Numbers 21:3

Numbers 21:3 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And the Lord hearkened to the voice of Israel, and delivered up the Canaanites; and they utterly destroyed them and their cities: and he called the name of the place Hormah.
• New International Version (NIV)The Lord listened to Israel’s plea and gave the Canaanites over to them. They completely destroyed them and their towns; so the place was named Hormah.
• English Standard Version (ESV)And the Lord heeded the voice of Israel and gave over the Canaanites, and they devoted them and their cities to destruction. So the name of the place was called Hormah.
• New King James Version (NKJV)And the Lord listened to the voice of Israel and delivered up the Canaanites, and they utterly destroyed them and their cities. So the name of that place was called Hormah.

Context of Numbers 21:3

1When the Canaanite king of Arad, who lived in the Negev, heard that Israel was coming along the road to Atharim, he attacked Israel and captured some prisoners. 2So Israel made a vow to the LORD: “If You will deliver this people into our hands, we will devote their cities to destruction.” And the LORD heard Israel’s plea and delivered up the Canaanites. Israel devoted them and their cities to destruction; so they named the place Hormah. 4Then they set out from Mount Hor along the route to the Red Sea, in order to bypass the land of Edom. But the people grew impatient on the journey 5and spoke against God and against Moses: “Why have you led us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? There is no bread or water, and we detest this wretched food!”

Numbers 21:3 word by word

וַיִּשְׁמַ֨ע יְהוָ֜ה בְּק֣וֹל יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל וַיִּתֵּן֙ אֶת־הַֽכְּנַעֲנִ֔י וַיַּחֲרֵ֥ם אֶתְהֶ֖ם וְאֶת־עָרֵיהֶ֑ם וַיִּקְרָ֥א שֵׁם־הַמָּק֖וֹם חָרְמָֽה׃ פRead the interlinear

• And the LORDיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
• heardשָׁמַעshâma‛ · to hear: hearH8085
• Israel’sיִשְׂרָאֵלyiώrâ'êl · IsraelH3478
• pleaקוֹלqôl qôl · voiceH6963
• and delivered upנָתַןnâthan · to give: giveH5414
• ·אֵת'êth · [Obj.]H853
• the Canaanitesכְּנַעֲנִיkena‛anîy · CanaaniteH3669
• devotedחָרַםchâram · to devote/destroyH2763
• their cities to destructionעִיר‛îyr ‛âr ‛âyar · cityH5892
• so they namedקָרָאqârâ' · to call: call byH7121
• so they namedשֵׁםshêm · nameH8034
• the placeמָקוֹםmâqôm mâqôm meqômâh meqômâh · placeH4725
• Hormahחׇרְמָהchormâh · HormahH2767

Cross-references for Numbers 21:3

• Psalms 10:17You have heard, O LORD, the desire of the humble; You will strengthen their hearts. You will incline Your ear,
• Psalms 91:15When he calls out to Me, I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble. I will deliver him and honor him.
• Psalms 102:17He will turn toward the prayer of the destitute; He will not despise their prayer.
• Numbers 14:45Then the Amalekites and Canaanites who lived in that part of the hill country came down, attacked them, and routed them all the way to Hormah.
• Deuteronomy 1:44Then the Amorites who lived in the hills came out against you and chased you like a swarm of bees. They routed you from Seir all the way to Hormah.
• 1 Samuel 30:30to those in Hormah, Bor-ashan, and Athach;

Commentaries on Numbers 21:3

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 3The Lord hearkened to the voice of Israel - The whole of this verse appears to me to have been added after the days of Joshua. It is certain the Canaanites were not utterly destroyed at the time here spoken of, for this did not take place till after the death of Moses. If, instead of utterly destroyed them, ויחרם vaiyacharem, we translate they devoted them to utter destruction, it will make a good sense, and not repugnant to the Hebrew; though some think…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 3He called the name of the place - Render it as: “the name of the place was called.” The transitive verb here is, by a common Hebrew idiom, equivalent to an impersonal one. Hormah - i. e. “Ban.” See Numbers 14:45 and note. In Judges 1:17, we read that the men of Judah and Simeon “slew the Canaanites that inhabited Zephath, and utterly destroyed it;” and further, that “the name of the city was called Hormah.” But it does not follow that the name “Hormah”…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 2-3devote … to destruction: This phrase translates the Hebrew word kharam. This word means to devote something fully to God by destroying it. Israel was told to completely destroy their enemies and their property in certain cases (see Leviticus 27:28–29; Deuteronomy 7:2; 20:17; Joshua 6–7; 10:1–11:23). This battle also includes wordplay between kharam and Hormah (Hebrew khormah, Numbers 21:3). The similar sounds connect the action of destroying with the name…Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2-32-3. Israel vowed a vow unto the Lord--Made to feel their own weakness, they implored the aid of Heaven, and, in anticipation of it, devoted the cities of this king to future destruction. The nature and consequence of such anathemas are described (Le 27:1-34; De 13:1-18). This vow of extermination against Arad [Nu 21:2] gave name to the place Hormah (slaughter and destruction) though it was not accomplished till after the passage of the Jordan. Others…Read the comment

Topics related to Numbers 21:3

• Canaanites
• Hormah
• Israel

In the dictionaries

• Israel
• Israel, Israelites
• Jacob, Israel
• Anathema
• Behold
• Canaanites
• Exodus
• Hormah
• Spy
• Wars of the Lord, The Book of the

Commentaries on Numbers 21

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings