A Help for the Understanding of the Holy Scriptures, Numbers · Chapter 21
CHAP. XXI.
Verſ. 1. ANd when king Arad, the Canaanite, which dwelt in the ſouth, heard tell that Iſrael came by the way of the ſpies, &c.]
That is, when he underſtood by the ſpies he had ſent forth to obſerve the courſe of the Iſra…lites▪ that they were turned back again from the red ſea, and marched directly upon the ſouth of Canaan, where his countrey lay, by the way of the ſpies, that is, by the way where he had ſent his ſpies to watch them, not knowing of Moſes purpoſe to compaſſe the land of Moab he reſolved that they meant to enter upon the ſouth of Canaan; and therefore judging it ſafer to find his eneme in his neighbours countrey then to be found by them in his own, he immediately went forth with a great army even as farre as mount Hor in the edge of the deſert, where the Iſraelites now lay, and there fought with them, and took ſome of them priſoners. Many Expoſitours do farre otherwiſe conceive of that which is here ſaid of the Iſraelites coming by the way of the ſpies; namely, that king Arad heard they came by the way where the ſpies which Moſes did long ſince ſend to ſearch the land, chap. 13. 17. entred that countrey; and indeed they entred upon the ſouth of Canaan, as is there expreſſely noted. But firſt, becauſe the Iſraelites were now farre from Kadeſh-Barnea, whence thoſe ſpies were ſent to ſearch the land of Canaan: and ſecondly, becauſe it ſeems apparent by the text, that thoſe that told this king Arad of the Iſraelites coming, uſed the exp…eſſion here mentioned, that they came by the way of the ſpies, and we no way find that either this king, or any other of the Canaanites, did ever know any thing of the Iſraelites ſpies that were ſent to ſearch the land, therefore I conceive that this is meant rather, as is aboveſaid, of the way where king Arad had ſent ſpies to obſerve which way the Iſraelites would take, of whoſe return from the red ſea he had before been informed, as is noted, chap. 33. 40. As for the battel which was here fought betwixt the Iſraelites and the army of this king Arad, very obſervable it is, firſt, that the Lord ſo diſpoſed of it by his providence, that this one king ſhould onelyonly come forth againſt them, and that all the Canaanites in thoſe parts did not joyn their forces together againſt them (for by this means the Iſraelites were not ſo daunted, but that they were willing to fight with them;) and ſecondly, that notwithſtanding the Lord ſuffered them to be foyled, ſo that ſome of them were taken priſoners in this battel: for hereby he taught them at firſt how unable they were in themſelves to conquer thoſe nations, that ſo they might learn to truſt in God, and not in themſelves. If one king thus prevailed over them, how ſhould they be able to deſtroy all the inhabitans of the land, combining themſelves together, if the Lord ſhould not aſſiſt them?
Verſ. 2. And Iſrael vowed a vow unto the Lord, &c.]
That is, the Iſraelites intending to renew the battel, and again once more to ſet upon Arad and his army, called upon God for help, and vowed to devote unto him their enemies and all their cities, that is, utterly to deſtroy them, If thou wilt indeed deliver this people into my hand, then I will utterly destroy their cities: for when things were thus devoted, the perſons were killed, the cities burnt, and the goods confiſcate to the Lord, ſo that nothing was reſerved for their own private uſe, as is noted upon Levit. 27. 28. and this was a vow agreeable to Gods law, Exod. 23. 32. Thou ſhalt make no covenant with them, nor with their gods.
Verſ. 3. And the Lord hearkened to the voice of Iſrael, and delivered up the Canaanites.]
That is, this army of Arad, whom, in a ſecond battel, after this vow they vanquiſhed and deſtroyed.
And they utterly destroyed them and their cities: and he called the name of that place Hormah.]
But how could they, being ſo farre off in the wilderneſſe, deſtroy their cities lying within Canaan? ſurely had Moſes at this time entred Canaan in the purſuit of Arad, he would not have fallen back again into the deſerts. It ſeemeth therefore that the accompliſhment of this vow was performed long after, to wit, by the men of Judah and Simeon, when they were come into the land of Canaan, as is expreſſed, Judg. 1. 17. And Judah went with Simeon his brother, and they ſlew the Canaanites that inhabited Zephath, and utterly destroyed it: and the name of the citie was called Hormah; ſo that this clauſe was here inſerted either by Moſesprophetically, or by ſome other holy man afterwards.
