Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Numbers 21:27
Wherefore they that speak in proverbs say, Come into Heshbon, let the city of Sihon be built and prepared:
27. they that speak in proverbs say ] they that recite ballads say. The Heb. mshl was ‘any suggestive saying that implied more than it actually said.’ This might be a ‘proverb,’ i.e. a sententious or pithy remark containing a proposition which was widely applicable in human life, or a didactic or authoritative utterance, as those of Balaam (chs. 23 f.), or a short song or ode with some special characteristic either in its contents or in its artistic construction, such as a dirge, a taunt-song over a fallen foe, or more generally a ballad. The present song is a ballad, which, if the above interpretation is correct, contains a taunt.
The tense of the verb ‘say’ has a frequentative force, implying that the poem was frequently recited by the ballad-singers, and that the writer knew it not from any book but by hearing it from their lips.
Let the city of Sihon ] Poetical parallelism; Heshbon is the city of Sihon.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
They that speak in proverbs – The original word is almost equivalent to the poets. The word supplies the title of the Book of Proverbs itself; and is used of the parable proper in Eze 17:2; of the prophecies of Balsam in Num 23:7-10; Num 24:3-9; etc.; and of a song of triumph over Babylon in Isa 14:4.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 27. They that speak in proverbs] hammoshelim, from mashal, to rule, to exercise authority; hence a weighty proverbial saying, because admitted as an axiom for the government of life. The moshelim of the ancient Asiatics were the same, in all probability, as the Poetae among the Greeks and Latins, the [Arabic] shaara among the Arabs, who were esteemed as Divine persons, and who had their name from [Arabic] shaara, he knew, understood; whose poems celebrated past transactions, and especially those which concerned the military history of their nation. These poets were also termed [Arabic] sahebi deewan, companions or lords of the council of state, because their weighty sayings and universal knowledge were held in the highest repute. Similar to these were the bards among the ancient Druids, and the Sennachies among the ancient Celtic inhabitants of these nations.
The ode from the 27th to the 30th verse is composed of three parts. The first takes in verses 27 and 28; the second verse 29; and the third verse 30.
The first records with bitter irony the late insults of Sihon and his subjects over the conquered Moabites.
The second expresses the compassion of the Israelites over the desolations of Moab, with a bitter sarcasm against their god Chemosh, who had abandoned his votaries in their distress, or was not able to rescue them out of the hands of their enemies.
The third sets forth the revenge taken by Israel upon the whole country of Sihon, from Heshbon to Dibon, and from Nophah even to Medeba. See Isa 15:1-2.
The whole poem, divided into its proper hemistichs, as it stands in Kennicott’s Hebrew Bible, is as follows: –
VERSE 27. PART I
Come ye to Heshbon, let it be rebuilt;
The city of Sihon, let it be established.
VERSE 28
For from Heshbon the fire went out,
And a flame from the city of Sihon:
It hath consumed the city of Moab,
With the lords of the heights of Arnon.
VERSE 29. PART II
Alas for thee, O Moab!
Thou hast perished, O people of Chemosh!
He hath given up his fugitive sons
And his daughters into captivity,
To the king of the Amorites, Sihon.
VERSE 30. PART III
But on them have WE lifted destruction,
From Heshbon even to Dibon;
We have destroyed even to Nophah,
The fire did reach to Medebah.
See Kennicott’s Remarks.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
That speak in proverbs; the poets, or other ingenious persons, to wit, of the Amorites or Canaanites, who made this following song of triumph over the vanquished Moabites; which is here brought in partly as a proof that this was now Sihons land, and partly as an evidence of the just judgment of God in spoiling the spoilers, and subduing these who insulted over their conquered enemies.
Come into Heshbon: these are the words either of Sihon speaking thus to his people, or of the people exhorting one another to come and possess and repair the city which they had taken.
