf of Aqaba, in order to go around the territory of Edom. But on the way the people lost their patience 5 (C)and spoke against God and Moses. They complained, “Why did you bring us out of Egypt to die in this desert, where there is no food or water? We can't stand any more of this miserable food!” 6 Then the Lord sent poisonous snakes among the people, and many Israelites were bitten and died. 7 The people came to Moses and said, “We sinned when we spoke against the Lord and against you. Now pray to the Lord to take these snakes away.” So Moses prayed for the people. 8 Then the Lord told Moses to make a metal snake and put it on a pole, so that anyone who was bitten could look at it and be healed. 9 (D)So Moses made a bronze snake and put it on a pole. Anyone who had been bitten would look at the bronze snake and be healed.
From Mount Hor to the Valley of the Moabites
10 The Israelites moved on and camped at Oboth. 11 After leaving that place, they camped at the ruins of Abarim in the wilderness east of Moabite territory. 12 Then they camped in Zered Valley. 13 From there they moved again and camped on the north side of the Arnon River, in the wilderness which extends into Amorite territory. (The Arnon was the border between the Moabites and the Amorites.) 14 That is why The Book of the Lord's Battles speaks of “… the town of Waheb in the area of Suphah, and the valleys; the Arnon River, 15 and the slope of the valleys that extend to the town of Ar and toward the border of Moab.”
16 From there they went on to a place called Wells, where the Lord said to Moses, “Bring the people together, and I will give them water.” 17 At that time the people of Israel sang this song:
“Wells, produce your water;
And we will greet it with a song—
18 The well dug by princes
And by leaders of the people,
Dug with a royal scepter
And with their walking sticks.”
They moved from the wilderness to Mattanah, 19 and from there they went on to Nahaliel, and from Nahaliel to Bamoth, 20 and from Bamoth to the valley in the territory of the Moabites, below the top of Mount Pisgah, looking out over the desert.
Victory over King Sihon and King Og(E)
21 Then the people of Israel sent messengers to the Amorite king Sihon to say: 22 “Let us pass through your land. We and our cattle will not leave the road and go into your fields or vineyards, and we will not drink water from your wells; we will stay on the main road[c] until we are out of your territory.” 23 But Sihon would not permit the people of Israel to pass through his territory. He gathered his army and went out to Jahaz in the wilderness and attacked the Israelites. 24 But the Israelites killed many of the enemy in battle and occupied their land from the Arnon River north to the Jabbok, that is, to the Ammonites, because the Ammonite border was strongly defended.[d] 25 So the people of Israel captured all the Amorite cities, including Heshbon and all the surrounding towns, and settled in them. 26 Heshbon was the capital city of the Amorite king Sihon, who had fought against the former king of Moab and had captured all his land as far as the Arnon River. 27 That is why the poets sing,
“Come to Heshbon, to King Sihon's city!
We want to see it rebuilt and restored.
28 (F)Once from this city of Heshbon
Sihon's army went forth like a fire;
It destroyed the city of Ar in Moab
And devoured[e] the hills of the upper Arnon.
29 How terrible for you, people of Moab!
You worshipers of Chemosh are brought to ruin!
Your god let the men become refugees,
And the women became captives of the Amorite king.
30 But now their descendants are destroyed,
All the way from Heshbon to Dibon,
From Nashim to Nophah, near Medeba.”[f]
31 So the people of Israel settled in the territory of the Amorites, 32 and Moses sent men to find the best way to attack the city of Jazer. The Israelites captured it and its surrounding towns and drove out the Amorites living there.
33 Then the Israelites turned and took the road to Bashan, and King Og of Bashan marched out with his army to attack them at Edrei. 34 The Lord said to Moses, “Do not be afraid of him. I will give you victory over him, all his people, and his land. Do to him what you did to Sihon, the Amorite king who ruled at Heshbon.” 35 So the Israelites killed Og, his sons, and all his people, leaving no survivors, and then they occupied his land.
Footnotes
- Numbers 21:2 Anything dedicated in this way belonged completely to the Lord and could not be used; it had to be destroyed.
