Numbers 14:9

Num 14:9 Only rebel not ye against the LORD, neither fear ye the people of the land; for they [are] bread for us: their defence is departed from them, and the LORD [is] with us: fear them not.

Ver. 9. They are bread for us,] q.d., We shall make but a breakfast of them. So that valiant Prince of Orange told his soldiers at the battle of Newport, when they had the sea on the one side, and the Spaniards on the other, that they must either eat up those Spaniards, or drink up that sea.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

We shall easily overcome them.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain. Text via Bolls.life.

their defence is departed--Hebrew, "their shadow." The Sultan of Turkey and the Shah of Persia are called "the shadow of God," "the refuge of the world." So that the meaning of the clause, "their defence is departed from them," is, that the favor of God was now lost to those whose iniquities were full (Gen 15:16), and transferred to the Israelites.

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Verse 9. Their defence] צלם tsillam, their shadow, a metaphor highly expressive of protection and support in the sultry eastern countries. The protection of God is so called; see Ps 91:1; Ps 121:5; see also Isa 51:16; Isa 49:2; Isa 30:2.

The Arabs and Persians have the same word to express the same thing. [Persian] nemayeed zulli doulet mamdood bad. "May the shadow of thy prosperity be extended!" [Persian] nemayced zulli doulet ber mufareki khayr khwahen mamdood bad. "May the shadow of thy prosperity be spread over the heads of thy well-wishers!" They have also the following elegant distich: -

[Persian]

[Persian]

Sayahat kem mubad az seri ma

Bast Allah zullikem abeda.

"May thy protection never be removed from my head!

May God extend thy shadow eternally!"

Here the Arabic [Arabic] zull answers exactly to the Hebrew צל tsel, both signifying that which overspreads or overshadows. See Clarke on Nu 14:14.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

(9) Their defence is departed from them.—Literally, their shadow. This is a natural and frequently recurring figure of speech in the East, where protection from the scorching rays of the sun is a boon of incalculable worth. (Comp. Gen_19:8; Psa_17:8; Psa_91:1; Isa_25:4; Isa_30:2.) The measure of the iniquity of the Canaanites was now full, and they were ripe for

destruction. (Comp. Gen_15:16; Lev_18:25; Lev_20:23.)

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

9. they are our bread] i.e. we shall swallow them up, annihilate them; cf. Psa_14:4 = Psa_53:4, Num_24:8.

their defence] Lit. ‘shadow’ (as R.V. marg. states); a common metaphor of great significance in a hot country; see Jdg_9:15, Isa_25:4; Isa_32:2, and the name Bezalel (Exo_31:2) which denotes ‘in the shadow of El (God).’ The passage means that the gods in whom the Canaanites trust will be powerless against Jehovah the God of Israel. Cf. Deu_32:31 ‘their rock is not as our Rock.’

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Only rebel not ye against the Lord,.... Nothing, it is suggested, could hinder them from the, possession of it but their rebellion against the Lord; which might provoke him to cut them off by his immediate hand, or to deliver them into the hands of their enemies; for rebellion is a dreadful sin, and highly provoking, Sa1 15:23,

neither fear ye the people the land; on account of their number, strength, the walled cities they dwell in; they had nothing to fear from them, so be it they feared the Lord, and were not disobedient to him:

for they are bread for us; as easy to be cut to pieces, and to be devoured, consumed, and destroyed as thoroughly, as bread is when eaten; and their fields, vineyards, all they have without and within, even all their substance, will be a prey to us, and furnish out sufficient provision for us, on which we may pleasantly and plentifully live, as on bread: see Psa 14:4,

their defence is departed from them; they had no heart nor spirit left in them; no courage to defend themselves, and therefore the strength of their bodies and their walled towns would be of no avail unto them; see Jos 2:9; or "their shadow" (r), which covered and protected them, the providence of God which was over them, and continued them in the land, and quiet possession of it, until the measure of their iniquity was filled up, and the time come for his people Israel to inhabit it; but now it was departed:

and the Lord is with us; as was evident by the cloud upon the tabernacle, and by the manna being spread around their camp every morning: the Targums of Onkelos and Jonathan are,"the Word of the Lord is for our help:"

fear them not; the Canaanites, notwithstanding the strength of their bodies, or of their cities, the Lord is mightier than they.

