Numbers 21: The bronze serpent, and the victories over Sihon and Og
A free study, verse by verse. Text: World English Bible. Notes come from the Hebrew. How to read a study
What happens?
Israel defeats the king of Arad and names the place Hormah. On the way around Edom the people speak against God and Moses, Yahweh sends venomous snakes, and Moses makes a bronze snake on a pole so that whoever is bitten and looks at it lives. Israel travels on toward Moab (the text quotes the Book of the Wars of Yahweh), sings at a well, and defeats Sihon king of the Amorites and Og king of Bashan and takes their land.
Who is speaking?
The narrator tells the story. God's own words are in 3 of the 35 verses: what he tells Moses about the snake in verse 8, his promise of water in verse 16, and his word about Og in verse 34. Israel speaks in its vow in verse 2, the people speak in verses 5 and 7, and Israel's messengers speak to Sihon in verse 22. Verses 14 and 15 quote the Book of the Wars of Yahweh, verses 17 and 18 are Israel's song at the well, and verses 27 to 30 are a song of "those who speak in proverbs". God's own words are printed in gold, and those verses are marked God speaks
1The Canaanite, the king of Arad, who lived in the South, heard that Israel came by the way of Atharim. He fought against Israel, and took some of them captive.
In plain English: The Canaanite king of Arad, who lived in the Negev (the South), heard that Israel was coming by the way of Atharim. He fought against Israel and took some of them captive.
Good to know: The dictionary gives Atharim only as a place name. Some older Bibles, like the King James, read it as "the way of the spies".
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2Israel vowed a vow to Yahweh, and said, “If you will indeed deliver this people into my hand, then I will utterly destroy their cities.”
In plain English: Israel made a vow to Yahweh and said, "If you will really give this people into my hand, I will completely destroy (or: devote to destruction) their cities."
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3Yahweh listened to the voice of Israel, and delivered up the Canaanites; and they utterly destroyed them and their cities. The name of the place was called Hormah.
In plain English: Yahweh listened to Israel's voice and gave up the Canaanites, and they completely destroyed them and their cities. The place was named Hormah.
The Hebrew word: "Utterly destroy" is charam, which the dictionary gives as "to devote to religious uses (especially destruction)". The name Hormah sounds like it, and the verse ties the name to what was done there.
How it is translated: This Bible says "destroy" or a longer form in 42 of the 48 verses that use charam, and "devote" or "devoted" in 4.
Good to know: Hormah is named before, in , where the Amalekites and Canaanites beat Israel back "even to Hormah".
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4They traveled from Mount Hor by the way to the Red Sea, to go around the land of Edom. The soul of the people was very discouraged because of the journey.
In plain English: They set out from Mount Hor by the way to the Red Sea (literally: the Sea of Reeds), to go around the land of Edom. On the way the people became very discouraged (or: impatient; literally: the soul of the people became short).
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5The people spoke against God and against Moses: “Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? For there is no bread, there is no water, and our soul loathes this disgusting food!”
In plain English: The people spoke against God and against Moses: "Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? There is no bread and no water, and we hate (literally: our soul loathes) this disgusting (or: worthless) food!"
The Hebrew word: "Disgusting" is qeloqel, which the dictionary gives as "insubstantial". This is the only verse in the Bible that uses it.
Good to know: The verse does not name the food. In the people complained that there was nothing "except this manna to look at".
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6Yahweh sent venomous snakes among the people, and they bit the people. Many people of Israel died.
In plain English: Yahweh sent venomous snakes (or: fiery snakes) among the people. They bit the people, and many of the people of Israel died.
The Hebrew words: "Venomous snakes" is nachash, a snake, with saraph, which the dictionary gives as "burning, i.e. (figuratively) poisonous (serpent)".
How it is translated: Saraph is in 7 verses of the Bible. This Bible says "venomous" in 3 (this verse, and ), "fiery" in 2 in Isaiah, and "seraphim" in the 2 verses of Isaiah 6, where they stand above the Lord ().
What changes: Read as "fiery serpents", as older Bibles say, the name speaks of burning. The text does not explain the name.
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7The people came to Moses, and said, “We have sinned, because we have spoken against Yahweh and against you. Pray to Yahweh, that he take away the serpents from us.” Moses prayed for the people.
In plain English: The people came to Moses and said, "We have sinned, because we spoke against Yahweh and against you. Pray to Yahweh to take the snakes away from us." Moses prayed for the people.