Verſ. 4. And they journeyed from mount Hor by the way of the red ſea, &c.]
That is, they went from Hor Eaſtward, a way that led to the red ſea, which lay North and South, the common rode from Gilead and Moab to Eziongaber, &c. and ſo croſſing that way, they paſſed on to Zalmonah, and ſo (turning then Northward) to Punon, as is expreſſed, Numb. 33. 41, 42. and here it ſeems it was that the Iſraelites were puniſhed with fiery ſerpents.
And the ſoul of the people was much diſcourag…d becauſe of the way.]
That is, becauſe they were led a great way about through a deſert, full of wants and difficulties; and that the rather, becauſe now they began to think, puffed up with their late victory, that it had been eaſie for them to have forced a paſſage the neareſt way.
Verſ. 5. And the people ſpake againſt God, and againſt Moſes, &c.]
And ſo tempted Chriſt, 1. Cor. 10. 9. Neither let us tempt Chriſt as ſome of them alſo tempted, and were destroyed of ſerpents.
Verſ. 6. And the Lord ſent fiery ſer…ents among the people, &c.]
So called, becauſe their venemous biting did cauſe a grievous burning in the bodies of the Iſraelites. It may ſeem that they were a kind of ſerpents with wings, that ſo flying amongſt them did here and there ſeiſe upon them, and bite them, ſuch as the prophet ſpeaks of, Eſa. 14. 29. Out of the ſerpents root ſhall come forth a cockatrice, and his fruit ſhall be a fiery flying ſerpent. The word in the originall is, Seraphin, that is, Burners, the very ſame name whereby the Angels are called, Eſa. 6. 2. becauſe of their burning zeal for Gods glory. The wilderneſſe, through which the Iſraelites now went, did abound with many ſorts of theſe ſerpents, and therefore it is called that great and terrible wilderneſſe wherein were fiery ſerpents and ſcorpions, Deut. 8. 15. onelyonly God had hitherto kept them from hurting his people, till now for their ſinne he gave them power to bite and kill them: and indeed the puniſhment was juſt according to their ſinne; for now God gave them juſt cauſe to complain of thirſt, and with the venemous biting of fiery ſerpents he puniſhed their virulent tongues, to whom that might well be applyed which the Pſalmiſt ſpeaks, Pſal. 140. 3. They have ſharpened their tongues as a ſerpent, adders poiſon is under their lips.
Verſ. 8. Make thee a fiery ſerpent, and ſet it upon a pole, &c.]
This was the way which the Lord preſcribed for the curing of the Iſraelites, that were bitten with fiery ſerpents, namely, that Moſes ſhould make a fiery ſerpent, that is, a figure or repreſentation of thoſe fiery ſerpents wherewith they were ſtung, and that of braſſe, as we may ſee in the following verſe, the better to repreſent their fiery quality, becauſe braſſe is of a fiery colour (and therefore it is ſaid of the Cherubims that Ezekiel ſaw in a viſion, Ezek. 1. 7. that they ſparkled like the colour of burniſhed braſſe, and then ſet it upon a pole, to the end that it might be ſeen from every quarter of the camp, ſo that every man that was ſtung with the fiery ſerpents might look upon this braſen ſerpent, and thereby might be healed. Now this way of cure the Lord preſcribed for two reaſons: firſt, becauſe this, being no naturall way of cure, did the better diſcover that it was of Gods mercy; and ſecondly, that it might be a type of Chriſt and our redemption by him, John 3. 14▪ 15. As Moſes lifted up the ſerpent in the wilderneſſe, even ſo must the ſonne of man be lifted up; That whoſoever believeth in him ſhould not periſh, but have eternall life. For firſt, as the Iſraelites were bitten with fiery ſerpents, and that biting was mortall and deadly; ſo was all mankind in our parents mortally ſtung and bitten by Satan, that old ſerpent, Rev. 12. 9. ſo that their whole nature is envenomed with ſinne, as a deadly poiſon, and as it were ſet on fire of hell, as S. James ſpeaks of the tongue in particular▪ James …. 6, 8. and that ſo, that without ſome way of recovery they muſt needs periſh everlaſtingly, By one man ſinne entred into the world, and death by ſinne, Rom. 5. 12. and, the sting of death is ſinne, ſaith the ſame Apoſtle, 1. Cor. 15. 