Lexical Summary Atharim: Atharim Original Word: אֲתָרִים Strong's Exhaustive Concordance spies Plural from an unused root (probably meaning to step); places; Atharim, a place near Palestine -- spies. NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originof uncertain derivation Definition a caravan route in the Negev NASB Translation Atharim (1). Brown-Driver-Briggs אֲתָרִים proper name, of a location only Numbers 21:1 ׳דֶּרֶח הָא; so ᵐ5, perhaps (Di) name of a caravan-route, compare  vestige, footprint; others (after ᵑ7 ᵑ6) translate way of the spies (compare Numbers 13:22); but הָאֲתָרִים for הַתָּרִים is highly improbable, and a locality would hardly receive its designation from the spies. אתת (? √ of following, meaning dubious. LagM ii. 254 proposes √ אנה, whence he derives also Arabic Topical Lexicon Biblical Context Atharim appears once in the canonical text: “When the Canaanite king of Arad, who lived in the Negev, heard that Israel was coming along the road to Atharim, he attacked the Israelites and captured some of them” (Numbers 21:1). The reference occurs after Israel’s nearly forty-year discipline in the wilderness and just before the victories east of the Jordan that led to the conquest under Joshua. The verse introduces a short narrative in which the covenant people suffer a setback, cry out to the LORD, and are granted decisive victory (Numbers 21:2-3). Geographical and Historical Setting The route to Atharim is linked to the southern approach to Canaan through the Negev, a semi-arid region south of Hebron. The location probably lay on or near the same track followed decades earlier by the twelve spies (Numbers 13:17-22). Some identify Atharim with a caravan route skirting the western edge of the Arabah, allowing access to vital watering sites before ascending into the hill country. In any case, the text shows that Israel’s march pressed toward the heartland of Canaan, provoking hostile response from established city-states such as Arad. Thematic Significance 1. Testing and Faith. Atharim marks a renewed trial of faith. Unlike the earlier generation that rebelled at Kadesh-Barnea (Numbers 14:1-4), the present generation turns quickly to prayer and vow (Numbers 21:2), demonstrating growth in trust after years of divine schooling. Relation to Israel’s Wilderness Journey Atharim lies chronologically between the bronze serpent episode (Numbers 21:4-9) and the victories over Sihon and Og (Numbers 21:21-35). Thus it forms part of a triad of narratives in which Israel: The placement underscores that salvation (represented by the bronze serpent, John 3:14-15) is bound up with God’s power to subdue external foes. Intertextual Connections • The “way of Atharim” recalls the “way of the spies,” a Hebrew play on words linking Numbers 21:1 with Numbers 13:17. The repetition underscores how the LORD brings His people full circle, offering a second chance where the first generation failed. Archaeological and Scholarly Insights Tell Arad, excavated in the northern Negev, fits the biblical description of a Canaanite city-state ruled by a king in the Late Bronze Age. Pottery, fortifications, and an early sanctuary attest to urban presence in the period cited. While Atharim itself remains unlocated, the discovery of caravan roads and water installations south of Arad corroborates a main southern highway that Israel could have used. Lessons for Ministry Today • Spiritual Progress Requires Perseverance. Atharim reinforces that saints may revisit earlier points of testing until obedience is complete. Key Takeaway Atharim, though mentioned only once, stands as a strategic waypoint where a new generation trusted the covenant LORD, tasted victory, and advanced toward inheritance. It reminds readers that even obscure places on the journey are arenas of decisive faith and foundational to God’s unfolding redemptive plan. Forms and Transliterations הָאֲתָרִ֑ים האתרים hā’ăṯārîm hā·’ă·ṯā·rîm haataRimLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Numbers 21:1 HEB: יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל דֶּ֖רֶךְ הָאֲתָרִ֑ים וַיִּלָּ֙חֶם֙ בְּיִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל NAS: by the way of Atharim, then he fought KJV: by the way of the spies; then he fought INT: Israel the way of Atharim fought Israel 1 Occurrence |
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a tool used in tillage).