Numbers 21

AND when King Arad the Canaanite Or rather, the Canaanite King of Arad: for Arad is not the name of a man, but of a city or territory, as may seem from Ios. 12. 14. Iudg. 1. 16. if at least this was the same place with that. And he seems to be called a Canaanite in a general sense, as the Amorites and others sometimes are., which dwelt in the south To wit, of Canaan, as appears from Numb. 33. 40. towards the east, and near the dead Sea., heard tell that Israel came by the way of the spies Not of those spies which Moses sent to spie the land, Numb. 13. 17. for that was done 38 years before this, and they went so privately, that the Canaanites took no notice of them, nor knew which way they came or went, but of the spies which he himself sent out to observe the marches and motions of the Israelites. But the words may be otherwise rendred, either thus, in the manner of spies, so the sense is, when he heard that divers of the Israelites came into or towards his country in the nature of spies to prepare the way for the rest: or thus, by the way of Atharim, a place so called, as the seventy Interpreters here take it, and it seems not improbable., then he fought against Israel, and took some of them prisoners Which God permitted for Israels humiliation and punishment, and to teach them not to expect the conquest of that land from their own wisdom or valour, but wholly from Gods favour and assistance. See Deut. 9. 4. Psal. 44. 3, 4..

And Israel vowed a vow unto the LORD Being sensible of their own weakness, they indeavour to engage, God to help them in the war, which they intended to renew., and said, If thou wilt indeed deliver this people into my hand, then I will utterly destroy their cities I will reserve no person nor thing for my own use, but devote them all to total destruction, which was the consequent of such vows. See Lev. 27. 29. Deut. 13. 15..

And the LORD hearkened to the voice of Israel, and delivered up the Canaanite: and they utterly destroyed them When? Ans. Either 1. Some time after this, under Ioshua, who subdued, among others, the King of Arad, Ios. 12. 14. And so this is mentioned here by anticipation, that, the vow being now made and mentioned, the effect or performance of it might be recorded, though out of its place; and so this verse must be supposed to be added by some of the prophets, and inserted into Moses his history, as some other passages seem to be. Or 2. at this time: and so this is not the same Arad with that, Ios. 12. 14. nor this the same Hormah with that there mentioned, but another of the same name, which is most frequent in persons and places in Scripture. And this is the more probable, because that Arad and Hormah, Ios. 12. 14. are two distinct places, and had divers kings, whereas here the same place is called both Arad and Hormah; and because that Arad seems to be at some good distance from this and more within the country, and more northward, as may be gathered from the other places joyned with it, Ios. 12. whereas this Arad was near Edom, ver. 4. and in the south, ver. 1. Quest. 1. How could this be now done in the land of Canaan, when Moses neither entred himself nor lead the people into that land? Ans. Neither Moses nor the whole body of the people did this exploit, but a select number sent out for this purpose to punish that king and people who were so fierce and malicious that they came out of their own country to fight with the Israelites in the wilderness, and these when they had done this work returned to their brethren into the Wilderness. Quest. 2. Why did they not all now go into Canaan, when some of them had once entred it, and pursue this victory? Ans. Because God would not permit it, there being several works yet to be done, other people must be conquered, the Israelites must be further humbled and tryed and purged, Moses must die, and then they shall enter and that in a more glorious manner, even over Iordan, which shall be miraculously dried up and give them passage., and their cities, and he called the name of the place Hormah.

And they journeyed from mount Hor by the way of the Red-sea (.... e.) Which leadeth to the Red-sea, as they must needs do to compass the land of Edom. to compass the land of Edom: and the soul of the people was much discouraged because of the way By reason of this journey, which was long, and troublesome, and preposterous, for they were now going towards Egypt, and unexpected, either because they doubted not, but their brethren the Edomites would grant them their reasonable request of passing through their land which disappointment made it worse; Or, because the successful entrance and victorious progress which some of them had, made in the borders of Canaan made them think they might have speedily gone in and taken possession of it, and so have saved their tedious travels and further difficulties into which Moses had again brought them..

