Numbers 21:1-35
THE BRAZEN SERPENT. CONQUEST OF BASHAN 1-3. The southern Canaanites repulse the Israelites, but are eventually destroyed.... [ Continue Reading ]
THE BRAZEN SERPENT. CONQUEST OF BASHAN 1-3. The southern Canaanites repulse the Israelites, but are eventually destroyed.... [ Continue Reading ]
KING ARAD] RV 'king of Arad.' The name of this place still survives in _Tell Arad_, some ruins about 16 m. S. of Hebron and about 50 m. N. of Kadesh. THE WAY OF THE SPIES] RV 'the way of Atharim.' The word is evidently the name of a place. It has not been identified.... [ Continue Reading ]
DESTROY] lit. 'devote.' See on Leviticus 27:26; Leviticus 27:29.... [ Continue Reading ]
This took place much later: see Joshua 12:14; Judges 1:16; Judges 1:17. Had they been victorious on this occasion the Israelites would naturally have marched directly northwards into Canaan; but, being repulsed, they retreated southwards, having registered this vow which was ultimately fulfilled. HO... [ Continue Reading ]
TO COMPASS] to go round: see on Numbers 20:22. THE RED SEA] i.e. the arm now called the Gulf of Akaba. BECAUSE OF THE WAY] They were now marching away from Canaan instead of towards it. 5 THIS LIGHT BREAD] or, 'this vile food.' The manna is meant: cp. Numbers 11:6.... [ Continue Reading ]
FIERY SERPENTS] i.e. serpents whose sting caused violent inflammation. Venomous sandsnakes are still found in this locality.... [ Continue Reading ]
UPON A POLE] RV 'upon a standard.' This brazen serpent was long preserved by the Israelites, and ultimately became an object of superstitious veneration, in consequence of which Hezekiah ordered it to be destroyed (2 Kings 18:4).... [ Continue Reading ]
WHEN HE BEHELD THE SERPENT OF BRASS, HE LIVED] rather, 'when he looked to it,' i.e. not casually but of purpose and with faith. The lifeless image of the serpent that had caused the pain and death of so many was a symbol of the victory over these things that God gives to those who trust in Him. The... [ Continue Reading ]
ZARED] The Zered flowed into the Dead Sea at its southern extremity.... [ Continue Reading ]
THE OTHER SIDE OF ARNON] This means the S. side of the river Arnon, as the story is narrated from the standpoint of one living in Canaan: see Intro. and Numbers 22:1. The Arnon flows into the Dead Sea about the middle of its E. side. It is the boundary between the Moabites on the S. and the Amorites... [ Continue Reading ]
As the Moabites afterwards crossed the Arnon and took possession of part of the land of the Amorites, this ancient fragment of poetry from the 'book of the Wars of the Lord' indicates the original boundary of Moab. The 'book of the Wars of the Lord,' which is mentioned only here in the OT., was prob... [ Continue Reading ]
JESHIMON] rather, 'the Jeshimon,' the plain lying to the NE. of the Dead Sea. 21-30. Conquest of the Amorites and Song of Triumph.... [ Continue Reading ]
Cp. the similar request and refusal in Numbers 20:14.... [ Continue Reading ]
_Was_ STRONG] This seems to give the reason why the Israelites did not follow up their conquest of the Amorites by entering the land of Ammon. LXX, however, reads, 'the border.. was Jaazer,' a town mentioned in Numbers 21:32.... [ Continue Reading ]
IN PROVERBS] This Hebrew word is sometimes rendered 'parable.' It is applied to a by-word or taunt song: see 1 Kings 9:7; Jeremiah 24:9; Isaiah 14:4; Job 27:1 and Numbers 23:7; Numbers 23:18; Numbers 24:3; Numbers 24:15; Numbers 24:2 [ Continue Reading ]
Read with RV 'fire went out.. it consumed.' The fire is the fire of war.... [ Continue Reading ]
CHEMOSH] the sun-god of the Moabites to whom human sacrifices were sometimes offered: see 2 Kings 3:27, and see on Genesis 22; Judges 11:30. The name occurs frequently on the Moabite Stone, a valuable relic dating from the 9th centuryb.c. and discovered at Dibon (see next note), on which Mesha, king... [ Continue Reading ]
WE] the Israelites. DIBON is near the Arnon (Numbers 21:13). The locality of NOPHAH is unknown. MEDEBA is a few miles S. of HESHBON. The concluding words of the song are obscure, and may be rendered, 'and we laid waste so that fire raged unto Medeba.' 33-35. Conquest of Bashan. Bashan was the northe... [ Continue Reading ]