1Když aradský král, Kananejec sídlící v Negevu, uslyšel, že Izrael přichází atarimskou cestou, napadl Izrael a některé z nich zajal. 2Izrael tehdy složil slib Hospodinu: „Vydáš-li tento lid do našich rukou, zničíme jejich města jako proklatá.“ 3Hospodin Izrael vyslyšel, vydal mu Kananejce a Izrael je i s jejich městy vyhladil jako proklaté. To místo pak nazvali Chorma, Klatba. 4Aby se vyhnuli edomské zemi, táhli od hory Hór směrem k Rudému moři. Lid ale na cestě ztratil trpělivost 5a začal Bohu a Mojžíšovi vyčítat: „Proč jste nás odvedli z Egypta? Abychom zemřeli na poušti? Není tu chléb, není tu voda a ten mizerný pokrm se nám už hnusí!“ 6Hospodin tedy na lid poslal jedovaté hady. Na jejich uštknutí mnoho lidí v Izraeli zemřelo. 7Lid pak přišel k Mojžíši se slovy: „Zhřešili jsme, když jsme mluvili proti Hospodinu a proti tobě. Modli se k Hospodinu, ať nás zbaví těch hadů!“ A tak se Mojžíš za lid modlil. 8Hospodin řekl Mojžíšovi: „Udělej si jedovatého hada a připevni ho na kůl. Každý, kdo se na něj podívá, bude žít.“ 9Mojžíš tedy udělal bronzového hada a připevnil ho na kůl. Když někoho uštkl had a on se podíval na toho bronzového hada, zůstal naživu. 10Synové Izraele pak táhli dál a utábořili se v Obotu. 11Z Obotu táhli dál a utábořili se v Ije-abarimu na poušti, která na východě sousedí s Moábem. 12Odtud táhli dál a utábořili se v údolí Zered. 13Odtud táhli dál a utábořili se na druhé straně řeky Arnon, na poušti, která vybíhá z emorejského území. (Arnon totiž tvoří hranici mezi Moábem a Emorejci.) 14Kniha Hospodinových bojů se o něm zmiňuje: „Vaheb v Sufě a údolí Arnonu, 15svahy údolí, jež se táhne ke vsi Ar a k moábské hranici se přimyká.“ 16Odtud pak táhli do Beéru; to je ta studna, kde Hospodin řekl Mojžíšovi: „Shromáždi lid a dám jim vodu.“ 17Tehdy Izrael zpíval tuto píseň: „Tryskej, studnice! Prozpěvujte o ní: 18Vůdcové kopali studnici, přední z lidu ji hloubili žezlem a svými holemi.“ Z pouště pak táhli do Matany, 19z Matany do Nachalielu, z Nachalielu do Bamotu 20a z Bamotu ke strži v moábském kraji při vrcholu Pisgy tyčící se nad pustinou. 21Izrael vyslal posly k emorejskému králi Sichonovi se slovy: 22„Chtěl bych projít tvou zemí. Neodbočíme do polí ani do vinic, nebudeme pít vodu ze studní. Půjdeme Královskou cestou, dokud nepřejdeme tvé území.“ 23Sichon ale Izraeli nedovolil projít svým územím. Shromáždil všechen svůj lid a vytáhl proti Izraeli na poušť. Když dorazil do Jahcy, napadl Izrael. 24Ten jej však porazil ostřím meče a obsadil jeho zem od Arnonu po Jabok, až k území Amonců (hranice Amonců byla totiž opevněná). 25Tak Izrael zabral všechna emorejská města a usadil se v nich, včetně Chešbonu a všech jeho vesnic. 26Chešbon byl městem emorejského krále Sichona, který bojoval s dřívějším králem Moábu a vzal mu všechnu jeho zem až po Arnon. 27Proto vypravěči říkají: „Jen jděte do Chešbonu, zkuste ho vystavět, zkuste opevnit město Sichonovo! 28Z Chešbonu totiž vyšlehl oheň, z města Sichonova plamen, jenž pohltil Ar Moábský, obyvatele arnonských návrší. 29Běda tobě, Moábe! Kemošův lide, zahyneš! Ze svých synů učinil běžence, ze svých dcer zajatkyně Sichona, krále Emorejců. 30Svrhli jsme je, zničeno vše od Chešbonu až k Dibonu; plenili jsme jej až k Nofachu, oheň plál až k Medebě.“ 31Tak se Izrael usadil v zemi Emorejců. 