1Dies sind die Züge der Söhne Jissraels, auf denen sie aus dem Land Ägypten fuhren, nach ihren Scharen, unter der Hand Mosches und Aharons, 2Mosche schrieb ihre Ausfahrten nieder zu ihren Zügen auf SEIN Geheiß. Dies sind ihre Züge nach ihren Ausfahrten: 3Sie zogen von Ramsses in der ersten Mondneuung, am fünfzehnten Tag auf die erste Neuung, am Nachmorgen des Übersprungsmahls fuhren die Söhne Jissraels aus, mit erhobner Hand, vor den Augen aller Ägypter, 4während die Ägypter begruben, was ER unter ihnen geschlagen hatte, alles Erstlingtum; auch unter ihren Göttern hat ER Gerichte getan. 5Die Söhne Jissraels zogen von Ramsses und lagerten in Ssukkot. 6Sie zogen von Ssukkot und lagerten in Etam das am Rand der Wüste ist. 7Sie zogen von Etam, man wendete über Pi Hachirot das vor Baal Zfon gegenüber liegt, und sie lagerten vor Migdol. 8Sie zogen von vor Hachirot und schritten mitten durchs Meer in die Wüste. Sie gingen den Weg eines Tagdritts in der Wüste Etam und lagerten in Mara. 9Sie zogen von Mara und kamen nach Elim, in Elim waren zwölf Wasserquellen und siebzig Palmen, und sie lagerten dort. 10Sie zogen von Elim und lagerten am Schilfmeer. 11Sie zogen vom Schilfmeer und lagerten in der Wüste Ssin. 12Sie zogen von der Wüste Ssin und lagerten in Dofka. 13Sie zogen von Dofka und lagerten in Alusch. 14Sie zogen von Alusch und lagerten in Rfidim, da war kein Wasser zu trinken fürs Volk. 15Sie zogen von Rfidim und lagerten in der Wüste Ssinai. 16Sie zogen Voll der Wüste Ssinai und lagerten in Gräber-des- Gelüsts. 17Sie zogen von Gräber-des-Gelüsts und lagerten in Chazerot.. 18Sie zogen von Chazerot und lagerten in Ritma. 19Sie zogen von Ritma und lagerten in Rimmon Parez. 20Sie zogen von Rimmon Parez und lagerten in Libna. 21Sie zogen von Libna und lagerten in Rissa. 22Sie zogen von Rissa und lagerten in Khelata. 23Sie zogen von Khelata und lagerten am Berge Schafer. 24Sie zogen vom Berge Schafer und lagerten in Charada. 25Sie zogen von Charada und lagerten in Makhelot. 26Sie zogen von Makhelot und lagerten in Tachat. 27Sie zogen von Tachat und lagerten in Tarach. 28Sie zogen von Tarach und lagerten in Mitka. 29Sie zogen von Mitka und lagerten in Chaschmona. 30Sie zogen von Chaschmona und lagerten in Mosserot. 31Sie zogen von Mosserot und lagerten in Bne Jaakan. 32Sie zogen von Bne Jaakan und lagerten in Chor Hagidgad. 33Sie zogen von Chor Hagidgad und lagerten in Jotbata. 34Sie zogen von Jotbata und lagerten in Abrona. 35Sie zogen von Abrona und lagerten in Ezjon Gaber. 36Sie zogen von Ezjon Gaber und lagerten in der Wüste Zin, das ist Kadesch. 37Sie zogen von Kadesch und lagerten am Berge Hor, am Rand des Landes Edom. 38Aharon der Priester stieg den Berg Hor hinan auf SEIN Geheiß, er starb dort im vierzigsten Jahr auf die Ausfahrt der Söhne Jissraels von dem Land Ägypten, in der fünften Mondneuung, am ersten auf die Neuung, 39Aharon aber war hundertdreiundzwanzig Jahre, als er auf dem Berge Hor starb. 40Der Kanaaniter, der König von Arad - er saß im Land Kanaan im Südstrich - hörte vom Kommen der Söhne Jissraels. 41Sie zogen vom Berge Hor und lagerten in Zalmona. 42Sie zogen von Zalmona und lagerten in Punon. 