King Arad lived in the south of Palestine, and he heard that the Israelites were coming north by the way that the twelve spies came into their land. Remember that is was the people of Israel themselves that wanted to go in and spy out the land; not God. So Arad of the Canaanites fought against the army of Israel, and took some prisoners.

Numbers 21:2 "And Israel vowed a vow unto the Lord, and said, I Thou wilt indeed deliver this people into my hand, then I will utterly destroy their cities."

After they were beaten back by king Arad and his army, the Israelites went to the Lord and made a vow to Him. They told the Lord that if you give us the victory over these Canaanites, then we will utterly destroy their cities. In the phrase "vowed a vow" is the same commitment that Jacob made to God in Genesis 28:20 the night that he had the dream of the ladder, with angels ascending and descending into heaven.

Numbers 21:3 "And the Lord hearkened to the voice of Israel, and delivered up the Canaanites: and they utterly destroyed them and their cities: and he called the name of the place Hormah."

YHVH listened to the cries of the Israelites, and God gave them the victory over king Arad and the Canaanites. In responce to the vow given to God, the Israelites completely destroyed the people and their cities. In the Hebrew Text, the word "Hormah" means "utterly destroyed". The Lord gave the permission to destroy these people, and as promised they did. It is important that we keep our vows to the Lord, but those vows must be according to the will of the Lord. When you go into battle, make sure the Lord is on your side, and the victory will be yours.

Numbers 21:4 "And they journeyed from mount Hor by the way of the red sea, to compass the land of Edom: and the soul of the People was much discouraged because of the way."

When the children of Israel were stopped at the border of Edom, and the king of Edom would not allow them to pass through the land of Edom, They went to mount Hor by the way of the Red Sea, to completely go around the land of Edom. This was a long and hard journey and the people didn't like the extra work that this journey cost them. Remember that the Israelites did not ask God for instruction, they just sent messengers to bargain with the king of Edom, and their offers and efforts were not accepted. The Israelites promised that they would not steal any water, crush their corps, and or cause any problems for them.

Remember what God said in Deuteronomy 2:4-6; "And command thou the People, saying, `Ye are to pass through the coast of your brethren the children of Esau, which dwell in Seir; and they shall be afraid of you: take ye good heed unto yourselves therefore:" [4] "Meddle not with them; for I will not give you of their land, no, not so much as a foot breadth; because I have given mount Seir unto Esau for a possession." [5] "Ye shall buy meat of them for money, that ye may eat; and ye shall also buy water of them for money, that ye may drink.' " [[6]

Just because they were brethren through their lineage, does not mean that they were of the same religious belief. Edom, like Ammon and Moab, also distant cousins to the Israelites were greatly involved in Baal worship, and other religious forms that God did not allow Israel to consider. So because of not causing a conflict, the children of Israel are skirting around Edom, but the Israelites didn't like going out of their way through the sands of the desert for this king of Edom.

Numbers 21:5 "And the People spake against God, and against Moses, "Wherefore have ye brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? for there is no bread, neither is there any water; and our soul loatheth the light bread."

These people just never will learn, for they are speaking out against God and Moses again. The first time they complained of no bread, God gave them this "light bread", which is the manna that feeds them and their families daily. The manna is symbolic of His Word, and it will sustain us daily; but this manna was still not good enough for the children of Israel. Any time you complain about what the Lord has given you, He doesn't like it. These people knew why their mothers and fathers had died along the trail in the wilderness, for Moses told them that God granted their wish that came right out of their mouth, after the refuse to enter into the promise land, yet here the next generation are doing the same thing.

Numbers 21:6 "And the Lord sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the People; and much people of Israel died."

These "fiery serpents" in the Hebrew text is "Nacheshim Saraphim"; for these fiery serpents gave a "burning sensation", "Saraph Nachash". We read in Isaiah 6:2 where the "Seraphim" are mentioned, they are the angles that come, and they are called the "burning ones, or shining ones". So while this is talking about snakes on the ground that bite people, but there is also a lesson for us also. Just like the Lord sent these serpents into the desert to bite the Israelites for their speaking out against God plan and Moses their leader: the other snakes and scorpions will come in the end times, and God will also allow them to have their way with those that are not sealed with the Word of God.

Numbers 21:7 "Therefore the People came to Moses, and said, "We have sinned, for we have spoken against the Lord, and against thee; pray unto the Lord, that He take away the serpents from us." And Moses prayed for the People."