32Mojžíš poslal vyzvědače do Jaezeru. Dobyli jeho vesnice a vyhnali Emorejce, kteří tam bydleli. 33Potom se obrátili a vydali se vzhůru směrem k Bášanu. Bášanský král Og však proti nim s celým svým lidem vytáhl a utkal se s nimi u Edrei. 34Hospodin Mojžíšovi řekl: „Neboj se ho! Vydal jsem ho do tvých rukou s celým jeho lidem i s jeho zemí. Naložíš s ním, jako jsi naložil s emorejským králem Sichonem, který bydlel v Chešbonu.“ 35A tak jej pobili i s jeho syny a s celým jeho lidem, až z nich nikdo nezůstal naživu, a obsadili jeho zem.
Jamieson Fausset Brown Bible Commentary 1 ISRAEL ATTACKED BY THE CANAANITES. (Num. 21:1-35)
King Arad the Canaanite--rather, "the Canaanite king of Arad"--an ancient town on the southernmost borders of Palestine, not far from Kadesh. A hill called Tell Arad marks the spot.
heard tell that Israel came by the way of the spies--in the way or manner of spies, stealthily, or from spies sent by himself to ascertain the designs and motions of the Israelites. The Septuagint and others consider the Hebrew word "spies" a proper name, and render it: "Came by the way of Atharim towards Arad" [KENNICOTT].
he fought against Israel, and took some of them prisoners--This discomfiture was permitted to teach them to expect the conquest of Canaan not from their own wisdom and valor, but solely from the favor and help of God (
Deut 9:4;
Ps 44:3-
Ps 44:4).
2 Israel vowed a vow unto the Lord--Made to feel their own weakness, they implored the aid of Heaven, and, in anticipation of it, devoted the cities of this king to future destruction. The nature and consequence of such anathemas are described (Lev. 27:1-34; Deu. 13:1-18). This vow of extermination against Arad [
Num 21:2] gave name to the place Hormah (slaughter and destruction) though it was not accomplished till after the passage of the Jordan. Others think Hormah the name of a town mentioned (
Josh 12:14).
4 they journeyed from mount Hor--On being refused the passage requested, they returned through the Arabah, "the way of the Red Sea," to Elath, at the head of the eastern gulf of the Red Sea, and thence passed up through the mountains to the eastern desert, so as to make the circuit of the land of Edom (
Num 33:41-
Num 33:42).
the soul of the people was much discouraged because of the way--Disappointment on finding themselves so near the confines of the promised land without entering it; vexation at the refusal of a passage through Edom and the absence of any divine interposition in their favor; and above all, the necessity of a retrograde journey by a long and circuitous route through the worst parts of a sandy desert and the dread of being plunged into new and unknown difficulties--all this produced a deep depression of spirits. But it was followed, as usually, by a gross outburst of murmuring at the scarcity of water, and of expressions of disgust at the manna.
5 our soul loatheth this light bread--that is, bread without substance or nutritious quality. The refutation of this calumny appears in the fact, that on the strength of this food they performed for forty years so many and toilsome journeys. But they had been indulging a hope of the better and more varied fare enjoyed by a settled people; and disappointment, always the more bitter as the hope of enjoyment seems near, drove them to speak against God and against Moses (
1Cor 10:9).
