Numbers 21:1-3
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
The Bronze Serpent
21 When the Canaanite, the king of Arad, who lived in the Negeb, heard that Israel was coming by the way of Atharim, he fought against Israel and took some of them captive.(A) 2 Then Israel made a vow to the Lord and said, “If you will indeed give this people into our hands, then we will utterly destroy their towns.” 3 The Lord listened to the voice of Israel and handed over the Canaanites, and they utterly destroyed them and their towns; so the place was called Hormah.[a]
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- 21.3 That is, destruction
Numbers 21:1-3
International Standard Version
The Destruction of Hormah
21 When the Canaanite king of Arad, who lived in the Negev,[a] heard that Israel was coming along the Atharim caravan route, he fought against Israel and took some of them captive. 2 Then Israel[b] made this vow in the Lord’s presence: “If you give these people into our control,[c] we intend to devote their cities to total destruction.” 3 When the Lord heard what Israel had decided to do,[d] he delivered the Canaanites to them, and Israel[e] exterminated them and their cities. They named the place Hormah.[f]
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- Numbers 21:1 I.e. the southern region of Israel; cf. Josh 10:40
- Numbers 21:2 I.e. the Israelis personified as a nation
- Numbers 21:2 Lit. hand
- Numbers 21:3 Lit. heard the voice of Israel
- Numbers 21:3 Lit. he
- Numbers 21:3 The Heb. name Hormah sounds like the Heb. verb devoted
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