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<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "//www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="//www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><head><meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8" /><meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1"><title>Numbers 21 CEV</title><link rel="stylesheet" href="/chapnew2.css" type="text/css" media="Screen" /><link rel="stylesheet" href="../spec.css" type="text/css" media="Screen" /></head><body><div id="fx"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" id="fx2"><tr><td><iframe width="100%" height="30" scrolling="no" src="../cmenus/numbers/21.htm" align="left" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div><div id="blnk"></div><div align="center"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" class="maintable"><tr><td><div id="fx5"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" id="fx6"><tr><td><iframe width="100%" height="245" scrolling="no" src="../topmenuchap/numbers/21-1.htm" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div></td></tr></table></div><div align="center"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" class="maintable3"><tr><td><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center" id="announce"><tr><td><div id="l1"><div id="breadcrumbs"><a href="//biblehub.com">Bible</a> > <a href="../">CEV</a> > Numbers 21</div><div id="anc"><iframe src="/anc.htm" width="100%" height="27" scrolling="no" frameborder="0"></iframe></div><div id="anc2"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tr><td><iframe src="/anc2.htm" width="100%" height="27" scrolling="no" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div></div></td></tr></table><div id="movebox2"><table border="0" align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tr><td><div id="topheading"><a href="../numbers/20.htm" title="Numbers 20">◄</a> Numbers 21 <a href="../numbers/22.htm" title="Numbers 22">►</a></div></td></tr></table></div><div align="center" class="maintable2"><table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tr><td><div id="leftbox"><div class="padleft"><div class="vheading">Contemporary English Version</div><div class="chap"><h3 class="s1">Israel Defeats the Canaanites at Hormah</h3><p class="par"><span class="v4_21_1"><span class="reftext" id="Num.21.1" class="v4_21_1">1</span><a href="#fn" id="link_Num.21.1!x.1" class="notelink x-link"><span></span></a> The Canaanite king of Arad lived in the Southern Desert of Canaan, and when he heard that the Israelites were on their way to the village of Atharim, he attacked and took some of them hostage.</span></p><p class="par"><span class="v4_21_2"><span class="reftext" id="Num.21.2" class="v4_21_2">2</span>The Israelites prayed, “Our <span class="nd">Lord</span>, if you will help us defeat these Canaanites, we will completely destroy their towns and everything in them, to show that they belong to you.”<a href="#fn" id="link_Num.21.2!f.1" class="notelink f-link"><span>+</span></a> </span></p><p class="par"><span class="v4_21_3"><span class="reftext" id="Num.21.3" class="v4_21_3">3</span>The <span class="nd">Lord</span> answered their prayer and helped them wipe out the Canaanite army and completely destroy their towns. That's why one of the towns is named Hormah, which means “Destroyed Place.”</span></p><h3 class="s1">Moses Makes a Bronze Snake</h3><p class="par"><span class="v4_21_4"><span class="reftext" id="Num.21.4" class="v4_21_4">4</span><a href="#fn" id="link_Num.21.4!x.1" class="notelink x-link"><span></span></a> The Israelites had to go around the territory of Edom, so when they left Mount Hor, they headed south toward the Red Sea.<a href="#fn" id="link_Num.21.4!f.2" class="notelink f-link"><span>+</span></a> But along the way, the people became so impatient </span><span class="v4_21_5"><span class="reftext" id="Num.21.5" class="v4_21_5">5</span><a href="#fn" id="link_Num.21.5!x.1" class="notelink x-link"><span></span></a> that they complained against God and said to Moses, “Did you bring us out of Egypt, just to let us die in the desert? There's no water out here, and we can't stand this awful food!”</span></p><p class="par"><span class="v4_21_6"><span class="reftext" id="Num.21.6" class="v4_21_6">6</span>Then the <span class="nd">Lord</span> sent poisonous snakes that bit and killed many of them.</span></p><p class="par"><span class="v4_21_7"><span class="reftext" id="Num.21.7" class="v4_21_7">7</span>Some of the people went to Moses and admitted, “It was wrong of us to insult you and the <span class="nd">Lord</span>. Now please ask him to make these snakes go away.”</span></p><p class="par"><span class="v4_21_7">Moses prayed, </span><span class="v4_21_8"><span class="reftext" id="Num.21.8" class="v4_21_8">8</span>and the <span class="nd">Lord</span> answered, “Make a snake out of bronze and place it on top of a pole. Anyone who gets bitten can look at the snake and be saved from death.”