(r) "umbra eorum", Montanus, Tigurine version, Fagius, Vatablus; so Junius & Tremellius, Piscator.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Their defense - literally, “their shadow,” i. e. their shelter as from the scorching sun: an Oriental figure. Compare the marginal references.

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

To eat, or consume them, as easily as we devour a piece of bread. The expression is proverbial, Psalm xiii. 4. --- All aid. Hebrew, "their shadow," which is taken in the same sense. Septuagint, "their time or opportunity is gone." The Rabbins refer this to holy Job, who, they say, died at this time. (Cornelius a Lapide) --- He dwelt near the Jordan. (Pineda in Job.) (Chap. i. 1, and 27.

George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).

They are bread for us; we shall destroy them as easily as we do our bread or common food. Compare Num 24:8; Psa 14:4.

Their defence, i.e. their counsel, conduct, and courage, and especially God, who was pleased to afford them his protection till their iniquities were full, Gen 15:16, is utterly departed from them, and hath given them up as a prey to us.

The Lord is with us, by his special grace and almighty power, to save us from them; and from all our enemies.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

9. Rebel not… neither fear… the people — Disobedience to God is the soil out of which the fear of man always grows. If the presence of Napoleon on the battle-field was equal, in the courage which he inspired, to a re-enforcement of ten thousand men, how much more inspiring to the Hebrews would be a realizing faith in the presence of the omnipotent Jehovah.

They are bread for us — We shall destroy them as easily as we eat bread. Psa_14:4. The simile is natural to a Hebrew, in whose language the verbs to eat, to fight, to destroy in war, are the same. We have a similar proverb in “Food for our powder.” As the faint-hearted spies had declared that the Canaanites were giants before whom the Hebrews were dwarfed to grasshoppers, so the brave spies, with equal strength of expression, style them “bread for us.”

Their defence — Hebrew, shadow, covering.

Is departed — They are wholly destitute of courage. The Sultan of Turkey and the Shah of Persia are called “the shadow of God,” “the refuge of the whole world.” (Critici Sacri.)

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

They are bread for us. "They are our food," i.e., we shall easily devour them. (cf. Num_24:8 Psa_14:4) Perhaps it has the further significance that their enemies would be an absolute advantage to them, because they would (however unwillingly) supply them with the necessaries of life. So apparently the Septuagint: mh fobhyhte tobrwma umin estin . Their defense is departed from them. Literally, "their shadow," that which shielded them for a while from the fierce blast of Divine wrath. This "shadow" was not positively the Divine protection, (as in Psa_91:1, and elsewhere) but negatively that Providence which left them a space wherein to walk in their own ways. (cf. to katecon of 2Th_2:6)

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Bread - We shall destroy them as easily as we eat our bread. Their defense - Their conduct and courage, and especially God, who was pleased to afford them his protection 'till their iniquities were full, is utterly departed from them, and hath given them up as a prey to us. With us - By his special grace and almighty power, to save us from them and all our enemies. Only rebel not against the Lord - Nothing can ruin sinners but their own rebellion. If God leaves them, 'tis because they drive him from them, and they die, because they will die.

John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.

Connecting Statement:

Joshua and Caleb continue speaking to the people of Israel.

for they are bread to us

Joshua and Caleb speak of destroying their enemies as easily as if they were eating bread. AT: "We will destroy them as easily as we can eat food" (See: Metaphor and Simile)

Their protection will be removed from them

This can be stated in active form. AT: "Yahweh will remove their protection from them" (See: Active or Passive)

Their protection

The abstract noun "protection" can be stated as "protect." AT: "Anyone that might protect them" (See: Abstract Nouns)

translationWords

rebel

Yahweh

fear

consume

stone

die

glory

tent of meeting

Israel

unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.

