MPV Commentary

1. King Arad, the Canaanite ruler of an ancient town on the southern border of Palestine, had heard that Israel was traveling through the region in a stealthy manner, similar to spies.

He fought against Israel and took some of them captive. This defeat was permitted by God to teach the Israelites that their conquest of Canaan would not come from their own strength or wisdom but solely from God's favor and help (Deuteronomy 9:4; Psalm 44:3-4).

2, 3. Feeling their weakness, the Israelites implored the aid of Heaven and vowed to devote the cities of King Arad to destruction in anticipation of God's deliverance. This vow was a solemn promise to destroy these cities (Leviticus 27:1-34; Deuteronomy 13:1-18). The place where this vow was made became known as Hormah, which means "slaughter and destruction." However, the actual destruction did not occur until after they crossed the Jordan.

4. When their request for passage through Edom was refused, the Israelites returned through the Arabah to Elath at the head of the eastern gulf of the Red Sea and then passed up through the mountains to the eastern desert, making a circuitous route around the land of Edom (Numbers 33:41-42).

The people's spirits were greatly discouraged due to their disappointment in not entering the promised land, their frustration with being refused passage through Edom, and the absence of divine intervention on their behalf. As a result, they murmured about the scarcity of water and expressed disgust at the manna.

5. The Israelites complained that the manna was "light bread" without substance or nutritional value. However, this criticism was refuted by the fact that they were able to perform many journeys over forty years on the strength of this food (1 Corinthians 10:9). Their complaint arose from their hope for a more varied and satisfying diet enjoyed by settled people.

6. The Lord sent fiery serpents among the people as a punishment for their murmuring. This region was infested with venomous reptiles, including lizards and scorpions that posed a significant threat to the barelegged and sandaled Israelites. The only known remedy at the time was sucking out the wound or applying ammonia.

7-9. The severity of the scourge and the high mortality rate brought the people to a sense of sin, and they implored Moses' intercession for healing. God instructed Moses to make a bronze serpent on a pole so that every bitten Israelite who looked at it would be healed (John 3:14-15). This method of cure was designed to demonstrate the efficacy of God's power and grace rather than natural remedies.

10. The Israelites set out along the eastern frontier of Edom, encamping in various stations.

12. They pitched their camp in a valley with a woody brook (Deuteronomy 2:13; Isaiah 15:7; Amos 6:14). This torrent rose among the mountains to the east of Moab and flowed into the Dead Sea.

13. They then pitched on the other side of Arnon, a deep and broad stream that divided the dominions of the Moabites and Amorites.

14. A fragment from an ancient poem or history of the Israelites' wars was quoted here to decide the position of Arnon.

15. The capital of Moab was Ar.

16. From there they went to Beer, which means "well." This name may have been given to it later (Judges 9:21).

17-18. Then the Israelites sang a beautiful song in thanksgiving for finding this well, which had been concealed by brushwood or sand. The princes used their official rods instead of spades to uncover it.

21-23. Israel sent messengers to Sihon, but he rejected their respectful message and was defeated in battle. As a result, the Israelites obtained the Amorite dominions through conquest.

24. From Arnon to Jabbok (now the Zurka), these rivers formed the southern and northern boundaries of Sihon's usurped territory.

25. The reason for Sihon not being able to push his invasion further was that the border of Ammon was strong.

26. Israel dwelt in all the cities, having exterminated the inhabitants who had been previously doomed (Deuteronomy 2:34).

27-30. An extract from an Amorite song is given here, exultingly anticipating their conquests to Arnon. The quotation ends at verse 28. The following verses appear to be the Israelites' response, exposing the impotence of the usurpers.

29. The people of Chemosh (the Moabite idol) had surrendered their worshippers to Sihon's victorious arms.

33. They turned and went up by the way of Bashan, a hilly region east of the Jordan between the mountains of Hermon on the north and those of Gilead on the south.

34-35. The Lord encouraged Moses not to fear Og, an Amoritish prince who had opposed their progress. He was defeated along with all his people.