The children of Israel are starting to catch on, but it took many to die, and a lot of snake bites to realize that God was not happy with them. They came to Moses in repentance, and to ask him to speak to the Lord that He take the serpents from them. Moses went to the Lord with this problem and asked the Lord for protection from these serpents. Moses went to God as the intercessor for the children of Israel. This is an example of our intercessor, the Lord Jesus Christ.

Numbers 21:8 "And the Lord said unto Moses, "Make thee a fiery serpent, and set it upon a pole: and it shall come to pass, that every one that is bitten, when he looketh upon it, shall live." 

God's instruction to Moses was to make a image of a fiery serpent out of brass, and put that brass serpent up on a pole. Then when ever anyone in the camp is bitten by a serpent, when he or she looketh at that brass serpent, he shall be healed, and live.

This should draw our attention immediately to John 3 where Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews came to Jesus by night, and told Jesus that he knew that Jesus was a teacher sent from God. Jesus responded to Nicodemus by saying in John 3:3; "Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God." Nicodemus responded to Jesus by asking him; "How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born?"

Nicodemus just did not understand that Jesus was talking of the spiritual side of man. Nicodemus was an old man, and he knew that it was physical impossible for any human being to be reborn from it's mother's womb.

John 3:5-7 "Jesus answered, "Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God." [5] "That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit." [6] "Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again." [7]

"Verily, verily", "Truly, truly", Jesus is telling Nicodemus that there must be two births necessary; The birth of water and the birth of the spirit. Many people teach today that the birth of water means to be baptized, but this is not what is being talked about here. Every child on this earth that enters this earth age of flesh man, enters in a bag of water, in fact the normal birth is announced by the breaking of the waters within the birthing bag. To be born from above is to born of the womb of your mother. You have to understand the reason for this earth age of flesh and blood man, before it might make sense to you. In Strong's Greek dictionary, "again" is #509; "anothen; from above."

Jesus is telling Nicodumus that unless a person is born from above, that soul will lost for all eternity. Salvation is for all souls that enter this earth age of flesh man through the birthing process, and that means that all races of mankind have the same opportunity to be born from above and have life eternal. So who doesn't have that right of eternal salvation? Those fallen angels that did not enter this earth age by the birthing process. Genesis 6 tells of the sons of God [angels] that left their habitation in the heavenlies, and saw the daughters of man, and came down and married them. There was a second influx of these angels after the flood of Noah's day, when Satan's angels tried to mess over the lineage of the coming Messiah, and as the children of Israel moved into the promise land, they were killed and became extinct.

However there will be a third influx of fallen angels coming, and that will be in our generation, as recorded in Revelation 12:9 "And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him." We will see these angels in person at the sixth trump, at the coming of Satan, and Jesus was talking about each of these souls. They will look just like you and I, but they were not born of the water, through the birthing process, and there is no hope of salvation for them. These Fallen angels are coming to earth to fulfill the final five months of God plan for this earth age. Then comes the seventh trump, when flesh and blood man will be changed instantly into their incorruptible body, as we enter into Jesus Christ's Millennium kingdom right here on earth.

Jesus questioned Nicodemus, "Art thou a master of Israel, and knowest not these things?" Nicodemus sat on the highest council in Jerusalem, and know nothing of the spiritual things that Jesus was talking about here. Jesus said, "We speak that we do know, and testify that we have seen; and ye receive not our witness. If I have told you earthly things, and ye believe not, how shall ye believe, if I tell you of heavenly things?" Nicodemus wanted Jesus to tell him of the heavenly things, but the earthly things that Jesus spoke, Nicodemus just couldn't understand.

We see it today in the attitudes even in the Christian community. The soul of each person entered into its embryo at conception, but because man thinks he can change the definition of wording within the bible, and place that embryo at the coming out of the water bag, he can kill all the infants, all the souls he wants. That frees his mind from convicting himself as the murderer he or she is, in killing that birth. Remember however that the real trial for murder is in heaven, and the throne of God.

John 3:13 "And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but He That came down from heaven, even the Son of man Which is in heaven."

Here then is the second witness to those things given, as to how you must be born from above. There is no way that you can make baptism out of this verse. It sums up the whole matter of being born from above.

No man, no one goes to heaven, but that he first was born from above; born through the womb. That soul must first be born of woman, where the soul entered at conception, and when the flesh body dies, it is returned to the Father at once. There is not a living being on this earth in their flesh body, that did not come down from the Father first, and at death shall return to the Father. That is fact and just plain common sense.