56. Secondly, as the brazen ſerpent, which Moſes made for the cure of the Iſraelites, had the outward form of thoſe fiery ſerpents, yet had not the poyſon of thoſe ſerpents in it; ſo Chriſt came in the likeneſſe of ſinnefull fleſh, Rom. 8. 3. and yet was without ſinne: Thirdly, as the brazen ſerpent was lifted upon a pole, that when any man was ſtung with the fiery ſerpents he might lift up his eyes, and look upon it; ſo Chriſt was lifted upon the croſſe, to the end he might ſave death-ſtung ſinners; or rather, ſo was Chriſt lifted up and held forth unto men in the preaching of the Goſpel, that ſo all poore ſinners might look upon him as the onelyonly authour of eternall ſalvation, according to that of S. Paul to the Galatians, Who hath bewitched you, that you ſhould not obey the truth, before whoſe eyes Jeſus Chriſt hath been evidently ſet forth crucified among you? Gal. 3. 1. And fifthly, as the Iſraelites, that were mortally bitten by thoſe fiery ſerpents, were perfectly cured onelyonly by looking on the brazen ſerpent, whereof there could be no naturall reaſon; ſo are ſinners perfectly ſaved from that death whereto they were liable becauſe of ſinne, onelyonly by caſting an eye of faith upon Chriſt, whereof no reaſon can be given but the will of God; and therefore is the preaching of this way of ſalvation called the fooliſhneſſe of preaching, 1. Cor. 1. 21. And indeed partly becauſe it was ſuch a notable type of the promiſed Meſſiah, and partly that it might be a memoriall of this ſingular me…cy which God thereby had afforded them, the Iſraelites carefully kept this brazen ſerpent unto the dayes of Hezekiah; but then becauſe the people burnt incenſe to it, that good King brake it in pieces, 2. Kings 18. 4.
Verſ. 10. And the children of Iſrael ſet forward, and pitched in Oboth.]
They removed not from mount Hor to Oboth, but (as is before noted upon verſ. 14.) from mount Hor they removed to Zalmonah, and then to Punon, and then to Oboth, as we reade, chap. 33. 41, 42, 43. whence we may moſt probably conclude, that about Punon it was that the brazen ſerpent was made, becauſe it is ſaid here that they ſet ſorward from the place where that was done, and then pitched in Oboth.
Verſ. 11. And they journ…yed from Oboth, and pitched at Ije-abarim, in the wilderneſſe, which is before Moab, &c.]
And ſo were come from Edoms borders to Moabs, with whom alſo they might not meddle, Deut. 2. 9. And the Lord ſaid unto me, Diſtreſſe not the Moabites, neither contend with them in battel.
Verſ. 12. From thence they removed and pitched in the valley of Zared.]
Zared was the name both of the valley and river that ranne through that valley, Deut. 2. 13. where was it ſeems Dibon-gad; for chap. 33. 45. it is ſaid that they departed from lim, and pitched in Dibon-gad.
Verſ. 13. From thence they removed and pitched on the other ſide of Arnon, &c.]
From Dibon-gad they went to Almon-diblathaim, thence to the mountains of Abarim, Num. 33. 46, 47. which it▪ ſeems were in this place on the other ſide of Arnon.
For Arnon is the border of Moab between Moab and the Amorites.]
Arnon was a river that did at this time divide the countrey of the Amorites from the land of the Moabites. Indeed the countrey beyond Arnon towards Jordan had been in the poſſeſſion of Moab, but Sihon had taken it from them, ver. 16. ſo that now Arnon was the border between the Moabites and the Amorites; which Moſes notes, to let us ſee how God by this means had provided this countrey for the Iſraelites, who might not have meddled with it, if it had been ſtill in the Moabites poſſeſſion, but were now commanded to take it from the Amorites, Deut. 2. 24. Riſe ye up, take your journey, and paſſe over the river Arnon; behold I have given into thy hand Sihon the Amorite, King of Heſhbon, and his land, &c. and hence it was that the King of the Amorites and Moabites challenged this land in the dayes of Jephthah, Iſrael took away my land when they came up out of Egypt, from Arnon even unto Jabbok and unto Jordan; now therefore restore thoſelands again peaceably.
Verſ. 14. Wherefore it is ſaid in the book of the warres of the Lord, what he did in the red ſea, &c.]
This place is diverſly tranſlated, and therefore alſo diverſly expounded by Interpreters. According to our tranſlation the meaning and drift of the words ſeems to be this, There was a book extant in Moſes time, but now loſt, called the book of the warres of the Lord, wherein it ſeems the victories which the Lord gave the Iſraelites over their enemies were more largely deſcribed, which are here but briefly touched: out of this book Moſes cit…s theſe following words▪ What he did in the red ſea, and in the brooks of Arnon, and at the ſtream of the brooks that goeth down to the dwelling of Ar, and lieth upon the border of Moab; and that partly to prove what he had ſaid before, ver. 13. that Arnon was at preſent the border between the land of Moab, and the land of the Amorites, though formerly the land beyond Arnon belonged alſo to the Moabites; and partly alſo to give a touch, that here at their entrance into the Amorites land the Lord wrought wonders for them, not inferiour to his dealing with them when he drowned the Egyptians in the red ſea. Our Tranſlatours have noted in the margin of our Bibles, that this place cited out of that book of the warres of the Lord may be read thus, Vaheb in Saphah, and in the brooks of Arnon, &c. but if it be ſo read it is hard to conjecture what was meant thereby, onelyonly ſome Expoſitours hold that Vaheb was the name of that King of the Moabites, mentioned verſ. 26. whom Sihon conquered; and others that it was the name of a city in Saphah: but the words cited being but an imperfect clauſe, taken out of a book not now extant, no wonder it is though the meaning of them cannot be found out; ſufficient it is for us that they plainly enough prove that for which Moſes cites them, namely that the river Arnon did divide the land of the Amorites and the land of Moab.
Verſ. 16. And from thence they went to Beer.]
Neither this place called Beer, nor thoſe mentioned verſ. 18, 19, 20. to wit, Mattanah, Nahaliel, and Bamoth, are named Numb. 33. and therefore it ſeems they were not ſeverall ſtations, but onelyonly the names of ſuch places as they paſſed by when they went forward from the mountains of Abarim, which were about Arnon, to the plains of Moab, Numbers 33. 48.
That is the well whereof the Lord ſpake unto Moſes, Gather the people together, and I will give them water, &c.]
The meaning of theſe words is, that at this place, called thence Beer, which ſignifieth a well, the Lord did miraculouſly again ſupply them with water, and that in the ſight of all the people, having appointed Moſes to gather them together for this very purpoſe. The manner how this was done is not expreſſed in the ſtory, but from the enſuing ſong we may probably inferre thus much, to wit, that the people being in ſome diſtreſſe for water in that wilderneſſe, mentioned ver. 13. through which they were now going, God ſtayed not now till they murmured again, but of his own accord did appoint Moſes to gather the people together, and to ſet the princes of the tribes to dig with their ſtaves, promiſing that a well ſhould thereupon miraculouſly ſpring up in that dry and barren place; which was accordingly done, and ſo thereupon the people ſung that enſuing gratulatory ſong, ver. 17, 18. wher…in with much joy and praiſe to God they acknowledged the miraculous manner of that wells ſpringing up, Spring up, O well; Sing ye unto it. The Princes digged the well, the nobles of the people digged it, by the direction of the Lawgiver, with their ſtaves. And this, it ſeems, was that renowned well called Beer-elim, Eſa. 15. 8. that is, the well of the mighty ones, and might have a like ſpirituall ſignification as had before thoſe waters that came out of the rock: for as that rock was Chriſt, 1. Cor. 10. 4. ſo this well might be a figure of him, who is the fountain of the gardens, a well of living waters, Cant. 4. 15. ſecondly, the waters ſpringing from thence might ſignifie that ſaving doctrine and graces of Gods ſpirit which from Chriſt are derived unto the faithfull, and are in them alwayes as a well of water ſpringing up unto life everlaſting, John 4. 14. thirdly, the Princes digging of this well with their ſtaves might be a figure of the labour of governours to open and bring forth to the people the ordinances of God, the word, and the miniſtry thereof: and fourthly, the Iſraelites ſinging about this well might he a ſigne of that Chriſtian joy whereof the Prophet ſpeaks, Eſa. 12. 3, 4. With joy ſhall ye draw water out of the wells of ſalvation, and in that day ſhall ye ſay, Praiſe the Lord, &c.
Verſ. 21. And Iſrael ſent meſſengers to Sihon king of the Amorites, &c.]
When they were to paſſe over the river Arnon, mentioned verſ. 13. God had told them that they ſhould deſtroy Sihon, and poſſeſſe his countrey, Deut. 2. 24▪ Riſe ye up, and paſſe over the river Arnon: Behold, I have given into thy hand Sihon the Amorite, king of Heſhbon, and his land, &c. yet now out of the wilderneſſe of Kedemo…h, Deut. 2. 26. they ſent meſſengers to him, doubtleſſe not without Gods allowance, to deſire a peaceable paſſage through his countrey, thereby to render him afterwards the more inexcuſable when he was deſtroyed, both in his own conſcience, and in the judgement of others that ſhould hear of it.
Verſ. 22. We will not drink of the waters of the well.]
See the note upon …hap. 20. 17.
Verſ. 24. For the border of the children of Ammon was strong.]
And therefore Sihon had not encroched upon their countrey, as he had upon the Moabites, at leaſt not beyond the river Jabbok, ſee Joſh. 13. 25. for this is not added as a reaſon why the Iſraelites made not warre upon them, Gods command was a reſtraint ſufficient for them, Deut. 2. 19. And when thou comest nigh over against the children of Ammon, diſtreſſe th…m not, nor meddle with them, &c.
Verſ. 25. And Iſrael took all theſe cities, &c.]
Deſtroying all the inhabitants, Deut. 2. 34. And we took all his cities at that time, and utterly deſtroyed all the men and the women, and the little ones, &c.
Verſ. 26. For Heſhbon was the citie of Sihon the king of the Amorites, &c.]
Becauſe Heſhbon and the countrey adjoyning had been the poſſeſſion of the Moabites, and God had charged the Iſraelites not to meddle with their countrey, Deut. 2. 9. therefore Moſes doth largely prove from this place to the end of the 30. verſe, that both Heſhbon and the countrey adjoyning was the poſſeſſion of Sihon when the Iſraelites took it, Sihon having taken it from the former king of the Moabites, that is, from him that was king before Balak, that was at preſent their king, chap. 22. 4. Concerning which ſee alſo what is noted before upon verſ. 13.
Verſ. 27. Wherefore they that ſpeak in proverbs, ſay, &c.]
By proverbs in the Scripture are generally meant all wiſe and pithie ſayings, eſpecially when they are grown to be in common uſe amongſt men, 1. Sam. 24. 13. As ſaith the proverb of the antients, Wickedneſſe proceedeth from the wicked; and ſecondly, more particularly thoſe are called proverbs, firſt, that are expreſſed with figurative words, or by way of ſimilitude, as Ezek. 18. 2. What mean ye that ye uſe this proverb concerning the land of Iſrael, The fathers have …aten ſowre grapes, and the childrens teeth are ſet on edge? ſecondly, that are taken up as by-words, by way of ſcorning and d…riding men, as Deut. 28. 17. Thou ſhalt become an astoniſhment, a proverb, and a by-word among all nations, and Hab. 2. 6. Shall not all theſe take up a parable and a taunting proverb against him?: and ſo conſequently by thoſe that ſpeak in proverbs are meant here, ſuch as did compoſe or utter ſongs or ballads made by way of triumphing over ſome vanquiſhed enemie, and that becauſe in ſuch ſongs they uſed to ſcoff at thoſe that were ſo vanquiſhed, and the ſeverall paſſages of ſuch ſongs were uſually taken up afterwards as a proverb and by-word. Now Moſes (to prove that Heſhbon and the countrey adjoyning now taken by the Iſraelites had formerly been taken from the Moabites by Sihon) alledgeth this proverbiall ſong (which no doubt was firſt made and uſed by the Amorites by way of triumphing over the vanquiſhed Moabltes) and that the rather becauſe the Iſraelites now might more juſtly, and ſo happely did, inſult over the Amorites with the ſame proverbiall taunt wherewith they had before derided the Moabites.
