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The Israelites prayed, “Our Lord, if you will help us defeat these Canaanites, we will completely destroy their towns and everything in them, to show that they belong to you.”[a]

The Lord answered their prayer and helped them wipe out the Canaanite army and completely destroy their towns. That's why one of the towns is named Hormah, which means “Destroyed Place.”

Moses Makes a Bronze Snake

(A) The Israelites had to go around the territory of Edom, so when they left Mount Hor, they headed south toward the Red Sea.[b] But along the way, the people became so impatient

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Footnotes

  1. 21.2 completely destroy … belong to you: The complete destruction of a town and everything in it, including its people and animals, showed that the town belonged to the Lord and could no longer be used by humans.
  2. 21.4 Red Sea: See the note at 14.25.

Then Israel made this vow(A) to the Lord: “If you will deliver these people into our hands, we will totally destroy[a](B) their cities.” The Lord listened to Israel’s plea and gave the Canaanites(C) over to them. They completely destroyed them(D) and their towns; so the place was named Hormah.[b](E)

The Bronze Snake

They traveled from Mount Hor(F) along the route to the Red Sea,[c](G) to go around Edom.(H) But the people grew impatient on the way;(I)

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Footnotes

  1. Numbers 21:2 The Hebrew term refers to the irrevocable giving over of things or persons to the Lord, often by totally destroying them; also in verse 3.
  2. Numbers 21:3 Hormah means destruction.
  3. Numbers 21:4 Or the Sea of Reeds