What is the meaning of Numbers 21:32? After Moses had sent spies to Jazer • Moses follows the same careful pattern he used in Numbers 13, first gathering information before acting. This reflects responsible leadership and trust that God’s promises will stand up to scrutiny (cf. Proverbs 15:22; Numbers 13:17-20). • Jazer lies just north of the Arnon Gorge. By sending spies, Moses confirms that the Lord’s earlier command—“See, I have begun to deliver Sihon and his land over to you” (Deuteronomy 2:31)—is now ripe for action. • The report evidently comes back favorable. Unlike the faithless reaction forty years earlier, the nation is now ready to move forward in obedience (Numbers 14:6-9). Israel captured its villages • The immediate result of obedient faith is victory. “The LORD our God also delivered Og king of Bashan and all his people into our hands” (Deuteronomy 3:3) stands as a parallel triumph, showing a continuing pattern. • Taking “its villages” suggests thoroughness; Israel does not merely win a single battle but secures the whole region, preventing counterattacks (Joshua 13:25). • Every success underscores God’s covenant faithfulness first promised to Abraham (Genesis 15:18-21) and later reaffirmed to Moses (Exodus 6:4-8). and drove out the Amorites who were there • The Amorites represent entrenched opposition to God’s plan (Genesis 15:16). Their removal fulfills divine justice and protects Israel from idolatrous influence (Deuteronomy 7:1-5). • “The LORD our God delivered him over to us, and we defeated him and his sons and his whole army” (Deuteronomy 2:33) confirms that the decisive power behind Israel’s advance is the Lord Himself. • Driving out rather than coexisting sets a clear boundary: Israel must occupy the land as a holy people, not mingle practices that would compromise their calling (Exodus 23:31-33). summary Numbers 21:32 shows a pattern of obedient faith met by God’s faithful power. Moses gathers intelligence, Israel acts decisively, and God clears the way by removing Amorite resistance. The verse testifies that when God’s people trust His Word and move forward in obedience, He fulfills His covenant promises and secures the victories He has already declared. |
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