Numbers 21:1-35

The Old Testament Book of Numbers

In the Desert

Numbers

Marion Adams

Chapter 21

The *Israelites defeat the *Canaanites – Numbers 21:1-3

v1 The king of Arad lived in the southern part of the country called Canaan. He heard that the *Israelites were travelling towards the village called Atharim. He attacked them and he took some of them away as his prisoners.

v2 Then the *Israelites prayed to the *LORD. They made a promise to him. They said, ‘Let us defeat these people! Then we will destroy their towns completely. This will show that their towns and everything in their towns belong to you.’

v3 The *LORD answered their prayer. He helped them to defeat the *Canaanites. The *Israelites killed those *Canaanites. And the *Israelites destroyed those *Canaanites’ towns completely. So the *Israelites called the place ‘Hormah’. This means ‘destruction’. (‘Destruction’ means that people have destroyed something completely.)

Chapter 21 starts the third part of the Book of Numbers. The events in this part happened when the *Israelites were preparing to enter the *Promised Land.

Verses 1-3 The country called Canaan had several kings. Each king ruled his own nation in the country called Canaan. The *Israelites had to defeat these nations before they could live in the *Promised Land. It took them about 7 years to do this.

This third part of the Book of Numbers starts with a battle. Arad was a town in the country called Canaan. The king of Arad attacked the *Israelites as they travelled. Probably, he surprised them, because he took some of them away as his prisoners. But the *Israelites did not try to rescue the prisoners by mere military force. Instead, they asked God to help them. They made a promise to him. They said that they would destroy the *Canaanites’ towns completely. In order to do this, they had to defeat the *Canaanites.

‘To destroy completely’ meant to give something to God completely (Leviticus 27:28-29; Deuteronomy 7:2-6). The *Israelites could not keep anything for themselves. They could not gain any money or possessions as a result of the battle.

The *Canaanites did very wicked things. Their religion was very wicked, too. For example, they killed people as *sacrifices. If the *Israelites did not destroy those nations completely, these wicked acts would continue. And when the *Israelites lived in the same country, they might start to do these things also.

God helped them to defeat the *Canaanites. Then the *Israelites did what they had promised. They destroyed everything to show that it belonged to God completely.

Moses makes a *bronze model of a snake – Numbers 21:4-9

v4 The *Israelites left Hor mountain. They had to go round the country called Edom. So they went south towards the Red Sea. On the way, the people became impatient. v5 They spoke against God and against Moses.

They said to Moses, ‘You led us out of the country called Egypt. Now we will die in this *desert. We have no bread to eat. We have no water. We hate this awful *manna!’

v6 Then the *LORD sent poisonous snakes among the *Israelites. The snakes bit and killed many of them.

v7 The people went to Moses. They said, ‘We were wrong to speak against the *LORD. We were wrong to speak against you, too. Please ask the *LORD to make these snakes leave us.’

So Moses prayed for the people.

v8 The *LORD said to Moses, ‘Make a model of a snake from *bronze. Put the *bronze snake on top of a pole. Any person whom a snake bites can look at the *bronze snake. Then that person will not die.’

v9 So Moses made a *bronze model of a snake. He put it on top of a pole. Then people whom the snakes bit looked at the *bronze snake. And they lived.

Verse 4 The king of the country called Edom had refused to allow the *Israelites to travel through his country (Numbers 20:14-21). So they had to go round it. This delayed them on their journey to the *Promised Land. Also, the route was difficult. So the people became impatient. The *Hebrew word for ‘impatient’ in this verse meant also ‘to become angry’. And it meant that the situation was depressing them.

Verse 5 The *Israelites complained to Moses again. They said the same things that they had said before (Numbers 20:4-5). But what they said was not true. They did have food. They had the *manna that God had provided daily. But they were not grateful for it. The *manna was a gift from God. It was *angels’ food’ (Psalms 78:25). But the *Israelites insulted it. They *rejected the way that God was *blessing them. Also, they *rejected the plan that he had for them to enter the *Promised Land.

