Christian Standard Bible
Numbers 21:2
2Then Israel made a vow to the Lord, “If you will hand this people over to us, we will completely destroy their cities.”
Numbers 21:2 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)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.
- New International Version (NIV)Then Israel made this vow to the Lord: “If you will deliver these people into our hands, we will totally destroy their cities.”
- English Standard Version (ESV)And Israel vowed a vow to the Lord and said, "If you will indeed give this people into my hand, then I will devote their cities to destruction."
- New King James Version (NKJV)So Israel made a vow to the Lord, and said, “If You will indeed deliver this people into my hand, then I will utterly destroy their cities.”
Context of Numbers 21:2
1When the Canaanite king of Arad, who lived in the Negev, heard that Israel was coming on the Atharim road, he fought against Israel and captured some prisoners. Then Israel made a vow to the Lord, “If you will hand this people over to us, we will completely destroy their cities.” 3The Lord listened to Israel’s request and handed the Canaanites over to them, and Israel completely destroyed them and their cities. So they named the place Hormah. 4Then they set out from Mount Hor by way of the Red Sea to bypass the land of Edom, but the people became impatient because of the journey.
Read all of Numbers 21Numbers 21:2 word by word
וַיִּדַּ֨ר יִשְׂרָאֵ֥ל נֶ֛דֶר לַֽיהוָ֖ה וַיֹּאמַ֑ר אִם־נָתֹ֨ן תִּתֵּ֜ן אֶת־הָעָ֤ם הַזֶּה֙ בְּיָדִ֔י וְהַֽחֲרַמְתִּ֖י אֶת־עָרֵיהֶֽם׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- And Israelיִשְׂרָאֵלyiώrâ'êl · IsraelH3478
- vowedנָדַרnâdar · to vowH5087
- a vowנֶ֫דֶרneder nêder · vowH5088
- unto the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
- and saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- If thou wilt indeedנָתַןnâthan · to give: giveH5414
- this peopleעַם‛am · peopleH5971
- into my handיָדyâd · hand: powerH3027
- then I will utterly destroyחָרַםchâram · to devote/destroyH2763
- their citiesעִיר‛îyr ‛âr ‛âyar · cityH5892
Cross-references for Numbers 21:2
- Genesis 28:20Then Jacob made a vow: “If God will be with me and watch over me during this journey I’m making, if he provides me with food to eat and clothing to wear,
- Judges 11:30Jephthah made this vow to the Lord: “If you in fact hand over the Ammonites to me,
- 1 Samuel 1:11Making a vow, she pleaded, “Lord of Armies, if you will take notice of your servant’s affliction, remember and not forget me, and give your servant a son, I will give him to the Lord all the days of his life, and his hair will never be cut.”
- 2 Samuel 15:7When four years had passed, Absalom said to the king, “Please let me go to Hebron to fulfill a vow I made to the Lord.
- Psalms 56:12I am obligated by vows to you, God; I will make my thanksgiving sacrifices to you.
- Psalms 116:18I will fulfill my vows to the Lord in the presence of all his people,
- Psalms 132:2and how he swore an oath to the Lord, making a vow to the Mighty One of Jacob:
- Leviticus 27:28“Nothing that a man permanently sets apart to the Lord from all he owns, whether a person, an animal, or his inherited landholding, can be sold or redeemed; everything set apart is especially holy to the Lord.
- Deuteronomy 13:15you must strike down the inhabitants of that city with the sword. Completely destroy everyone in it as well as its livestock with the sword.
- Joshua 6:17But the city and everything in it are set apart to the Lord for destruction. Only Rahab the prostitute and everyone with her in the house will live, because she hid the messengers we sent.
- 1 Corinthians 16:22If anyone does not love the Lord, a curse be on him. Our Lord, come!
Commentaries on Numbers 21:2
- 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 21:2
In the dictionaries
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
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