seekeroftruth
Well-Known Member
Numbers 21:1 When the Canaanite king of Arad, who lived in the Negev, heard that Israel was coming along the road to Atharim, he attacked the Israelites and captured some of them. 2 Then Israel made this vow to the Lord: “If you will deliver these people into our hands, we will totally destroy[a] their cities.” 3 The Lord listened to Israel’s plea and gave the Canaanites over to them. They completely destroyed them and their towns; so the place was named Hormah.(b)
a. Numbers 21:2 The Hebrew term refers to the irrevocable giving over of things or persons to the Lord, often by totally destroying them; also in verse 3.
b. Numbers 21:3 Hormah means destruction
This is from studylight.org.
It is strange idea to our way of thinking, but Israel at this time would show that property was completely given to God by destroying it - thus making it unusable to anyone else. It was an expensive and whole-hearted way to give things to the LORD. This was Israel’s way of saying, “we’re not fighting this battle for our own profit, but for the glory of God.”
It was at Hormah that Israel was defeated in their ill-advised attempt to enter the Promised Land by force after rejecting it by faith. Now God has brought them back to the same place, and given them the victory. A real turning point for the nation!
It was at Hormah that Israel was defeated in their ill-advised attempt to enter the Promised Land by force after rejecting it by faith. Now God has brought them back to the same place, and given them the victory. A real turning point for the nation!
What a difference 40 years can make!
The easy English commentary has this to say.
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.
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.
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.
This is very important. This will come up again with King Saul. It's going to come up again in the story of how David got to be king.
