1Král Aradu, Kanaánec, jenž bydlel v Negebu, se dozvěděl, že Izrael přichází cestou z Atarim. Zaútočil na Izraele a některé z jeho lidu zajal. 2Izrael tedy učinil Jahvovi tento slib: „Vydáš-li tento lid do mé moci, uvalím na jeho města klatbu.“ 3Jahve vyslyšel Izraelův hlas a vydal Kanaánce do jeho moci. Uvalili na ně i na jejich města klatbu. Dali tomu místu jméno Chorma. 4Z hory Hór odešli cestou k moři Suf, aby obešli zemi Edom. Cestou lid ztratil trpělivost. 5Mluvil proti Bohu a proti Mojžíšovi: „Proč jste nás vyvedli z egyptské země? Abychom zemřeli na této poušti? Neboť zde není ani chléb, ani voda; téhle hladové stravy už máme až po krk.“ 6Tu Bůh poslal na lid ohnivé hady, jejichž uštknutím mnoho lidí v Izraeli zahynulo. 7Lid přišel a řekl Mojžíšovi: „Zhřešili jsme, že jsme mluvili proti Jahvovi a proti tobě. Přimluv se u Jahva, aby od nás ty hady odvrátil.“ Mojžíš se za lid přimlouval 8a Jahve mu odpověděl: „Zpodob si Ohnivce a dej ho na nějakou korouhev. Kdokoli bude uštknut a podívá se na něj, zůstane naživu.“ 9Mojžíš tedy zpodobil měděného hada a dal ho na korouhev, a pokud některého muže uštkl had, podíval se na toho měděného hada a zůstal naživu. 10Izraelité odešli a utábořili se v Obotu. 11Potom odešli z Obotu a utábořili se v Ije-Abarim, na poušti hraničící na straně vycházejícího slunce s Moabem. 12Odtud odešli a utábořili se na potoce Zeredu. 13Odtud odešli a utábořili se za Arnonem. Tento potok v poušti vytékal ze země Amoritů. Neboť Arnon byl na hranicích Moabu, mezi Moabity a Amority. 14Proto se také říká v knize Jahvových válek:...Vaheb u Sufy a potok Arnon 15a svah rokle, jenž se sklání ke krajině Ar a opírá se o hranici Moabu. 16A odtud šli do Beeru - A o této studni Jahve Mojžíšovi řekl: „Shromáždi lid a já jim dám vodu.“ 17Tu Izrael zazpíval tuto píseň: O Studni. Opěvujte ji, 18studnu, kterou vykopala knížata, kterou vyvrtali náčelníci lidu žezlem, svými holemi. - a z pouště do Matany, 19z Matany do Nachalielu, z Nachalielu do Bamotu 20a z Bamotu do údolí, jež se otvírá do moabských polí, k výšinám Pisgy, jež je obrácena k poušti a vévodí jí. 21Izrael vypravil posly se vzkazem ke králi Amoritů Sichonovi: 22„Chtěl bych projít tvou zemí. Neodbočíme přes pole ani přes vinice; nebudeme pít vodu ze studní; půjdeme královskou cestou, dokud nepřejdeme tvé území.“ 23Ale Sichon nenechal Izraele projít svou zemí. Shromáždil všechen svůj lid, vytáhl do pouště Izraeli vstříc a došel až do Jahsy, kde svedl s Izraelem bitvu. 24Izrael ho pobil ostřím meče a dobyl jeho zem od Arnonu až po Jabok, až k synům Amonovým, neboť Jazer leží na amonské hranici. 25Izrael se zmocnil všech těch měst. Obsadil všechna města Amoritů, Chešbon a všechno, co k němu patřilo. 26Chešbon byl totiž hlavním městem krále Amoritů Sichona. A Sichon válčil předtím s prvním králem Moabu a odňal mu celou jeho zem až po Arnon. 27A proto říkají básníci: Pojďte do Chešbonu, ať se zase vystaví, ať je dobře založeno Sichonovo město! 28Z Chešbonu vyšlehl oheň, plamen ze Sichonova města, pozřel Ar Moab, pohltil výšiny Arnonu. 29Běda ti, Moabe! Jsi ztracen, Kemošův lide! On dělá ze svých synů uprchlíky a ze svých dcer zajatkyně krále Amoritů, Sichona. 30Ale jejich potomstvo bylo zničeno od Chešbonu až po Dibon a my jsme založili oheň od Nofachu a až po Medbu. 31Izrael se usadil v zemi Amoritů. 32Mojžíš poslal na výzvědy do Jazeru a Izrael se ho zmocnil i s tím, co k němu patřilo; vyhnal Amority, kteří tam bydleli. 33Potom se vydali směrem k Bašanu a vystoupili tam. Král Bašanu Og jim vytáhl vstříc se vším svým lidem a svedl s ním v Edrej bitvu. 34Jahve řekl Mojžíšovi: „Neboj se, neboť jsem ho vydal do tvé moci, jeho, všechen jeho lid i jeho zem. Naložíš s ním, jak jsi naložil s králem Amoritů Sichonem, který bydlel v Chešbonu.“ 35Porazili jeho, jeho syny a jeho lid a nikdo jim neunikl. Zmocnili se jeho země.
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.