Matthew Henry on Numbers 21:21–end
We have here an account of the victories obtained by Israel over Sihon and Og, which must be distinctly considered, not only because they are here distinctly related, but because long afterwards the memorial of them is distinctly celebrated, and they are severally assigned as instances of everlasting mercy. He slew Sihon king of the Amorites, for his mercy endureth for ever, and Og the king of Bashan, for his mercy endureth for ever, Psa 136:19, Psa 136:20.
I. Israel sent a peaceable message to Sihon king of the Amorites (Num 21:21), but received an unpeaceable return, worse than that of the Edomites to the like message, Num 20:18, Num 20:20. For the Edomites only refused them a passage, and…
Read the whole note in the consoleJamieson-Fausset-Brown on Numbers 21:29
people of Chemosh--the name of the Moabite idol (1Ki. 11:7-33; Kg2 23:13; Jer 48:46).
he--that is, their god, hath surrendered his worshippers to the victorious arms of Sihon.
John Gill on Numbers 21:29
Woe to thee, Moab! thou art undone,.... The whole country ruined, or likely to be so:
O people of Chemosh; which was the name of their idol, who is called the abomination of the Moabites, 1 Kings 11:7,
he hath given his sons that escaped; that is, the idol Chemosh had given his sons, the men of the country that worshipped him, who escaped the sword of the Amorites, these:
and his daughters, into captivity unto Sihon king of the Amorites; who took captive what he slew not, or would do so, Chemosh their god not being able to preserve them, but obliged to deliver them up: thus the composers of this song insult the god of the Moabites, as it was usual for conquerors so to do; see Isaiah 10:10…
Read the whole note in the consoleJohn Calvin on Numbers 21:25-32
Numbers 21:25
And Israel took all these cities. As if speaking of something present, he uses the demonstrative pronoun, and says, "these cities," just as if he were pointing them out to the eyes of his readers. The word which we have rendered "towns" (oppida,) [130] others translate "country-houses" (villas,) or "hamlets" (viculos.) In the Hebrew, Moses calls by the name of "daughters" all the villages and lesser towns, whose mother-city (metropolis) was Heshbon. By these words, however, Moses indicates that, by the right of war, all these places had fallen into the hands of the Israelites, as the lot of their inheritance; for, as I have lately said, God had not yet openly declared that the…
