Charles Spurgeon Commentary Numbers 21:1-4

"And the Canaanite, the king of Arad, who dwelt in the South, heard tell that Israel came by the way of Atharim; and he fought against Israel, and took some of them captive. And Israel vowed a vow unto Jehovah, and said, If thou wilt indeed deliver this people into my hand, then I will utterly destroy their cities. And Jehovah hearkened to the voice of Israel, and delivered up the Canaanites; and they utterly destroyed them and their cities: and the name of the place was called Hormah. And they journeyed from mount Hor by the way to the Red Sea, to compass the land of Edom: and the soul of the people was much discouraged because of the way." — Numbers 21:1-4 (ASV)

They were not allowed to go through the land of Edom. They therefore had to turn around and go directly away from the land where they one day hoped to dwell. The road was a particularly trying one, over hot and burning sand, and the soul of the people was much discouraged because of the way.

Sometimes, God's own people, when they find that they are not as far advanced in the divine life as they thought they were, when they find old sins reviving, and when troubles multiply upon them, get discouraged because of the way.

If this is our experience, let us not fall into the sin into which these Israelites fell, but even in our discouragement let us turn to our God.