The Fourth Book of Moses: Numbers

⭑ Literal Standard Version :: World English Bible Catholic ⭑

- Chapter 21 -

And the Canaanite, king of Arad, dwelling in the south, hears that Israel has come the way of the Atharim, and he fights against Israel, and takes [some] of them captive.

And Israel vows a vow to YHWH and says, “If You certainly give this people into my hand, then I have devoted their cities”;

and YHWH listens to the voice of Israel and gives up the Canaanite, and he devotes them and their cities, and calls the name of the place Hormah.

The Bronze Serpent

And they journey from Mount Hor, the way of the Red Sea, to go around the land of Edom, and the soul of the people is short in the way,

and the people speak against God and against Moses, “Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in a wilderness? For there is no bread, and there is no water, and our soul has been weary of this light bread.”

And YHWH sends the burning serpents among the people, and they bite the people, and many people of Israel die;

and the people come to Moses and say, “We have sinned, for we have spoken against YHWH and against you; pray to YHWH that He turns the serpent aside from us”; and Moses prays in behalf of the people.

And YHWH says to Moses, “Make a burning [serpent] for yourself, and set it on an ensign; and it has been, everyone who is bitten and has seen it—he has lived.”

And Moses makes a serpent of bronze, and sets it on the ensign, and it has been, if the serpent has bitten any man, and he has looked expectingly to the serpent of bronze—he has lived.

The Journey to Moab

And the sons of Israel journey and encamp in Oboth.

And they journey from Oboth and encamp in Ije-Abarim, in the wilderness that [is] on the front of Moab, at the rising of the sun.

From there they have journeyed and encamp in the Valley of Zared.

From there they have journeyed and encamp beyond Arnon, which [is] in the wilderness which is coming out of the border of the Amorite, for Arnon [is] the border of Moab, between Moab and the Amorite;

therefore it is said in [the] scroll of the Wars of YHWH: “Waheb in Suphah, || And the brooks of Arnon;

And the spring of the brooks, || Which turned aside to the dwelling of Ar, || And has leaned to the border of Moab.”

And from there [they journeyed] to Beer; it [is] the well [concerning] which YHWH said to Moses, “Gather the people, and I give water to them.”

Then Israel sings this song: “Spring up, O well, || Let all answer to it!

A well—princes have dug it, || Nobles of the people have prepared it, || With the lawgiver, with their staffs.” And from the wilderness [they journeyed] to Mattanah,

and from Mattanah to Nahaliel, and from Nahaliel to Bamoth,

and from Bamoth, in the valley which [is] in the field of Moab, [to] the top of Pisgah, which has looked on the front of the wilderness.

The Defeat of Sihon

(Deuteronomy 2:24–37)

And Israel sends messengers to Sihon king of the Amorite, saying,

“Let me pass through your land, we do not turn aside into a field or into a vineyard; we do not drink waters of a well; we go in the king’s way until we pass over your border.”

And Sihon has not permitted Israel to pass through his border, and Sihon gathers all his people, and comes out to meet Israel in the wilderness, and comes to Jahaz, and fights against Israel.

And Israel strikes him by the mouth of the sword, and possesses his land from Arnon to Jabbok—to the sons of Ammon; for the border of the sons of Ammon [is] strong.

And Israel takes all these cities, and Israel dwells in all the cities of the Amorite, in Heshbon and in all its villages;

for Heshbon is a city of Sihon king of the Amorite, and he has fought against the former king of Moab, and takes all his land out of his hand as far as Arnon;

therefore those using allegories say: “Enter Heshbon, || Let the city of Sihon be built and ready,

For fire has gone out from Heshbon, || A flame from the city of Sihon, || It has consumed Ar of Moab, || Owners of the high places of Arnon.

Woe to you, O Moab, || You have perished, O people of Chemosh! He has given his sons [as] fugitives, || And his daughters into captivity, || To Sihon king of the Amorite!

And we shoot them; Heshbon has perished as far as Dibon, || And we make desolate as far as Nophah, || Which [is] as far as Medeba.”

The Defeat of Og

(Deuteronomy 3:1–11)

And Israel dwells in the land of the Amorite,

and Moses sends to spy out Jaazer, and they capture its villages, and dispossess the Amorite who [is] there,

and turn and go up the way of Bashan, and Og king of Bashan comes out to meet them, he and all his people, to battle [at] Edrei.

And YHWH says to Moses, “Do not fear him, for into your hand I have given him, and all his people, and his land, and you have done to him as you have done to Sihon king of the Amorite, who is dwelling in Heshbon.”

