Números 21

1 Y oyendo el cananeo, el rey de Arad, el cual habitaba al mediodía, que venía Israel por el camino de los centinelas, peleó con Israel, y tomó de él prisioneros

2 Entonces Israel hizo voto al SEÑOR, y dijo: Si en efecto entregares a este pueblo en mi mano, yo destruiré sus ciudades

3 Y el SEÑOR escuchó la voz de Israel, y entregó al cananeo, y los destruyó a ellos y a sus ciudades; y llamó el nombre de aquel lugar Horma (destrucción).

4 Y partieron del monte de Hor, camino del mar Bermejo, para rodear la tierra de Edom; y el alma del pueblo fue angustiada en el camino

5 Y habló el pueblo contra Dios y contra Moisés: ¿Por qué nos hiciste venir de Egipto para que muramos en este desierto? Que no hay pan, ni agua, y nuestra alma tiene fastidio de este pan tan liviano

6 Y el SEÑOR envió entre el pueblo serpientes ardientes, que mordían al pueblo; y murió mucho pueblo de Israel

7 Entonces el pueblo vino a Moisés, y dijeron: Hemos pecado por haber hablado contra el SEÑOR, y contra ti; ora al SEÑOR que quite de nosotros estas serpientes. Y Moisés oró por el pueblo

8 Y el SEÑOR dijo a Moisés: Hazte una serpiente ardiente, y ponla sobre la bandera; y será que cualquiera que fuere mordido y mirare a ella, vivirá

9 Y Moisés hizo una serpiente de bronce, y la levantó sobre la bandera, y fue, que cuando alguna serpiente mordía a alguno, miraba a la serpiente de metal, y vivía

10 Y partieron los hijos de Israel, y acamparon en Obot

11 Y partidos de Obot, acamparon en Ije-abarim, en el desierto que está delante de Moab, al nacimiento del sol

12 Partidos de allí, acamparon en el arroyo de Zered

13 Y partidos de allí, acamparon al otro lado de Arnón, que está en el desierto, y que sale del término del amorreo; porque Arnón es término de Moab, entre Moab y el amorreo

14 Por tanto se dice en el libro de las batallas del SEÑOR: Lo que hizo en el mar Bermejo, y a los arroyos de Arnón

15 y a la corriente de los arroyos que va a parar en Ar, y descansa en el término de Moab

16 Y de allí vinieron a Beer: éste es el pozo del cual el SEÑOR dijo a Moisés: Junta al pueblo, y les daré agua

17 Entonces cantó Israel esta canción: Sube, oh pozo; a él cantad

18 Pozo, el cual cavaron los príncipes; lo cavaron los voluntarios del pueblo, y el legislador, con sus bordones. Del desierto vinieron a Matana

19 Y de Matana a Nahaliel; y de Nahaliel a Bamot

20 Y de Bamot al valle que está en los campos de Moab, y a la cumbre de Pisga, que mira a Jesimón

21 Y envió Israel embajadores a Sehón, rey de los amorreos, diciendo

22 Pasaré por tu tierra; no nos apartaremos por los labrados, ni por las viñas; no beberemos las aguas de los pozos; por el camino real iremos, hasta que pasemos tu término

23 Mas Sehón no dejó pasar a Israel por su término; antes juntó Sehón todo su pueblo, y salió contra Israel en el desierto; y vino a Jahaza, y peleó contra Israel

24 E Israel le hirió a filo de espada, y tomó su tierra desde Arnón hasta Jaboc, hasta los hijos de Amón; porque el término de los hijos de Amón era fuerte

25 Y tomó Israel todas estas ciudades; y habitó Israel en todas las ciudades del amorreo, en Hesbón y en todas sus aldeas

26 Porque Hesbón era la ciudad de Sehón, rey de los amorreos; el cual había tenido guerra antes con el rey de Moab, y tomado de su poder toda su tierra hasta Arnón

27 Por tanto, dicen los proverbistas: Venid a Hesbón, edifíquese y repárese la ciudad de Sehón

28 que fuego salió de Hesbón, y llama de la ciudad de Sehón, y consumió a Ar de Moab, a los señores de los altos de Arnón

29 ¡Ay de ti, Moab! Pereciste, pueblo de Quemos; puso sus hijos en huida, y sus hijas en cautividad, por Sehón rey de los amorreos

30 Y Hesbón destruyó su reino hasta Dibón, y destruimos hasta Nofa y Medeba

31 Así habitó Israel en la tierra del amorreo

32 Y envió Moisés a reconocer a Jazer; y tomaron sus aldeas, y echaron al amorreo que estaba allí

33 Y volvieron, y subieron camino de Basán, y salió contra ellos Og rey de Basán, él y todo su pueblo, para pelear en Edrei

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

35 E hirieron a él, y a sus hijos, y a todo su pueblo, sin que le quedara uno, y poseyeron 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.

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.