Study Desk

Then they set out from Mount Hor by the way of the [branch of the] Red Sea [called the Gulf of Aqabah], to go around the land of Edom; and the people became impatient, because [of the challenges] of the journey.

Then the LORD sent fiery (burning) serpents among the people; and they bit the people, and many Israelites died.

They journeyed on from Oboth and camped at Iye-abarim, in the wilderness facing Moab, toward the sunrise.

From there they set out and camped in the Wadi Zered.

From there they journeyed on and camped on the other side of [the river] Arnon, which is in the wilderness that extends from the boundary of the Amorites; for [the river] Arnon is the boundary of Moab, between Moab and the Amorites.

Now Moses sent men to spy out Jazer, and they overthrew its villages and dispossessed the Amorites who were there.

Then they turned and went up by the way of Bashan; and Og the king of Bashan went out against them, he and all his people, to battle at Edrei.

So the sons of Israel killed Og and his sons and all his people, until there was no survivor left to him; and they took possession of his land.

So he sent messengers to Balaam [a famous prophet-diviner] the son of Beor at Pethor, which is by the [Euphrates] River, in the land of the descendants of his people, to call for him, saying, "There is a people who have come out of Egypt; behold, they cover the surface of the land, and they are living opposite me.

"Now please come, curse these people for me, for they are too powerful for me; perhaps I will be able to defeat them and drive them out of the land. For I know [your reputation] that he whom you bless is blessed, and he whom you curse is cursed."

So the elders of Moab and of Midian departed with fees for divination (foretelling) in hand; and they came to Balaam and told him the words of Balak.

They came to Balaam, and said to him, "Thus says Balak the son of Zippor, 'I beg you, let nothing hinder you from coming to me.

And Balaam went with Balak, and they came to Kiriath-huzoth.

Balaam looked at Amalek and took up his [fifth] discourse (oracle) and said: "Amalek was the first of the [neighboring] nations [to oppose the Israelites after they left Egypt], But his end shall be destruction."

"But ships shall come from the coast of Kittim, And shall afflict Asshur (Assyria) and Eber; So they (the victors) also will come to destruction."

For they invited the Israelites to the sacrifices of their gods, and the Israelites ate [food offered to idols] and bowed down to Moab's gods.

Then one of the Israelites came and presented to his relatives a Midianite woman, in the sight of Moses and the whole congregation of the Israelites, while they were weeping [over God's judgment] at the doorway of the Tent of Meeting (tabernacle).

for they harass you with their tricks, the tricks with which they have deceived you in the matter [of the Baal] of Peor, and in the matter of Cozbi, the daughter of the leader of Midian, their sister, who was killed on the day of the plague because [of the Baal] of Peor."

The sons of Eliab: Nemuel and Dathan and Abiram. These are the Dathan and Abiram who were called by the congregation, who contended against Moses and Aaron in the company of Korah, when they contended against the LORD,

and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them up along with Korah, when that company died, when the fire devoured two hundred and fifty men, so that they became a [warning] sign.