Numbers 21

Victory over the Canaanites at Hormah

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.

²Israel 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.”

³The LORD 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.

The Bronze Serpent

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.

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!”

⁶The LORD sent venomous snakes among the people, and they bit the people. Many people of Israel died.

⁷The people came to Moses, 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.” Moses prayed for the people.

⁸The LORD 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.”

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.

The Journey to Moab

¹⁰The children of Israel traveled, and encamped in Oboth.

¹¹They traveled from Oboth, and encamped at Iyeabarim, in the wilderness which is before Moab, toward the sunrise.

¹²From there they traveled, and encamped in the valley of Zered.

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.

¹⁴Therefore it is said in The Book of the Wars of the LORD, “Vaheb in Suphah, the valleys of the Arnon,

¹⁵the slope of the valleys that incline toward the dwelling of Ar, leans on the border of Moab.”

¹⁶From there they traveled to Beer; that is the well of which the LORD said to Moses, “Gather the people together, and I will give them water.”

¹⁷Then Israel sang this song: “Spring up, well! Sing to it,

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;

¹⁹and from Mattanah to Nahaliel; and from Nahaliel to Bamoth;

²⁰and from Bamoth to the valley that is in the field of Moab, to the top of Pisgah, which looks down on the desert.

Victory over Sihon and Og

²¹Israel sent messengers to Sihon king of the Amorites, saying,

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.”

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.

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.

²⁵Israel took all these cities. Israel lived in all the cities of the Amorites, in Heshbon, and in all its villages.

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.

²⁷Therefore those who speak in proverbs say, “Come to Heshbon. Let the city of Sihon be built and established;

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.

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.

³⁰We have shot at them. Heshbon has perished even to Dibon. We have laid waste even to Nophah, Which reaches to Medeba.”

³¹Thus Israel lived in the land of the Amorites.

³²Moses sent to spy out Jazer. They took its villages, and drove out the Amorites who were there.

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.

³⁴The LORD 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.”

³⁵So they struck him, with his sons and all his people, until there were no survivors; and they possessed his land.

Previous Numbers 20

Next Numbers 22

Numbers 21 records Israel's transition from wilderness wandering to conquest as they approach the Promised Land. The chapter begins with their first military victory over the Canaanites at Hormah, followed by the bronze serpent incident where God provides healing through faith after punishing the people's complaints. As Israel journeys toward Moab, they experience God's provision of water and celebrate with song, culminating in decisive victories over the Amorite kings Sihon and Og, securing their first territorial gains east of the Jordan.

Context

This chapter marks a pivotal transition from the wilderness wanderings following Aaron's death in chapter 20 to the preparation for entering Canaan, setting up the encounters with Balak and Balaam in chapters 22-24.

Key Themes

Outline

1-3
Victory over the Canaanites at Hormah Israel makes a vow to God and defeats the king of Arad, utterly destroying the Canaanite cities.
4-9
The Bronze Serpent God sends venomous serpents to punish Israel's complaints, then provides healing through a bronze serpent on a pole.
10-20
Journey to Moab with God's Provision Israel travels through various locations, receives water at Beer, and sings a song of praise for God's provision.
21-35
Victory over Sihon and Og Israel defeats the Amorite kings Sihon and Og after being refused peaceful passage, taking possession of their lands.

Victory over the Canaanites at Hormah

21:1–21:3

narrative narration triumphant

When the Canaanite king of Arad attacks Israel and takes captives, Israel makes a vow to God for victory. God grants their request, and they completely destroy the Canaanite cities, naming the place Hormah.

geographic

Arad represents Israel's first recorded military victory through divine vow-making, establishing the pattern of ḥerem (complete destruction) that would define the conquest narratives.

The Bronze Serpent

21:4–21:9

narrative narration solemn

The Israelites complain against God and Moses in the wilderness, leading to divine judgment through venomous serpents. God provides healing through a bronze serpent on a pole for those who look upon it in faith.

person_contrast

Moses, typically associated with law-giving and obedience, here becomes the intercessor for disobedient Israel, creating the bronze serpent that prefigures Christ's crucifixion in John 3:14.

The Journey to Moab

21:10–21:20

narrative narration peaceful

Israel's journey through various locations toward Moab, including God's provision of water at Beer and the people's song of praise for the well. The passage records their systematic movement through the wilderness.

person_contrast

Moses disappears entirely from this passage while Israel spontaneously breaks into song about God's provision—the only recorded communal praise song in Numbers occurring without Moses' leadership or liturgical instruction.

Victory over Sihon and Og

21:21–21:35

narrative narration triumphant

Israel defeats Sihon king of the Amorites and Og king of Bashan, conquering their territories. God assures Moses of victory, demonstrating divine sovereignty in Israel's military campaigns.

person_contrast

Moses, typically associated with law-giving and obedience, here receives divine military assurance as God promises victory over both Sihon and Og before battles begin.

Insight Geography

Arad represents Israel's first recorded military victory through divine vow-making, establishing the pattern of ḥerem (complete destruction) that would define the conquest narratives.

Insight Character Study

Moses, typically associated with law-giving and obedience, here becomes the intercessor for disobedient Israel, creating the bronze serpent that prefigures Christ's crucifixion in John 3:14.

Insight Character Study

Moses, typically associated with law-giving and obedience, here receives divine military assurance as God promises victory over both Sihon and Og before battles begin.

Cross-References

Connected passages across Scripture

Numbers 21:1 2 references

Lexicals 2

Numbers 33:40 Lexical

The Canaanite king of Arad, who lived in the South in the land of Canaan, heard of the coming of the children of Israel.

Numbers 21

Victory over the Canaanites at Hormah

The Bronze Serpent

The Journey to Moab

Victory over Sihon and Og

Victory over the Canaanites at Hormah

The Bronze Serpent

The Journey to Moab

Victory over Sihon and Og

Insights

Cross-References

Numbers 21:1 2 references

Numbers 21:3 1 reference

Numbers 21:4 5 references

Numbers 21:6 2 references

Numbers 21:7 1 reference

Numbers 21:10 2 references

Numbers 21:11 5 references

Numbers 21:13 5 references

Numbers 21:14 1 reference

Numbers 21:15 1 reference

Numbers 21:17 1 reference

Numbers 21:20 1 reference

Numbers 21:21 1 reference

Numbers 21:22 2 references

Numbers 21:23 4 references

Numbers 21:24 4 references

Numbers 21:26 5 references

Numbers 21:28 3 references

Numbers 21:29 1 reference

Numbers 21:30 2 references

Numbers 21:33 5 references

Numbers 21:34 5 references

Numbers 21:35 5 references

Interlinear

Historical Context