Numbers 21:1-9

1 The Kana`ani, the king of `Arad, who lived in the South, heard tell that Yisra'el came by the way of Atarim; and he fought against Yisra'el, and took some of them captive.

2 Yisra'el vowed a vow to the LORD, and said, If you will indeed deliver this people into my hand, then I will utterly destroy their cities.

3 The LORD listened to the voice of Yisra'el, and delivered up the Kana`anim; and they utterly destroyed them and their cities: and the name of the place was called Hormah.

4 They journeyed from Mount Hor by the way to the Sea of Suf, to compass the land of Edom: and the soul of the people was much discouraged because of the way.

5 The people spoke against God, and against Moshe, Why have you brought us up out of Mitzrayim to die in the wilderness? for there is no bread, and there is no water; and our soul loathes this light bread.

6 The LORD sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people; and much people of Yisra'el died.

7 The people came to Moshe, and said, We have sinned, because we have spoken against the LORD, and against you; pray to the LORD, that he take away the serpents from us. Moshe prayed for the people.

8 The LORD said to Moshe, Make you a fiery serpent, and set it on a standard: and it shall happen, that everyone who is bitten, when he sees it, shall live.

9 Moshe made a serpent of brass, and set it on the standard: and it happened, that if a serpent had bitten any man, when he looked to the serpent of brass, he lived.

Numbers 21:1-9 Meaning and Commentary

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.