</span></p><p class="par"><span class="v4_21_9"><span class="reftext" id="Num.21.9" class="v4_21_9">9</span><a href="#fn" id="link_Num.21.9!x.1" class="notelink x-link"><span></span></a> Moses obeyed the <span class="nd">Lord</span>. And all of those who looked at the bronze snake lived, even though they had been bitten by the poisonous snakes.</span></p><h3 class="s1">Israel's Journey to Moab</h3><p class="par"><span class="v4_21_10"><span class="reftext" id="Num.21.10" class="v4_21_10">10</span>As the Israelites continued their journey to Canaan, they camped at Oboth, </span><span class="v4_21_11"><span class="reftext" id="Num.21.11" class="v4_21_11">11</span>then at Iye-Abarim in the desert east of Moab, </span><span class="v4_21_12"><span class="reftext" id="Num.21.12" class="v4_21_12">12</span>and then in the Zered Gorge. </span><span class="v4_21_13"><span class="reftext" id="Num.21.13" class="v4_21_13">13</span>After that, they crossed the Arnon River gorge and camped in the Moabite desert bordering Amorite territory. The Arnon was the border between the Moabites and the Amorites. </span><span class="v4_21_14"><span class="reftext" id="Num.21.14" class="v4_21_14">14</span>A song in <span class="bk">The Book of the <span class="nd">Lord</span>'s Battles</span><a href="#fn" id="link_Num.21.14!f.1" class="notelink f-link"><span>+</span></a> mentions the town of Waheb with its creeks in the territory of Suphah. It also mentions the Arnon River, </span><span class="v4_21_15"><span class="reftext" id="Num.21.15" class="v4_21_15">15</span>with its valleys that lie alongside the Moabite border and extend to the town of Ar.</span></p><p class="par"><span class="v4_21_16"><span class="reftext" id="Num.21.16" class="v4_21_16">16</span>From the Arnon, the Israelites went to the well near the town of Beer, where the <span class="nd">Lord</span> had said to Moses, “Call the people together, and I will give them water to drink.”</span></p><p class="par"><span class="v4_21_17"><span class="reftext" id="Num.21.17" class="v4_21_17">17</span>That's also the same well the Israelites sang about in this song:</span></p><p class="b"></p><p class="q1"><span class="v4_21_17">Let's celebrate!</span></p><p class="q2"><span class="v4_21_17">The well has given us water.</span></p><p class="q1"><span class="v4_21_18"><span class="reftext" id="Num.21.18" class="v4_21_18">18</span>With their royal scepters,</span></p><p class="q1"><span class="v4_21_18">our leaders pointed out</span></p><p class="q2"><span class="v4_21_18">where to dig the well.</span></p><p class="b"></p><p class="par"><span class="v4_21_18">The Israelites left the desert and camped near the town of Mattanah, </span><span class="v4_21_19"><span class="reftext" id="Num.21.19" class="v4_21_19">19</span>then at Nahaliel, and then at Bamoth. </span><span class="v4_21_20"><span class="reftext" id="Num.21.20" class="v4_21_20">20</span>Finally, they reached Moabite territory, where they camped near Mount Pisgah<a href="#fn" id="link_Num.21.20!f.1" class="notelink f-link"><span>+</span></a> in a valley overlooking the desert north of the Dead Sea.</span></p><h3 class="s1">Israel Defeats King Sihon the Amorite</h3><h5 class="r">(<ref loc="DEU 2:26-37">Deuteronomy 2.26-37</ref>)</h5><p class="par"><span class="v4_21_21"><span class="reftext" id="Num.21.21" class="v4_21_21">21</span>The Israelites sent this message to King Sihon of the Amorites:</span></p><p class="pi"><span class="v4_21_22"><span class="reftext" id="Num.21.22" class="v4_21_22">22</span>Please let us pass through your territory. We promise to stay away from your fields and vineyards, and we won't drink any water from your wells. As long as we're in your land, we'll stay on the main road.<a href="#fn" id="link_Num.21.22!f.1" class="notelink f-link"><span>+</span></a> </span></p><p class="par"><span class="v4_21_23"><span class="reftext" id="Num.21.23" class="v4_21_23">23</span>But Sihon refused to let Israel travel through his land. Instead, he called together his entire army and marched into the desert to attack Israel near the town of Jahaz. </span><span class="v4_21_24"><span class="reftext" id="Num.21.24" class="v4_21_24">24</span>Israel defeated them and took over the Amorite territory from the Arnon River gorge in the south to the Jabbok River gorge in the north. Beyond the Jabbok was the territory of the Ammonites, who were much stronger than Israel.</span></p><p class="par"><span class="v4_21_25"><span class="reftext" id="Num.21.25" class="v4_21_25">25</span>The Israelites settled in the Amorite towns, including the capital city of Heshbon with its surrounding villages. </span><span class="v4_21_26"><span class="reftext" id="Num.21.26" class="v4_21_26">26</span>King Sihon had ruled from Heshbon, after defeating the Moabites and taking over their land north of the Arnon River gorge. </span><span class="v4_21_27"><span class="reftext" id="Num.21.27" class="v4_21_27">27</span>That's why the Amorites had written this poem about Heshbon:</span></p><p class="b"></p><p class="q1"><span class="v4_21_27">Come and rebuild Heshbon,</span></p><p class="q2"><span class="v4_21_27">King Sihon's capital city!