Num. 21 The Canaanites fight against Israel, and take some of them prisoners, Num. 21:1. Through God’s assistance they overcome them, and destroy their cities, Num. 21:2–3. The people murmur, Num. 21:4–5; are plagued with fiery serpents, Num. 21:6. They repent, Num. 21:7.

King Arad the Canaanite; or rather, the Canaanite king of Arad; for Arad is not the name of a man, but of a city or territory, as may seem from Josh. 12:14, Judg. 1:16, if at least this was the same place with that.

Being sensible of their own weakness, they endeavour to engage God to help them in the war, which they intended to renew. I will utterly destroy their cities; I will reserve no person nor thing for my own use, but devote them all to total destruction, which was the consequent of such vows. See Lev.

They utterly destroyed them: when? Answ. Either, 1. Some time after this, under Joshua, who subdued, among others, the king of Arad, Josh. 12:14. And so this is mentioned here by anticipation, that the vow being now made and mentioned, the effect or performance of it might be recorded, though out…

By the way of the Red Sea, i.e. which leadeth to the Red Sea, as they must needs do to compass the land of Edom. Because of the way; by reason of this journey, which was long, and troublesome, and preposterous, (for they were now going towards Egypt,) and unexpected, either because they doubted not…

Against God; against Christ, their chief Conductor, whom they tempted, 1 Cor. 10:9. This light bread, i.e. of small substance and virtue. Thus contemptuously do they speak of manna, whereas it appears it yielded excellent nourishment, because in the strength of it they were able to go so many and…

Such there were many in this wilderness, Deut. 8:15, which having been hitherto restrained by God, are now let loose and sent among them. They are called fiery from their effects, because their poison caused an intolerable heat, and burning, and thirst in the bodies of the Israelites, which was…

A fiery serpent, i.e. the figure of a serpent in brass, which is of a fiery colour. This would require some time: God would not speedily take off the judgment, because he saw they were not thoroughly humbled.

He was delivered from death, and cured of his disease.

Not immediately, but after two other stations, mentioned Num. 33:0.

Moab is called the wilderness of Moab, Deut. 2:8.

Or rather, by the torrent or brook of Zared, as we render it, Deut. 2:13; which ran into the Dead Sea, and from which the valley also might be so called.

On the other side of Arnon, or rather, on this side of Arnon, for so it now was to the Israelites, who had not yet passed over it, as appears from Deut. 2:24. But the same words, Judg.

The book of the wars of the Lord seems to have been some poem or narration of the wars and victories of the Lord, either by or relating to the Israelites; which may be asserted without any prejudice to the integrity of the Holy Scripture, because this book doth not appear to have been written by a…

Ar; a chief city in Moab, as appears from Isa. 15:1, of which Num. 21:28.

Beer, and Mattanah, Nahaliel, and Bamoth named here, Num. 21:19, are not mentioned among those places where they pitched or encamped, Num. 33:0. Either therefore they did not pitch or encamp in these places, but only pass by or through them, nor indeed is it here said they pitched or encamped in…

Israel sang this song, to praise God for giving them such a seasonable blessing, before they asked it, or complained for the want of it. Spring up; give forth thy waters that we may drink. Heb. Ascend, i.e. let thy waters, which now lie hid below in the earth, ascend for thy use.

The princes digged; either by themselves, or by others whom they commanded to do it. By the direction of the lawgiver, or, with the lawgiver, i.e. Moses; they together with Moses, or they by Moses’s direction and appointment, which is signified Num. 21:16.

See Poole “Num. 21:16”.

In the valley; or, the valley, which might be called Bamoth, not because it was a place naturally high, but from divers other reasons, which may be easily guessed. Or, to the valley, or to that valley, that famous or rather infamous valley, to wit, of Abel-shittim, Num.

By God’s allowance, that so Sihon’s malice might be the more evident and inexcusable, and that their title to his country more clear in the judgments of all men, as being gotten by a just war, into which they were forced for their own defence.

They spoke what they seriously intended and would have done, if he had given them quiet passage; but withal they knew that Sihon would not do it, and that he would withstand them, and that they should subdue him and take his land, as God had told them before they sent this message, as appears from…

Jahaz, a city, of which see Deut. 2:32, Jer. 48:21.

From Arnon; or which reached from Arnon, &c. such supplements being very usual; and so here is contained a description or limitation of Sihon’s conquest and kingdom, that it extended only from Arnon—unto the children of Ammon; and then the following words, for the border of the children of Ammon…

Having destroyed the ancient inhabitants, Deut. 2:34.

The city of Sihon: this is added as a reason why Israel took possession of this land, notwithstanding God’s prohibition of meddling with them or their land, Deut.

That speak in proverbs; the poets, or other ingenious persons, to wit, of the Amorites or Canaanites, who made this following song of triumph over the vanquished Moabites; which is here brought in partly as a proof that this was now Sihon’s land, and partly as an evidence of the just judgment of…

A fire, i.e. the fury of war, which is oft and fitly compared to fire here, as Isa. 47:14, Amos 1:7, Amos 1:10, Amos 1:12, Amos 1:14, Amos 2:2, Amos 2:5; Heshbon; that city which before was a refuge and defence to all the country, now is turned into a great annoyance and a public mischief.

Alas, poor Moab! thou couldst not save thyself from Sihon’s sword. People of Chemosh, i.e. the worshippers of Chemosh: so the god of the Moabites was called, 1 Kings 11:7, 1 Kings 11:33, 2 Kings 23:13, Jer. 48:46. He, i.e.

Though you feeble Moabites, and your god too, could not resist Sihon, we Israelites, by the help of our God, have shot, to wit, with success and victory, as the following words show, at them, to wit, at Sihon and his Amorites; which is easily and plainly understood, both from the foregoing and…

Jaazer; one of the cities of Moab, formerly taken from them by Sihon, and now taken from him by the Israelites, Num. 32:1, Num. 32:3, Num. 32:35; and after the decay or destruction of the kingdom of the ten tribes, repossessed by the Moabites, Jer. 48:32.

Og also was a king of the Amorites, of whom see Deut. 3:1, Deut. 3:11. And it may seem that Sihon and Og were the leaders or captains of two great colonies which came out of Canaan, and drove out the former inhabitants of these places.

Fear him not; a necessary caution, for he was a great giant, Deut. 3:11, likely to strike them with terror.