Números 21

1 Cuando el cananeo, el rey de Arad, que habitaba en el Neguev, oyó que Israel subía por el camino de Atarim , peleó contra Israel y le tomó algunos prisioneros.

2 Entonces Israel hizo un voto al SEÑOR y dijo: Si en verdad entregas a este pueblo en mis manos, yo destruiré por completo sus ciudades.

3 Y oyó el SEÑOR la voz de Israel y les entregó a los cananeos; y ellos los destruyeron por completo a ellos y a sus ciudades. Por eso se llamó a aquel lugar Horma .

4 Partieron del monte de Hor, por el camino del mar Rojo, para rodear la tierra de Edom, y el pueblo se impacientó por causa del viaje.

5 Y el pueblo habló contra Dios y Moisés: ¿Por qué nos habéis sacado de Egipto para morir en el desierto? Pues no hay comida ni agua, y detestamos este alimento tan miserable.

6 Y el SEÑOR envió serpientes abrasadoras entre el pueblo, y mordieron al pueblo, y mucha gente de Israel murió.

7 Entonces el pueblo vino a Moisés y dijo: Hemos pecado, porque hemos hablado contra el SEÑOR y contra ti; intercede con el SEÑOR para que quite las serpientes de entre nosotros. Y Moisés intercedió por el pueblo.

8 Y el SEÑOR dijo a Moisés: Hazte una serpiente abrasadora y ponla sobre un asta; y acontecerá que cuando todo el que sea mordido la mire, vivirá.

9 Y Moisés hizo una serpiente de bronce y la puso sobre el asta; y sucedía que cuando una serpiente mordía a alguno, y éste miraba a la serpiente de bronce, vivía.

10 Después los hijos de Israel partieron y acamparon en Obot.

11 Y partieron de Obot y acamparon en Ije-abarim, en el desierto que está frente a Moab, al oriente.

12 De allí partieron y acamparon en el vallede Zered.

13 De allí partieron y acamparon al otro lado del Arnón, que está en el desierto y que sale del territorio de los amorreos, pues el Arnón es la frontera de Moab, entre Moab y los amorreos.

14 Por tanto se dice en el Libro de las Guerras del SEÑOR: Vaheb que está en Sufa y los arroyos del Arnón,

15 y la ladera de los arroyos que llega hasta el sitio de Ar y se apoya en la frontera de Moab.

16 Y de allí continuaron hasta Beer ; este es el pozo donde el SEÑOR le dijo a Moisés: Reúne al pueblo y les daré agua.

17 Entonces cantó Israel este cántico: ¡Salta, oh pozo! A él cantad.

18 El pozo que cavaron los jefes, que los nobles del pueblo hicieron con el cetro y con sus báculos. Y desde el desierto fueron a Mataná.

19 Y de Mataná a Nahaliel, y de Nahaliel a Bamot,

20 y de Bamot al valle que está en la tierra de Moab, en la cumbre del Pisga, que da al desierto.

21 Entonces Israel envió mensajeros a Sehón, rey de los amorreos, diciendo:

22 Déjame pasar por tu tierra. No nos desviaremos, ni por campos ni por viñedos, ni beberemos agua de pozo. Iremos por el camino real hasta que hayamos cruzado tus fronteras.

23 Pero Sehón no permitió a Israel pasar por su territorio. Y reunió Sehón a todo su pueblo y salió al encuentro de Israel en el desierto, y llegó a Jahaza y peleó contra Israel.

24 Pero Israel lo hirió a filo de espada y tomó posesión de su tierra desde el Arnón hasta el Jaboc, hasta la frontera con los hijos de Amón, porque Jazer era la frontera de los hijos de Amón.

25 Israel tomó todas estas ciudades, y habitó Israel en todas las ciudades de los amorreos, en Hesbón y en todas sus aldeas.

26 Porque Hesbón era la ciudad de Sehón, rey de los amorreos, quien había peleado contra el rey anterior de Moab y le había quitado de su mano toda su tierra, hasta el Arnón.

27 Por eso dicen los que usan proverbios: Venid a Hesbón. Sea edificada. Sea establecida la ciudad de Sehón.

28 Porque fuego salió de Hesbón, una llama del pueblo de Sehón; devoró a Ar de Moab, a los señores de las alturas del Arnón.

29 ¡Ay de ti, Moab! ¡Destruido eres, oh pueblo de Quemos! Ha dado a sus hijos como fugitivos y a sus hijas a la cautividad, a un rey amorreo, Sehón.

30 Mas nosotros los hemos arrojado; Hesbón está destruido hasta Dibón; después también asolamos hasta Nofa, la que llega hasta Medeba.

31 Así habitó Israel en la tierra de los amorreos.

32 Y Moisés envió a reconocer a Jazer, y tomaron sus villas y expulsaron a los amorreos que vivían allí.

33 Después se volvieron y subieron por el camino de Basán; y Og, rey de Basán, salió con todo su pueblo para presentarles batalla en Edrei.

34 Pero el SEÑOR dijo a Moisés: No le tengas miedo porque lo he entregado en tu mano, y a todo su pueblo y a su tierra; y harás con él como hiciste con Sehón, rey de los amorreos, el que habitaba en Hesbón.

35 Así que lo mataron a él, a sus hijos y a todo su pueblo, hasta que no le quedó remanente; y tomaron posesión de su tierra.

