Numbers 21 29

Numbers 21:29 kjv

Woe to thee, Moab! thou art undone, O people of Chemosh: he hath given his sons that escaped, and his daughters, into captivity unto Sihon king of the Amorites.

Numbers 21:29 nkjv

Woe to you, Moab! You have perished, O people of Chemosh! He has given his sons as fugitives, And his daughters into captivity, To Sihon king of the Amorites.

Numbers 21:29 niv

Woe to you, Moab! You are destroyed, people of Chemosh! He has given up his sons as fugitives and his daughters as captives to Sihon king of the Amorites.

Numbers 21:29 esv

Woe to you, O Moab! You are undone, O people of Chemosh! He has made his sons fugitives, and his daughters captives, to an Amorite king, Sihon.

Numbers 21:29 nlt

What sorrow awaits you, O people of Moab!
You are finished, O worshipers of Chemosh!
Chemosh has left his sons as refugees,
his daughters as captives of Sihon, the Amorite king.

Numbers 21 verses

Numbers 21 29 Meaning

Numbers 21:29 is a pronouncement of lament and judgment against the nation of Moab. It declares their complete ruin and portrays their national god, Chemosh, as powerless, unable to protect his worshippers. Specifically, it states that Chemosh failed to safeguard Moabite sons from becoming fugitives and daughters from being led into captivity, at the hands of Sihon, king of the Amorites. This verse underscores the abject defeat and devastation that befell Moab, and by extension, challenges the authority and efficacy of false gods.

Numbers 21 29 Context

Numbers 21 describes Israel's journey through the wilderness towards the promised land. After encountering difficulties and serpents (vv. 4-9), they begin to engage with hostile nations. The immediate context of verse 29 is Israel's decisive victory over Sihon, king of the Amorites (vv. 21-26). Following this victory, a "taunt song" or "proverb" is recited (vv. 27-30) celebrating the triumph.

Numbers 21:29 is part of this ancient poetic victory song, often referred to as the "Song of Heshbon." This song recounts that Sihon himself had previously conquered the Moabites and taken their territory (specifically Heshbon), forcing their people into distress and scattering. The inclusion of this verse in Israel's victory song serves a significant purpose: it demonstrates that even powerful kings like Sihon, who had overcome formidable nations like Moab and their god Chemosh, could not stand against the Lord God of Israel and His people. It highlights a chain of divine judgments: Chemosh failed to protect Moab from Sihon, and then Sihon failed against Yahweh. This strengthens Israel's confidence and glorifies Yahweh's unparalleled might over all regional deities and rulers.

