Numbers 21
Modern English Version
Arad Destroyed
21 When King Arad the Canaanite, who lived in the Negev, heard that Israel came by the way of Atharim, he fought against Israel and took some of them captive. 2 Israel vowed a vow to the Lord and said, “If You will indeed deliver this people into my hand, then I will utterly destroy their cities.” 3 The Lord listened 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.
The Bronze Serpent
4 They journeyed from Mount Hor by the way of the Red Sea, to go around the land of Edom, and the soul of the people was very discouraged because of the way. 5 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 our soul loathes this worthless manna.”
6 So the Lord sent poisonous serpents among the people, and they bit the people, and many children of Israel died. 7 So the people came to Moses and said, “We have sinned for we have spoken against the Lord and against you. Pray to the Lord, and He will take away the serpents from us.” And Moses prayed for the people.
8 The Lord said to Moses, “Make a poisonous serpent, and put it on a pole, and it will be, that everyone who is bitten, when he looks at it, will live.” 9 Moses made a bronze serpent and put it on a pole, and if a serpent had bitten any man, when he looked at the bronze serpent he lived.
The Journey to Moab
10 The children of Israel set out and camped in Oboth. 11 They journeyed from Oboth and camped at Iye Abarim in the wilderness, which is before Moab toward the sunrise. 12 From there they journeyed and camped in the Valley of Zered. 13 From there they journeyed and camped on the other side of Arnon, which is in the wilderness that comes out of the borders of the Amorites, for 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:
“Zahab in Suphah, and in the brooks
of Arnon, 15 and at the stream of the brooks
that goes down to the dwelling of Ar,
and lies on the border of Moab.”
16 From there they went to Beer. That is the well of which the Lord spoke to Moses, “Gather the people together, and I will give them water.”
17 Then Israel sang this song:
“Spring up, O well!
sing to it—
18 the leaders dug the well;
the nobles of the people dug,
by the lawgiver, with their staffs.”
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 looks toward Jeshimon.
King Sihon Defeated
21 Israel sent messengers to Sihon king of the Amorites, saying,
22 “Let me pass through your land. We will not turn into the fields nor into the vineyards. We will not drink of the waters of the well. But we will go along by the king’s highway until we are past your borders.”
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 he came to Jahaz and fought against Israel. 24 Israel defeated him with the edge of the sword and possessed his land from Arnon to Jabbok, all the way to the children of Ammon, because 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 its villages. 26 Because 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, to Arnon.
27 Therefore they that speak in proverbs say:
“Come into Heshbon; let it be built,
and let the city of Sihon be established,
28 because a fire went out of Heshbon,
a flame from the city of Sihon;
it has devoured Ar of Moab
and the masters of the high places of Arnon.
29 Woe to you, Moab!
You have perished, O people of Chemosh!
He has made his sons fugitives,
and his daughters captives,
to Sihon king of the Amorites.
30 “We have overthrown them;
Heshbon is perished to Dibon,
and we have desolated them to Nophah,
which reaches to Medeba.”
31 Thus Israel lived in the land of the Amorites.
King Og Defeated
32 Moses sent to spy out Jazer, and they took its villages 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 the battle at Edrei.
34 The Lord said to Moses, “Do not fear him because into your hand I have given him, and all his people, and his land, and you will do to him as you did to Sihon king of the Amorites, who dwelt at Heshbon.”
35 So they killed him, and his sons, and all his people, until there was not a survivor left to him alive, and they possessed his land.
Numbers 21
Legacy Standard Bible
Destruction of Canaanite Cities
21 Then the Canaanite, the king of (A)Arad, who lived in the [a]Negev, heard that Israel was coming by the way of [b]Atharim, and he fought against Israel and took some of them captive. 2 So (B)Israel made a vow to Yahweh and said, “If You will indeed give this people into my hand, then I will devote their cities to destruction.” 3 Then Yahweh heard the voice of Israel and gave the Canaanites over; so they devoted them and their cities to destruction. Thus the name of the place was called [c](C)Hormah.
4 Then they set out from Mount Hor by the way to the [d]Red Sea, to (D)go around the land of Edom; and the [e]people became impatient on the way. 5 And the people spoke against God and against Moses, “(E)Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? For there is no [f]food and no water, and [g](F)we loathe this miserable food.”