The city of Sihon; that which once was the royal city of the king of Moab, but now is the city of Sihon.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
27-30. Wherefore they that speak inproverbsHere is given an extract from an Amorite songexultingly anticipating an extension of their conquests to Arnon. Thequotation from the poem of the Amorite bard ends at Nu21:28. The Num 21:29; Num 21:30appear to be the strains in which the Israelites expose the impotenceof the usurpers.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
Wherefore they that speak in proverbs say,…. The historical writers of those times, among the Amorites, who were usually poets, and wrote the history of the wars between the Moabites and Amorites in verse; as Homer among the Greeks wrote the wars of Troy; and the compositions of those ancient bards were short and compendious, and wrapped up in proverbial sayings, and enigmatical and figurative expressions, that they might be the better retained in memory, and therefore were called proverbialists. Jarchi says, they were Balaam and Beor that took up their parables, and said,
come into Heshbon; which words are the beginning of the song, and in which the Amorites are represented as inviting Sihon, and his nobles, to enter Heshbon, which he had taken, and make it his royal seat; or as encouraging one another to go into it and repair it, having suffered much at the taking of it, which seems to be confirmed by what follows:
let the city of Sihon be built and prepared; that is, let us set about rebuilding of the city, and let us fit it up for Sihon our king, and let it be called his city, and made the place of his residence, his palace, and where his court may be kept.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
27. Wherefore, they that speak in proverbs. That is, an old saying, or proverbial sentence remains, and is well known. The song, however, appears to have been composed in the character of those who, when prepared to engage in war, mutually exhorted each other, “Come into Heshbon,” i.e., run to the standard of king Sihon; hasten to his home, and his chief place of abode, in order that we may thence go forth to battle. These expressions, “build and prepare,” I interpret as being used for enlarge, adorn, and enrich; for it is probable that this city was not overthrown, but they foretell that the city would be renovated, when a larger dominion had been gained. And this is more fully confirmed by what immediately follows, when it is said that “a fire had gone forth from Heshbon,” which consumed Ar of Moab, and all its neighborhood. As to the “lords of the high places of Arnon,” some understand the priests who presided in the temples; others extend them to all the inhabitants in general; but, in my opinion, it will not be unsuitable to refer them to the idols themselves, since it appears from the next verse that the conquerors were so insolently elated, as not only to despise the men themselves, but their gods also; for when they say, “Thou art undone, O people of Chemosh,” there is no doubt but that they mockingly reproach them with the fact that they had been badly defended by the gods whom they worshipped. (132) And, in point of fact, ungodly men, when in prosperity, uplift their horns to heaven, as if they would assail the divinity which was opposed to them. They, therefore, deride Chemosh, because he made “his sons” or worshippers to be fugitives or captives.
In the word lantern (133) he makes use of a common metaphor. Some follow the Chaldee interpreter, and render it kingdom; but it has a wider signification; for it includes all the component parts of a happy and prosperous state. (134) The meaning, therefore, is, that their glory and all their wealth was annihilated. The cities of Dibon and Medeba are situated on the extreme borders, near the river Arnon, so that by these he designates all the intermediate plain.
(132) “Par Chamos, qu’ils adoroyent comme leur patron;” by Chemosh, whom they worshipped as their patron. — Fr.
(133) ונירם vaniram: A. V., “we have shot at them.” Our translators have regarded ניר, the central syllable of this composite word, as the first future plural of ירה be shot or cast; and S. M. has noticed this explanation as more probably right than the one which he has adopted in his text, and which supposes ניר to be a substantive, namely, a lantern. The Chaldee Paraphrast and the V. have regarded this substantive as a metaphor for the ruling power. If it had been a substantive, its place, in ordinary construction, should have been after the verb אבד perished, whereas it precedes that verb, which has Heshbon following it, in the proper position for its nominative. — W
(134) “Elle comprend les biens, l’honneur, le repos, et la reputation;” it comprehends goods, honor, repose, and reputation. — Fr.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(27-30) Come into Heshbon.These verses appear to commemorate first the victory of the Amorites over the Moabites, and then that of the Israelites over the Amorites. They may be rendered thus:
Come ye to Heshbon!
Let the city of Sihon be built up and restored!
For a fire went out from Heshbon
A flame from the city of Sihon:
It devoured Ar (or, the city) of Moab
The lords of the high places of Arnon.
Woe to thee, Moab!
Thou art perished, O people of Chemosh:
He (i.e., Chemosh) gave up his sons as fugitives,
And his daughters into captivity,
Unto Sihon, the King of the Amorites.
We cast them down;
Heshbon is perished even unto Dibon:
Yea, we laid them waste even unto Nophah,
Which (reacheth) even unto Medcba.
Or, if we read esh (fire) instead of asher (which), a reading which derives some support from the Masoretic point over the last letter and from the context (Num. 21:28), as well as from the LXX., the last words may be rendered, With fire, even unto Medeba.
The Targum understands by the lords of the high places of Arnon the priests and worshippers in the temples and at the altars of the idols in Moab. Medeba, now Medaba, was situated at the south of Heshbon. The position of Nophah is unknown. It has been supposed that it may be the same as Nebo, which is mentioned in connection with Dibon and Medeba in Isa. 15:2, or with Arneibah, which lies to the east of Medeba.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
27. They that speak in proverbs The ballad-singers. Here we have a scrap of Amorite poetry in three strophes:
“Come ye to Heshbon,
Let the city of Sihon be built and established!