</span></p><p class="q1"><span class="v4_21_28"><span class="reftext" id="Num.21.28" class="v4_21_28">28</span><a href="#fn" id="link_Num.21.28!x.1" class="notelink x-link"><span></span></a> His armies marched out</span></p><p class="q2"><span class="v4_21_28">like fiery flames,</span></p><p class="q1"><span class="v4_21_28">burning down the town of Ar</span></p><p class="q1"><span class="v4_21_28">and destroying<a href="#fn" id="link_Num.21.28!f.2" class="notelink f-link"><span>+</span></a> the hills</span></p><p class="q2"><span class="v4_21_28">along the Arnon River.</span></p><p class="q1"><span class="v4_21_29"><span class="reftext" id="Num.21.29" class="v4_21_29">29</span>You Moabites are done for!</span></p><p class="q1"><span class="v4_21_29">Your god Chemosh</span></p><p class="q2"><span class="v4_21_29">deserted your people;</span></p><p class="q1"><span class="v4_21_29">they were captured, taken away</span></p><p class="q2"><span class="v4_21_29">by King Sihon the Amorite.</span></p><p class="q1"><span class="v4_21_30"><span class="reftext" id="Num.21.30" class="v4_21_30">30</span>We completely defeated Moab.</span></p><p class="q1"><span class="v4_21_30">The towns of Heshbon and Dibon,</span></p><p class="q2"><span class="v4_21_30">of Nophah and Medeba</span></p><p class="q2"><span class="v4_21_30">are ruined and gone.<a href="#fn" id="link_Num.21.30!f.1" class="notelink f-link"><span>+</span></a> </span></p><p class="b"></p><p class="par"><span class="v4_21_31"><span class="reftext" id="Num.21.31" class="v4_21_31">31</span>After the Israelites had settled in the Amorite territory, </span><span class="v4_21_32"><span class="reftext" id="Num.21.32" class="v4_21_32">32</span>Moses sent some men to explore the town of Jazer. Later, the Israelites captured the villages surrounding it and forced out the Amorites who lived there.</span></p><h3 class="s1">Israel Defeats King Og of Bashan</h3><h5 class="r">(<ref loc="DEU 3:1-11">Deuteronomy 3.1-11</ref>)</h5><p class="par"><span class="v4_21_33"><span class="reftext" id="Num.21.33" class="v4_21_33">33</span>The Israelites headed toward the region of Bashan, where King Og ruled, and he led his entire army to Edrei to meet Israel in battle.</span></p><p class="par"><span class="v4_21_34"><span class="reftext" id="Num.21.34" class="v4_21_34">34</span>The <span class="nd">Lord</span> said to Moses, “Don't be afraid of Og. I will help you defeat him and his army, just as you did King Sihon who ruled in Heshbon. Og's territory will be yours.”</span></p><p class="par"><span class="v4_21_35"><span class="reftext" id="Num.21.35" class="v4_21_35">35</span>So the Israelites wiped out Og, his family, and his entire army—there were no survivors. Then Israel took over the land of Bashan.</span></p></div> </div> <a name="fn"></a><br /><br /><br /><b>Footnotes:<br /><br /><note caller="+" style="f"><char style="fr" closed="false">21.2 </char><char style="fq" closed="false">completely destroy … belong to you: </char><char style="ft" closed="false">The complete destruction of a town and everything in it, including its people and animals, showed that the town belonged to the <char style="nd">Lord</char> and could no longer be used by humans.</char></note><br /><note caller="+" style="f"><char style="fr" closed="false">21.4 </char><char style="fq" closed="false">Red Sea: </char><char style="ft" closed="false">See the note at 14.25.</char></note><br /><note caller="+" style="f"><char style="fr" closed="false">21.14 </char><char style="fq" closed="false">The Book of the <char style="nd">Lord</char>'s Battles: </char><char style="ft" closed="false">This may have been a collection of ancient war songs.</char></note><br /><note caller="+" style="f"><char style="fr" closed="false">21.20 </char><char style="fq" closed="false">Mount Pisgah: </char><char style="ft" closed="false">This probably refers to the highest peak in the Abarim Mountains in Moab.</char></note><br /><note caller="+" style="f"><char style="fr" closed="false">21.22 </char><char style="fq" closed="false">the main road: </char><char style="ft" closed="false">See the note at 20.17.</char></note><br /><note caller="+" style="f"><char style="fr" closed="false">21.28 </char><char style="fq" closed="false">destroying: </char><char style="ft" closed="false">One ancient translation; Hebrew “the rulers of.”</char></note><br /><note caller="+" style="f"><char style="fr" closed="false">21.30 </char><char style="fq" closed="false">gone: </char><char style="ft" closed="false">One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text of verse 30.</char></note></div></div><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><div align="center"><p><span style="font-size:11pt;">Contemporary English Version, Second Edition (CEV®)</span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt;">© 2006 American Bible Society. 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