Let the city of Sihon be built and prepared.]
Implying that though Heſhbon periſhed, verſ. 30. being in Moabs hand, yet now it ſhould be more fairly and more ſtrongly fort…fied being in Sihons hand; and ſo alſo being applyed to the Iſraelites victory, that though it were much defaced in Sihons hands, yet now the Iſraelites would build it more fairly.
Verſ. 28. For there is a fire gone out of Heſhbon, a flame from the city of Sihon, &c.]
That is, the fury of warre, which was kindled and began in the ſubverſion and laying waſte of Heſhbon, brake out from thence and conſumed the countrey of the Moabites as farre as Ar, a chief city of theirs, and the Lords of the high places of Arnon, that is the princes, prieſts, and gods of the Moabites (for all theſe may be comprehended under this word Lords) even as farre as Arnon. And hence it is that the prophet, ſpeaking of the vain confidence of the Moabites in the ſtrength of Heſhbon (for the Moabites had then recovered this countrey again, the Iſraelites being carryed captives into Aſſyria) he threatens that thoſe cities wherein they truſted ſhould by the Chaldeans be firſt deſtroyed, and in the words he uſeth doth manifeſtly allude to this taunting ſong of the Amorites when they conquered the Moabites, here cited by Moſes, Jer. 48. 45. A fire ſhall come forth out of Heſhbon, and a flame from the middest of Sihon, and ſhall devour the corner of Moab, and the crown of the head of the tumultuous ones, &c.
Verſ. 29. Wo unto thee, O Moab; thou art undone, O people of Shemoſh, &c.]
In this clauſe of their ſong the Amorites ſcoff at Shemoſh, who was the god of the Moabites, 1. King. 11. 7. the Amorites had another god, to wit, Milcom, 1. King. 11. 5. & they therefore now derided the Moabites, becauſe their God, though they had been ſo long his people, and had ſerved him ſo carefully, was not able to help them, but had delivered them into captivity to Sihon, as it follows in the next words, He, that is, their God Shemoſh, hath given his ſonnes that eſcaped and his daughters into captivity, unto Sihonking of the Amorites. But how much more properly might the Iſraelites take up this proverb now againſt the Amorites?
Verſ. 30. We have ſhot at them.]
To wit, firſt the Amorites, then the Iſraelites.
Verſ. 32. And Moſes ſent to ſpie out Jaazer, &c.]
A city alſo that ha… been Moabs, Jer. 48. 31, 32. but now was the Amorites; a fruitfull paſture-countrey it ſtood in, and was given to Gad, Numb. 32. 1.
Verſ. 33. And they turned and went up by the way of Baſhan, &c.]
A rich countrey this Baſhan was, famous for its huge oaks, Ezek. 27. 6. Of the oaks of Baſhan have they made thine oars; alſo the paſtures nouriſhed ſtrong and fat cattel, whereto the Scripture often alludeth, Deut. 32. 14. Butter of kine, and milk of ſheep, with fat of lambs and rammes of the breed of Baſhan, and Amos 4. 1. Hear this word ye kine of Baſhan: and there were in it threeſcore cities with high walled gates and barres, Deut. 3. 4, 5. and indeed this which is ſaid of their high walled cities makes it manifeſt, that the Iſraelites ſpyes were here amongſt other places, when they ſearched the land of Canaan.
Verſ. 34. And the Lord ſaid unto Moſes, Fear him not, &c.]
Og the king of Baſhan was a huge gyant, Deut. 3. 11. his bedsted was a bedſted of iron, nine cubits was the length thereof, and foure cubits the breadth of it; and the rather doubtleſſe did the Lord encourage Moſes not to fear him, becauſe they were like enough to be ſcared with the very ſight of him, to which end alſo he aſſures him that he ſhould do to him as he did unto Sihon King of the Amorites, making the experience he had of Gods help againſt Sihon a ground of encouragement for the preſent againſt Og, and his armie too.