And the people spake against God Against Christ, their chief conductor, whom they tempted. 1 Cor. 10. 9., 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 (i. e.) Of small substance and virtue. Thus contemptuously do they speak of Manna, whereas it appears it yielded excellent nourishment, because in the strength of it they were able to go so many and such tedious journies..

And the LORD sent fiery serpents Such there were many in this wilderness, Deut. 8. 15. which, having been hitherto restrained by God, are now let loose and sent among them. They are called fiery from their effects, because their poison caused an intolerable heat and burning and thirst in the bodies of the Israelites, which was aggravated with this circumstance of the place that here was no water, ver. 5. among the people, and they bit the people, and much people of Israel died.

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.

And the LORD said unto Moses, Make thee a fiery serpent (i. e.) The figure of a serpent in brass, which is of a fiery colour. This would require some time: God would not speedily take off the judgment, because he saw they were not thoroughly humbled., and set it upon a pole That the people might see it from all parts of the camp, and therefore the pole must be high, and the serpent large.: and it shall come to pass, that every one that is bitten, when he looketh upon it, shall live This method of cure was prescribed, partly that it might appear to be Gods own work, and not the effect of nature or art: and partly that it might be an eminent type of our salvation by Christ. See Ioh. 3. 14, 15. The serpent signified Christ, who was in the likeness of sinful flesh. Rom. 8. 13. though without sin, as this brazen serpent had the outward shape, but not the inward poison, of the other serpents: the pole resembled the cross upon which Christ was lift up for our salvation: and looking up to it designed our believing in Christ..

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 He was delivered from death and cured of his disease..

And the children of Israel set forward, and pitched in Oboth Not immediately, but after two other stations mentioned, Numb. 33..

And they journeyed from Oboth, and pitched at Ije-Abarim, in the wilderness which is before Moab Called the wilderness of Moab, Deut. 2. 8. toward the sun-rising.

From thence they removed, and pitched in the valley of Zared Or rather by the torrent or brook of Zared, as we render it, Deut. 2. 13. which ran into the dead sea, and from which the valley also might be so called..

From thence they removed, and pitched on the other side of Arnon Or rather on this side of Arnon, for so it now was to the Israelites, who had not yet passed over it, as appears from Deut. 2. 24. But the same words Iudg. 11. 18. are to be rendered, on the other side of Arnon, for so it was to Iephthah: and the same preposition signifieth on this side, or beyond, according to the circumstances of the place., which is in the wilderness that cometh out of the coasts of the Amorite: for Arnon is the border of Moab, between Moab and the Amorite (i. e.) Though formerly it and the land beyond it belonged to Moab, yet afterwards it had been taken from them by Sihon, ver. 26, 28. This is added to reconcile two seemingly contrary commands of God, the one that of not meddling with the land of the Moabites, Deut. 2. 9. the other that of going over Arnon and taking possession of the land beyond it, Deut. 2. 24. because says he, it is not now the land of the Moabites, but of the Amorites..

