What is the meaning of Numbers 21:3? And the LORD heard Israel’s plea • Israel had just experienced victory over Arad after making a vow to God (Numbers 21:2). The text underscores that the Lord listens when His covenant people cry out. • Scripture consistently shows God responding to faithful appeals (Exodus 2:24; Psalm 34:17; 1 Samuel 7:9–10). Numbers 21:3 echoes this pattern: “The LORD heard Israel’s plea”, affirming that prayer, when aligned with His will, moves Him to act (see also 1 John 5:14–15). • The phrase reminds us that God’s ear remains attentive to obedience and faith, not merely to need (Psalm 66:18–19). and delivered up the Canaanites • The Lord’s answer came in the form of military deliverance: “and delivered up the Canaanites.” The verb signals a decisive act of divine sovereignty—He handed the enemy over to Israel (Exodus 23:23; Deuteronomy 7:23). • This fulfillment links back to God’s earlier promise to Abraham that his descendants would possess the land (Genesis 15:18–21). • Victory is explicitly attributed to God, not Israel’s strength (Deuteronomy 9:4–5; Psalm 44:3). It is a reminder that every triumph for God’s people flows from His might and faithfulness. Israel devoted them and their cities to destruction • Following victory, Israel “devoted them…to destruction,” a practice commanded for certain Canaanite peoples (Deuteronomy 7:2; 20:16–18; Joshua 6:17). • The total destruction (ḥerem) served two main purposes: – Preserve Israel from idolatry by removing corrupting influences (Deuteronomy 12:29–31). – Demonstrate God’s judgment on entrenched wickedness (Leviticus 18:24–25). • It was not indiscriminate violence but a divinely ordered act, illustrating God’s holiness and Israel’s need for purity (Romans 11:22). so they named the place Hormah • “Hormah” means “destruction” or “devotion to destruction,” commemorating both the vow and its fulfillment. • The name looks back to Israel’s earlier defeat in the same region (Numbers 14:45; Deuteronomy 1:44). What once symbolized failure now stands as a marker of God’s faithfulness, turning shame into testimony. • Naming places after God’s deeds is a recurring practice (Genesis 22:14; Exodus 17:15). It cements memory and reinforces trust for future generations (Joshua 4:6–7). summary Numbers 21:3 records a cycle: a sincere plea, God’s answer, obedient execution of His command, and memorialization of the victory. The verse assures believers that God hears, delivers, and calls His people to decisive obedience, turning past defeats into enduring reminders of His steadfast power and faithfulness. |
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