New King James Version
Numbers 21:1
1The king of Arad, the Canaanite, who dwelt in the South, heard that Israel was coming on the road to Atharim. Then he fought against Israel and took some of them prisoners.
Numbers 21:1 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And when king Arad the Canaanite, which dwelt in the south, heard tell that Israel came by the way of the spies; then he fought against Israel, and took some of them prisoners.
- New International Version (NIV)When the Canaanite king of Arad, who lived in the Negev, heard that Israel was coming along the road to Atharim, he attacked the Israelites and captured some of them.
- English Standard Version (ESV)When the Canaanite, the king of Arad, who lived in the Negeb, heard that Israel was coming by the way of Atharim, he fought against Israel, and took some of them captive.
- New Living Translation (NLT)The Canaanite king of Arad, who lived in the Negev, heard that the Israelites were approaching on the road through Atharim. So he attacked the Israelites and took some of them as prisoners.
Context of Numbers 21:1
The king of Arad, the Canaanite, who dwelt in the South, heard that Israel was coming on the road to Atharim. Then he fought against Israel and took some of them prisoners. 2So 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.” 3And 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.
Read all of Numbers 21Numbers 21:1 word by word
וַיִּשְׁמַ֞ע הַכְּנַעֲנִ֤י מֶֽלֶךְ־עֲרָד֙ יֹשֵׁ֣ב הַנֶּ֔גֶב כִּ֚י בָּ֣א יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל דֶּ֖רֶךְ הָאֲתָרִ֑ים וַיִּלָּ֙חֶם֙ בְּיִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל וַיִּ֥שְׁבְּ׀ מִמֶּ֖נּוּ שֶֽׁבִי׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- kingמֶ֫לֶךְmelek · kingH4428
- Aradעֲרָד‛ărâd · AradH6166
- the Canaaniteכְּנַעֲנִיkena‛anîy · CanaaniteH3669
- which dweltיָשַׁבyâshab · to dwellH3427
- in the southנֶ֫גֶבnegeb · NegebH5045
- heardשָׁמַעshâma‛ · to hear: hearH8085
- tell that Israelיִשְׂרָאֵלyiώrâ'êl · IsraelH3478
- cameבּוֹאbô' · to come (in): comeH935
- by the wayדֶּ֫רֶךְderek · way: roadH1870
- of the spiesאֲתָרִים'ăthârîym · AtharimH871
- then he foughtלָחַםlâcham · to fightH3898
- and tookשָׁבָהshâbâh · to take captiveH7617
- of them prisonersשְׁבִיshebîy · captivityH7628
Cross-references for Numbers 21:1
- Numbers 33:40Now the king of Arad, the Canaanite, who dwelt in the South in the land of Canaan, heard of the coming of the children of Israel.
- Joshua 12:14the king of Hormah, one; the king of Arad, one;
- Judges 1:16Now the children of the Kenite, Moses’ father-in-law, went up from the City of Palms with the children of Judah into the Wilderness of Judah, which lies in the South near Arad; and they went and dwelt among the people.
- Numbers 13:21So they went up and spied out the land from the Wilderness of Zin as far as Rehob, near the entrance of Hamath.
- Numbers 14:45Then the Amalekites and the Canaanites who dwelt in that mountain came down and attacked them, and drove them back as far as Hormah.
- Deuteronomy 2:32Then Sihon and all his people came out against us to fight at Jahaz.
- Joshua 7:5And the men of Ai struck down about thirty-six men, for they chased them from before the gate as far as Shebarim, and struck them down on the descent; therefore the hearts of the people melted and became like water.
- Joshua 11:19There was not a city that made peace with the children of Israel, except the Hivites, the inhabitants of Gibeon. All the others they took in battle.
- Psalms 44:3For they did not gain possession of the land by their own sword, Nor did their own arm save them; But it was Your right hand, Your arm, and the light of Your countenance, Because You favored them.
Commentaries on Numbers 21:1
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 1The way of the spies - אתרים atharim . Some think that this signifies the way that the spies took when they went to search the land. But this is impossible, as Dr. Kennicott justly remarks, because Israel had now marched from Meribah-Kadesh to Mount Hor, beyond Ezion-Gaber, and were turning round Edom to the south-east; and therefore the word is to be understood here as the name of a place.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 1King Arad the Canaanite - Rather, “the Canaanite, the king of Arad.” Arad stood on a small hill, now called Tel-Arad, 20 miles south of Hebron. In the south - See Numbers 13:17, Numbers 13:22. By the way of the spies - i. e. through the desert of Zin, the route which the spies sent out by Moses 38 years before had adopted (compare Numbers 13:21). He fought against Israel - This attack (compare Numbers 20:1 and note), can hardly have taken place after the…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 1The Canaanites of Arad destroyed. (1-3) The people murmuring, are plagued with fiery serpents, They repenting, are healed through the brazen serpent. (4-9) Further journeys of the Israelites. (10-20) Sihon and Og overcome, Their land possessed. (21-35) Verses 1-3 Before the people began their march round 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…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1the Canaanite king of Arad: It is possible that the Canaanite king of Arad felt threatened by many enemies south of his territory (compare 14:44–45). This may explain why he attacked Israel. Arad and Hormah (21:3) were far north of Mount Hor (20:22–29; 21:4; see study note on 20:22–23). Ancient Arad is usually identified with Tell Arad. It is west of the modern Israeli town of Arad and about 80 kilometers (50 miles) north of Kadesh. Excavations at Tell…Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1-351. King Arad the Canaanite--rather, "the Canaanite king of Arad"--an ancient town on the southernmost borders of Palestine, not far from Kadesh. A hill called Tell Arad marks the spot. heard tell that Israel came by the way of the spies--in the way or manner of spies, stealthily, or from spies sent by himself to ascertain the designs and motions of the Israelites. The Septuagint and others consider the Hebrew word "spies" a proper name, and render it…Read the comment
Topics related to Numbers 21:1
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
New King James Version — © 1982 Thomas Nelson, Inc
Commentaries