Matthew Henry Commentary Numbers 21
Matthew Henry Commentary
Numbers 21
Matthew Henry Commentary
Numbers 21
"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." — Numbers 21:1-3 (ASV)
Before the people began their march around the country of Edom, the king of Arad, a Canaanite, who inhabited the southern part of the country, attacked them in the wilderness, and took some prisoners. This was to lead the Israelites to look more thoroughly to the Lord.
"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. And the people spake against God, and against Moses, Wherefore have ye brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? for there is no bread, and there is no water; and our soul loatheth this light bread. And Jehovah sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people; and much people of Israel died. And the people came to Moses, and said, We have sinned, because we have spoken against Jehovah, and against thee; pray unto Jehovah, that he take away the serpents from us. And Moses prayed for the people. And Jehovah said unto Moses, Make thee a fiery serpent, and set it upon a standard: and it shall come to pass, that every one that is bitten, when he seeth it, shall live. And Moses made a serpent of brass, and set it upon the standard: and it came to pass, that if a serpent had bitten any man, when he looked unto the serpent of brass, he lived." — Numbers 21:4-9 (ASV)
The children of Israel were wearied by a long march around the land of Edom. They spoke discontentedly of what God had done for them and distrustfully of what He would do. What will they be pleased with, whom manna will not please? Let not the contempt that some cast on the word of God make us value it less.
It is the bread of life, substantial bread, and it will nourish to eternal life those who by faith feed upon it, whoever may call it light bread. We see the righteous judgment God brought upon them for murmuring. He sent fiery serpents among them, which bit or stung many to death. It is to be feared that they would not have acknowledged their sin if they had not felt the sting of punishment; but they relented under the rod.
And God made a wonderful provision for their relief. The Jews themselves say it was not the sight of the bronze serpent that cured them; but in looking up to it, they looked up to God as the Lord who healed them. There was much of the gospel in this. Our Savior declared (John 3:14–15) that as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so the Son of man must be lifted up, that whatsoever believeth in Him, should not perish.
Compare their disease and ours. Sin bites like a serpent and stings like an adder. Compare the application of their remedy and ours. They looked and lived, and we, if we believe, will not perish. It is by faith that we look unto Jesus (Hebrews 12:2). Whoever looked, however desperate his case, or feeble his sight, or distant his place, was certainly and perfectly cured.
The Lord can relieve us from dangers and distresses by means that human reason never would have devised. Oh, that the venom of the old serpent, inflaming men's passions and causing them to commit sins that end in their eternal destruction, were as acutely felt, and the danger as plainly seen, as the Israelites felt pain from the bite of the fiery serpents and feared the death that followed! Then no one would shut their eyes to Christ or turn from His gospel.
Then a crucified Savior would be so valued that all other things would be accounted loss for Him; then, without delay, and with earnestness and simplicity, all would apply to Him in the appointed way, crying, Lord, save us; we perish! Nor would anyone abuse the freeness of Christ's salvation while they considered the price it cost Him.
"And the children of Israel journeyed, and encamped in Oboth. And they journeyed from Oboth, and encamped at Iyeabarim, in the wilderness which is before Moab, toward the sunrising. From thence they journeyed, and encamped in the valley of Zered. From thence they journeyed, and encamped on the other side of the Arnon, which is in the wilderness, that cometh out of the border of the Amorites: for the Arnon is the border of Moab, between Moab and the Amorites. Wherefore it is said in the book of the Wars of Jehovah, Vaheb in Suphah, And the valleys of the Arnon, And the slope of the valleys That inclineth toward the dwelling of Ar, And leaneth upon the border of Moab. And from thence [they journeyed] to Beer: that is the well whereof Jehovah said unto Moses, Gather the people together, and I will give them water. Then sang Israel this song: Spring up, O well; sing ye unto it: The well, which the princes digged, Which the nobles of the people delved, With the sceptre, [and] with their staves. And from the wilderness [they journeyed] to Mattanah; and from Mattanah to Nahaliel; and from Nahaliel to Bamoth; and from Bamoth to the valley that is in the field of Moab, to the top of Pisgah, which looketh down upon the desert." — Numbers 21:10-20 (ASV)
We have here the journeys of the children of Israel, until they came to the plains of Moab, from where they passed over the Jordan into Canaan. The end of their pilgrimage was near. “They set forward.” It would be well if we did this; and the nearer we come to heaven, the more active and abundant we should be in the work of the Lord. The wonderful success God granted to His people is described here, including their actions on the river Arnon, at Vaheb in Suphah, and other places on that river.
