Numbers 21 the armies of israel now begin to emerge out of the wilderness, and to come into a land inhabited, to enter upon action, and take possession of the frontiers of the land of promise. The book of numbers chapter 21 is taken from jimmy swaggarts, the expositors study bible. Scholars agree that numbers has two distinct sections, marked off by two censuses. Numbers 21 niv arad destroyed when the canaanite bible. Now the arnon is the border between the moabites and the amorites. It is a reminder to the believer that even though he has been freed from the bondage of sin egypt, there is still a spiritual battle to be fought in daily life the.
The book has a long and complex history, but its final form is. For the 1973 american crime film, see book of numbers film. Numbers 21 commentary john gills exposition on the. In spite of the difficulties imposed by numbers on todays readers, the main point of the book is of immense importance for gods people in any age. Like the book of leviticus, much of the book of numbers is quoted directly from god. Book of numbers overview insight for living ministries.
The journey to moab from there they moved on and camped on the other side of the arnon, in the wilderness that extends into the amorite territory. The first census is in chapter one, in which the descendants of each of the twelve tribes are named, up to the present generation. The book of numbers is the fourth book of the christian old testament. This incident takes place near the end of moses life and the conclusion of israels wandering in the wilderness. The bible book of numbers, chapter 1 bible commentary. The book of numbers the book of numbers gets its title from the greek word arithmoi. This course is designed as an expository study of the book of numbers, taking the student through selected portions of this old testament book with cross references to other portions of scripture.
In chapters 12, we have the first numbering of those 20 years and older able to go to war, a total of 603,550. This was apparently a book of victory songs that was current at the time of moses, possibly written by moses or a contemporary. The book of numbers was named after the first key word bemidbar in hebrew scripture, which appropriately means in the desert, the place where the israelites spent forty. The book of numbers begins with the words and the lord spake unto moses in the wilderness of sinai, in the tabernacle of the congregation, on the first day of the second month, in the second year after they were come out of the land of egypt. It reminds believers of the spiritual warfare in which they are engaged, for numbers is the book of the service and walk of gods people.
This commentary has been through advanced checking. The purpose is to assist the student in gaining a greater comprehension of the biblical teaching. The book of numbers is so named because it contains two numberings of the children of israel. Numbers is the fourth of five books commonly called the pentateuch genesis through. This is the word assigned by the lxx the septuagint a greek translation of the ot, due to the two numberings of the people in chapter 1 and 26. Matthew henry 18 october 1662 22 june 1714 was an english commentator on the bible, who published his works in 1706, sixvolume exposition of the old and new testaments 17081710 or complete commentary, provides an exhaustive verse by verse study of the bible, covering the whole of the old testament, and the gospels and acts in the new testament. The message of the book of numbers is universal and timeless.
A word list at the end explains words with a star by them. Numbers 1 commentary, one of over 110 bible commentaries freely available, this commentary, by the leading authority in the church of christ, presents a verse level look at the bible. This was to lead the israelites to look more thoroughly to the lord. The book of numbers new international commentary on the. Key personalities include moses, aaron, miriam, joshua, caleb, eleazar, korah, and balaam. The book of numbers was written between 1440 and 1400 b. As he did in the red sea, so will he do in the streams of amen. The book of numbers is largely narrative history as far as its genre. A glorious campaign this chapter gives us the history of, especially in the latter part of it.
Yahweh will soon command joshua to commission joshua as his successor 27. Theyve been in this same spot for about a year and now theyre getting ready to start out on their journey to this land flowing with milk and honey that god keeps. Thirtynine years later, in chapter 26 we have a second numbering of those 20 years and older who. Leviticus, which interrupts the flow of narration, consists almost entirely of legislation independent of historic precedentwith the exception of lev.
They came through the red sea and saw god provide through the desert wilderness. King arad the canaaniterather, the canaanite king of aradan ancient town on the southernmost borders of palestine, not far from kadesh. Numbers 21 commentary commentary critical and explanatory. The first part of the book of numbers describes the lives of the numbering of the people at sinai and the preparations that were made for resuming their journey across the desert. An easyenglish bible version and commentary 2800 word vocabulary on the book of numbers. The book of leviticus as well as the book of numbers follow immediately after the book of exodus. Why it is said in the book of the wars of the lord, what he did in the red sea, and in the brooks of arnon, in the book. If you will deliver these people into our hands, we will totally destroy their cities. And israel vowed a vow unto the lord, and said, if thou wilt indeed deliver this people into my hand, then i will utterly destroy their cities. Summary of the book of numbers the story of the bible. The rocks of the torrents were bowed down that they might rest in ar, and lie down in the borders of the moabites. Commentary on the book of numbers by matthew henry old.