This doesn't men that they are all going to have eternal life, but heaven is where the Father is, and that is where the true judgment takes place. But what is meant here is in reference to obtaining salvation for their soul, or called "eternal life". All souls return to the Father, and many of those that do return will be condemned to destruction. This judgment come after the Millennium age, and after the great white throne judgment. Sure flesh bodies have died, but there has been no soul destroyed to this date, that has passed on after death. Jesus is now going to use this verse in Numbers 21:9, and what happened to the children of Israel in the wilderness to explain His point.

Numbers 21:9 "And Moses made a serpent of brass, and put it upon a pole , and it came to pass, that if a serpent had bitten any man, when he beheld the serpent of brass, he lived."

John 3:14 "And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up:"

Remember that God sent the serpents after the grumbling and complaining started by the children of Israel. People were dying and getting sick, and there must be a way that the people could be saved. Did the serpent on the pole save the person from dying? Of course not! What Jesus was saying in John 3:14 was that it was the belief that they had, and their faith in their following the instructions that God gave them, that saved their lives. Jesus was telling Nicodemus that if you believe in Jesus Christ, and His death on the cross, just as those Israelites looked to the pole with the serpent hanging on it, and their lives were saved; so to will your soul be saved. Jesus was very much alive here, but Nicododemus knew of the death of the Messiah that was well known to the Jews. He knew the prophecies of the Prophets, and of the coming Messiah. He knew of David's writings in Psalms 22 of each of the details of Christ's death on the cross.

John 3 15 "That whosoever Believeth in Him should not perish, but have eternal life."

To perish means that your soul is turned to ashes, as recorded in Revelation 20:14, 15. The death of these flesh bodies is the first death, but the death of the soul is the second death, "turned to ashes". This was a promise from God to you individually. Just was those dear souls out there in the wilderness gazed up on that brass serpent, their faith was in God, not that serpent. Today we look to the cross and the One that hung there, to Jesus Christ, and our faith in His work on the cross so "that we should not perish, but have eternal life."

John 3:16 "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish but have everlasting life."

That's true love, my friend; That the creator of all things, including your soul and that flesh body it is housed in, should love each of his created beings so much that he would allow Himself to be born just as you and I, life the perfect and unblemished life, then place Himself to be the perfect, spotless, unblemished sacrifice. So that we each of us look to that cross of Christ, and have the faith, we can come to Him through repentance in Jesus name; and His blood will wash away our sins. These flesh bodies are very temporary, and our flesh body is the image of what our soul is. God is offering everlasting life to you personally when you look to the cross.

"Everlasting" in the Greek Dictionary is #166; "Aion, perpetual, of past time, Present time, and future; from beginning to end without an ending." When your soul steps out of this flesh body, you step right into your incorruptible body as the angels have. And when you are saved, when judgment day come, that soul continues right into the eternity with our Lord Jesus Christ, YHVH, and His comforting Spirit.

John 3:17 "For God sent not His Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through Him might be saved."

At the first advent or coming of Christ, Jesus did not come into this world age of flesh man to condemn the world, but though Jesus Christ, those that would believe might be saved. Now Jesus tells us the only way to be saved.

John 3:18 "He that believeth on Him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God."

Salvation is given for those that believe on Jesus Christ only. There are not many ways, or even an alternate way to salvation for your soul. There is only one way, and that way is to "believe in the only begotten Son of God", Jesus the Christ. All God wants from you is your love and faith in Him; and to believe and have trust in Him.

With the serpent problem over, it is time for the Israelites to pull the tent pegs and move on. The children of Israel are now focused on following the instruction that God gave them, and their minds are back on God providing for their needs.

Numbers 21:10 "And the children of Israel set forward, and pitched in Oboth."

"Oboth" means "water skins" in the Hebrew. The movement is now underway to reach the point across the Jordan river from Jericho, and the entering into the promise land. So from here on in, the people have turned their trust and minds back to God, and their enemies will start to fall before them.

Numbers 21:11 "And they journeyed from Oboth, and pitched at Ije-abarim, in the wilderness which is before Moab, toward the sunrising,"

"Ije-abarim" is on the eastern border of Moab, right on the south end of the dead sea. Moab was the son of Lot, the nephew of Abraham, so these Moabites were adamic peoples. We read in Deuteronomy 2:9 God told the Israelites to leave the Moabites alone. "And the Lord said unto me, "Distress not the Moabites, neither contend with them in battle: for I will not give thee of their land for a possession; because I have given Ar unto the children of Lot for a possession." "

Numbers 21:12 "From thence they removed, and pitched in the valley of Zared."

"Zared" is a brook on the south east side of the dead sea.