6 The Lord sent fiery serpents among the people--That part of the desert where the Israelites now were--near the head of the gulf of Akaba--is greatly infested with venomous reptiles, of various kinds, particularly lizards, which raise themselves in the air and swing themselves from branches; and scorpions, which, being in the habit of lying in long grass, are particularly dangerous to the barelegged, sandaled people of the East. The only known remedy consists in sucking the wound, or, in the case of cattle, in the application of ammonia. The exact species of serpents that caused so great mortality among the Israelites cannot be ascertained. They are said to have been "fiery," an epithet applied to them either from their bright, vivid color, or the violent inflammation their bite occasioned.
7 the people came to Moses, and said, We have sinned--The severity of the scourge and the appalling extent of mortality brought them to a sense of sin, and through the intercessions of Moses, which they implored, they were miraculously healed. He was directed to make the figure of a serpent in brass, to be elevated on a pole or standard, that it might be seen at the extremities of the camp and that every bitten Israelite who looked to it might be healed. This peculiar method of cure was designed, in the first instance, to show that it was the efficacy of God's power and grace, not the effect of nature or art, and also that it might be a type of the power of faith in Christ to heal all who look to Him because of their sins (
John 3:14-
John 3:15; see also on
2Kgs 18:4).
10 the children of Israel set forward--along the eastern frontier of the Edomites, encamping in various stations.
12 pitched in the valley--literally, the "woody brook-valley" of Zared (
Deut 2:13;
Isa 15:7;
Amos 6:14). This torrent rises among the mountains to the east of Moab, and flowing west, empties itself into the Dead Sea. Ije-Abarim is supposed to have been its ford [CALMET].
13 pitched on the other side of Arnon--now El-Mojib, a deep, broad, and rapid stream, dividing the dominions of the Moabites and Amorites.
14 book of the wars of the Lord--A fragment or passage is here quoted from a poem or history of the wars of the Israelites, principally with a view to decide the position of Arnon.
15 Ar--the capital of Moab.
16 from thence they went to Beer--that is, a "well." The name was probably given to it afterwards [see
Judg 9:21], as it is not mentioned (Num. 33:1-56).
17 Then Israel sang--This beautiful little song was in accordance with the wants and feelings of travelling caravans in the East, where water is an occasion both of prayer and thanksgiving. From the princes using their official rods only, and not spades, it seems probable that this well was concealed by the brushwood or the sand, as is the case with many wells in Idumea still. The discovery of it was seasonable, and owing to the special interposition of God.
21 Israel sent messengers unto Sihon--The rejection of their respectful and pacific message was resented--Sihon was discomfited in battle--and Israel obtained by right of conquest the whole of the Amorite dominions.
24 from Arnon unto Jabbok--now the Zurka. These rivers formed the southern and northern boundaries of his usurped territory.
for the border of . . . Ammon was strong--a reason stated for Sihon not being able to push his invasion further.
25 Israel dwelt in all the cities--after exterminating the inhabitants who had been previously doomed (
Deut 2:34).
26 Heshbon-- (
Song 7:4) --situated sixteen English miles north of the Arnon, and from its ruins it appears to have been a large city.
27 Wherefore they that speak in proverbs--Here is given an extract from an Amorite song exultingly anticipating an extension of their conquests to Arnon. The quotation from the poem of the Amorite bard ends at
Num 21:28. The two following verses appear to be the strains in which the Israelites expose the impotence of the usurpers.
29 people of Chemosh--the name of the Moabite idol (1Ki. 11:7-33;
2Kgs 23:13;
Jer 48:46).
he--that is, their god, hath surrendered his worshippers to the victorious arms of Sihon.
33 they turned and went up by the way of Bashan--a name given to that district from the richness of the soil--now Batanea or El-Bottein--a hilly region east of the Jordan lying between the mountains of Hermon on the north and those of Gilead on the south.
Og--a giant, an Amoritish prince, who, having opposed the progress of the Israelites, was defeated.
34 The Lord said unto Moses, Fear him not--a necessary encouragement, for Og's gigantic stature (
Deut 3:11) was calculated to inspire terror. He and all his were put to the sword.