Numbers 21 commentary matthew henry commentary on the whole. Waheb in suphah and the wadis of the arnon, 15 even the slopes of the wadis that extend to the site of. It is a bridge between the giving of the law in exodus and leviticus with the entering of the promised land in deuteronomy and joshua. Numbers with book summary versebyverse bible commentary. This chapter gives an account of the defeat of king arad, the canaanite, numbers 21. Arad, a king of the canaanites, attacks israel, and makes same prisoners, 1. Numbers 21 new international version niv arad destroyed. Moses is the central figure within the book, and in at least two instances numbers mentions him recording events by the lords commands numbers 33. An introduction to the book of numbers an argument of the book of numbers. Tom constables expository notes on numbers this is also available in the net.
Wherefore it is said in the book of the wars of the lord. The law includes the books of genesis, exodus, leviticus, numbers, and deuteronomy. Between the two censuses, among stories of battle and ritual regulations, the people repeatedly complain and rebel against moses. The armies of israel now begin to emerge out of the wilderness, and to come into a land inhabited, to enter upon action, and take possession of the frontiers of the land of promise. The way the story is told sounds odd and often harsh to readers today.
Numbers 1 the census ordered 1 leaders appointed by the lord 5 the count 17. Its narrative begins at the point where exodus leaves off. To the untrained eye, the book of numbers might seem to be an hodgepodge of events, battles, movement, laws and legal addendums. An ancient book, which, like several others quoted in scripture, has been lost. The book of numbers is the fourth book of the law of moses, also known as the torah or pentateuch. Numbers 21 commentary matthew henry commentary on the. As it does for the rest of the pentateuch, universal jewish and christian tradition attributes the authorship of the book of numbers to moses. Mar 18, 2012 the second census, in chapter 26, names the generation that will be poised on the edge of canaan when the book reaches its end. It has subdivisions of the canaanites, the fiery serpents, serpent of brass, the march toward. They journey from hor, and are greatly discouraged, 4. Numbers chapter 21 matthew henry complete commentary. The levites numbered by their families, their duties.
The purpose of the book of numbers is to tell about how israel prepared to enter the promise land, but sinned and was punished. Numbers 16 numbers 17 numbers 18 numbers 19 numbers 20 numbers 21 numbers 22 numbers 23 numbers 24 numbers 25 numbers 26 numbers 27 numbers 28 numbers 29 numbers 30. Numbers 1 commentary james burton coffman commentaries on. The book of numbers takes them right to the jordan jericho, just due east of their.
As recorded in the book of exodus, israel escaped slavery in egypt god miraculously set them free from hundreds of years of bondage. And when king arad the canaanite, which dwelt in the south, heard tell that israel came by the way of the spies. Theyve been in this same spot for about a year and now theyre getting ready to start out on their journey to this land flowing. Numbers chapter 21 matthew henry complete commentary on. In this chapter we move very close to the entry into canaan, but a number of experiences prior to that entry which would aid israel in the struggles to come remained to be recorded, and the record of them would fill the pentateuch, all the way to the end of deuteronomy. May 16, 2017 the book of numbers chapter 21 is taken from jimmy swaggarts, the expositors study bible. Most of the events of the book are set in the wilderness. The book of numbers is composed of narrative, legislation, and archival records. This may be attributed to the authorship of a man who has recently experienced the events herein found and has. The book of the wars of the lord this seems to have been some poem or narration of the wars and victories of the lord, either by.
We would love to see and read such ancient literature lost to history. Numbers 21 bible commentary wesleys explanatory notes. With the exception of joshua and caleb, none of these men will live to inhabit canaan 14. They murmur against god and moses, and loathe the manna, 5. The book of numbers new international commentary on the old. Numbers 1 commentary james burton coffman commentaries. Theyve been in this same spot for about a year and now theyre getting ready to start out on their journey to this land flowing with milk and honey that god keeps talking about. The sons of aaron, the levites taken instead of the firstborn.