Numbers 21:13 "From thence they removed, and pitched on the other side of Arnon, which is in the wilderness that cometh out of the coasts of the Amorites: for Arnon is the order of Moab, between Moab and the Amorites."

From the encampment of Zared, when the cloud lifted from off the tabernacle, they moved and crossed over the river Arnon and camped on the border of the Amorites. The river Arnon is the border between the Amorites and the Moabites. Of all the nations of the Canaanites, the Amorites were the strongest and largest nation. God's instructions were not to make war with Moab or Edom, but what about the Amorites? Even though the Israelites will camp on the land that was of the Moabites, the Amorites had taken the land from them. The point here was that God said don't fight in Moab, but this land of the Moabites is now in the possession of the Amorties.

Numbers 21:14 "Wherefore it is said in the book of the wars of the Lord, "What He did in the Red sea, And in the brooks of Arnon,"

There is a lot of controversy and confusion over what this "book of the wars of the Lord" is, but it was a record of collected materials of the battles that took place. Even in Moses time, it recorded the victories that Jehovah gave Israel. In the Hebrew text, "the brooks of Arnon" means "the outpouring of the torrents". So the point here is that these wars are the one that YHVH was involved with and led the people to victory.

"What He did" is "Eth-Vaheb Suphah", and it means that this city was an Amoritish stronghold, and it means that What God takes, He takes "in outpourings of torrents." God gave them the victory over the Amorites, and Israel is taking the land of the Amorites.

Numbers 21:15 "And at the stream of the brooks that goeth down to the dwelling of Ar, And lieth upon the border of Moab." "

"Ar" is the same as the "Ar of Moab" that we will read of later in this chapter. Earlier, Ar was one of the main cities of Moab.

Numbers 21:16 "And from thence they went to Beer: that is the well whereof the Lord spake unto Moses, "Gather the People together, and I will give them water." 

"Beer" is where the water wells were.

Numbers 21:17 "Then Israel sang this song,

This was a song commemorating the divine gift of grace in the water. However there will be a difference as to how they get the water this time.

Numbers 21:18 " "The princes digged the well,

This time the water didn't just flow from the rock, but it took men to dig the well, to get to the water. The Nobles of the tribes dug the well by the direction of the Lord, the Lawgiver.

Numbers 21:19 "And from Mattanah to Nahaliel: and from Nahaliel to Bamouth:"

Bamoth-Baal was one of the high places and center for Baal worship. Israel is moving now directly to the promise land, and this is one of the stops along the way.

Numbers 21:20 And from Bamoth in the valley, that is in the country of Moab, to the top of Pisgah, which looketh toward Jeshimon."

Bamoth-Baal was in the valley, and Pisgah was the mount or high place where Moses will look over the promise land before God takes him, and he dies.

Numbers 21:21 "And Israel sent messengers unto Sihon king of the Amorites, saying,"

The Israelites are going to offer king Sihon of the Amorites the same deal that they offered the Edomites. They wanted to pass through the land, and they would not destroy or take nothing from the people or the land.

Numbers 21:22 " "Let me [Israel] pass through thy land: we will not turn into the fields, or into the vineyards; we will not drink of the water so the well: but we will go along by the king's highway, until we be past thy borders." "

The only difference between Edom and the Amorites, is that God did not permit Israel to war with Edom. The Amorites were not the kin to the Israelites.

Numbers 21:23 "And Sihon would not suffer Israel to pass through his border: but Sihon gathered all his people together, and went out against Israel into the wilderness: and he came to Jahaz, and fought against Israel."

Now it's time for war, God did not prohibit Israel from fighting with the Amorites, and notice that it is Sihon that gathered his people and came against the children of Israel in the wilderness. Israel is being attacked and must defend herself. Unlike the Edomites and the Moabites, this is not a family conflict.

Numbers 21:24 "And Israel smote him with the edge of the sword, and possessed his land from Arnon unto Jabbok, even unto the children of Ammon: for the border of the children of Ammon was strong."

Israel smote the Amorites without quarter [by the edge of the sword], and took the land from the river Arnon all the way to Jabbok. Even unto the children of Ammon. The Israelites went all the way through to the border of Ammon that was very strongly fortified, and completely destroyed the Amorites. The reason that these Amorites had not gone against Ammon was that Ammon completely protected herself and defended her borders. Ammon was the brother to Moab, the son of Lord, and it was not the intent to take Ammon. Remember that the land of Ammon was given by God to Lord for a possession of his inheritance.

