Numbers Chapter 33
1 These are the journeys of the children of Israel, when they went out of the land of Egypt by their armies under the hand of Moses and Aaron.
2 Moses wrote the starting points of their journeys by the commandment of the LORD. These are their journeys according to their starting points.
3 They travelled from Rameses in the first month, on the fifteenth day of the first month; on the next day after the Passover, the children of Israel went out with a high hand in the sight of all the Egyptians,
4 while the Egyptians were burying all their firstborn, whom the LORD had struck amongst them. The LORD also executed judgements on their gods.
5 The children of Israel travelled from Rameses, and encamped in Succoth.
6 They travelled from Succoth, and encamped in Etham, which is in the edge of the wilderness.
7 They travelled from Etham, and turned back to Pihahiroth, which is before Baal Zephon, and they encamped before Migdol.
8 They travelled from before Hahiroth, and crossed through the middle of the sea into the wilderness. They went three days' journey in the wilderness of Etham, and encamped in Marah.
9 They travelled from Marah, and came to Elim. In Elim, there were twelve springs of water and seventy palm trees, and they encamped there.
10 They travelled from Elim, and encamped by the Red Sea.
11 They travelled from the Red Sea, and encamped in the wilderness of Sin.
12 They travelled from the wilderness of Sin, and encamped in Dophkah.
13 They travelled from Dophkah, and encamped in Alush.
14 They travelled from Alush, and encamped in Rephidim, where there was no water for the people to drink.
15 They travelled from Rephidim, and encamped in the wilderness of Sinai.
16 They travelled from the wilderness of Sinai, and encamped in Kibroth Hattaavah.
17 They travelled from Kibroth Hattaavah, and encamped in Hazeroth.
18 They travelled from Hazeroth, and encamped in Rithmah.
19 They travelled from Rithmah, and encamped in Rimmon Perez.
20 They travelled from Rimmon Perez, and encamped in Libnah.
21 They travelled from Libnah, and encamped in Rissah.
22 They travelled from Rissah, and encamped in Kehelathah.
23 They travelled from Kehelathah, and encamped in Mount Shepher.
24 They travelled from Mount Shepher, and encamped in Haradah.
25 They travelled from Haradah, and encamped in Makheloth.
26 They travelled from Makheloth, and encamped in Tahath.
27 They travelled from Tahath, and encamped in Terah.
28 They travelled from Terah, and encamped in Mithkah.
29 They travelled from Mithkah, and encamped in Hashmonah.
30 They travelled from Hashmonah, and encamped in Moseroth.
31 They travelled from Moseroth, and encamped in Bene Jaakan.
32 They travelled from Bene Jaakan, and encamped in Hor Haggidgad.
33 They travelled from Hor Haggidgad, and encamped in Jotbathah.
34 They travelled from Jotbathah, and encamped in Abronah.
35 They travelled from Abronah, and encamped in Ezion Geber.
36 They travelled from Ezion Geber, and encamped at Kadesh in the wilderness of Zin.
37 They travelled from Kadesh, and encamped in Mount Hor, in the edge of the land of Edom.
38 Aaron the priest went up into Mount Hor at the commandment of the LORD and died there, in the fortieth year after the children of Israel had come out of the land of Egypt, in the fifth month, on the first day of the month.
39 Aaron was one hundred and twenty-three years old when he died in Mount Hor.
40 The Canaanite king of Arad, who lived in the South in the land of Canaan, heard of the coming of the children of Israel.
41 They travelled from Mount Hor, and encamped in Zalmonah.
42 They travelled from Zalmonah, and encamped in Punon.
43 They travelled from Punon, and encamped in Oboth.
44 They travelled from Oboth, and encamped in Iye Abarim, in the border of Moab.
45 They travelled from Iyim, and encamped in Dibon Gad.
46 They travelled from Dibon Gad, and encamped in Almon Diblathaim.
47 They travelled from Almon Diblathaim, and encamped in the mountains of Abarim, before Nebo.
48 They travelled from the mountains of Abarim, and encamped in the plains of Moab by the Jordan at Jericho.
49 They encamped by the Jordan, from Beth Jeshimoth even to Abel Shittim in the plains of Moab.
50 The LORD spoke to Moses in the plains of Moab by the Jordan at Jericho, saying,
51 Speak to the children of Israel, and tell them, "When you pass over the Jordan into the land of Canaan,
52 then you shall drive out all the inhabitants of the land from before you, destroy all their stone idols, destroy all their molten images, and demolish all their high places.