The Bronze Serpent
6 (G)So Yahweh sent fiery serpents among the people, and (H)they bit the people so that (I)many people of Israel died. 7 (J)Then the people came to Moses and said, “We have sinned because we have spoken against Yahweh and against you; (K)pray to Yahweh, that He may remove the serpents from us.” And Moses prayed for the people. 8 Then Yahweh said to Moses, “[h]Make a (L)fiery serpent and set it on a standard; and it will be that everyone who is bitten and looks at it, will live.” 9 And Moses made a (M)bronze serpent and set it on the standard; and it happened, that if a serpent bit any man, when he looked to the bronze serpent, he lived.
10 (N)Then the sons of Israel set out and camped in Oboth. 11 They then set out from Oboth and camped at Iye-abarim, in the wilderness which is opposite Moab, east toward the sunrise. 12 (O)From there they set out and camped in [i]Wadi Zered. 13 From there they set out and camped on the other side of the Arnon, which is in the wilderness that comes out of the border of the Amorites, (P)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,
“Waheb in Suphah,
And the wadis of the Arnon,
15 And the slope of the wadis
That extends to the site of (Q)Ar,
And leans to the border of Moab.”
16 (R)And from there they continued to [j]Beer, that is the well where Yahweh said to Moses, “Assemble the people, that I may give them water.”
17 (S)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 carved out,
With the scepter and with their staffs.”
And from the wilderness 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 land of Moab, at the top of Pisgah which overlooks the [k]wasteland.
Sihon and Og Struck Down
21 (T)Then Israel sent messengers to Sihon, king of the Amorites, saying, 22 “(U)Let me pass through your land. We will not turn off into field or vineyard; we will not drink water from wells. We will go by the king’s highway until we have passed through your border.” 23 (V)But Sihon would not allow Israel to pass through his border. So Sihon gathered all his people and went out to meet Israel in the wilderness and came to (W)Jahaz and fought against Israel. 24 Then (X)Israel [l]struck him with the edge of the sword and took possession of his land from the Arnon to the Jabbok, as far as the sons of Ammon; for the (Y)border of the sons of Ammon was [m]Jazer. 25 And Israel took all these cities, and (Z)Israel lived in all the cities of the Amorites, in Heshbon, and in all her [n]towns. 26 For Heshbon was the city of Sihon, king of the Amorites. Now it was he who had fought against the former king of Moab and had taken all his land out of his hand, as far as the Arnon. 27 Therefore those who use proverbs say,
“Come to Heshbon! Let it be built!
So let the city of Sihon be established.
28 (AA)For a fire went forth from Heshbon,
A flame from the town of Sihon;
It devoured (AB)Ar of Moab,
The [o](AC)dominant [p]heights of the Arnon.
29 (AD)Woe to you, O Moab!
You perish, O people of (AE)Chemosh!
(AF)He has given his sons as fugitives,
(AG)And his daughters into captivity,
To an Amorite king, Sihon.
30 But we have cast them down,
Heshbon perishes as far as (AH)Dibon,
And we have made desolate even to Nophah,
Which reaches to Medeba.”
31 Thus Israel lived in the land of the Amorites. 32 And Moses sent to spy out (AI)Jazer, and they captured its towns and dispossessed the Amorites who were there.
33 (AJ)Then they turned and went up by the way of Bashan, and Og the king of Bashan went out to meet them, he and all his people for battle at (AK)Edrei. 34 But Yahweh said to Moses, “(AL)Do not fear him, for I have given 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 (AM)they struck down him and his sons and all his people, until [q]there was no survivor remaining for him; and they possessed his land.
Footnotes
- Numbers 21:1 South country
- Numbers 21:1 Or the spies
- Numbers 21:3 Lit a devoted thing, destruction
- Numbers 21:4 Lit Sea of Reeds
- Numbers 21:4 Lit soul of the people was short
- Numbers 21:5 Lit bread
- Numbers 21:5 Lit our soul loathes
- Numbers 21:8 Lit Make for yourself
- Numbers 21:12 A dry ravine except during rainy season
- Numbers 21:16 Lit a well
- Numbers 21:20 Or Jeshimon
- Numbers 21:24 Lit smote, as in Gr and Lat
- Numbers 21:24 M.T. strong
- Numbers 21:25 Lit daughters
- Numbers 21:28 Lit lords of the
- Numbers 21:28 Or Bamoth
- Numbers 21:35 Lit he had no survivor
Numbers 21
King James Version
21 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.
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