Números 21 Commentary

Chapter 21

The Canaanites of Arad destroyed. (1-3) The people murmuring, are plagued with fiery serpents, They repenting, are healed through the brazen serpent. (4-9) Further journeys of the Israelites. (10-20) Sihon and Og overcome, Their land possessed. (21-35)

Verses 1-3 Before the people began their march round the country of Edom, the king of Arad, a Canaanite, who inhabited the southern part of the country, attacked them in the wilderness, and took some prisoners. This was to lead the Israelites to look more thoroughly to the Lord.

Verses 4-9 The children of Israel were wearied by a long march round the land of Edom. They speak discontentedly of what God had done for them, and distrustfully of what he would do. What will they be pleased with, whom manna will not please? Let not the contempt which some cast on the word of God, make us value it less. It is the bread of life, substantial bread, and will nourish those who by faith feed upon it, to eternal life, whoever may call it light bread. We see the righteous judgment God brought upon them for murmuring. He sent fiery serpents among them, which bit or stung many to death. It is to be feared that they would not have owned the sin, if they had not felt the smart; but they relent under the rod. And God made a wonderful provision for their relief. The Jews themselves say it was not the sight of the brazen serpent that cured; but in looking up to it, they looked up to God as the Lord that healed them. There was much gospel in this. Our Saviour declared, ( john 3:14 john 3:15 ) , that as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so the Son of man must be lifted up, that whatsoever believeth in him, should not perish. Compare their disease and ours. Sin bites like a serpent, and stings like an adder. Compare the application of their remedy and ours. They looked and lived, and we, if we believe, shall not perish. It is by faith that we look unto Jesus, ( Hebrews 12:2 ) . Whosoever looked, however desperate his case, or feeble his sight, or distant his place, was certainly and perfectly cured. The Lord can relieve us from dangers and distresses, by means which human reason never would have devised. Oh that the venom of the old serpent, inflaming men's passions, and causing them to commit sins which end in their eternal destruction, were as sensibly felt, and the danger as plainly seen, as the Israelites felt pain from the bite of the fiery serpents, and feared the death which followed! Then none would shut their eyes to Christ, or turn from his gospel. Then a crucified Saviour would be so valued, that all things else would be accounted loss for him; then, without delay, and with earnestness and simplicity, all would apply to him in the appointed way, crying, Lord, save us; we perish! Nor would any abuse the freeness of Christ's salvation, while they reckoned the price which it cost him.

Verses 10-20 We have here the removes of the children of Israel, till they came to the plains of Moab, from whence they passed over Jordan into Canaan. The end of their pilgrimage was near. "They set forward." It were well if we did thus; and the nearer we come to heaven, were so much the more active and abundant in the work of the Lord. The wonderful success God granted to his people, is here spoken of, and, among the rest, their actions on the river Arnon, at Vaheb in Suphah, and other places on that river. In every stage of our lives, nay, in every step, we should notice what God has wrought for us; what he did at such a time, and what in such a place, ought to be distinctly remembered. God blessed his people with a supply of water. When we come to heaven, we shall remove to the well of life, the fountain of living waters. They received it with joy and thankfulness, which made the mercy doubly sweet. With joy must we draw water out of the wells of salvation, ( Isaiah 12:3 ) . As the brazen serpent was a figure of Christ, who is lifted up for our cure, so is this well a figure of the Spirit, who is poured forth for our comfort, and from whom flow to us rivers of living waters, ( john 7:38 john 7:39 ) . Does this well spring up in our souls? If so, we should take the comfort to ourselves, and give the glory to God. God promised to give water, but they must open the ground. God's favours must be expected in the use of such means as are within our power, but still the power is only of God.

Verses 21-35 Sihon went with his forces against Israel, out of his own borders, without provocation, and so ran upon his own ruin. The enemies of God's church often perish by the counsels they think most wisely taken. Og, king of Bashan, instead of being warned by the fate of his neighbours, to make peace with Israel, makes war with them, which proves in like manner his destruction. Wicked men do their utmost to secure themselves and their possessions against the judgments of God; but all in vain, when the day comes on which they must fall. God gave Israel success, while Moses was with them, that he might see the beginning of the glorious work, though he must not live to see it finished. This was, in comparison, but as the day of small things, yet it was an earnest of great things. We must prepare for fresh conflicts and enemies. We must make no peace or truce with the powers of darkness, nor even treat with them; nor should we expect any pause in our contest. But, trusting in God, and obeying his commands, we shall be more than conquerors over every enemy.

Footnotes

• [a] O, los espas
• [b] I.e., cosa dedicada o destruccin
• [c] I.e., un pozo
• [d] As en la versin gr.(Sept.); en el T.M., fuerte

Chapter Summary

INTRODUCTION TO NUMBERS 21

This chapter gives an account of the defeat of King Arad, the Canaanite, Nu 21:1-3 of the murmurings of the children of Israel, because of difficulties in travelling round, the land of Edom, for which they were punished with fiery serpents, Nu 21:4-6 and how that upon their repentance a brazen serpent was ordered to be made, and to be erected on a pole, that whoever looked to it might live, Nu 21:7-9 and of the several journeys and stations of the children of Israel, until they came to the land of the Amorites, Nu 21:10-20, when they sent a message to Sihon their king, to desire him to grant them a passage through his country; but he refusing, they fought with him, smote him, and possessed his land, concerning which many proverbial sayings were used, Nu 21:21-32 and the chapter is concluded with the defeat of Og, king of Bashan, Nu 21:33-35.