Numbers 14 45

Numbers 14:45 kjv

Then the Amalekites came down, and the Canaanites which dwelt in that hill, and smote them, and discomfited them, even unto Hormah.

Numbers 14:45 nkjv

Then the Amalekites and the Canaanites who dwelt in that mountain came down and attacked them, and drove them back as far as Hormah.

Numbers 14:45 niv

Then the Amalekites and the Canaanites who lived in that hill country came down and attacked them and beat them down all the way to Hormah.

Numbers 14:45 esv

Then the Amalekites and the Canaanites who lived in that hill country came down and defeated them and pursued them, even to Hormah.

Numbers 14:45 nlt

Then the Amalekites and the Canaanites who lived in those hills came down and attacked them and chased them back as far as Hormah.

Numbers 14 verses

Numbers 14 45 Meaning

Numbers 14:45 records the swift and decisive defeat of a group of Israelites by the Amalekites and Canaanites. This event immediately follows Israel's refusal to enter the Promised Land due to fear and unbelief, for which God pronounced a forty-year wilderness wandering. Despite this judgment and Moses' explicit warning, these Israelites presumptuously attempted to ascend the hill country to claim the land, believing they could succeed without God's presence and command. Their defeat to Hormah served as a stark illustration of the consequences of disobedience, rebellion, and a lack of faith, demonstrating that divine blessing and victory are conditional upon submission to God's will, not human strength or misguided zeal.

Numbers 14 45 Context

Numbers chapter 14 describes the culmination of Israel's journey from Egypt to the edge of the Promised Land, specifically their arrival at Kadesh-barnea. Following the spies' pessimistic report of giants and fortified cities, the Israelites succumbed to fear and refused to trust God to deliver the land into their hands (Num 14:1-4). This blatant unbelief and rebellion provoked God's wrath, leading Him to declare that the entire adult generation, except Caleb and Joshua, would die in the wilderness, unable to enter the land (Num 14:20-35). Upon hearing this devastating pronouncement, some Israelites mourned, yet ironically, they then swung to the other extreme: presumption. Ignoring God's explicit judgment and Moses' warning that God was not with them (Num 14:41-44), they decided to "go up" and conquer the land themselves. Verse 45 details the immediate and severe consequence of this defiance. Historically, the Amalekites were perennial enemies of Israel, descendants of Esau (Gen 36:12), known for their treachery, while the Canaanites were the primary inhabitants of the land God promised Israel. Their presence in the "hill country" underscored the strategic challenge the Israelites had initially feared and now presumptuously faced without divine aid.

Numbers 14 45 Word analysis

• Then the Amalekites and the Canaanites:

  • Amalekites (עֲמָלֵק - Amalek): A nomadic, fierce, and persistently hostile people, descended from Esau. They were the first to attack Israel after the Exodus (Ex 17:8), and their antagonism toward Israel was divinely cursed (Deut 25:17-19). Their involvement here emphasizes the long-standing opposition Israel faced from powerful external enemies, against whom human strength alone was insufficient.
  • Canaanites (כְּנַעֲנִי - Kena‘ani): A general term for the indigenous inhabitants of Canaan. Their presence signifies that Israel faced the very people they had initially feared (Num 13:33).
  • Significance: The victory of these "pagan" peoples over Israel, God's chosen, served as a powerful polemic against any notion that Israel's favored status or numerical superiority guaranteed victory without divine presence and obedience. It highlights that God can use anyone, even enemies, to execute His judgment.

• who lived in that hill country:

  • Hill country (הָהָר - hah har): Refers to the elevated, strategic terrain that Israel presumptuously attempted to ascend (Num 14:44). The advantage was with the defenders, positioned atop the hills. This underscores the foolhardiness of Israel's attempt without God's miraculous intervention to level the playing field.

• came down:

  • Came down (וַיֵּרֶד - vayyeréd): From יָרַד (yarad), "to go down, descend." This emphasizes the tactical advantage of the attackers, descending from higher ground onto the ascending Israelites, increasing the momentum and impact of their assault.

• and attacked them:

  • Attacked (וַיַּכּוּ - vayyakku): From נָכָה (nakah), "to strike, smite, beat." It signifies a forceful and direct assault, highlighting the brutality and suddenness of the engagement.

• and routed them:

  • Routed (וַיְכַתּוּם - vaykhattum): From כָּתַת (katat), "to beat down, crush, rout completely, utterly defeat." This is a strong term indicating a devastating and conclusive defeat, not merely a repulse. It conveys a sense of Israel being utterly broken and shattered.

• even to Hormah:

  • Hormah (חָרְמָה - Ḥormāh): Means "utter destruction" or "a devoted place" (from חָרַם - charam, to devote to destruction). The name is incredibly significant. While a city with this name exists in the region (Num 21:3, Judg 1:17), some scholars suggest that the place earned or reinforced its name (Hormah) as a result of this very defeat, symbolizing the utter destruction of the disobedient Israelites who were "devoted to destruction" through God's judgment and the hands of their enemies. It serves as an ironic fulfillment of the word charam, usually associated with Israel utterly destroying pagan enemies, now being turned upon Israel themselves for their rebellion.

Numbers 14 45 Bonus section

The Hebrew verb katat (to rout, crush), used for "routed them," is a strong term indicating complete and utter destruction, not merely a repulse. This verb is also used in passages describing Israel's intended complete destruction of their enemies when God was with them (e.g., Deut 9:3, Judg 20:43). The irony here is profound: Israel themselves are katat, indicating the reversal of divine blessing when they act outside of His will. The name Hormah, meaning "utter destruction," powerfully reinforces this point, acting as a memorial to their disobedience and its catastrophic consequences. While initially named "Hormah" in a positive sense related to Israel's victory over the Amalekites later (Num 21:3), this specific defeat further etched the place's grim significance for that generation. This incident also stands as a potent lesson that true repentance involves not just regret for consequences, but a humble turning back to God's specific instruction and His appointed time. Their "repentance" was self-willed action rather than contrite obedience. This historical account served as a stark warning to all future generations of Israel (and believers) against the dangers of presumption, which is ultimately a form of unbelief and self-reliance disguised as zeal.

Numbers 14 45 Commentary

Numbers 14:45 serves as a chilling epilogue to Israel's rebellion at Kadesh-barnea. Having failed to enter the Promised Land by faith, they now attempt to do so by presumptuous human strength, directly contradicting God's decree and Moses' warning. This act was not an expression of belated faith but rather a desperate, defiant effort rooted in regret and a profound misunderstanding of divine command and presence. Their defeat was immediate, decisive, and humbling, administered by the very enemies they had originally feared and the same nations that were divinely ordained for their ultimate conquest, albeit in God's time and way. The routing "even to Hormah" powerfully illustrates the total collapse of their self-initiated campaign and emphasizes the theological truth that true victory belongs solely to the Lord and is contingent upon humble obedience and faith, not on human willfulness or misdirected zeal. This event teaches that zeal without knowledge (Rom 10:2) and obedience without dependence are futile. It reinforces the biblical principle that outside of God's command and presence, even the most formidable forces of Israel are utterly vulnerable.

• Examples:
  • A student cramming last minute without understanding, and failing the exam due to presuming they could succeed through brute force rather than consistent study.
  • A church undertaking a mission initiative with great enthusiasm but without genuine prayer, discerning God's will, or equipping themselves spiritually, leading to burnout and limited impact.
  • An individual trying to overcome a persistent sin by sheer willpower alone, without leaning on Christ's strength and spiritual disciplines, only to repeatedly fall.