53 You shall take possession of the land, and dwell therein; for I have given the land to you to possess it.
54 You shall inherit the land by lot according to your families; to the more you shall give the more inheritance, and to the fewer you shall give the less inheritance. Wherever the lot falls to any man, that shall be his. You shall inherit according to the tribes of your fathers.
55 "But if you do not drive out the inhabitants of the land from before you, then those you let remain of them will be like pricks in your eyes and thorns in your sides. They will harass you in the land in which you dwell.
56 It shall happen that as I thought to do to them, so I will do to you."
Footnotes
Version: World English Bible
- About World English Bible (WEB)
- WEB Glossary
- WEB Web Site (source documents)
- Bible on one web page
- Download WEB (for MS Word)
Audio
To Listen to this Chapter
The mp3 Audio File should start to play in a new Tab. Then return to this Tab to follow the text whilst listening.
Numbers Chapter 33 Guide
An account of the wanderings of the people in the wilderness was written by Moses at the express command of God. It appears as a bare and uninteresting list of names and yet it tells the story of a people guided by God through discipline. In the course of it there are occasional glimpses of light, revelations of varying experiences but of unvarying guidance. Through shadow and through sunshine, through trial and through triumph, by ways that were gracious, they were led with unceasing faithfulness by God.
Thus we are taught that even though He chastise, He continues to conduct and when through our own unbelief we have to pass through the paths of the wilderness He never forsakes us.
This account is followed by a record of the solemn charge to the people in view of their approaching possession of the land. They were to enter by divine appointment and the purpose of which was to be a manifestation of God and of the perfection of His government. Therefore, when they entered the land, every trace of false worship was to be swept away wherever it was found. Moreover, the land was to be divided equitably among them.
The charge was accompanied by warnings uttered in simple terms and yet most solemn and searching. To tolerate and allow to remain what God had ordered to be driven forth would be to retain that which in itself would be a source of continual difficulty and suffering. The most solemn word of all was the last uttered. "And it shall come to pass, that, as I thought to do unto them, so will I do unto YOU." In these words is revealed an abiding principle, that God's election to blessing is never of persons without reference to conduct, but rather of character which expresses itself in obedience to His will.
From "An Exposition of the Whole Bible" by G. Campbell Morgan.
Numbers Chapter 33 Commentary
Chapter Outline
- Encampments of the Israelites. -- (1-49)
- The Canaanites to be destroyed. -- (50-56)
Verses 1-49
This is a brief review of the travels of the children of Israel through the wilderness. It is a memorable history. In their travels towards Canaan they were continually on the remove. Such is our state in this world; we have here no continuing city, and all our removes in this world are but from one part a desert to another. They were led to and fro, forward and backward, yet were all the while under the direction of the pillar of cloud and fire. God led them about, yet led them the right way. The way God takes in bringing his people to himself is always the best way, though it does not always seem to us the nearest way. Former events are mentioned. Thus we ought to keep in mind the providences of God concerning us and families, us and our land, and the many instances of that Divine care which has led us, and fed us, and kept us all our days hitherto. Few periods of our lives can be thought upon, without reminding us of the Lord's goodness, and our own ingratitude and disobedience: his kindness leaves us without excuse for our sins. We could not wish to travel over again the stages we have passed, unless we could hope, by the grace of God, to shun the sins we then committed, and to embrace such opportunities of doing good as we have let slip. Soon will our wanderings end, and our eternal state be fixed beyond recall; how important then is the present moment! Happy are those whom the Lord now guides with his counsel, and will at length receive to his glory. To this happiness the gospel calls us. Behold now is the accepted time, now is the day of salvation. Let sinners seize the opportunity, and flee for refuge to the hope set before them. Let us redeem our time, to glorify God and serve our generation; and he will carry us safely through all, to his eternal kingdom.
Verses 50-56
Now that they were to pass over Jordan, they were entering again into temptation to follow idols; and they are threatened that, if they spared either the idols or the idolaters, their sin would certainly be their punishment. They would foster vipers in their own bosoms. The remnant of the Canaanites, if they made any peace with them, though but for a time, would be pricks in their eyes, and thorns in their sides. We must expect trouble and affliction from whatever sin we indulge; that which we are willing should tempt us, will vex us. It was intended that the Canaanites should be put out of the land; but if the Israelites learned their wicked ways, they also would be put out. Let us hear this and fear. If we do not drive out sin, sin will drive us out. If we are not the death of our lusts, our lusts will be the death of our souls.
From the "Concise Commentary on the Bible" by Matthew Henry.