Numbers 33

1 These are the journeys of the children of Yisra'el, when they went forth out of the land of Mitzrayim by their hosts under the hand of Moshe and Aharon.
2 Moshe wrote their goings out according to their journeys by the mitzvah of the LORD: and these are their journeys according to their goings out.
3 They journeyed from Ra`meses in the first month, on the fifteenth day of the first month; on the next day after the Pesach the children of Yisra'el went out with a high hand in the sight of all the Mitzrim,
4 while the Mitzrim were burying all their firstborn, whom the LORD had struck among them: on their gods also the LORD executed judgments.
5 The children of Yisra'el journeyed from Ra`meses, and encamped in Sukkot.
6 They journeyed from Sukkot, and encamped in Etam, which is in the edge of the wilderness.
7 They journeyed from Etam, and turned back to Pi-Hachirot, which is before Ba`al-Tzefon: and they encamped before Migdol.
8 They journeyed from before Hahiroth, and passed through the midst of the sea into the wilderness: and they went three days' journey in the wilderness of Etam, and encamped in Marah.
9 They journeyed from Marah, and came to Elim: and in Elim were twelve springs of water, and seventy palm trees; and they encamped there.
10 They journeyed from Elim, and encamped by the Sea of Suf.
11 They journeyed from the Sea of Suf, and encamped in the wilderness of Sin.
12 They journeyed from the wilderness of Sin, and encamped in Dofka.
13 They journeyed from Dofka, and encamped in Alush.
14 They journeyed from Alush, and encamped in Refidim, where was no water for the people to drink.
15 They journeyed from Refidim, and encamped in the wilderness of Sinai.
16 They journeyed from the wilderness of Sinai, and encamped in Kivrot-Hatta'avah.
17 They journeyed from Kivrot-Hatta'avah, and encamped in Hatzerot.
18 They journeyed from Hatzerot, and encamped in Ritmah.
19 They journeyed from Ritmah, and encamped in Rimmon-Peretz.
20 They journeyed from Rimmon-Peretz, and encamped in Livna.
21 They journeyed from Livna, and encamped in Rissah.
22 They journeyed from Rissah, and encamped in Kehelatah.
23 They journeyed from Kehelatah, and encamped in Mount Shefer.
24 They journeyed from Mount Shefer, and encamped in Haradah.
25 They journeyed from Haradah, and encamped in Makhelot.
26 They journeyed from Makhelot, and encamped in Tachat.
27 They journeyed from Tachat, and encamped in Terach.
28 They journeyed from Terach, and encamped in Mitkah.
29 They journeyed from Mitkah, and encamped in Hashmonah.
30 They journeyed from Hashmonah, and encamped in Moserot.
31 They journeyed from Moserot, and encamped in Bene-Ya`akan.
32 They journeyed from Bene-Ya`akan, and encamped in Hor-Haggidgad.
33 They journeyed from Hor-Haggidgad, and encamped in Yotvatah.
34 They journeyed from Yotvatah, and encamped in `Avronah.
35 They journeyed from `Avronah, and encamped in `Etzyon-Gever.
36 They journeyed from `Etzyon-Gever, and encamped in the wilderness of Tzin (the same is Kadesh).
37 They journeyed from Kadesh, and encamped in Mount Hor, in the edge of the land of Edom.
38 Aharon the Kohen went up into Mount Hor at the mitzvah of the LORD, and died there, in the fortieth year after the children of Yisra'el were come out of the land of Mitzrayim, in the fifth month, on the first day of the month.
39 Aharon was one hundred twenty-three years old when he died in Mount Hor.
40 The Kana`ani, the king of `Arad, who lived in the South in the land of Kana`an, heard of the coming of the children of Yisra'el.
41 They journeyed from Mount Hor, and encamped in Tzalmonah.
42 They journeyed from Tzalmonah, and encamped in Punon.
43 They journeyed from Punon, and encamped in Ovot.
44 They journeyed from Ovot, and encamped in Iye-abarim, in the border of Mo'av.
45 They journeyed from Iyim, and encamped in Divon-Gad.
46 They journeyed from Divon-Gad, and encamped in `Almon at Divlatayim.
47 They journeyed from `Almon at Divlatayim, and encamped in the mountains of `Avarimen, before Nevo.
48 They journeyed from the mountains of `Avarimen, and encamped in the plains of Mo'av by the Yarden at Yericho.
49 They encamped by the Yarden, from Beit-Hayshimot even to Avel-Hashshittim in the plains of Mo'av.
50 The LORD spoke to Moshe in the plains of Mo'av by the Yarden at Yericho, saying,
51 Speak to the children of Yisra'el, and tell them, When you pass over the Yarden into the land of Kana`an,
52 then you shall drive out all the inhabitants of the land from before you, and destroy all their figured [stones], and destroy all their molten images, and demolish all their high places:
53 and you shall take possession of the land, and dwell therein; for to you have I given the land to possess it.
54 You shall inherit the land by lot according to your families; to the more you shall give the more inheritance, and to the fewer you shall give the less inheritance: wherever the lot falls to any man, that shall be his; according to the tribes of your fathers shall you inherit.
55 But if you will not drive out the inhabitants of the land from before you, then shall those who you let remain of them be as pricks in your eyes, and as thorns in your sides, and they shall vex you in the land in which you dwell.
56 It shall happen that as I thought to do to them, so will I do to you.