- Numbers 21:3 This name in Hebrew means “destruction.”
- Numbers 21:22 main road; or King's Highway.
- Numbers 21:24 because … strongly defended; some ancient translations as far as Jazer on the Ammonite border.
- Numbers 21:28 One ancient translation devoured; Hebrew the lords of.
- Numbers 21:30 Verse 30 in Hebrew is unclear.
Numbers 21
New King James Version
Numbers 21
New King James Version
Canaanites Defeated at Hormah
21 The (A)king of Arad, the Canaanite, who dwelt in the South, heard that Israel was coming on the road to Atharim. Then he fought against Israel and took some of them prisoners. 2 (B)So Israel made a vow to the Lord, and said, “If You will indeed deliver this people into my hand, then (C)I will utterly destroy their cities.” 3 And the Lord listened to the voice of Israel and delivered up the Canaanites, and they utterly destroyed them and their cities. So the name of that place was called [a]Hormah.
The Bronze Serpent
4 Then they journeyed from Mount Hor by the Way of the Red Sea, to (D)go around the land of Edom; and the soul of the people became very [b]discouraged on the way. 5 And the people (E)spoke against God and against Moses: “Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? For there is no food and no water, and our soul [c]loathes this worthless bread.” 6 So (F)the Lord sent (G)fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people; and many of the people of Israel died.
7 (H)Therefore the people came to Moses, and said, “We have (I)sinned, for we have spoken against the Lord and against you; (J)pray to the Lord that He take away the serpents from us.” So Moses prayed for the people.
8 Then the Lord said to Moses, (K)“Make a (L)fiery serpent, and set it on a pole; and it shall be that everyone who is bitten, when he looks at it, shall live.” 9 So (M)Moses made a bronze serpent, and put it on a pole; and so it was, if a serpent had bitten anyone, when he looked at the bronze serpent, he lived.
From Mount Hor to Moab
10 Now the children of Israel moved on and (N)camped in Oboth. 11 And they journeyed from Oboth and camped at [d]Ije Abarim, in the wilderness which is east of Moab, toward the sunrise. 12 (O)From there they moved and camped in the Valley of Zered. 13 From there they moved and camped on the other side of the Arnon, which is in the wilderness that extends from the border of the Amorites; for (P)the Arnon is the border of Moab, between Moab and the Amorites. 14 Therefore it is said in the Book of the Wars of the Lord:
[e]“Waheb in Suphah,
The brooks of the Arnon,
15 And the slope of the brooks
That reaches to the dwelling of (Q)Ar,
And lies on the border of Moab.”
16 From there they went (R)to Beer, which is the well where the Lord said to Moses, “Gather the people together, and I will give them water.” 17 (S)Then Israel sang this song:
“Spring up, O well!
All of you sing to it—
18 The well the leaders sank,
Dug by the nation’s nobles,
By the (T)lawgiver, with their staves.”
And from the wilderness they went to Mattanah, 19 from Mattanah to Nahaliel, from Nahaliel to Bamoth, 20 and from Bamoth, in the valley that is in the [f]country of Moab, to the top of Pisgah which looks (U)down on the [g]wasteland.
King Sihon Defeated(V)
21 Then (W)Israel sent messengers to Sihon king of the Amorites, saying, 22 (X)“Let me pass through your land. We will not turn aside into fields or vineyards; we will not drink water from wells. We will go by the King’s Highway until we have passed through your territory.” 23 (Y)But Sihon would not allow Israel to pass through his territory. So Sihon gathered all his people together and [h]went out against Israel in the wilderness, (Z)and he came to Jahaz and fought against Israel. 24 Then (AA)Israel defeated him with the edge of the sword, and took possession of his land from the Arnon to the Jabbok, as far as the people of Ammon; for the border of the people of Ammon was fortified. 25 So Israel took all these cities, and Israel (AB)dwelt in all the cities of the Amorites, in Heshbon and in all its villages. 26 For Heshbon was the city of Sihon king of the Amorites, who had fought against the former king of Moab, and had taken all his land from his hand as far as the Arnon. 27 Therefore those who speak in [i]proverbs say:
“Come to Heshbon, let it be built;
Let the city of Sihon be repaired.
