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.

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Word by word — the Hebrew

Word	Hebrew	Strong’s	Meaning
journeyed	וַיִּסְע֞וּ vai.yis.'U	H5265	properly · conjunction + verb, qal sequential imperfect, 3rd person masculine plural
mount	הָהָר֙ ha.Har	H2022	a mountain or range of hills (sometimes used figurative… · definite article + noun, common masculine singular absolute
Hor	מֵהֹ֤ר me.Hor	H2023	Hor · preposition + proper noun, a place name
way	דֶּ֣רֶךְ De.rekh	H1870	a road (as trodden) · noun, common both genders singular construct
Red	ס֔וּף Suf	H5488	a reed · noun, masculine singular absolute
sea	יַם yam-	H3220	a sea (as breaking in noisy surf) or large body of water · noun, common masculine singular construct
compass	לִסְבֹ֖ב lis.Vo	H5437	to revolve · preposition + verb, qal infinitive construct
land	אֶ֣רֶץ 'E.retz	H776	the earth (at large · noun, common feminine singular construct
Edom	אֱד֑וֹם 'e.Dom	H123	Edom · proper noun, a man's name
soul	נֶֽפֶשׁ ne.fesh-	H5315	properly · noun, common feminine singular construct
people	הָעָ֖ם ha.'Am	H5971	a people (as a congregated unit) · definite article + noun, common masculine singular absolute
discouraged	וַתִּקְצַ֥ר va.tik.Tzar	H7114	to dock off · conjunction + verb, qal sequential imperfect, 3rd person feminine singular
way	בַּדָּֽרֶךְ ba.Da.rekh	H1870	a road (as trodden) · preposition with the article + noun, common both genders singular absolute

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance (James Strong, 1890/1894), public domain; digitized by Open Scriptures (CC BY-SA). KJV word tagging: eBible.org (public domain). Original-language text, parsing and brief lexicon: STEPBible.org data from Tyndale House, Cambridge (CC BY 4.0).

Cross-references

Exodus 6:9 And Moses spake so unto the children of Israel: but they hearkened not unto Moses for anguish of spirit, and for cruel bondage.
Judges 11:18 Then they went along through the wilderness, and compassed the land of Edom, and the land of Moab, and came by the east side of the land of…
Numbers 32:7 And wherefore discourage ye the heart of the children of Israel from going over into the land which the LORD hath given them?
Acts 14:22 Confirming the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that we must through much tribulation enter into the…
Numbers 32:9 For when they went up unto the valley of Eshcol, and saw the land, they discouraged the heart of the children of Israel, that they should no…
Numbers 33:41 And they departed from mount Hor, and pitched in Zalmonah.
1 Thessalonians 3:3-4 That no man should be moved by these afflictions: for yourselves know that we are appointed thereunto.
Numbers 14:25 (Now the Amalekites and the Canaanites dwelt in the valley.) To morrow turn you, and get you into the wilderness by the way of the Red sea.

Cross-references from OpenBible.info (CC BY), in the lineage of the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (public domain).

Commentary

Matthew Henry on 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 uneasy. II. Their unbelief and murmuring upon this occasion, Num 21:5. Though they had just now obtained a glorious victory over the Canaanites, and were going on conquering and to conquer, yet they speak very…

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Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Numbers 21:4

they journeyed from mount Hor--On being refused the passage requested, they returned through the Arabah, "the way of the Red Sea," to Elath, at the head of the eastern gulf of the Red Sea, and thence passed up through the mountains to the eastern desert, so as to make the circuit of the land of Edom (Num 33:41-42). the soul of the people was much discouraged because of the way--Disappointment on finding themselves so near the confines of the promised land without entering it; vexation at the refusal of a passage through Edom and the absence of any divine interposition in their favor; and above all, the necessity of a retrograde journey by a long and circuitous route through the worst parts…

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John Gill on 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 of the way; it was a round about way they were going; when, could they have been admitted to have passed through the country of Edom, the way would have been short; or had they pursued their victory over the Cana…

Dictionary and topics

Brass — Which is an alloy of copper and zinc, was not known till the thirteenth century. What is designated by this word in Scripture is properly copper (Deut. 8:9). It was used for fetters (Judg. 16:21; 2…
Hor — Mountain. (1.) One of the mountains of the chain of Seir or Edom, on the confines of Idumea (Num. 20:22-29; 33:37). It was one of the stations of the Israelites in the wilderness (33:37), which they…
Serpent — (Heb. nahash; Gr. ophis), frequently noticed in Scripture. More than forty species are found in Syria and Arabia. The poisonous character of the serpent is alluded to in Jacob’s blessing on Dan (Gen.…
Desert, Journey Of Israel Through The · Murmuring of the people — Murmuring of the people
Hor · The mountain upon which Aaron died — The mountain upon which Aaron died
Red Sea · Israelites — Israelites
Salvation · .Typified by the bronze serpent — .Typified by the bronze serpent

Dictionary: Easton's (1897) and Smith's (1863), public domain. Topics: Nave's Topical Bible (1896) and Torrey's Topical Textbook (1897), public domain. Both as parsed by NEUU (CC BY 4.0).

Numbers 21:4

Word by word — the Hebrew

Cross-references

Commentary

Matthew Henry on Numbers 21:4-9

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Numbers 21:4

John Gill on Numbers 21:4

Dictionary and topics

Numbers 21:4

Word by word — the Hebrew

Cross-references

Commentary

Matthew Henry on Numbers 21:4-9

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Numbers 21:4

John Gill on Numbers 21:4

Dictionary and topics

John Calvin on Numbers 21:4-20

Keil & Delitzsch on Numbers 21:4-9

Tyndale Open Study Notes on Numbers 21:4-9

Rashi on Numbers 21:4