43Sie zogen von Punon und lagerten in Obot. 44Sie zogen von Obot und lagerten im Ijjim der Jenseite, in der Grenzmark Moabs. 45Sie zogen von Ijjim und lagerten in Dibon Gad. 46Sie zogen von Dibon Gad und lagerten in Almon Diblatajim. 47Sie zogen von Almon Diblatajim und lagerten im Seitengebirg, vor Nbo. 48Sie zogen vom Seitengebirg und lagerten in den Steppen Moabs, am Jericho-Jordan; 49sie lagerten am Jordan von Bet Hajschimot bis Abel Haschittim in den Steppen Moabs. 50ER redete zu Mosche in den Steppen Moabs am Jericho-Jordan, sprechend: 51Rede zu den Söhnen Jissraels, sprich zu ihnen: Wenn ihr den Jordan ins Land Kanaan überschreitet, 52enterbet alle Insassen des Lands vor eurem Antlitz her, schwendet all ihre Schaustücke hin, all ihre Gußbilder sollt ihr schwenden, all ihre Koppen sollt ihr tilgen. 53Auserben werdet ihr das Land und in ihm siedeln, denn euch habe ich das Land gegeben, es zu ererben. 54Ihr sollt das Land mit dem Los euch eignen, nach euren Sippen, dem Vielzähligen zwar vielfältigt sein Eigentum, dem Minderzähligen mindre sein Eigentum, doch wohin immer das Los ihm fährt, sein werde es, nach den Stäben eurer Väter sollt ihr euch eineignen. 55Enterbt ihr aber nicht die Insassen des Landes vor euch her, wird, was ihr von ihnen übrig lasset, zu Splittern in euren Augen, zu Stacheln in euren Seiten, sie werden euch bedrängen auf dem Land, in dem ihr siedelt. 56Es wird geschehn: wie ich gesonnen war ihnen zu tun, tue ich euch.
Matthew Henry - Complete Commentary 1 This is a review and brief rehearsal of the travels of the children of Israel through the wilderness. It was a memorable history and well worthy to be thus abridged, and the abridgment thus preserved, to the honour of God that led them and for the encouragement of the generations that followed. Observe here,
I. How the account was kept:
Moses wrote their goings out, Num 33:2. When they began this tedious march, God ordered him to keep a journal or diary, and to insert in it all the remarkable occurrences of their way, that it might be a satisfaction to himself in the review and an instruction to others when it should be published. It may be of good use to private Christians, but especially to those in public stations, to preserve in writing an account of the providences of God concerning them, the constant series of mercies they have experienced, especially those turns and changes which have made some days of their lives more remarkable. Our memories are deceitful and need this help, that we may
remember all the way which the Lord our God has led us in this wilderness, Deut 8:2.
II. What the account itself was. It began with their departure out of Egypt, continued with their march through the wilderness, and ended in the plains of Moab, where they now lay encamped.
1. Some things are observed here concerning their departure out of Egypt, which they are reminded of upon all occasions, as a work of wonder never to be forgotten. (1.) That they
went forth with their armies (
Num 33:1), rank and file, as an army with banners. (2.) Under the hand of Moses and Aaron, their guides, overseers, and rulers, under God. (3.)
