Numbers 21:34

_AND THE LORD SAID UNTO MOSES, FEAR HIM NOT: FOR I HAVE DELIVERED HIM INTO THY HAND, AND ALL HIS PEOPLE, AND HIS LAND; AND THOU SHALT DO TO HIM AS THOU DIDST UNTO SIHON KING OF THE AMORITES, WHICH DWELT AT HESHBON._ The Lord said ... Fear him not. This was a necessary encouragement, because his gigantic stature was calculated to inspire terror. He and all his were put to the sword, and his 60 cities overthrown (see the note at Deuteronomy 3:11)....

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...

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 THE LORD SAID UNTO MOSES, FEAR HIM NOT,.... Og being of a gigantic stature, and his forces numerous, might cause some fear in Moses, and in the people, and therefore the Lord encouraged them not to be afraid of him and his army: FOR I HAVE DELIVERED HIM INTO THY HAND, AND ALL HIS PEOPLE, AND HIS LAND; that is, he had determined to do it, and now promised it, and it might be depended on and looked upon as if actually done: AND THOU SHALT DO TO HIM AS THOU DIDST UNTO SIHON KING OF THE AMORITES, WHICH DWELT AT HESHBON; slay him and his people, and take possession of his country....

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....

THOU SHALT DO, &C. Compare Psalms 135:11....

_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

THE LORD SAID UNTO MOSES— We refer the reader to the third chapter of Deuteronomy, where this event is recorded more at large. REFLECTIONS.—Instead of being warned by the fate of his neighbours, Og, king of Bashan, hastens to the attack, and meets the like destruction. God encourages his people; they fight and conquer, and possess the land. No weapon formed against them can prosper. The powers of corruption, though strong as this gigantic Amorite, must fall before the believer who is clad in the panoply of God. These successes were a happy earnest of future victory; and from every struggle against sin, our faith should grow more confirmed. He who is the strength of his faithful people now, will be their salvation for ever....

H. VICTORY OVER SIHON AND OG vv. 21-35 TEXT Numbers 21:21. And Israel sent messengers unto Sihon king of the Amorites, saying, 22. Let me pass through thy land: we will not turn into the fields, or into the vineyards; we will not drink of the waters of the well: but we will go along by the king's high way, until we be past thy borders. 23. And Sihon would not suffer Israel to pass through his border: but Sihon gathered all his people together, and went out against Israel into the wilderness: and he came to Jahaz, and fought against Israel. 24. And Israel smote him with the edge of the sword, and possessed his land from Arnon to Jabbok, even unto the children of Ammon: for the border of the children of Ammon was strong. 25. And Israel took all these cities; and Israel dwelt in all the cities of the Amorites, who had fought against the former king of Moab, and taken all his land out