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8Yahweh said to Moses, “Make a venomous snake, and set it on a pole. It shall happen that everyone who is bitten, when he sees it, shall live.”God speaks
In plain English: Yahweh said to Moses, "Make a venomous snake (or: a fiery snake) and put it on a pole. Everyone who is bitten and looks at it will live."
The Hebrew word: "Pole" is nes, the same word as "banner" in the altar name "Yahweh our Banner" (). The dictionary gives it as "a flag", "a flagstaff", "generally a signal".
How it is translated: This Bible says "banner" in 11 of the 20 verses that use nes, and "pole" in 2, both in this account.
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9Moses made a serpent of bronze, and set it on the pole. If a serpent had bitten any man, when he looked at the serpent of bronze, he lived.
In plain English: Moses made a snake of bronze and put it on the pole. Whenever a snake had bitten someone, and he looked at the bronze snake, he lived.
The Hebrew words: "Serpent of bronze" is nachash nechoshet: the two words sound alike in Hebrew. The dictionary gives nechoshet as "copper", and things made of it.
Good to know: says King Hezekiah broke in pieces "the bronze serpent that Moses had made", because the people burned incense to it, and that it was called Nehushtan.
Church tradition: In and Jesus says that as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, the Son of Man must be lifted up, so that whoever believes in him may have eternal life. Many churches read the bronze serpent as pointing ahead to the cross. Jewish teachers have often said that it was not the snake that healed, but the people turning their hearts to God. Numbers 21 says only that whoever looked at it lived.
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10The children of Israel traveled, and encamped in Oboth.
In plain English: The Israelites set out and camped at Oboth.
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11They traveled from Oboth, and encamped at Iyeabarim, in the wilderness which is before Moab, toward the sunrise.
In plain English: They set out from Oboth and camped at Iye Abarim, in the wilderness that faces Moab, toward the sunrise.
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12From there they traveled, and encamped in the valley of Zered.
In plain English: From there they set out and camped in the valley of Zered.
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13From there they traveled, and encamped on the other side of the Arnon, which is in the wilderness that comes out of the border of the Amorites; for the Arnon is the border of Moab, between Moab and the Amorites.
In plain English: From there they set out and camped on the other side of the Arnon, in the wilderness that reaches out from the border of the Amorites. The Arnon is the border of Moab, between Moab and the Amorites.
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14Therefore it is said in The Book of the Wars of Yahweh , “Vaheb in Suphah, the valleys of the Arnon,
In plain English: That is why it is said in the Book of the Wars of Yahweh: "Vaheb in Suphah (or: in a storm), and the valleys of the Arnon,
Good to know: This is the only verse in the Bible that names the Book of the Wars of Yahweh. No copy of it is known, and the text says nothing more about it. Other old books are quoted in the same way, like the Book of Jashar in .
The Hebrew words: The dictionary gives Vaheb as "a place in Moab", and suphah as "a hurricane". In the other 15 verses that use suphah, this Bible says "whirlwind" or "storm". The lines quoted here are short and hard to read in Hebrew, and Bibles translate them in different ways. The text does not explain them.
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15the slope of the valleys that incline toward the dwelling of Ar, leans on the border of Moab.”
In plain English: and the slope of the valleys that stretches toward the town (literally: the dwelling) of Ar and leans on the border of Moab."
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16From there they traveled to Beer; that is the well of which Yahweh said to Moses, “Gather the people together, and I will give them water.”God speaks
In plain English: From there they went on to Beer. That is the well where Yahweh said to Moses, "Gather the people together, and I will give them water."
The Hebrew word: The place name Beer is be'er, the Hebrew word for a well, and the verse says, "that is the well".
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17Then Israel sang this song: “Spring up, well! Sing to it,
In plain English: Then Israel sang this song: "Spring up, well! Sing to it (or: answer it),
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18the well, which the princes dug, which the nobles of the people dug, with the scepter, and with their poles.” From the wilderness they traveled to Mattanah;
In plain English: the well that the princes dug, that the nobles of the people dug, with the scepter (a ruler's staff) and with their staffs." From the wilderness they went on to Mattanah,
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19and from Mattanah to Nahaliel; and from Nahaliel to Bamoth;
In plain English: from Mattanah to Nahaliel, and from Nahaliel to Bamoth,
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20and from Bamoth to the valley that is in the field of Moab, to the top of Pisgah, which looks down on the desert.
In plain English: and from Bamoth to the valley in the country (literally: the field) of Moab, to the top of Pisgah, which looks down over the desert.