In every stage of our lives, indeed, in every step, we should notice what God has done for us; what He did at such a time, and what in such a place, should be distinctly remembered. God blessed His people with a supply of water. When we come to heaven, we shall move to the well of life, the fountain of living waters.
They received it with joy and thankfulness, which made the mercy doubly sweet. With joy must we draw water out of the wells of salvation (Isaiah 12:3). As the brazen serpent was a figure of Christ, who is lifted up for our healing, so is this well a figure of the Spirit, who is poured forth for our comfort, and from whom flow to us rivers of living waters (John 7:38–39). Does this well spring up in our souls? If so, we should take the comfort to ourselves, and give the glory to God.
God promised to give water, but they had to open the ground. God's favors are to be expected when we use the means within our power, but the power itself is only from God.
"And Israel sent messengers unto Sihon king of the Amorites, saying, Let me pass through thy land: we will not turn aside into field, or into vineyard; we will not drink of the water of the wells: we will go by the king`s highway, until we have passed thy border. And Sihon would not suffer Israel to pass through his border: but Sihon gathered all his people together, and went out against Israel into the wilderness, and came to Jahaz; and he fought against Israel. And Israel smote him with the edge of the sword, and possessed his land from the Arnon unto the Jabbok, even unto the children of Ammon; for the border of the children of Ammon was strong. And Israel took all these cities: and Israel dwelt in all the cities of the Amorites, in Heshbon, and in all the towns thereof. For Heshbon was the city of Sihon the king of the Amorites, who had fought against the former king of Moab, and taken all his land out of his hand, even unto the Arnon. Wherefore they that speak in proverbs say, Come ye to Heshbon; Let the city of Sihon be built and established: For a fire is gone out of Heshbon, A flame from the city of Sihon: It hath devoured Ar of Moab, The lords of the high places of the Arnon. Woe to thee, Moab! Thou art undone, O people of Chemosh: He hath given his sons as fugitives, And his daughters into captivity, Unto Sihon king of the Amorites. We have shot at them; Heshbon is perished even unto Dibon, And we have laid waste even unto Nophah, Which [reacheth] unto Medeba. Thus Israel dwelt in the land of the Amorites. And Moses sent to spy out Jazer; and they took the towns thereof, and drove out the Amorites that were there. And they turned and went up by the way of Bashan: and Og the king of Bashan went out against them, he and all his people, to battle at Edrei. And Jehovah said unto Moses, Fear him not: for I have delivered him into thy hand, and all his people, and his land; and thou shalt do to him as thou didst unto Sihon king of the Amorites, who dwelt at Heshbon. So they smote him, and his sons and all his people, until there was none left him remaining: and they possessed his land." — Numbers 21:21-35 (ASV)
Sihon went with his forces against Israel, from outside his own borders and without provocation, and so brought about his own ruin. The enemies of God's church often perish by the very plans they believe are most wisely devised. Og, king of Bashan, instead of being warned by the fate of his neighbors to make peace with Israel, made war with them, which in the same way proved to be his destruction.
Wicked men do their utmost to secure themselves and their possessions against the judgments of God; but all in vain, when the day of their downfall arrives. God gave Israel success while Moses was with them, so that he could see the beginning of the glorious work, though he would not live to see it finished. This was, comparatively, merely a day of small things, yet it was a foretaste of great things.
We must prepare for fresh conflicts and enemies. We must make no peace or truce with the powers of darkness, nor even negotiate with them; nor should we expect any pause in our contest. But, trusting in God, and obeying his commands, we shall be more than conquerors over every enemy.
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