SUCCESS OVER THE KING OF ARAD. Since Arad, the modern Tell Arad, 17 miles from Hebron, was in the south of Canaan, and a successful advance of the whole people in that direction would hardly have been followed by a circuit round Edom (Numbers 21:4 f_.)_ with a view to the invasion of Canaan from the... [ Continue Reading ]
THE FIERY SERPENTS. This incident is alluded to by Paul in 1 Corinthians 10:9. The serpents are described as fiery by reason of the inflammation caused by their bite. The means whereby the injury they inflicted was remedied was perhaps originally an instance of sympathetic magic inverted (like the c... [ Continue Reading ]
AN ITINERARY. This continues Numbers 21:4 (and they journeyed from Mount Hor), but the immediate place of departure in Numbers 21:10 is omitted. In Numbers 33:42 f. two stations are inserted between Hor and Oboth. NUMBERS 21:10 F. OBOTH. IYE-ABARIM: both unknown. BEFORE MOAB: _i.e._ E. of Moab. N... [ Continue Reading ]
THE CONQUEST OF THE AMORITES. This narrative presupposes the position reached in Numbers 21:13 (not in Numbers 21:20), for the embassy to Sihon would naturally be despatched before the Amorite border was crossed. Numbers 21:23. Jahaz: the Jahzah of Jeremiah 48:21, probably not far from Dibon. Numb... [ Continue Reading ]
THE CONQUEST OF BASHAN. This passage is substantially identical with Deuteronomy 3:1, and is generally regarded as transferred hither from thence. It is ignored in Numbers 22:2. Bashan (the country N. of the Yarmuk), the modern Haurâ n, was probably occupied by Israelite settlers who migrated thithe... [ Continue Reading ]