Verse 6 So God punished them. He sent poisonous snakes among them. The *Hebrew word for ‘poisonous’ meant ‘something that is burning’. Probably, this referred to the feeling of pain when the snakes bit. But also this word referred to the *angels that serve God in heaven (Isaiah 6:2). *Angels are God’s servants. They take messages from God to people on the earth. So this word emphasised that God had sent the snakes himself, as a punishment.

Verse 7 However, on this occasion, the people soon apologised. They realised that they had *sinned against God. And they were genuinely sorry. They asked Moses to pray to God. They wanted God to remove the snakes.

Verses 8-9 But God did not remove the snakes. Instead, he provided a way to cure every person whom the snakes had bitten. But each person had to do something. They had to look up at the *bronze snake on the pole. If they did this, they lived. If they did not do this, they died.

This story is very important for *Christians. Jesus referred to it when he was talking about his death (John 3:14). People lifted Jesus up on a *cross. He compared himself with the *bronze snake on the pole. *Sin is like poison. Everyone is born with a desire to *sin because Adam, the first man, did not obey God (Genesis chapter 3). This *sin causes death to our spirits. It does not allow us to live how God intended us to live.

God did not remove the snakes; and he does not remove all *sin from the world. Instead, he provided a way to cure every person from the results of *sin. And, like the *Israelites, we have to do something. We have to look at the *cross. We must believe that Jesus died on our behalf. Then he will forgive all our *sins. He suffered the punishment that we deserve.

Every *Israelite had to look at the *bronze snake themselves. Nobody else could do this on another person’s behalf. In the same way, every person must *believe in Jesus on their own behalf.

The *Israelites travel to the country called Moab – Numbers 21:10-20

v10 The *Israelites set out again on their journey to the country called Canaan. They camped at a place called Oboth. v11 Next, they camped at Iye Abarim. Iye Abarim is in the *desert, east of the country called Moab. v12 Then they camped in the Zered valley. v13 After this, they moved again. They camped on the north side of the Arnon river, in the *desert. The Arnon river was the border between the *Moabites’ territory and the *Amorites’ territory. v14 There is a story in the ‘Book of the *LORD’s Battles’. This story mentions Waheb town that has valleys in the area called Suphah. Also, it mentions the Arnon river v15 and its valleys. The story refers to these valleys that are next to the border of the country called Moab. These valleys are as far as Ar town.

v16 After they left the Arnon river, the *Israelites travelled to a place called Beer. They went to a well where the *LORD had spoken to Moses before. The *LORD had said, ‘Call the people to meet together. Then I will give water to them.’

v17 That was when the *Israelites had sung a song. This was their song:

‘Wells, give your water to us.

And then we will sing about this water.

v18 This was the well that our rulers dug.

This was the well that our leaders made.

They dug it with their royal sticks.

They dug it with the poles that showed their authority.’

Then the *Israelites left the *desert. They camped near Mattanah town. v19 Then they travelled to Nahaliel and then to Bamoth. v20 Finally, they reached the country called Moab. They camped in a valley near Pisgah mountain. From the top of Pisgah mountain, the people would be able to see the *desert north of the Dead Sea.

Verses 10-13 The *Israelites continued to travel north as they approached the *Promised Land. They travelled between the *Moabites’ territory and the *Amorites’ territory. Numbers Chapter s 22 to 24 record how, later, the *Israelites did not obey God because of the *Moabites.

Verses 14-15 People today do not have any copies of ‘The Book of the *LORD’s Battles’. It seems that it was an ancient record of *Israel’s battles. Probably, it contained stories, songs and poems about war. One of the passages described the land through which the *Israelites were passing.

Verses 16-19 The *Hebrew word ‘Beer’ meant ‘well’. In this place, God provided water for the *Israelites. Probably, he showed Moses where there was water under the ground. The leaders started to dig. Then, perhaps, other people dug until they found water.

