Numbers 21:1

When the Canaanite king of Arad, who lived in the Negev, heard that Israel was coming along the road to Atharim, he attacked Israel and captured some prisoners.

Majority Standard Bible

In The King James Version

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.

In Context

2So Israel made a vow to the LORD: “If You will deliver this people into our hands, we will devote their cities to destruction.”

Read all of Numbers 21

Cross References

Numbers 14:45Then the Amalekites and Canaanites who lived in that part of the hill country came down, attacked them, and routed them all the way to Hormah.

Deuteronomy 2:32So Sihon and his whole army came out for battle against us at Jahaz.

Joshua 11:19No city made peace with the Israelites except the Hivites living in Gibeon; all others were taken in battle.

Judges 1:16Now the descendants of Moses’ father-in-law, the Kenite, went up with the men of Judah from the City of Palms to the Wilderness of Judah in the Negev near Arad. They went to live among the people.

Matthew Henry on Numbers 21:1

The armies of Israel now begin to emerge out of the wilderness, and to come into a land inhabited, to enter upon action, and take possession of the frontiers of the land of promise. A glorious campaign this chapter gives us the history of, especially in the latter part of it. Here is, I. The defeat of Arad the Canaanite, ver. 1-3 . II. The chastisement of the people with fiery serpents for their murmurings, and the relief granted them upon their submission by a brazen serpent, ver. 4-9 . III. Several marches… Read the whole commentary →

This Verse In Other Editions

Study Numbers 21:1