Numbers 21:33

_AND THEY TURNED AND WENT UP BY THE WAY OF BASHAN: AND OG THE KING OF BASHAN WENT OUT AGAINST THEM, HE, AND ALL HIS PEOPLE, TO THE BATTLE AT EDREI._ They turned, and went up by the way of Bashan - a name given to that district from the richness of its 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. [The Zuz-im, the Shas'u of the Egyptian monuments, who were the original inhabitants of this region, called themselves Huk-soos, 'Royal shepherds,' because Huk signifies a king, and Soos signifies a shepherd. Manetho alone has preserved the royal prefix, Huk, by which the ancient tribe distinguished its chief. This epithet, Uk, appears in Scripture as the title of the sovereign of Bashan; because the Hebrew, _ `OWG _ (H5747), Houg (Og), is a very fair attempt to imitate the native wo...

33._And they turned and went up. _Here there is another victory of the people described, wherein they again experienced the continued favor of God, in order that they may be aroused to greater alacrity, and courageously prepare themselves for farther progress; for they might confidently expect that, with God for their leader, all things would succeed prosperously with them. The region of Bashan, as Scripture informs us in many places, was fertile, and famous for its rich pastures; but Moses here also testifies to its great extent. It was, then, no ordinary proof of God’s favor and aid, that they should take it in a moment, as it were. It is not, therefore, without cause, that, in the Psalm, God’s power and goodness is magnified in reference to these victories; because He “slew mighty kings, Sihon king of the Amorites, and Og king of Bashan, and gave their land for a heritage, a heritage...

21-35 Sihon went with his forces against Israel, out of his own borders, without provocation, and so ran upon his own ruin. The enemies of God's church often perish by the counsels they think most wisely taken. Og, king of Bashan, instead of being warned by the fate of his neighbours, to make peace with Israel, makes war with them, which proves in like manner his destruction. Wicked men do their utmost to secure themselves and their possessions against the judgments of God; but all in vain, when the day comes on which they must fall. God gave Israel success, while Moses was with them, that he might see the beginning of the glorious work, though he must not live to see it finished. This was, in comparison, but as the day of small things, yet it was an earnest of great things. We must prepare for fresh conflicts and enemies. We must make no peace or truce with the powers of darkness, nor...

In these apparently unimportant words is contained the record of the Israelite Numbers 32:39 occupation of Gilead north of the Jabbok; a territory which, though populated, like southern Gilead, by the Amorites (Deuteronomy 3:9; Joshua 2:10, etc.), formed part of the domain of Og king of Bashan, who was himself of a different race Deuteronomy 3:2; Joshua 12:5; Joshua 13:11. We are not told whether they were led there by express warrant of God, or whe

EXPOSITION THE END OF JOURNEYS, THE BEGINNING OF VICTORIES (Numbers 21:10 Numbers 22:1). NUMBERS 21:10 THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL SET FORWARD, and pitched in Oboth. In the list of Numbers 33:1, there occur two other stations, Zahnonah and Phunon, between Mount Hor and Oboth. Phunon may be the Pinou of Genesis 36:41, but it is a mere conjecture. All we

AND THEY TURNED,.... From Jaazer, after they had taken it, and came back a little way: AND WENT UP BY THE WAY OF BASHAN; which was a nearer way to Canaan, a fine country abounding with oxen and sheep, having rich pastures, and very famous for its oaks; it had its name from the mountain of Bashan in it, and has been since called Batanea; it was at this time in the hands of the Amorites, and from them it was taken by Israel, as follows: who marched this way for that purpose, or at least were so directed by the providence of God for that end: AND OG KING OF BASHAN WENT OUT AGAINST THEM; who was of the race of the giants, and he himself of a gigantic stature, and was a king of the Amorites, as well as Sihon, Deuteronomy 3:8, he came out in an hostile manner against Israel, to stop them going any further: HE, AND ALL HIS PEOPLE: out o

CHAPTER 21 Murmuring and Conquest _ 1. Opposition of King Arad (Numbers 21:1)_ 2. Murmuring and the fiery serpents (Numbers 21:4) 3. The serpent of brass (Numbers 21:8) 4. Journeying and singing again (Numbers 21:10) 5. Sihon and Og (Numbers 21:21) The first victory is here recorded. The Lord delivered Canaanites into the hands of Israel, and according to their vow they utterly destroyed them and their cities. But in spite of this victory the people became again discouraged because of the w

THE CONQUEST OF BASHAN. This passage is substantially identical with Deuteronomy 3:1, and is generally regarded as transferred hither from thence. It is ignored in Numbers 22:2. Bashan (the country N. of the Yarmuk), the modern Haurâ n, was probably occupied by Israelite settlers who migrated thither from the W. of Jordan in post-Mosaic times. It was famous for its oaks, sheep, and cattle (Isaiah 2:13; Deuteronomy 32:14; Psalms 22:12). 33. EDREI: the modern Edreat, 30 miles E. of the Lake of Gennesaret....

_The victories over Sihon and Og_. See the parallel account in Deuteronomy 2:24 to Deuteronomy 3:13. The previous verses have described the Israelites" march through the territory occupied by the Amorites on the north of the Arnon, and their arrival at one of the glens which cleave the western edge of the plateau, close to the spot where it ran into the Jordan valley. The narrative now returns to the earlier point, described in Numbers 21:13, when they were still on the eastern border of the Amorites. Since the town of Heshbon commanded the glens, it would have been impossible to penetrate into them unless the town had first been captured; but the writer has arranged his material in the present order for

WENT BY THE WAY OF BASHAN— A famous mountain, Psalms 68:15 lying more northwardly than the country of Sihon, and belonging also to the Amorites; for both Sihon and Og are said to be kings of the Amorites, Deuteronomy 3:8. It is celebrated in Scripture for its rich pasture, and excellent breed of cattle, Psalms 22:12 and for its stately oaks, Ezekiel 27:6. It gave name to that whole country where Og reigned, which was called by the Scythians and Arabians _Bethana,_ and by the Greeks _Batanea;_ and it lay about the brook Jabbok. Og was of the remnant of the giants of Rephaim, who were a mighty people in that country; compare...