Numbers 21:1

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 King James Version (NKJV)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.

Context of Numbers 21:1

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. 2Then the people of Israel made this vow to the Lord: “If you will hand these people over to us, we will completely destroy all their towns.” 3The Lord heard the Israelites’ request and gave them victory over the Canaanites. The Israelites completely destroyed them and their towns, and the place has been called Hormah ever since.

Numbers 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 33:40At that time the Canaanite king of Arad, who lived in the Negev in the land of Canaan, heard that the people of Israel were approaching his land.
• Joshua 12:14The king of Hormah The king of Arad
• Judges 1:16When the tribe of Judah left Jericho—the city of palms—the Kenites, who were descendants of Moses’ father-in-law, traveled with them into the wilderness of Judah. They settled among the people there, near the town of Arad in the Negev.
• Numbers 13:21So they went up and explored the land from the wilderness of Zin as far as Rehob, near Lebo-hamath.
• Numbers 14:45Then the Amalekites and the Canaanites who lived in those hills came down and attacked them and chased them back as far as Hormah.
• Deuteronomy 2:32“Then King Sihon declared war on us and mobilized his forces at Jahaz.
• Joshua 7:5chased the Israelites from the town gate as far as the quarries, and they killed about thirty-six who were retreating down the slope. The Israelites were paralyzed with fear at this turn of events, and their courage melted away.
• Joshua 11:19No one in this region made peace with the Israelites except the Hivites of Gibeon. All the others were defeated.
• Psalms 44:3They did not conquer the land with their swords; it was not their own strong arm that gave them victory. It was your right hand and strong arm and the blinding light from your face that helped them, for you loved 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

• Arad
• Canaanites
• Hormah
• Israel

In the dictionaries

• Canaanite
• Israel
• Cananaean; Canaanite
• Canaan, Canaanite
• Israel, Israelites
• Jacob, Israel
• Arad
• Behold
• Exodus
• Hormah

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