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| 1 And the Canaanite, the king of Arad, who dwelt in the South, heard that Israel had entered by the way of Atharim,–so he made war with Israel, and took some of them captive. |
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| 2 Then Israel vowed vow unto Yahweh, and said,–If thou wilt, surely deliver up, this people into my hand, then will I utterly destroy their cities. |
Vowed a vow – Because of a pre-emptory attack by the Canaanites. R3101:2
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| 3 And Yahweh hearkened unto the voice of Israel, and delivered up the Canaanite into his hand, so he utterly destroyed them, and their cities,–and called the name of the place Hormah [that is, "Utter Destruction"]. |
The Canaanites – Representing sin, its enticements and blandishments in the weaknesses of the flesh. R3101: 3
Utterly destroyed – Not then, but a parenthesis showing that they later kept their vow. R3101:2
Hormah – So called, meaning "utter destruction," because of their vow. R3101:2
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| 4 Then brake they up from Mount Hor, by way of the Red Sea, to go round the land of Edom,–and the soul of the people became impatient because of the way. |
Compass the land – To take a shortcut through Edom, typical of taking in the pleasures of this life and the fellowship of the world as part of the Christian life. R5267:5 *
Of Edom – Type of Christendom. D15
Much discouraged – Type of how in the nominal churches there is an opposition to the narrow way of self-sacrifice. R5267:6
Because of the detour around Edom. R5316:1
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| 5 So then the people spake against God, and against Moses, Wherefore, have ye brought us up out of Egypt, to die in the desert? for there is neither bread, nor water, and, our soul, doth loathe this contemptible bread! |
Spake against God – Against the voice of the Lord through the Scriptures and against all those who walk in the wilderness way. R5267:6*
Loatheth this light bread – Representing a tendency of spiritual Israelites to lose their appreciation for spiritual food and go hungering after the pleasures of the world. Such a yielding to worldly appetites will surely expose them to the bite of the serpent of sin. R2300:2
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| 6 And Yahweh sent among the people the poisonous serpents, and they bit the people,–and much people out of Israel died. |
Fiery – Supposed to have been thus called because of red streaks upon the head. Their bite so inflames the nervous system as to cause the feeling of fire throughout the entire body, often resulting in death in a few hours. R4048:2
In India several thousand people die annually from the bite of the cobra. R3101:4
Serpents – Representing sin. "The sting of death is sin." (1 Cor. 15:56) R5239:1, R4037:5, R4048:4, R5316:4; PD34/45
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| 7 Then came the people of Israel unto Moses, and said–We have sinned, in that we spake against Yahweh and against thee, Pray thou unto Yahweh, that he may take from us the serpent. So Moses prayed for the people. |
Pray unto the LORD – On such occasions they understood that it was a punishment and made no effort to use medicines. R2029:2
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| 8 Then said Yahweh unto Moses–Make thee a like serpent, and put it upon standard,–and it shall come to pass, that, any one who is bitten, as soon as he seeth it, shall live. |
When he looketh – Our mission has been during the reign of sin and death to point the sin-bitten to the Savior. R5316:4; SM767:1
Not when Jesus was made flesh, nor when exalted, but only when looked upon does he give life; looking by the eyes of understanding is expressed by the word believing. R1328:5*
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| 9 So Moses made a serpent of bronze, and put it upon the standard,–and it came to pass–that, if the serpent had bitten any man, as soon as he directed his look unto the serpent of bronze, he lived. |
Made a serpent – Primarily representing sin, Satan's agent in alluring our first parents into condemnation hence our Lord Jesus, who took the sinner's place. "He made him who knew no sin to be a sin-offering for us." (2 Cor. 5:21 Diaglott) R4049:4, R4970:1, R5847:1; Q498:T
Of brass – Copper, symbolizing the perfect humanity of our Lord. T18; R3101:6
Upon a pole – Type of the cross. "As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up." (John 3:14) R5239:1, R4037:5, R4049:1
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| 10 And the sons of Israel brake up,–and encamped in Oboth. |
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| 11 And they brake up from Oboth,–and encamped in Ije-Abarim, in the desert which is over against Moab, towards the rising of the sun. |
Moab – The Moabites were children of Lot, Abraham's nephew. R5316:1
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| 12 From thence, brake they up,–and encamped in the ravine of Zered. |
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| 13 From thence, brake they up, and encamped on the other side of Arnon which is in the desert, that cometh forth out of the boundary of the Amorites,–for, Arnon, is the boundary of Moab, between Moab and the Amorites. |
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| 14 For this cause is it said, in the Book of the Wars of Yahweh,– . . . Waheb with a hurricane, And the ravines of Arnon; |
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| 15 And the bottom of the ravines, that extendeth toward the dwelling of Ar,–And adjoineth to the boundary of Moab, |
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| 16 And, from thence, towards Beer,–the same, is the well, whereof Yahweh said unto Moses, Gather together the people, that I may give them water. |
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| 17 Then, sang Israel this song,–Spring thou up, O well! Respond ye thereunto; |
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| 18 A well!–princes digged, it, Nobles of the people, delved it, With a sceptre, With their staves. And, from the desert, to Mattanah; |
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| 19 and, from Mattanah, to Nahaliel; and, from Nahaliel, to Bamoth; |
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| 20 and, from Bamoth of the valley, which is in the field-country of Moab, to the top of Pisgah,–which overlooketh Jeshimon. |
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| 21 Then sent Israel, messengers, unto Sihon king of the Amorites, saying: |
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| 22 Let me pass through thy land–we will not turn aside into field or into vineyard, nor will we drink the water of a well,–by the king's road, will we go, until we get through thy boundary. |
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| 23 And Sihon suffered not Israel to pass through his boundary, but Sihon gathered together all his people, and came forth to meet Israel, towards the desert, and entered Jahaz,–and fought with Israel. |
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| 24 And Israel smote him with the edge of the sword,–and took possession of his land, from Arnon unto Jabbok, unto the sons of Ammon, for, strong, was the boundary of the sons of Ammon. |
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| 25 So Israel took all these cities,–and Israel dwelt in all the cities of the Amorites, in Heshbon, and in all her villages; |
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| 26 for, as for Heshbon, the city of Sihon king of the Amorites, it was, he, having fought with the former king of Moab, and taken all his land out of his hand, unto Arnon. |
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| 27 For this cause, say the poets–Enter ye Heshbon,–Built and prepared be the city of Sihon; |
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| 28 For, a fire, hath come forth out of Heshbon, A flame, out of the stronghold of Sihon; It hath consumed Ar of Moab, The lords of the high places of Arnon. |
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| 29 Woe to thee, Moab, Thou art lost, O people of Chemosh,–He hath given up his sons as fugitives, And his daughters into captivity, Unto the king of the Amorites, Sihon. |
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| 30 Then we shot them–Heshbon is destroyed, as far as Dibon,–Then laid we waste as far as Nophah, A fire reacheth unto Medeba. |
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| 31 So then Israel dwelt in the land of the Amorites. |
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| 32 And Moses sent to spy out Jazer, and they captured the villages thereof,–and dispossessed the Amorites that were there. |
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| 33 Then turned they, and went up by the way of Bashan,–and Og, king of Bashan, came forth to meet them–he and all his people, to give battle at Edrei. |
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| 34 Then said Yahweh unto Moses–Do not fear him, for, into thy hand, have I delivered him, and all his people, and his land,–Therefore shalt thou do unto him, as thou didst unto Sihon, king of the Amorites, who was dwelling in Heshbon. |
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| 35 So then they smote him, and his sons, and all his people, until there was not left him, a remnant,–and took possession of his land. |
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