Wherefore it is said in the book of the wars of the LORD This seems to have been some Poem or narration of the wars and victories of the Lord either by, or relating to the Israelites: which may be asserted without any prejudice to the integrity of the Holy Scripture because this book does not appear to have been written by a Prophet or to be designed for a part of the Canon, but by some other ingenious person who intended only to write an historical relation of these matters, which yet Moses might quote, as St. Paul does some of the heathen Poets. And as St. Luk. a... sures us, that many did write an history of the things done and said by Christ, Luk. 1. 1. whose writings were never received as Canonical, the like may be justly conceived concerning this and some few other books mentioned in the old Testament. Though the words may be thus rendred, Wherefore it shall be said in the relation or narration (for so the Hebrew Sepher is confessed to signifie) of the wars of the Lord., what he did in the Red-sea Or, At Vaheb in Suphah, or in the land of Suph. Vaheb seems to be the name not of a man, but of a city or place, and Suphah the name of the country where it was; and the Hebrew particle eth is oft rendred at. And whereas the sense seems to be imperfect, it must be noted, that he quotes only a fragment or piece of the book, and that principally to prove the scituation of Arnon, which he had asserted ver. 13. for which end the passage quoted is sufficient. And the sense is easily to be understood, for it is plain enough that this Poet or writer is describing the wars and works of God by the several places where they were done, and having begun the sentence before and mentioned, other places, he comes to these here mentioned, At Vaheb in Suphah, and at the brooks of Arnon, &c. And it seems probable that the war here designed was that of Sihon against the Moabites mentioned below, ver. 26. which is fitly ascribed to the Lord, because it was undertaken and perfected by the singular direction and assistance of God, and that for the sake of the Israelites, that by this means that country might be invaded and possessed by them, without taking it away from the Moabites, which they were forbidden to meddle with or to disturb, Deut. 2. 9. and so their title to it might be more just and unquestionable. See Iudg. 11. 12, 13.-27., and in the brooks (i. e.) The brook, the plural number for the singular, as the plural number rivers is used concerning Iordan, Psal. 74. 15. and concerning Tigris, Nah. 2. 6. and concerning Euphrates, Psal. 137. 1. and concerning Thermodoon in Virgil, all which may be so called because of the several little streams into which they were divided. of Arnon;

And at the stream of the brooks that goeth down to the dwelling of Ar A chief city in Moab as appears from Isa. 15. 1. of which v. 28., and lieth upon the border of Moab.

And from thence they went to Beer This place and Mattanah, Nahaliel, and Bamoth named here, ver. 19. are not mentioned among those places where they pitched or encamped, Numb. 33. Either therefore they did not pitch or encamp in these places, but only pass by or thorough them, nor indeed is it here said they pitched or encamped in these places, which is said of those places Numb. 33. but only that they went to them, ver. 18. or, these are stations omitted there, and to be supplied from hence, for though it be there said they went from such a place and pitched in such a place, yet it is not said they went immediately from the one place to the other, and therefore they might take these places in their way.: that is the well whereof the LORD spake unto Moses, Gather the people together, and I will give them water To wit, in a miraculous manner..

Then Israel sang this song To praise God for giving them such a seasonable blessing before they asked it or complained for the want of it., Spring up Give forth thy waters that we may drink. Heb. ascend, i. e. let thy waters, which now lye hid below in the earth ascend for our use. It is either a prediction that it should spring up, or a prayer that it might, or a command in the name of God directed to the well, by an usual Prosopopaeia, as when God bids the heavens hear and the earth give ear, Isa. 1. 2. Any of these ways it shows their faith., O well, Sing ye unto it Or, sing ye of it, or, answer to it or concerning it; it being the manner of the Iewish singers, that one should answer to another, of which see Exod. 15. 21. 1 Sam. 18. 7..

The princes digged Either by themselves, or by others whom they commanded to do it. the well, the nobles of the people digged it, by the direction of the lawgiver Or, with the lawgiver, i. e. Moses, they together with Moses, or they by Moses his direction, and appointment, which is signified ver. 16., with their staves Which are here mentioned, either 1. as the ensigns of their authority, Iudg. 5. 14. by which they gave this command of digging: or 2. as the instruments of their work, not that they did formally and effectually dig the Well or receptacle for the water, for which spades were more proper than staves, but that as Moses smote the rock with his rod, so they struck the earth with their staves making only some small impression, only for form sake or as a sign that God would cause the water to flow forth out of the earth where they smote it, as he did before out of the rock.. And from the wilderness they went to Mattanah:

And from Mattanah to Nahaliel, and from Nahaliel to Bamoth See the notes on ver. 16.:

And from Bamoth in the valley Or, the valley, which might be called Bamoth, not because it was a place naturally high, but from divers other reasons which may be easily guessed. Or, to the valley, or to that valley, that famous or rather infamous valley, to wit of Abel-shittim, Numb. 33. 49. where they committed those foul abominations recorded Numb. 25., that is in the countrey of Moab, to the top of Pisgah This was the top of those high hills of Abarim; of which see Deut. 3. 17, 27. & 32. 49. & 34. 1, 6., which looketh toward Jeshimon.