With a high hand, because God's hand was high that wrought for them,
and in the sight of all the Egyptians, Num 33:3. They did not steal away clandestinely (
Isa 52:12), but in defiance of their enemies, to whom God had made them such a burdensome stone that they neither could, nor would, nor durst, oppose them. (4.) They went forth while the Egyptians were burying, or at least preparing to bury, their first-born,
Num 33:4. They had a mind good enough, or rather bad enough, still to have detained the Israelites their prisoners, but God found them other work to do. They would have God's first-born buried alive, but God set them a burying their own first-born. (5.) To all the plagues of Egypt it is added here that
on their gods also the Lord executed judgments. Their idols which they worshipped, it is probable, were broken down, as Dagon afterwards before the ark, so that they could not consult them about this great affair. To this perhaps there is reference,
Isa 19:1,
The idols of Egypt shall be moved at his presence. 2. Concerning their travels towards Canaan. Observe, (1.) They were continually upon the remove. When they had pitched a little while in one place they departed from that to another. Such is our state in this world; we have here no continuing city. (2.) Most of their way lay through a wilderness, uninhabited, untracked, unfurnished even with the necessaries of human life, which magnifies the wisdom and power of God, by whose wonderful conduct and bounty the thousands of Israel not only subsisted for forty years in that desolate place, but came out at least as numerous and vigorous as they went in. At first they pitched
in the edge of the wilderness (
Num 33:6), but afterwards in the heart of it; by less difficulties God prepares his people for greater. We find them in the wilderness of Etham (
Num 33:8), of Sin (
Num 33:11), of Sinai,
Num 33:15. Our removals in this world are but from one wilderness to another. (3.) They were led to and fro, forward and backward, as in a maze or labyrinth, and yet were all the while under the direction of the pillar of cloud and fire. He led them about (
Deut 32:10), and yet led them the right way,
Pss 107:7. The way which God takes in bringing his people to himself is always the best way, though it does not always seem to us the nearest way. (4.) Some events are mentioned in this journal, as their want of water at Rephidim (
Num 33:14), the death of Aaron (
Num 33:38,
Num 33:39), the insult of Arad (
Num 33:40); and the very name of
Kibroth-hattaavah -
the graves of lusts (
Num 33:16), has a story depending upon it. Thus we ought to keep in mind the providences of God concerning us and our families, us and our land, and the many instances of that divine care which has led us, and fed us, and kept us, all our days hitherto. Shittim, the place where the people sinned in the matter of Peor (
Num 25:1), is here called
Abel-shittim. Abel signifies
mourning (as
Gen 50:11), and probably this place was so called from the mourning of the good people of Israel on account of that sin and of God's wrath against them for it. It was so great a mourning that it gave a name to the place.
50 While the children of Israel were in the wilderness their total separation from all other people kept them out of the way of temptation to idolatry, and perhaps this was one thing intended by their long confinement in the wilderness, that thereby the idols of Egypt might be forgotten, and the people aired (as it were) and purified from that infection, and the generation that entered Canaan might be such as never knew those depths of Satan. But now that they were to pass over Jordan they were entering again into that temptation, and therefore, 1. They are here strictly charged utterly to destroy all remnants of idolatry. They must not only
drive out the inhabitants of the land, that they may possess their country, but they must deface all their idolatrous pictures and images, and
pull down all their high places, Num 33:52. They must not preserve any of them, no, not as monuments of antiquity to gratify the curious, nor as ornaments of their houses, nor toys for their children to play with, but they must destroy all, both in token of their abhorrence and detestation of idolatry and to prevent their being tempted to worship those images, and the false gods represented by them, or to worship the God of Israel by such images or representations. 2. They were assured that, if they did so, God would by degrees put them in full possession of the land of promise,
Num 33:53,
Num 33:54. If they would keep themselves pure from the idols of Canaan, God would enrich them with the wealth of Canaan. Learn not their way, and then fear not their power. 3. They were threatened that, if they spared either the idols or the idolaters, they should be beaten with their own rod and their sin would certainly be their punishment. (1.) They would foster snakes in their own bosoms,
Num 33:55. The remnant of the Canaanites, if they made any league with them, though it were but a cessation of arms, would be
pricks in their eyes and thorns in their sides, that is, they would be upon all occasions vexatious to them, insulting them, robbing them, and, to the utmost of their power, making mischief among them. We must expect trouble and affliction from that, whatever it is, which we sinfully indulge; that which we are willing should tempt us we shall find will vex us. (2.) The righteous God would turn that wheel upon the Israelites which was to have crushed the Canaanites:
I shall do to you as I thought to do unto them, Num 33:56. It was intended that the Canaanites should be dispossessed; but if the Israelites fell in with them, and learned their way, they should be dispossessed, for God's displeasure would justly be greater against them than against the Canaanites themselves. Let us hear this, and fear. If we do not drive sin out, sin will drive us out; if we be not the death of our lusts, our lusts will be the death of our souls.