Numbers 21:25 "And Israel took all these cities: and Israel dwelt in all the cities of the Amorites, in Heshbon, and in all the villages thereof."

Israel did not enter into Ammon, but these cities are the one that were in contol of the Amorites. The Amorites are the ones that were slaying, and given no mercy. Israel took complete control of all the cities, including the small cities and town out in the countryside. Remember that this land of the Amorites will be given in time to the tribes of Reuben and Gad, and half the tribe of Manasseh for their inheritance.

Numbers 21:26 "For Heshbon was the city of Sihon the king of the Amorites, who had fought against the former king of Moab, and taken all his land out of his hand, even unto Arnon."

Sihon had taken the land from Moab all the way to the river Arnon, and now it is in complete control of the children of Israel. No this land of the Amorites was on the eastern side of the Jordan river, but in that Israelites had taken the land, they would settle in it for their own protection in latter days.

Numbers 21:27 "Wherefore they that speak in proverbs say,

In this proverb, the Israelites are saying to the Amorites, "Come on back to Heshbon, and let the city of Sihon be rebuilt." It is a challenge to the Amorites to come and take the city back if you can.

This is referring to the fire of the Amorites, that went into the land of Moab to take a lot of the land of Moab. The strength that overcame their brethren Moab, is burnt out completely. From Heshbon to the River city Ar of Moab, the Amorites are gone, mostly killed or fled out of their lands. All of those high places of Baal had been conquered all the way to the river Arnon. Ar was not a Moab city at the time of this war, but a Amorite city, and it was destroyed, and the inhabitants killed.

"Chemosh" was the national diety of both the Moabites and the Ammonites and their high places or places of worship were in the land that the Amorites had taken from them. These are the places that were tore down and undone when the children of Israel took over all the land of the Amorites. Chemosh was also know as Baal worship, and Molech which made the sacrifice of their children to their god Chemosh, by passing them through fire.

So what this song is saying, is that your god couldn't same you from the Amorites, and we conquered the Amorites.

Numbers 21:30

So across the entire land of Heshbon, all the people are perished. Dibon is the town in the south east of their land, and Nophah is a north east city of the Amorites. This town of Medaba is about two hours south east of Heshbon. This first attack pretty much destroyed all the people and the infrastructure that existed in the land of the Moabites.

Numbers 21:31 "Thus Israel dwelt in the land of the Amorites."

Israel encamped there and claimed it for their possession.

Numbers 21:32 "And Moses sent to spy our Jaazer, and they took the villages thereof, and drove out the Amorites that were there."

Jaazer, was one of the few places that were not included in the war with the Amorites, but these people were also Amorites. When the war was going on, many escaped to Jaazer, and there was no peace for them there, for the Israelites were on their way even to Jaazer. This spy included a large part of the army, for the destruction continued there. Israel is gaining the confidence to enter into the Promise Land of Canaan. They are going to come up next against giants, the very descendants of the Nephilim, the second influx of fallen angels that came after the flood of Noah's day.

Numbers 21:33 "And they turned and went up by the way of Bashan: and Og the king of Bashan went out against them, he, and all his people to the battle of Edreil."

So after all the outlining areas of the Amorites had been secured, the army returned back to Bashan, the capital city. On their way north, here came king Og and his army to fight the Israelites. This battle was called the battle of Edreil. Og was the most well know of all the giants of that day.

Deuteronomy 3:11 "(For only Og king of Bashan remained of the remnant of giants; behold, his bedstead was a bedstead of iron; is it not in Rabbath of the children of Ammon? Nine cubits was the length thereof, and four cubits the breadth of it, after the cubit of a man.)"

This bed was 16 to 18 feet in length, and 7 to 9 feet wide. The cubit was the distance from the kings elbow to the tip of his fingers, so the distance changed with the king in charge.

Numbers 21:34 "And the Lord said unto Moses, "Fear him not: for I have delivered him into thy hand, and all his people, and his land; and thou shalt do to him as thou didst unto Sihon king of the Amorites, which dwelt at Heshbon."

God is telling Moses that the Israelites will do to Og and his people the same as they did to Sihon and the Amorites, they slew them without quarter, every last one of them. The Lord has just given Moses the victory, and you can count on that victory. When God is on your side, there are no giants.

Numbers 21:35 "So they smote him, and his sons, and all his people, until thee was none left him alive: and they possessed his land."

The battle went according to God's instructions, and Og and all of those giants in his land lay dead from the battle. Then the Israel went in and possessed his land. This land also became the land of the inheritance of Reuben, Gad and half the tribe of Manasseh on the east side of the Jordan.