Numbers 21 32

Numbers 21:32 kjv

And Moses sent to spy out Jaazer, and they took the villages thereof, and drove out the Amorites that were there.

Numbers 21:32 nkjv

Then Moses sent to spy out Jazer; and they took its villages and drove out the Amorites who were there.

Numbers 21:32 niv

After Moses had sent spies to Jazer, the Israelites captured its surrounding settlements and drove out the Amorites who were there.

Numbers 21:32 esv

And Moses sent to spy out Jazer, and they captured its villages and dispossessed the Amorites who were there.

Numbers 21:32 nlt

After Moses sent men to explore the Jazer area, they captured all the towns in the region and drove out the Amorites who lived there.

Numbers 21 verses

Numbers 21 32 Meaning

Numbers 21:32 describes a specific military engagement during Israel's journey through Transjordan. Under Moses' command, Israel sent a reconnaissance mission to Jaazer, a city east of the Jordan River. Subsequently, they successfully captured not only Jaazer itself but also its surrounding dependent settlements, effectively dispossessing the Amorites who resided there. This event signifies another decisive victory for Israel, expanding their control over the eastern territories promised by God, following their earlier conquests of Sihon and Og. It highlights both Israel's strategic military action and the divine mandate to remove the inhabitants of the land.

Numbers 21 32 Context

Numbers chapter 21 marks a turning point for Israel after the judgment of the wilderness wanderings and the episode of the fiery serpents. The chapter begins with a victorious encounter against Arad (Num 21:1-3). Immediately preceding Numbers 21:32, Israel has achieved significant victories against Sihon, king of the Amorites in Heshbon (Num 21:21-30), and Og, king of Bashan (Num 21:33-35). These conquests secure a vast swathe of land east of the Jordan, laying the groundwork for the inheritance of the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and half-Manasseh (Num 32). The action in verse 32, the capture of Jaazer and its villages from the Amorites, is either a supplemental conquest filling in territory between the campaigns against Sihon and Og or a specific detail highlighting the thoroughness of their overall Transjordanian subjugation. Historically, the Amorites were a powerful Semitic people group who inhabited both Canaan and Transjordan, often represented as a primary opponent alongside other Canaanite tribes designated for dispossession by God's decree.

Numbers 21 32 Word analysis

• And Moses (וַיִּשְׁלַח מֹשֶׁה - Vayyishlach Mosheh):
  • וַיִּשְׁלַח (Vayyishlach): A "waw consecutive" imperfect verb meaning "and he sent." This grammatical construction signals a sequence of events, showing Moses actively initiating the military action. It signifies strategic command from Israel's divinely appointed leader.
  • מֹשֶׁה (Mosheh): Moses, the persistent leader, demonstrating his ongoing authority and role in the military operations, even as Israel nears the promised land.
• sent (לְרַגֵּל - leraggel):
  • לְרַגֵּל (leraggel): Hebrew, a Piel infinitive construct, meaning "to spy, explore, tread." The Piel stem denotes intense or purposeful action. This reconnaissance mission, unlike the one in Num 13 that led to doubt, is practical and successful. It shows methodical military preparation before engagement.
• to spy out Jaazer (אֶת־יַעְזֵר - et-ya'azer):
  • יַעְזֵר (Ya'azer): Hebrew place name, likely meaning "helper" or "He helps (God helps)." A city in Transjordan (modern-day Jordan), noted for its good pastureland. Its capture was crucial for securing the eastern territories later desired by Reuben and Gad for their livestock (Num 32:1-5).
• and they captured (וַיִּלְכְּדוּ - vayyilkh'du):
  • וַיִּלְכְּדוּ (vayyilkh'du): "And they captured/seized." A Qal imperfect consecutive verb, plural, indicating the direct and successful action of the Israelite forces. This confirms the objective of the spying mission was military conquest.
• its villages (בְּנֹתֶיהָ - b'notheiha):
  • בְּנֹתֶיהָ (b'notheiha): Literally "her daughters." A common ancient Near Eastern idiom referring to the smaller, dependent towns or settlements surrounding a main city. This indicates a complete subjugation of the entire region associated with Jaazer, not just the central stronghold.
• and dispossessed (וַיּוֹרֶשׁ - vayyoresh):
  • וַיּוֹרֶשׁ (vayyoresh): "And he dispossessed/drove out." A Hiphil imperfect consecutive verb. The Hiphil stem here carries the causative meaning of "to cause to inherit" or "to cause to possess," which translates to "to dispossess" or "to drive out" in the context of taking land. Although singular, the implied agent is Israel collectively or even God working through Israel. This key term highlights the theological purpose of the conquest—to remove the previous inhabitants and allow Israel to "inherit" the land, fulfilling the covenant promise.
• the Amorites (אֶת־הָאֱמֹרִי - et-ha'emori):
  • אֶת־הָאֱמֹרִי (et-ha'emori): "The Amorite/Amorites." One of the prominent tribal groups of Canaan and Transjordan frequently listed among those nations whose iniquity was complete (Gen 15:16) and whom God commanded Israel to dispossess due to their pagan practices and moral corruption. Their expulsion was a divine judgment and part of Israel's inheriting the land.
• who were there (אֲשֶׁר־בָּהּ - asher-bah):
  • אֲשֶׁר־בָּהּ (asher-bah): "who/which [were] in it (there)." Specifies that the dispossessed Amorites were precisely those living within Jaazer and its associated villages, confirming the complete sweep of the conquest.

• "And Moses sent to spy out Jaazer, and they captured its villages and dispossessed the Amorites who were there."
  • This phrase encapsulates both strategic military initiative ("Moses sent to spy out Jaazer") and the successful execution of God's mandate for conquest and dispossession ("they captured its villages and dispossessed the Amorites"). It showcases the Israelite community, under effective leadership, actively participating in the fulfillment of God's promises by force, demonstrating military might coupled with divine backing. The inclusion of "villages" signifies the completeness of their control over the captured territory.

Numbers 21 32 Bonus section

The region of Jaazer, fertile and suitable for grazing, was later claimed by the tribes of Reuben and Gad because of their large herds, underscoring the strategic value of its conquest. The dispossessed "Amorites" frequently serve in the biblical narrative as a representative term for the pre-Israelite inhabitants of Canaan in general, symbolizing all those whose wickedness necessitated divine judgment and displacement. This verse, coming after a period of intense trial and disobedience, serves as a narrative marker of Israel's renewed readiness and effectiveness in carrying out God's will for conquest, demonstrating a shift from wandering to possession.

Numbers 21 32 Commentary

Numbers 21:32 is a succinct report of a successful military campaign against the Amorites occupying Jaazer, part of the broader Transjordanian conquest under Moses. This victory is not an isolated event but rather a confirmation of God's covenant faithfulness and enablement, empowering Israel to possess the promised land (Gen 15:16). Moses's decision to send spies reflects pragmatic leadership, indicating that Israel learned from past failures and was now employing sound military strategy. The term "dispossessed" (yarash) carries significant theological weight, emphasizing God's command for Israel to drive out the idolatrous nations, serving as a judgment against their wickedness. The capture of not only Jaazer but also its "villages" (daughter towns) highlights the thoroughness of the conquest, securing the entire regional domain. This pivotal event contributed to establishing the eastern border of Israelite territory, crucial for the settlement of Reuben, Gad, and half of Manasseh.