Numbers 21:2

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, the king of Arad, who lived in the Negev, heard that Israel was coming by the way of Atharim, he fought against Israel and took some of them captive. So Israel made a vow to the Lord and said, “If You will indeed hand over this people to me, then I will utterly destroy their cities.” 3The Lord heard the voice of Israel and turned over the Canaanites; then they utterly destroyed them and their cities. And the place was named Hormah. 4Then they set out from Mount Hor by the way of the Red Sea, to go around the land of Edom; and the people became impatient because of the journey.

Numbers 21:2 word by word

וַיִּדַּ֨ר יִשְׂרָאֵ֥ל נֶ֛דֶר לַֽיהוָ֖ה וַיֹּאמַ֑ר אִם־נָתֹ֨ן תִּתֵּ֜ן אֶת־הָעָ֤ם הַזֶּה֙ בְּיָדִ֔י וְהַֽחֲרַמְתִּ֖י אֶת־עָרֵיהֶֽם׃Read the interlinear

• Israelיִשְׂרָאֵלyiώrâ'êl · IsraelH3478
• madeנָדַרnâdar · to vowH5087
• a vowנֶ֫דֶרneder nêder · vowH5088
• to the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
• and saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• Ifאִם'im · ifH518
• You will indeedנָתַןnâthan · to give: giveH5414
• handיָדyâd · hand: powerH3027
• thisזֶהzeh · thisH2088
• peopleעַם‛am · peopleH5971
• utterlyחָרַםchâram · to devote/destroyH2763
• destroyחָרַםchâram · to devote/destroyH2763
• their citiesעִיר‛îyr ‛âr ‛âyar · cityH5892

Cross-references for Numbers 21:2

• Genesis 28:20Jacob also made a vow, saying, “If God will be with me and will keep me on this journey that I take, and give me food to eat and garments to wear,
• Judges 11:30And Jephthah made a vow to the Lord and said, “If You will indeed hand over to me the sons of Ammon,
• 1 Samuel 1:11And she made a vow and said, “Lord of armies, if You will indeed look on the affliction of Your bond-servant and remember me, and not forget Your bond-servant, but will give Your bond-servant a son, then I will give him to the Lord all the days of his life, and a razor shall never come on his head.”
• 2 Samuel 15:7Now it came about at the end of four years that Absalom said to the king, “Please let me go and pay my vow which I have made to the Lord, in Hebron.
• Psalms 56:12Your vows are binding upon me, God; I will render thanksgiving offerings to You.
• Psalms 116:18I will pay my vows to the Lord, May it be in the presence of all His people,
• Psalms 132:2How he swore to the Lord And vowed to the Mighty One of Jacob,
• Leviticus 27:28‘Nevertheless, anything which someone sets apart to the Lord for destruction out of all that he has, of man or animal or of the field of his own property, shall not be sold nor redeemed. Anything set apart for destruction is most holy to the Lord.
• Deuteronomy 13:15you shall most certainly strike the inhabitants of that city with the edge of the sword. Utterly destroy it and all who are in it and its cattle, with the edge of the sword.
• Joshua 6:17But the city shall be designated for destruction, it and everything that is in it belongs to the Lord; only Rahab the prostitute and all who are with her in the house shall live, because she hid the messengers whom we sent.
• 1 Corinthians 16:22If anyone does not love the Lord, he is to be accursed. Maranatha!

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

• Canaanites
• Hormah
• Israel

In the dictionaries

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

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