And Israel sent messengers By Gods allowance, that so Sihons malice might be the more evident and inexcusable and that their title to his country more clear in the judgments of all men as being gotten by a just war into which they were forced for their own defence. unto Sihon the king of the Amorite, saying,

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 kings high-way, until we be past thy borders They spoke what they seriously intended and would have done, if he had given them quiet passage: but withal they knew that Sihon would not do it, and that he would withstand them, and that they should subdue him and take his land, as God had told them before they sent this message, as appears from Deut. 2. 24, 26, 27. and accordingly God hardened his spirit, and made his heart obstinate, for this end, that he might deliver him into Israels hand there ver. 30. And no wonder, for he and his people were Amorites, and therefore devoted to destruction, as all that people were.:

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 A city, of which see Deut. 2. 32. Ier. 48. 21., and fought against Israel.

And Israel smote him with the edge of the sword, and possessed his land from Arnon Or, which reached from Arnon, &c. such supplements being very usual, and so here is contained a description or limitation of Sihons conquest and kingdom, that it extended only from Arnon —unto the children of Ammon, and then the following words, for the border of the children of Ammon was strong, come in very fitly, not as a reason why the Israelites did not or could not conquer the Ammonites, for they were absolutely forbidden to meddle with them, Deut. 3. 8. but as a reason why Sihon could not enlarge his conquest and empire to the Ammonites, as he had done to the Moabites. unto Jabbok A river by which the countries of Ammon and Moab were in part bounded and divided., even unto the children of Ammon, for the border of the children of Ammon was strong Either by the advantage of the river, or by their strong holds in their frontiers..

And Israel took all these cities; and Israel dwelt in all the cities of the Amorite Having destroyed the antient inhabitants, Deut. 2. 34.: in Heshbon, and in all the villages thereof.

For Heshbon was the city of Sihon This is added as a reason why Israel took possession of this land, notwithstanding Gods prohibition of meddling with them or their land, Deut. 2. 9. because it was not now the land of the Moabites, but had been some time since taken from them and in the possession of the Amorites. the King of the Amorite, who had fought against the former king of Moab (i. e.) the predecessor of Balak, who was the present King., and taken all his land out of his hand, even unto Arnon.

Wherefore they that speak in proverbs The poets or other ingenious persons, to wit, of the Amorites or Canaanites, who made this following song of triumph over the vanquished Moabites: which is here brought in partly as a proof that this was now Sihons land, and partly as an evidence of the just judgment of God in spoiling the spoilers and subduing those who insulted over their conquered enemies., say, Come into Heshbon These are the words either of Sihon speaking thus to his people, or of the people exhorting one another, to come and possess and repair the city which they had taken.: let the city of Sihon That which once was the royal city of the King of Moab, but now is the city of Sihon. be built and prepared.

For there is a fire (i. e.) The fury of war, which is oft and fitly compared to fire here, as Isa. 47. 14. Amos 1. 7, 10, 12, 14. and 2. 2, 5. gone out of Heshbon That city which before was a refuge and defence to all the country now is turned into a great annoyance and a publick mischief., a flame from the city of Sihon: it has consumed Ar of Moab Quest. How can this be, since Ar was yet in the hands of the Moabites, Deut. 2. 9, 18, 29? Ans. 1. This may be understood not of the city of Ar, but of the people or the country subject or belonging to that great and royal city, as the Chaldee understands it. 2. Possibly Ar was taken by Sihon of the Moabites, but afterwards was either recovered by the Moabites, or upon the Israelites approach quitted by Sihon gathering all his forces together that he might fight with the Israelites, and so repossessed by the Moabites. 3. This place may be thus rendred, it shall consume Ar of Moab, the past tense being put for the future, as is usual in prophetical passages, and so this may be the Amorites prediction or presage that having taken Heshbon, and its territories, they should now extend their victories to Ar of Moab, though they fell short of that hope, as ordinarily men do., and the lords of the high places Either 1. the princes or governours of the strong holds, which were frequently in high places, especially in that mountainous country, and which were in divers parts all along the river of Arnon, and having taken some of these they promised to themselves that they should take all the rest, and so proceed further and further till they had taken Ar it self. Or rather 2. the priests and people that worship their God in their high places: which may seem more probable, 1. because as the Israelites worshipped God, so the heathens worshipped Baal, in high-places, Numb. 22. 41. and particularly the Moabites are noted for so doing, Ier. 48. 35. 2. because amongst the eminent places of Moab there is mention of Bamoth-baal, or; of the high-places of Baal, Ios. 13. 17. of Arnon.

Wo to thee, Moab Alas poor Moab, thou couldst not save thy self from Sihons sword., thou art undone, O people of Chemosh (i. e.) The worshippers of Chemosh: so the God of the Moabites was called, 1 King. 11. 7, 33. 2 King. 23. 13. Ier. 48. 46.: he has given his sons that escaped, and his daughters into captivity He, (i. e.) their God, has delivered up his own people to his and their enemies, he could not defend them, but suffered many of them to be killed, nor could he secure even those that had escaped the sword, but suffered them to fall into their enemies hands and by them to be carried into captivity., unto Sihon king of the Amorite Now the words of this and the following verse seem to be not a part of that triumphant song or poem made, as I suppose, by some Amoritish bard or poet, which seems to be concluded ver. 28. but of the Israelites making their observation upon it. And here they scoffe at the impotency not only of the Moabites, but of their God also, who could not save his people from the sword of Sihon and the Amorites..

We have shot at them Though you feeble Moabites, and your God too, could not resist Sihon, we, Israelites by the help of our God have shot, to wit, with success and victory, as the following words show, at them, to wit, at Sihon and his Amorites, which is easily and plainly understood both from the foregoing and following words.: Heshbon is perished, even unto Dibon Heshbon the Royal City of Sihon and by him lately repaired, is perished, is taken away from Sihon, and so is all his Territory or Countrey even as far as Dibon, which, as some think, is called Dibon-gad, Numb. 33. 45., and we have laid them wast even unto Nophah, which reached unto Medebah (i. e.) Whose Territory extendeth to Medeba. Or, yea, even to Medeba: for the Hebrew word asher, is sometimes used for yea, or moreover, as 1 Sam. 15. 20. Psal. 10. 6. and 95. 11. The sense is the whole Country of Sihon, taken by him from the Moabites, is wasted and perished..

Thus Israel dwelt in the land of the Amorite:

And Moses sent to spy out Jaazer One of the Cities of Moab formerly taken from them by Sihon, and now taken from him by the Israelites, Numb. 32. 1, 3, 35. and, after the decay or destruction of the Kingdom of the Ten Tribes repossessed by the Moabites, Ier. 48. 32., and they took the villages thereof, and drove out the Amorite that was there.

And they turned, and went up by the way of Bashan: and Og Who also was a King of the Amorites, of whom see Deut. 3. 1, 11. And it may seem that Sihon and Og, were the leaders or Captains of two great colonies which came out of Canaan, and drove out the former inhabitants of these places. the King of Bashan A rich Countrey famous for its pastures and breed of Cattel, Deut. 32. 14. Psal. 22. 12. Ier. 50. 19. and for its Oaks, Ezek. 27. 6. went out against them, he, and all his people, to the battel at Edrei.

And the LORD said unto Moses, Fear him not A necessary caution, for he was a great Giant, Deut. 3. 11. likely to strike them with terrour.: 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.

So they smote him, and his sons, and all his people, until there was none left him alive, and they possessed his land.