And they strike him, and his sons, and all his people, until he has no remnant left to him, and they possess his land.

The Canaanite, the king of Arad, who lived in the South, heard that Israel came by the way of Atharim. He fought against Israel, and took some of them captive.

Israel vowed a vow to the LORD, and said, “If you will indeed deliver this people into my hand, then I will utterly destroy their cities.”

The LORD listened to the voice of Israel, and delivered up the Canaanites; and they utterly destroyed them and their cities. The name of the place was called Hormah.(a)

The Bronze Serpent

They traveled from Mount Hor by the way to the Red Sea, to go around the land of Edom. The soul of the people was very discouraged because of the journey.

The people spoke against God and against Moses: “Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? For there is no bread, there is no water, and our soul loathes this disgusting food!”

The LORD sent venomous snakes among the people, and they bit the people. Many people of Israel died.

The people came to Moses, and said, “We have sinned, because we have spoken against the LORD and against you. Pray to the LORD, that he take away the serpents from us.” Moses prayed for the people.

The LORD said to Moses, “Make a venomous snake, and set it on a pole. It shall happen that everyone who is bitten, when he sees it, shall live.”

Moses made a serpent of bronze, and set it on the pole. If a serpent had bitten any man, when he looked at the serpent of bronze, he lived.

The Journey to Moab

The children of Israel traveled, and encamped in Oboth.

They traveled from Oboth, and encamped at Iyeabarim, in the wilderness which is before Moab, toward the sunrise.

From there they traveled, and encamped in the valley of Zered.

From there they traveled, and encamped on the other side of the Arnon, which is in the wilderness that comes out of the border of the Amorites; for the Arnon is the border of Moab, between Moab and the Amorites.

Therefore it is said in The Book of the Wars of the LORD , “Vaheb in Suphah, the valleys of the Arnon,

the slope of the valleys that incline toward the dwelling of Ar, leans on the border of Moab.”

From there they traveled to Beer; that is the well of which the LORD said to Moses, “Gather the people together, and I will give them water.”

Then Israel sang this song: “Spring up, well! Sing to it,

the well, which the princes dug, which the nobles of the people dug, with the scepter, and with their poles.” From the wilderness they traveled to Mattanah;

and from Mattanah to Nahaliel; and from Nahaliel to Bamoth;

and from Bamoth to the valley that is in the field of Moab, to the top of Pisgah, which looks down on the desert.

The Defeat of Sihon

(Deuteronomy 2:24–37)

Israel sent messengers to Sihon king of the Amorites, saying,

“Let me pass through your land. We will not turn away into field or vineyard. We will not drink of the water of the wells. We will go by the king’s highway, until we have passed your border.”

Sihon would not allow Israel to pass through his border, but Sihon gathered all his people together, and went out against Israel into the wilderness, and came to Jahaz. He fought against Israel.

Israel struck him with the edge of the sword, and possessed his land from the Arnon to the Jabbok, even to the children of Ammon; for the border of the children of Ammon was fortified.

Israel took all these cities. Israel lived in all the cities of the Amorites, in Heshbon, and in all its villages.

For Heshbon was the city of Sihon the king of the Amorites, who had fought against the former king of Moab, and taken all his land out of his hand, even to the Arnon.

Therefore those who speak in proverbs say, “Come to Heshbon. Let the city of Sihon be built and established;

for a fire has gone out of Heshbon, a flame from the city of Sihon. It has devoured Ar of Moab, The lords of the high places of the Arnon.

Woe to you, Moab! You are undone, people of Chemosh! He has given his sons as fugitives, and his daughters into captivity, to Sihon king of the Amorites.

We have shot at them. Heshbon has perished even to Dibon. We have laid waste even to Nophah, Which reaches to Medeba.”

The Defeat of Og

(Deuteronomy 3:1–11)

Thus Israel lived in the land of the Amorites.

Moses sent to spy out Jazer. They took its villages, and drove out the Amorites who were there.

They turned and went up by the way of Bashan. Og the king of Bashan went out against them, he and all his people, to battle at Edrei.

The LORD said to Moses, “Don’t fear him, for I have delivered him into your hand, with all his people, and his land. You shall do to him as you did to Sihon king of the Amorites, who lived at Heshbon.”

So they struck him, with his sons and all his people, until there were no survivors; and they possessed his land.

Footnotes

(a)21:3 “Hormah” means “destruction”.