For fire went forth from Heshbon,
A flame out of the stronghold of Sihon,
Which devoured Ar of Moab,
The lords of the high places of Arnon.
“Woe to thee, Moab!
Thou art undone, O people of Chemosh!
He hath given up his sons as fugitives,
And his daughters into captivity,
To Sihon, king of the Amorites.
“Then we cast them down; Heshbon perished even unto Dibon,
And we laid (it) waste unto Nophah, with fire unto Medeba.”
If this song be of Hebrew origin, then the former part of it is a biting taunt: “Come, ye Amorites, into your city of Heshbon and build it up again. Ye boasted that ye had burnt it and driven out the Moabites; but now we are come in our turn, and have burnt Heshbon and driven you out.”
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
The Triumph Song of the Amorites ( Num 21:27-29 ).
Num 21:27-29
‘That is the reason that they who speak in proverbs say,
“Come you to Heshbon;
Let the city of Sihon be built and established,
For a fire is gone out of Heshbon,
A flame from the city of Sihon,
It has devoured Ar (or ‘the cities’) of Moab,
The lords of the high places of the Arnon.
Woe to you, Moab!
You are undone, O people of Chemosh,
He has given his sons as fugitives,
And his daughters into captivity,
To Sihon king of the Amorites.
In vivid language the defeat of Moab by Sihon is described. First he captured Heshbon, which would become his royal city, and fortified it (established it’). Then he moved down like a flame and a fire as far as ‘Ar, a city of Moab and defeated the border lords, seizing a number of captive slaves. And although Chemosh was the god of Moab he was able to do nothing about it. Indeed he surrendered them to the opposing forces.
The point behind the song was not only to display Sihon’s belligerency, but also to expose Chemosh’s helplessness. But now Israel had defeated Sihon. That proved that Yahweh was Lord over all. And as Chemosh had surrendered the land, Moab no longer had a claim on it.
“Ar was to the south of the Arnon but may simply be named as the nearest city to the border, being wasted but not retained. However, in early Hebrew ‘r could probably also signify ‘are (‘cities”) and that may be the rendering here.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Num 21:27. They that speak in proverbs Upon occasion of the conquest of the Amorites over the Moabites, the sacred historian informs us, that a famous poems or song of rejoicing, was composed by the Amorites, which was sung to that day. The word moshlim, signifies allegorists, proverbialists; or, in general, those who write or speak in a figurative sense, like that of Balaam, ch. Num 23:7; Num 23:18, &c. And therefore it fitly denotes poets, who write in a high figurative style, such as this poetical composition of some ancient writer among the Amorites: and this quotation seems to have been inserted in the sacred history, to shew that this country belonged to the Amorites, and not to the Moabites, when Israel subdued it. This fragment of ancient poetry, like some others found in the foregoing parts of Scripture, is delivered in metre, and each second verse corresponds to the preceding; see Bp. Warburton’s Divin. Leg. b. 4: sect. 4 and Lowth. Praelect. Poet. p. 45. 8vo.
Come into Heshbon The poet here represents the Amorites calling to each other in such triumphant strains as used to be sung after victories.
Let the city of Sihon be built Rather, be repaired, or rebuilt; “let that Heshbon, which is now become the city of Sihon, be repaired from the ruins of the war, and made fit to be his royal seat.”
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
It should seem that these words were a kind of saying, well understood, no doubt, in those days, like proverbial sayings with us now.
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Num 21:27 Wherefore they that speak in proverbs say, Come into Heshbon, let the city of Sihon be built and prepared:
Ver. 27. Wherefore they that speak in proverbs. ] Or, Bywords; by way of derision, as Deu 28:17 Hab 2:5 . Ballad makers, petty poets, that penned popular songs, such as this was.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
proverbs. Hebrew poems.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Num 21:14, Isa 14:4, Hab 2:6
Reciprocal: Num 32:37 – Heshbon Jdg 11:15 – Israel took Psa 44:1 – in the times Jer 48:4 – Moab
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Num 21:27. In proverbs The poets or other ingenious persons of the Amorites or Canaanites, who made this following song over the vanquished Moabites, which is here brought in as a proof that this was now Sihons land, and as an evidence of the just judgment of God in spoiling the spoilers, and subduing those who insulted over their conquered enemies. Come into Heshbon These are the words either of Sihon speaking to his people, or of the people exhorting one another to come and possess the city which they had taken. Of Sihon That which once was the royal city of the king of Moab, but now is the city of Sihon.