Numbers 21:2-22

2 at Israhel voto se Domino obligans ait si tradideris populum istum in manu mea delebo urbes eius

3 exaudivitque Dominus preces Israhel et tradidit Chananeum quem ille interfecit subversis urbibus eius et vocavit nomen loci illius Horma id est anathema

4 profecti sunt autem et de monte Or per viam quae ducit ad mare Rubrum ut circumirent terram Edom et taedere coepit populum itineris ac laboris

5 locutusque contra Deum et Mosen ait cur eduxisti nos de Aegypto ut moreremur in solitudine deest panis non sunt aquae anima nostra iam nausiat super cibo isto levissimo

6 quam ob rem misit Dominus in populum ignitos serpentes ad quorum plagas et mortes plurimorum

7 venerunt ad Mosen atque dixerunt peccavimus quia locuti sumus contra Dominum et te ora ut tollat a nobis serpentes oravit Moses pro populo

8 et locutus est Dominus ad eum fac serpentem et pone eum pro signo qui percussus aspexerit eum vivet

9 fecit ergo Moses serpentem aeneum et posuit pro signo quem cum percussi aspicerent sanabantur

10 profectique filii Israhel castrametati sunt in Oboth

11 unde egressi fixere tentoria in Hieabarim in solitudine quae respicit Moab contra orientalem plagam

12 et inde moventes venerunt ad torrentem Zared

13 quem relinquentes castrametati sunt contra Arnon quae est in deserto et prominet in finibus Amorrei siquidem Arnon terminus est Moab dividens Moabitas et Amorreos

14 unde dicitur in libro bellorum Domini sicut fecit in mari Rubro sic faciet in torrentibus Arnon

15 scopuli torrentium inclinati sunt ut requiescerent in Ar et recumberent in finibus Moabitarum

16 ex eo loco apparuit puteus super quo locutus est Dominus ad Mosen congrega populum et dabo ei aquam

17 tunc cecinit Israhel carmen istud ascendat puteus concinebant

18 puteus quem foderunt principes et paraverunt duces multitudinis in datore legis et in baculis suis de solitudine Matthana

19 de Matthana Nahalihel de Nahalihel in Bamoth

20 de Bamoth vallis est in regione Moab in vertice Phasga et quod respicit contra desertum

21 misit autem Israhel nuntios ad Seon regem Amorreorum dicens

22 obsecro ut transire mihi liceat per terram tuam non declinabimus in agros et vineas non bibemus aquas ex puteis via regia gradiemur donec transeamus terminos tuos

Numbers 21:2-22 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.