Numbers 33 Commentary

Chapter 33

Encampments of the Israelites. (1-49) The Canaanites to be destroyed. (50-56)

Verses 1-49 This is a brief review of the travels of the children of Israel through the wilderness. It is a memorable history. In their travels towards Canaan they were continually on the remove. Such is our state in this world; we have here no continuing city, and all our removes in this world are but from one part a desert to another. They were led to and fro, forward and backward, yet were all the while under the direction of the pillar of cloud and fire. God led them about, yet led them the right way. The way God takes in bringing his people to himself is always the best way, though it does not always seem to us the nearest way. Former events are mentioned. Thus we ought to keep in mind the providences of God concerning us and families, us and our land, and the many instances of that Divine care which has led us, and fed us, and kept us all our days hitherto. Few periods of our lives can be thought upon, without reminding us of the Lord's goodness, and our own ingratitude and disobedience: his kindness leaves us without excuse for our sins. We could not wish to travel over again the stages we have passed, unless we could hope, by the grace of God, to shun the sins we then committed, and to embrace such opportunities of doing good as we have let slip. Soon will our wanderings end, and our eternal state be fixed beyond recall; how important then is the present moment! Happy are those whom the Lord now guides with his counsel, and will at length receive to his glory. To this happiness the gospel calls us. Behold now is the accepted time, now is the day of salvation. Let sinners seize the opportunity, and flee for refuge to the hope set before them. Let us redeem our time, to glorify God and serve our generation; and he will carry us safely through all, to his eternal kingdom.

Verses 50-56 Now that they were to pass over Jordan, they were entering again into temptation to follow idols; and they are threatened that, if they spared either the idols or the idolaters, their sin would certainly be their punishment. They would foster vipers in their own bosoms. The remnant of the Canaanites, if they made any peace with them, though but for a time, would be pricks in their eyes, and thorns in their sides. We must expect trouble and affliction from whatever sin we indulge; that which we are willing should tempt us, will vex us. It was intended that the Canaanites should be put out of the land; but if the Israelites learned their wicked ways, they also would be put out. Let us hear this and fear. If we do not drive out sin, sin will drive us out. If we are not the death of our lusts, our lusts will be the death of our souls.

Chapter Summary

INTRODUCTION TO NUMBERS 33

This chapter gives an account of the journeys of the people of Israel, from their first coming out of Egypt, to their arrival in the plains of Moab by Jordan, and the names of the various stations where they rested are given, Nu 33:1-49 and they are ordered, when they passed over Jordan, to drive out the Canaanites, destroy their idols, and divide the land among their families in their several tribes, Nu 33:50-54 or otherwise it is threatened the Canaanites should be troublesome and vexatious to them, even those that remained; and it might be expected God would do to the Israelites as he thought to do to those nations, Nu 33:55,56.

Numbers 33 Commentaries

The Hebrew Names Version is in the public domain.