40 years had passed since the *Israelites’ previous song that the Bible records (Exodus chapter 15). They did not complain. Instead, they were happy and grateful. It is good to thank God always for what he provides:

• He provided *manna for the *Israelites in the *desert. He provides food for our bodies, too. And also he gave to us his son Jesus, who called himself ‘the bread of life’ (John chapter 6). This is because only Jesus can satisfy our spirits.

• Also, God provided the cure for the snakes’ poison (Numbers 21:4-9). And he gave to us the cure for our *sin. Jesus’ death on the *cross was the cure for our *sin (John 3:14-15).
• God provided water for the *Israelites. And Jesus gives to us the water that gives life (John 4:1-13; John 7:37-39). This is not physical water for our bodies. In the Bible, water is a *symbol of the *Holy Spirit. Everyone who *believes in Jesus receives the *Holy Spirit. The *Holy Spirit makes us become alive in our spirits. The *Holy Spirit helps us to live in the way that God wants.

Verse 20 Pisgah mountain was in the *Moabites’ territory. From the top of Pisgah mountain, people would be able to see the *Promised Land.

The *Israelites defeat King Sihon – Numbers 21:21-31

v21 The *Israelites sent people with a message to Sihon, the king of the *Amorites. They said, v22 ‘Let us pass through your territory. We will not go into your fields and *vineyards. We will not drink any water from your wells. We will stay on the road called the *king’s highway until we have left your territory.’

v23 But Sihon would not let the *Israelites pass through his territory. He gathered his whole army together. They marched out into the *desert. They attacked the *Israelites near the town called Jahaz. v24 The *Israelites defeated them. Then, the *Israelites controlled the *Amorites’ territory, from the Arnon river to the Jabbok river. The *Ammonites’ territory was beyond the Jabbok river. The *Ammonites defended their border well.

v25 The *Israelites *occupied all the *Amorites’ cities. They *occupied the capital city, Heshbon, and also the towns near to it. The *Israelites lived in these cities and towns. v26 King Sihon had lived in the city called Heshbon. He had ruled from Heshbon after he had defeated the *Moabites. He had *occupied all the *Moabites’ territory north of the Arnon river.

v27 That is why the poets of the *Amorites wrote this song.

‘Come and build Heshbon.

Come and establish King Sihon’s capital city!

v28 His armies marched out from Heshbon.

They were like a fire that went out from King Sihon’s capital city.

They burnt down Ar in Moab.

They destroyed the hills along the Arnon river.

v29 Be very sad, you *Moabites!

Your god Chemosh has left your people.

King Sihon, the *Amorite, took away your men.

Your women became his prisoners.

v30 But we have defeated the *Moabites completely.

We have destroyed the cities called Heshbon and Dibon.

And we have ruined the towns called Nophah and Medeba.’

v31 So the *Israelites *settled in the *Amorites’ territory.

Verses 21-26 The *Amorites were *descendants of Noah’s grandson, Canaan (Genesis 10:6-15). They had been powerful people who ruled much territory. But at this time, the territory that they ruled was much smaller. They lived near the Dead Sea.

Moses had asked the king of the country called Edom if the *Israelites could pass through his territory (Numbers 20:14-17). Moses sent a message with the same question to the *Amorites’ king, Sihon. But immediately, Sihon attacked the *Israelites. And the *Israelites defeated the *Amorites. God had promised Moses that this would happen (Exodus 23:23).

So the *Israelites *occupied the land east of the Jordan river. Later, before the *Israelites entered the *Promised Land, Moses gave this land to Reuben’s *tribe, Gad’s *tribe and Manasseh’s *tribe (Numbers chapter 32).

Verses 27-31 The story of how the *Israelites defeated the *Amorites became a favourite story (Psalms 136:19). The *Amorites had written a song about how they had defeated the *Moabites already. But the *Israelites were even more powerful than both the *Moabites and the *Amorites. The author of the Book of Numbers used the *Amorites’ own song to show this! The first 6 lines describe how King Sihon defeated the *Moabites (verses 27-28). The last two lines describe how the *Israelites defeated King Sihon (verse 30).