28 “For (AC)fire went out from Heshbon,
A flame from the city of Sihon;
It consumed (AD)Ar of Moab,
The lords of the (AE)heights of the Arnon.
29 Woe to you, (AF)Moab!
You have perished, O people of (AG)Chemosh!
He has given his (AH)sons as fugitives,
And his (AI)daughters into captivity,
To Sihon king of the Amorites.
30 “But we have shot at them;
Heshbon has perished (AJ)as far as Dibon.
Then we laid waste as far as Nophah,
Which reaches to (AK)Medeba.”
31 Thus Israel dwelt in the land of the Amorites. 32 Then Moses sent to [j]spy out (AL)Jazer; and they took its villages and drove out the Amorites who were there.
King Og Defeated(AM)
33 (AN)And they turned and went up by the way to (AO)Bashan. So Og king of Bashan went out against them, he and all his people, to battle (AP)at Edrei. 34 Then the Lord said to Moses, (AQ)“Do not fear him, for I have [k]delivered him into your hand, with all his people and his land; and (AR)you shall do to him as you did to Sihon king of the Amorites, who dwelt at Heshbon.” 35 (AS)So they defeated him, his sons, and all his people, until there was no survivor left him; and they took possession of his land.
Footnotes
- Numbers 21:3 Lit. Utter Destruction
- Numbers 21:4 impatient
- Numbers 21:5 detests
- Numbers 21:11 Lit. The Heaps of Abarim
- Numbers 21:14 Ancient unknown places; Vg. What He did in the Red Sea
- Numbers 21:20 Lit. field
- Numbers 21:20 Heb. Jeshimon
- Numbers 21:23 attacked
- Numbers 21:27 parables
- Numbers 21:32 secretly search
- Numbers 21:34 given you victory over him
Numbers 21
Lexham English Bible
Numbers 21
Lexham English Bible
Arad Captured
21 The Canaanite king of Arad, who was dwelling in the Negev,[a] heard that Israel came along the way of Atharim; he fought against Israel and took some of them captive. 2 Israel made a vow to Yahweh, and they said, “If you will surely give this people into our[b] hand, then we[c] will destroy[d] their cities.” 3 Yahweh heard the voice of Israel; he gave to them the Canaanites, and they destroyed them[e] and their cities. They called the name of the place Hormah.
4 They set out from Mount Hor by the way of the Red Sea[f] to go around the land of Edom; but the people became impatient[g] along the way. 5 The people spoke against God and against Moses, “Why have you brought us from Egypt to die in the desert? There is no food and no water, and our hearts detest this miserable food.”
The Bronze Serpent
6 And Yahweh sent among the people poisonous snakes; they bit the people, and many people from 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 and let him remove the snakes[h] from among us.” So Moses prayed for the people. 8 And Yahweh said to Moses, “Make for yourself a snake and place it on a pole. When[i] anyone is bitten and looks at it, that person will live.” 9 So Moses made a snake of bronze, and he placed it on the pole; whenever[j] a snake bit someone, and that person looked at the snake of bronze, he lived.
10 The Israelites[k] set out and encamped at Oboth. 11 They set out from Oboth and encamped at Iye Abarim in the desert, which was in front of Moab toward the sunrise.[l] 12 From there they set out and encamped at the valley of Zered. 13 From there they set out and encamped beyond Arnon, which is in the desert that goes out from the boundary of the Amorites,[m] because Arnon is the boundary of Moab, between Moab and the Amorites.[n] 14 Therefore thus it is said in the scroll of the Wars of Yahweh,
“Waheb in Suphah,
and the wadis of Arnon,
15 and the slope of the wadis
that spreads out to the dwelling of Ar
and lies at the boundary of Moab.”
16 From there they went to Beer, which is the water well where Yahweh spoke to Moses, “Gather the people, that I may give them water.” 17 Then Israel sang this song, “Arise, well water! Sing to it! 18 Well water that the princes dug, that the leaders of the people dug, with a staff and with their rods.” And from the desert they continued to Mattanah, 19 and from Mattanah to Nahaliel, and from Nahaliel to Bamoth; 20 and from Bamoth to the valley that is in the territory of Moab, by the top of Pisgah, which overlooks the surface of the wasteland.