Numbers 21 29 Word analysis

• Woe (אוֹי - oy): An interjection expressing profound lament, grief, distress, or a curse/threat of imminent disaster. It conveys deep sorrow over an unavoidable calamity. Here, it marks a lament over Moab's destruction.
• to you, O Moab (לְךָ מוֹאָב - leḵā mo'āḇ): "Moab" (מוֹאָב) refers to the nation descended from Lot's eldest daughter (Gen 19:37). They were a longstanding rival and enemy of Israel. Addressing Moab directly amplifies the personal and national catastrophe.
• You are undone (אָבַדְתָּ - āḇaḏtā): From the root אָבַד ('avad), meaning "to perish," "to be lost," "to be destroyed," "to vanish," "to come to nothing." It implies utter ruin and the cessation of a previous state of being or power. It’s not just defeat, but complete disintegration of their national structure and ability. This highlights the severity of their catastrophe.
• O people of Chemosh (עַם כְּמוֹשׁ - ʿam kəmôš): This is a direct challenge to the very identity of the Moabites as worshippers of their national deity. Chemosh (כְּמוֹשׁ) was the chief god of Moab, known for demanding child sacrifice (2 Kgs 3:27). This phrase is highly polemical, directly associating Moab's downfall with the failure of their god. The People of Chemosh trusted in a deity unable to save them.
• He has given his sons (נָתַן בָּנָיו - nāṯan bānāyw): "He" refers to Chemosh. The implication is that Chemosh, instead of protecting, abandoned or handed over his worshippers. It directly imputes culpability to the false god for his people's suffering, underscoring his impotence and lack of care. This directly contrasts with the God of Israel who protects His people (Deut 32:10-12). "Sons" (בָּנִים) refers to the male populace, implying the loss of the next generation or those capable of defense and carrying on the lineage.
• as fugitives (לִפְלֵיטִים - liḵfəlēyṭîm): "Fugitives" (פְּלֵיטִים) are those who have escaped or fled a disaster but are left exposed, vulnerable, and displaced from their homes and lands, without status or protection. Their flight demonstrates the breakdown of social order and defense.
• and his daughters into captivity (וּבְנֹתָיו בַּשְּׁבִי - ūḇnōṯāw baššəḇî): "Daughters" (בְּנוֹת) refers to the female populace, symbolizing complete societal collapse and vulnerability. "Captivity" (שְׁבִי - shəḇî) signifies being taken away as war captives, subjected to slavery, forced migration, and subjugation. This was one of the most devastating outcomes of ancient warfare.
• to Sihon king of the Amorites (לְסִיחֹן מֶלֶךְ הָאֱמֹרִי - ləsîḥôn melek hāʾěmōrî): Sihon (סִיחֹן) was the powerful Amorite king who previously conquered Moab (Num 21:26). The verse credits Sihon as the direct agent of Moab’s destruction. However, the larger context reveals that even Sihon, the destroyer of Chemosh's people, was himself subsequently defeated by Israel through the power of Yahweh, thereby amplifying Yahweh's ultimate sovereignty. The Amorites (אֱמֹרִי) were a dominant people group in the ancient Near East, renowned for their strength, often used to signify powerful, entrenched enemies (Num 13:29).

Numbers 21 29 Bonus section

This verse, found within an ancient taunt song, exemplifies a common biblical literary device: polemic against false gods. By highlighting Chemosh's failure to protect his people, the song directly contrasts his impotence with the active and protective power of Yahweh, who not only secures Israel's victory over Sihon but also allowed Sihon to devastate Chemosh's people beforehand. This implicit assertion of Yahweh's omnipotence was crucial in an ancient world where conflicts between nations were often seen as conflicts between their gods. The mention of Moabite "sons" as fugitives and "daughters" in captivity is a grim and graphic depiction of total defeat, demonstrating that not even the most precious and vulnerable within society could be spared by Chemosh. This also sets the stage for future interactions and prophecies against Moab and other pagan nations in the Bible, further cementing Yahweh's claim as the sole, true sovereign.

Numbers 21 29 Commentary

Numbers 21:29 is a powerful theological statement veiled within a historical victory song. It declares Moab's devastation through a lament of "Woe!" and critically, places the blame squarely on the shoulders of their false god, Chemosh. The phrasing "O people of Chemosh!" is not merely an identification but a sneer at their misplaced trust. It directly challenges the efficacy and very existence of pagan deities. While Sihon is presented as the immediate human agent of destruction, the underlying message for Israel and all listeners is that Chemosh, as a pagan idol, was utterly impotent against the will of a superior power—first Sihon's military, and then by divine extension, against Yahweh who enabled Israel to conquer Sihon.

The verse details the tragic consequences of Chemosh’s impotence: the sons (male protectors, future generations) are reduced to scattered, vulnerable fugitives, and the daughters (symbols of family, purity, and continuity) are led away as slaves. This depicts a comprehensive societal and demographic collapse, signifying the ultimate judgment. It contrasts sharply with Yahweh's protection and provision for Israel, even in the wilderness. For the original audience, this verse served as a reminder that their God, Yahweh, was supremely powerful, not merely one among many gods, but sovereign over all nations and their impotent deities. It affirms that true security lies not in reliance on false gods, but in covenant relationship with the one true God, who truly acts on behalf of His people.