The *Israelites defeat King Og – Numbers 21:32-35

v32 Moses sent some men to the city called Jazer. He wanted them to find the best way to attack it. Later, the *Israelites *occupied Jazer and the towns near it. They forced the *Amorites who lived there to leave.

v33 Then the *Israelites turned and they went towards the country called Bashan. Og was the king of the country called Bashan. He led his whole army out to meet the *Israelites. He wanted to attack them at the town called Edrei.

v34 The *LORD said to Moses, ‘Do not be afraid of Og. I will help you to defeat him and his army. And I will give his land to you. You will defeat him as you defeated the *Amorites’ king, Sihon. Sihon lived in the city called Heshbon.’

v35 So the *Israelites killed Og, his family and all his army. Every one of them died. Then the *Israelites *occupied Og’s land.

Verses 32-35 The *Israelites defeated the *Amorites in the city called Jazer, too. They were travelling towards the country called Bashan. Bashan was east of Galilee lake and south of Hermon mountain. The soil there was good for crops. The king of Bashan led his army out to meet the *Israelites at the town called Edrei. Edrei was north east of Jazer.

God promised Moses that the *Israelites would defeat this army. And the *Israelites defeated them completely.

This was a very important battle. The news that the *Israelites had defeated Og spread as far as the city called Jericho (Joshua 2:10). It made the people who lived there very afraid!

After this battle, the *Israelites *occupied much territory on the east border of the country called Canaan, the *Promised Land.

Israel ~ the Israelites and their nation.
Canaanites ~ a group of people who lived in the country called Canaan.
LORD ~ a special name for God that his people use. In Hebrew, it is Yahweh. This name means something like ‘I am’ or ‘always alive’.

Lord ~ one who rules. God is the Lord who rules everyone.

Hebrew ~ the language of the *Jews.

'Promised Land ~ the country that God promised to give to Abraham and his *descendants.
bronze ~ a kind of metal.
desert ~ a dry region, or a region where there is just a little water. A few wild plants are able to grow in some deserts. So people who are travelling can live in these deserts in their tents. And they can lead animals through the desert. The Israelites lived in a desert for nearly 40 years.

Israel ~ the Israelites and their nation.
manna ~ food that God provided for the Israelites when they were in the desert.

Israel ~ the Israelites and their nation.

desert ~ a dry region, or a region where there is just a little water. A few wild plants are able to grow in some deserts. So people who are travelling can live in these deserts in their tents. And they can lead animals through the desert. The Israelites lived in a desert for nearly 40 years.
Hebrew ~ the language of the *Jews.
reject ~ not to accept or not to believe in someone or something.
bless ~ 1. To ask God to do good things for a person or people. 2. God blesses us when he does good things for us. He guards us and he keeps us safe from evil things.
sin ~ the nature of all people since Adam chose not to obey God. People’s lives are not acceptable to God because of sin. ‘Sins’ are states, attitudes and acts that are not acceptable to God. A person sins whenever that person is guilty of a sin.
cross ~ two pieces of wood that someone has fixed together. The Romans fixed people to a cross in order to execute them. (The Romans were people from the city called Rome. They ruled many countries during Jesus’ life on the earth.) Jesus died on a cross. The cross is now the sign of the *Christian *church.

execute ~ to kill a person legally because they are guilty of a crime.
sin ~ the nature of all people since Adam chose not to obey God. People’s lives are not acceptable to God because of sin. ‘Sins’ are states, attitudes and acts that are not acceptable to God. A person sins whenever that person is guilty of a sin.
holy ~ what God is like. God’s character: perfect, completely good with nothing bad in it. Separate from sin.

sin ~ the nature of all people since Adam chose not to obey God. People’s lives are not acceptable to God because of sin. ‘Sins’ are states, attitudes and acts that are not acceptable to God. A person sins whenever that person is guilty of a sin.
settle ~ to decide to stay in a place and to make a home there.