Numbers 21:4-6

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Numbers 21:4-9

Here is, I. The fatigue of Israel by a long march round the land of Edom, because they could not obtain passage through it the nearest way: The soul of the people was much discouraged because of the way, Num. 21:4. Perhaps the way was rough and uneven, or foul and dirty; or it fretted them to go far about, and that they were not permitted to force their passage through the Edomites? country. Those that are of a fretful discontented spirit will always find something or other to make them... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Numbers 21:4

And they journeyed from Mount Hor ,.... After the battle with the king of Arad, and the defeat of him: by the way of the Red sea, to compass the land of Edom ; which lay by it, and from whence it had the name of the Red sea, Edom signifying red; and by the way of that the Israelites must needs go, to go round that country: and the soul of the people was much discouraged because of the way ; because it was going back instead of going forward to Canaan's land, and because of the length... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Numbers 21:5

And the people spake against God ,.... Who went before them in the pillar of cloud and fire, for leading them in such a way; that is, against Christ, as the apostle has taught us to interpret it, 1 Corinthians 10:9 , and is no inconsiderable proof of the deity of Christ; and so the Targum of Jonathan paraphrases it,"and the people thought in their heart, and spake against the Word of the Lord,'the essential Word and Son of God: and against Moses ; his servant, for obeying the orders of... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Numbers 21:6

And the Lord sent fiery serpents among the people ,.... Of which there were great numbers in the deserts of Arabia, and about the Red sea; but hitherto the Israelites were protected from them by the cloud about them, but sinning, the Lord suffered them to come among them, to punish them; these are called fiery, either from their colour, for in Arabia, as there were serpents of a golden colour, as Aelianus F18 De Animal. l. 10. c. 13. relates, to which the brazen serpent, after made,... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Numbers 21:5

This light bread - הקלקל hakkelokel , a word of excessive scorn; as if they had said, This innutritive, unsubstantial, cheat - stomach stuff. read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Numbers 21:6

Fiery serpents - השרפים הנחשים hannechashim hasseraphim . I have observed before, on Gen. iii., that it is difficult to assign a name to the creature termed in Hebrew nachash ; it has different significations, but its meaning here and in Gen. iii. is most difficult to be ascertained. Seraphim is one of the orders of angelic beings, Isaiah 6:2 , Isaiah 6:6 ; but as it comes from the root שרף saraph , which signifies to burn, it has been translated fiery in the text. It is likely... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Numbers 21:4

Verse 4 4.And they journeyed from mount Hor. This also is narrated in their praise, that they bore the weariness of a long and circuitous march, when they were already worn down by their wanderings for forty years. Moses, therefore, tells us that, since God had forbidden them to pass the borders of Edom, they went by another way; but immediately afterwards he adds, that they basely rebelled, without being provoked to do so by any new cause. They had before been rebellious under the pressure of... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Numbers 21:5

Verse 5 5.And the people spake against God and against Moses. Either because they murmured against God in the person of Moses, or else because their impiety broke forth to such a furious extent, that they openly blasphemed against God; and this latter opinion is most in accordance with the words, because by their use of the plural number they accuse two parties together. (120) But, inasmuch as Moses had nothing separate from God, no one could enter into a contest with him without warring also... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Numbers 21:6

Verse 6 6.And the Lord sent fiery serpents. Their ingratitude was justly and profitably chastised by this punishment; for they were practically taught that it was only through God’s paternal care that they had been previously free from innumerable evils, and that He was possessed of manifold forms of punishment, whereby to take vengeance on the wicked. Although deserts are full of many poisonous animals, still it is probable that these serpents suddenly arose, and were created for this special... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Numbers 21:4

They journeyed from Mount Hor. It appears from comparison of Numbers 33:38 and Numbers 20:29 that their departure was not earlier than the beginning of the sixth month of the fortieth year. This season would be one of the hottest and most trying for marching. By the way of the Red Sea, i.e; down the Arabah, towards Ezion-geber, at the head of the Elanitic Gulf. Septuagint, ὁδὸν ἐπὶ θά . Not far from this place they would reach the end of the Edomitish territory, and turn... read more

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