Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible
Numbers 21:1-3
Chapter 21 From Victory Through Chastening To Further Victory.
The death of Aaron did indicate a new era. In this chapter we cover the first defeat of ‘the Canaanites', the dire warning and chastisement of the fiery serpents, the provision of abundant water, and the defeat of the Amorites under Sihon.
4). The Canaanites Under the King of Arad Defeated (Numbers 21:1).
Another attempt to interfere with Israel right of passage now followed, but this time it resulted in a glorious victory. Those who made the attempt were Canaanites. With them there could be no compromise. Here were the firstfruits of what Yahweh intended for the whole of Canaan. All Canaanites must be destroyed. It was His judgment on their sins for which He had waited for hundreds of years (Genesis 15:16). The new beginning was continuing. And it would give Israel their first taste of victory over Canaanites and a new certainty that Yahweh was with them for the future.
So while on the one side of Aaron's death there was a kind of failure in their being turned aside by Edom, even though it taught them an important lesson, on the other side of his death was glorious victory. His death had not weakened Israel, it had rather made them strong. Whether this lesson is in chronological order or simply in theological order is disputed, for it is apparent throughout that the book is constructed to teach its lessons within a given pattern rather than to be a chronological history. It is what happened rather than when it happened that is considered important. The answer to the whole question partly depends on what route we see Israel as having taken. For we may probably assume that the king of Arad, which was seemingly in the northern Negeb, attacked before they rounded the bottom end of the Dead Sea. The message is, however, quite clear.
It is a reminder that at times of sorrow our Adversary will seek to attack our hearts and minds. We too must then take our stand and do battle using the weapons of our warfare, the word of God and the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 6:10). Then victory will be ours, but he may take captives first.
Analysis.
a The King of Arad learns through scouts of Israel's approach and defeats them and takes prisoners (Numbers 21:1).
b Israel vows that if they can defeat them they will devote them to Yahweh (Numbers 21:2).
a Arad in turn is defeated and totally destroyed and the place is called Hormah - ‘devoted' (Numbers 21:3).
‘And the Canaanite, the king of Arad, who dwelt in the South, heard tell that Israel came by the way of Atharim, and he fought against Israel, and took some of them captive.'
The news of Israel's approach naturally spread. The movement of such a large body of people could hardly be kept secret. And it reached the ears of the king of Arad, a city and region in the northern Negeb (see 33:40). Later Pharaoh Shishak would mention two Arad's captured during his invasion of Israel. This was probably Arad the Great. Learning that they were using ‘the way of Atharim' he attacked their column and took prisoners. The way of Atharim may have led past Edom on the western side. As with Edom this massing of his troops may have been intended as a warning, warning them off his territory, but the taking of prisoners was a mistake. It demanded response and retaliation in order to obtain their fellow-countrymen back.
‘And Israel vowed a vow to Yahweh, and said, “If you will indeed deliver this people into my hand, then I will utterly destroy their cities.” '
The people of Israel were angry and called on Yahweh. But they knew that these people were Canaanites and thus under Yahweh's ban. So they promised Him that if He would deliver them into their hand they would utterly destroy their cities.
‘And Yahweh listened to the voice of Israel, and delivered up the Canaanites; and they utterly destroyed them and their cities, and the name of the place was called Hormah.'
And Yahweh heard their cry. He delivered up the Canaanites to them and they utterly destroyed them with their cities devoting them to destruction. The name Hormah means ‘devoted to destruction'. Either that was a coincidence accompanied by the fact that thirty eight years earlier the Israelites had been driven back to this very place (Numbers 14:45), or more likely the name was given to the smouldering mound left after the destruction, a mound left as a testimony to what the future held for Canaanites, as it had been given to other mounds.
The lesson we can learn from this incident is that when there are major changes which affect our lives (like the death of Aaron) God is quite able to follow it with important victories which reveal that He is still in control.