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21Israel sent messengers to Sihon king of the Amorites, saying,
In plain English: Israel sent messengers to Sihon king of the Amorites, saying,
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22“Let me pass through your land. We will not turn away into field or vineyard. We will not drink of the water of the wells. We will go by the king’s highway, until we have passed your border.”
In plain English: "Let me pass through your land. We will not turn aside into any field or vineyard, and we will not drink water from any well. We will go along the king's highway until we have passed through your territory."
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23Sihon would not allow Israel to pass through his border, but Sihon gathered all his people together, and went out against Israel into the wilderness, and came to Jahaz. He fought against Israel.
In plain English: But Sihon would not let Israel pass through his territory. Sihon gathered all his people and went out against Israel into the wilderness. He came to Jahaz and fought against Israel.
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24Israel struck him with the edge of the sword, and possessed his land from the Arnon to the Jabbok, even to the children of Ammon; for the border of the children of Ammon was fortified.
In plain English: Israel struck him with the edge of the sword (literally: the mouth of the sword) and took his land from the Arnon to the Jabbok, as far as the Ammonites, because the border of the Ammonites was strong (or: fortified).
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25Israel took all these cities. Israel lived in all the cities of the Amorites, in Heshbon, and in all its villages.
In plain English: Israel took all these cities, and Israel lived in all the cities of the Amorites, in Heshbon and in all its villages (literally: its daughters).
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26For Heshbon was the city of Sihon the king of the Amorites, who had fought against the former king of Moab, and taken all his land out of his hand, even to the Arnon.
In plain English: For Heshbon was the city of Sihon king of the Amorites. He had fought against the former king of Moab and taken all his land out of his hand, as far as the Arnon.
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27Therefore those who speak in proverbs say, “Come to Heshbon. Let the city of Sihon be built and established;
In plain English: That is why those who speak in proverbs (or: the poets) say, "Come to Heshbon. Let the city of Sihon be built and set up again.
The Hebrew word: "Those who speak in proverbs" comes from mashal, which the dictionary gives as "to use figurative language (an allegory, adage, song or the like)".
Good to know: Verses 27 to 30 are an old song about Heshbon, the city Sihon took from Moab (). The text does not say who made it or explain all its lines, and readers differ on whose victory it first told of. and use some of the same lines against Moab.
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28for a fire has gone out of Heshbon, a flame from the city of Sihon. It has devoured Ar of Moab, The lords of the high places of the Arnon.
In plain English: For a fire has gone out from Heshbon, a flame from the town of Sihon. It has burned up Ar of Moab, the lords (or: the people) of the high places of the Arnon.
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29Woe to you, Moab! You are undone, people of Chemosh! He has given his sons as fugitives, and his daughters into captivity, to Sihon king of the Amorites.
In plain English: Woe to you, Moab! You are lost, people of Chemosh! He has made his sons runaways, and his daughters captives of Sihon king of the Amorites.
Good to know: The dictionary gives Chemosh as "the god of the Moabites", as also says. The Hebrew does not say whether "he" who made his sons runaways is Chemosh or Moab.
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30We have shot at them. Heshbon has perished even to Dibon. We have laid waste even to Nophah, Which reaches to Medeba.”
In plain English: We have shot at them. Heshbon is destroyed, as far as Dibon. We have laid waste as far as Nophah, which reaches to Medeba."
Good to know: The Hebrew of this verse is hard, and Bibles translate it in different ways. The text does not explain it.
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31Thus Israel lived in the land of the Amorites.
In plain English: So Israel lived in the land of the Amorites.
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32Moses sent to spy out Jazer. They took its villages, and drove out the Amorites who were there.
In plain English: Moses sent to spy out Jazer. They took its villages (literally: its daughters) and drove out the Amorites who were there.
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33They turned and went up by the way of Bashan. Og the king of Bashan went out against them, he and all his people, to battle at Edrei.
In plain English: Then they turned and went up by the road to Bashan. Og king of Bashan went out against them, he and all his people, to fight at Edrei.
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34Yahweh said to Moses, “Don’t fear him, for I have delivered him into your hand, with all his people, and his land. You shall do to him as you did to Sihon king of the Amorites, who lived at Heshbon.”God speaks
In plain English: Yahweh said to Moses, "Do not be afraid of him, because I have given him into your hand, with all his people and his land. You are to do to him as you did to Sihon king of the Amorites, who lived at Heshbon."
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35So they struck him, with his sons and all his people, until there were no survivors; and they possessed his land.
In plain English: So they struck him, with his sons and all his people, until he had no survivor left, and they took his land.
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