אל תמרדו [ONLY] REBEL NOT YE [AGAINST THE LORD], and consequently ואתם אל תיראו YOU WILL NOT HAVE TO FEAR [THE PEOPLE OF THE LAND].

כי לחמנו הם FOR THEY ARE BREAD FOR US — i.e. we shall consume them as bread.

סר צלם THEIR DEFENSE (lit., shade) IS DEPARTED [FROM THEM] — i.e. their shield and their strength is departed from them: the virtuous among them are dead; one of them was Job, who had protected them by his righteousness (Sotah 35a; cf. Bava Batra 15a). [Another explanation is: the shade (protection) of the Omnipresent is departed from them]. (Cf. Psalms 121:5).

Rashi on the Tanakh — English translations: “The Judaica Press complete Tanach with Rashi, translated by A. J. Rosenberg” (CC BY 4.0); “Pentateuch with Rashi's commentary by M. Rosenbaum and A.M. Silbermann, 1929-1934” (public domain); “The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J” (CC BY 4.0); and “The Book of Joshua, Metsudah Publications, 1997” (CC BY 4.0). Text via Sefaria.

ONLY REBEL NOT AGAINST THE ETERNAL. This means that [Moses and Aaron told the people]: “Your being afraid [to go up] because of the strength of the people that dwell in the Land is [in itself] a rebellion against the Glorious Name, for it was not because of your [own] strength that you came out of Egypt, but it was the hand of the Eternal that hath dealt wondrously with you. And He has assured you that He will drive them out from before you; if so, believe [in Him] and you will succeed.” They [Moses and Aaron] continued: neither fear ye the people, for they are bread for us, meaning that “even in the natural course of events and through normal methods of [warfare as practiced in] the world, they will fall before us, for the fear of us has overcome them and they will let us consume them like bread.”

TZILAM’ (literally: “their shadow”) IS REMOVED FROM THEM. “That is, their shield and their strength [are departed from them]. The worthy ones among them have died. Another interpretation: the shade (protection) of G-d is departed from them.” This is Rashi’s language. And Rabbi Abraham ibn Ezra commented that “tzilam means the buckler and shield which form a shade [and protection] to people in battle, and they [Moses and Aaron] are thus saying that our fear has fallen upon them, so that they will not take buckler, shield nor helmet to arm themselves and fight against us.” He has explained it well.But it is possible that Scripture is alluding to the well-known fact that there will be no shadow over the head of a person who is [destined] to die that year, on “the night of the seal.” Therefore it says: “their ‘shade’ is already removed from them, meaning that death has been decreed upon them, and the Eternal is with us, for it is He Who dwells in our midst and does miracles and wonders for us in the eyes of all who behold us; therefore, fear them not.” Or it is possible that the verse alludes to the princes above [in heaven], for no nation falls unless its prince falls first, as it is written, The Eternal will punish the host of the high heaven on high etc., and afterwards, on the kings of the earth upon the earth, and as is explained in the Book of Daniel., 11:16. Thus the verse is saying: “the power under whose protection the nations [in the land of Canaan] live is already removed, and the Eternal Who lowered them is with us, therefore fear them not.” And thus the Rabbis said in Midrash Shir Hashirim: Vol. II, p. 528). “And the shadows flee away. These are the princes of the nations and their angels,” for they are the protection over the nations. I have already mentioned this in other places.

Ramban (Nachmanides) on the Tanakh — English translation: “Commentary on the Torah by Ramban (Nachmanides). Translated and annotated by Charles B. Chavel. New York, Shilo Pub. House, 1971-1976” (CC BY 4.0). Text via Sefaria.

For they are [as] our bread. We will consume them like bread, as in, “Those who devoured My people partook of bread” (Tehillim 14:4).

Their protection is removed. Even a mighty warrior, if he has no shield to protect him, will be afraid.

Ibn Ezra on the Tanakh — English translations: “Sefaria Community Translation” (CC0 1.0 (public-domain dedication)); “Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009” (CC BY 4.0); and “Commentary of Ibn Ezra on Isaiah - trans. by M. Friedlander, 1873” (public domain). Text via Sefaria.