Sihon and Og Defeated
21 Israel sent messengers to Sihon, the king of the Amorites,[o] saying, 22 “Let us go through your land; we will not turn aside into a field or vineyard; we will not drink well water along the way of the king until we have gone through your territory.” 23 But Sihon did not allow Israel to go through his territory. Sihon gathered all his people and went out to meet Israel; he came to the desert, to Jahaz, and he fought against Israel. 24 But Israel struck him with the edge of the sword, and they took possession of his land from Arnon to Jabbok, until the Ammonites,[p] because the boundary of the Ammonites[q] was strong. 25 Israel took all these cities, and Israel inhabited all the cities of the Amorites,[r] in Heshbon, and in all its environs.[s] 26 Because Heshbon was the city of Sihon king of the Amorites,[t] who had fought against the former king of Moab and taken all his land from his hand until Arnon. 27 Thus the ones who quote proverbs say,
“Come to Heshbon! Let it be built!
And let the city of Sihon be established.
28 Because fire went out from Heshbon,
a flame from the city of Sihon;
it consumed Ar of Moab,
the lords of the[u] high places of Arnon.
29 Woe to you, Moab!
You have perished, people of Chemosh.
He has given his sons as fugitives,
and his daughters into captivity,
to the king of the Amorites,[v] Sihon.
30 We destroyed them;
Heshbon has perished up to Dibon;
we laid waste up to Nophah,
which reaches[w] Medeba.”
31 Thus Israel lived in the land of the Amorites.[x] 32 Moses sent to explore Jaazer; they captured its environs[y] and dispossessed the Amorites[z] who were there.
33 Then they turned and went up by the way of the Bashan, and Og king of the Bashan and all his people went out to meet them for battle at Edrei. 34 And Yahweh said to Moses, “Do not fear him because I will give him and all his people and all his land into your hand. You will do to him just as you did to Sihon king of the Amorites,[aa] who was living in Heshbon.” 35 And so they destroyed him and his sons, and all his people until they had not spared a survivor; and they took possession of his land.
Footnotes
- Numbers 21:1 An arid region south of the Judean hills
- Numbers 21:2 Hebrew “my”
- Numbers 21:2 Hebrew “I”
- Numbers 21:2 Literally “devote to God”
- Numbers 21:3 Literally “they devoted to God”
- Numbers 21:4 Literally “sea of reed”
- Numbers 21:4 Literally “the life of the people became short”
- Numbers 21:7 Hebrew “snake”
- Numbers 21:8 Hebrew “And it will happen”
- Numbers 21:9 Hebrew “And it will happen”
- Numbers 21:10 Literally “sons/children of Israel”
- Numbers 21:11 Literally “from the east of the sun”
- Numbers 21:13 Hebrew “Amorite”
- Numbers 21:13 Hebrew “Amorite”
- Numbers 21:21 Hebrew “Amorite”
- Numbers 21:24 Literally “sons of Ammon”
- Numbers 21:24 Literally “sons of Ammon”
- Numbers 21:25 Hebrew “Amorite”
- Numbers 21:25 Hebrew “her daughters;” other modern versions translate “its villages”
- Numbers 21:26 Hebrew “Amorite”
- Numbers 21:28 Or “the dominant”
- Numbers 21:29 Hebrew “Amorite”
- Numbers 21:30 Literally “is up to”
- Numbers 21:31 Hebrew “Amorite”
- Numbers 21:32 Hebrew “her daughters;” other modern versions translate “its villages”
- Numbers 21:32 Hebrew “Amorite”
- Numbers 21:34 Hebrew “Amorite”
Numbers 21
New International Version
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. 2 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.” 3 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
4 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) 5 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)
6 Then the Lord sent venomous snakes(Q) among them; they bit the people and many Israelites died.(R) 7 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.
8 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.” 9 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
- 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 15 to
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