Numbers 21:29

Chemosh - The national God of the Moabites (compare the marginal references). The name probably means “Vanquisher,” or “Master.” The worship of Chemosh was introduced into Israel by Solomon 1Ki 11:7; 2Ki 23:13. It was no doubt to Chemosh that Mesha, king of Moab, offered up his son as a burnt-offering 2Ki 3:26-27.

In the first six lines Num 21:27-28 the poet imagines for the Amorites a song of exultation for their victories over Moab, and for the consequent glories of Heshbon, their own capital. In the next lines Num 21:29 he himself joins in this strain; which now becomes one of half-real, half-ironical compassion for the Moabites, whom their idol Chemosh was unable to save. But in the last lines Num 21:30 a startling change takes place; the new and decisive triumph of the poet’s own countrymen is abruptly introduced; and the boastings of the Arnorites fade utterly away. Of the towns Heshbon was the northernmost, and therefore, to the advancing Israelites, the last to be reached. Medeba, now Madeba, was four miles south of Heshbon (compare 1Ch 19:7, 1Ch 19:15).

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

Num 21:29. People of Chemosh — The worshippers of Chemosh; so the god of the Moabites was called. He — That is, their god, hath delivered up his own people to his and their enemies; nor could he secure even those that had escaped the sword, but suffered them to be carried into captivity. The words of this and the following verse seem to be, not a part of that triumphant song, made by some Amoritish poet, which seems to be concluded Num 21:28, but of the Israelites making their observation upon it. And here they scoff at the impotency, not only of the Moabites, but of their god also, who could not save his people from the sword of Sihon and the Amorites.

Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

21:29 From the ancient point of view, even Moab’s supreme god Chemosh suffered defeat at the hands of the Amorite conquerors, while the people of Moab became refugees and captives.

Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Chemosh was the idol of the Moabites, 1 Kings 11:33, who was not able to defend his worshippers, which took the idol for their father.

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

people of Chemosh--the name of the Moabite idol (1Ki. 11:7-33; Kg2 23:13; Jer 48:46).

he--that is, their god, hath surrendered his worshippers to the victorious arms of Sihon.

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

29. The verse is still ironical; the Israelites express their pity for Moab in her destruction by the Amorites.

He hath given] He gave. Chemosh, the god of the Moabites, delivered his people into the hands of their enemies. Cf. Jer_48:13.

Unto Sihon king of the Amorites] Unto an Amorite king Sihon. The clause may be a late gloss; the expression is unusual, and the quotation in Jer_48:46 ends at the word ‘captivity.’

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.

And they turned,.... From Jaazer, after they had taken it, and came back a little way:

and went up by the way of Bashan; which was a nearer way to Canaan, a fine country abounding with oxen and sheep, having rich pastures, and very famous for its oaks; it had its name from the mountain of Bashan in it, and has been since called Batanea; it was at this time in the hands of the Amorites, and from them it was taken by Israel, as follows: who marched this way for that purpose, or at least were so directed by the providence of God for that end:

and Og king of Bashan went out against them; who was of the race of the giants, and he himself of a gigantic stature, and was a king of the Amorites, as well as Sihon, Deu 3:8, he came out in an hostile manner against Israel, to stop them going any further:

he, and all his people: out of his many cities, a numerous army no doubt:

to the battle at Edrei; where it was fought between him and Israel. Jerom says (t) it was in his time called Adara, a famous city of Arabia, twenty four or twenty five miles from Bozra, and six from Ashtaroth Karnaim, the ancient seat of the Rephaim, or giants from whom Og sprung, Gen 14:5, and was the seat of Og now, from whence he came to Edrei or Adara, to meet and fight Israel there; see Deu 1:4.

(t) De locis Heb. fol. 87. I. & 92. M.

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

CHAPTER XXI.

He. Chamos, the idol of Moab, is upbraided as too weak to defend his people. The pagans generally formed their judgments of the power of their gods, by the event; and, if that proved unfortunate, they were ever ready to consign the idols to the flames. Chamos was probably the sun. (Calmet) --- Some say he was Bacchus, whom the Greeks call Komas. (Menochius)

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).

Alas, poor Moab! thou couldst not save thyself from Sihon’s sword.

People of Chemosh, i.e. the worshippers of Chemosh: so the god of the Moabites was called, 1Ki 11:7,33; 2Ki 23:13; Jer 48:46.

He, i.e. their god, hath delivered up his own people to his and their enemies; he could not defend them, but suffered many of them to be killed; nor could be secure even those that had escaped the sword, but suffered them to fall into their enemies’ hands, and by them to be carried into captivity.

Unto Sihon king of the Amorites. Now the words of this and the following verse seem to be not a part of that triumphant song or poem made, as I suppose, by some Amoritish bard or poet, which seems to be concluded, Num 21:28; but of the Israelites making their observation upon it. And here they scoff at the impotency not only of the Moabites, but of their god also, who could not save his people from the sword of Sihon and the Amorites.

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

29. Chemosh was the chief god of the Moabites and of the Ammonites, akin to Milcom, Baal, and Moloch. He was both a war-god and a sun-god, being found in both these characters upon the coins of Areopolis, standing upon a column, with a sword in his right hand and a shield in his left, and with two blazing torches by his side. Children were sacrificed to him in times of great distress. 2Ki_3:27.

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

O people of Chemosh. vWmKA Chemosh was the national god of the Moabites, (1Ki_11:7 Jer_48:7) and also to some extent of the Ammonites. (Jud_1:11:24) It is generally agreed that the name is derived from the root to subdue, and thus will have substantially the same meaning as Milcom, Molech, and Baal; indeed it appears probable that there was a strong family likeness among the idolatries of Palestine, and that the various names represented different attributes of one supreme being rather than different divinities. Thus Baal and Ashtaroth (Jud_1:2:13) represented for the Zidonians the masculine and feminine elements respectively in the Divine energy. Baal himself was plural (Baalim, 1Ki_18:18) in form, and either male or female. (h baal in Hos_2:8 Rom_11:4) In the inscription on the Moabite stone a god "Ashtar-Chemosh" is mentioned, and thus Chemosh is identified with the male deity of Phoenicia (Ashtar being the masculine form of Ashtoreth), while, on the other hand, it was almost certainly the same divinity who was worshipped under another name, and with other rites, as Baal-Peor. (see on Num_25:3) On the coins of Areopolis Chemosh appears as a god of war armed, with fire-torches by his side. Human sacrifices were offered to him, (2Ki_3:26, 2Ki_3:27) as to Baal and to Moloch. He hath given his sons, i.e., Chemosh, who could not save his own votaries, nor the children of his people.

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

People of Chemosh - The worshippers of Chemosh: so the God of the Moabites was called. He, that is, their God, hath delivered up his own people to his and their enemies; nor could he secure even those that had escaped the sword, but suffered them to be carried into captivity. The words of this and the following verse seem to be not a part of that triumphant song made, by some Amoritish poet, which seems to be concluded, ver. 28, but of the Israelites making their observation upon it. And here they scoff at the impotency not only of the Moabites, but of their God also, who could not save his people from the sword of Sihon and the Amorites.

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

Moab ... people of Chemosh

These two phrases refer to the same people. (See: Parallelism)

people of Chemosh

"Chemosh" was the name of the false god whom the Moabites worshiped. AT: "the people who worship Chemosh"

He has made his sons

"He" and "his" refer to Chemosh.

we have conquered

Here "we" refers to the Israelites who defeated Sihon.

Heshbon is devastated

This can be stated in active form. AT: "We have devastated Heshbon" (See: Active or Passive)

Heshbon ... all the way to Dibon ... all the way to Nophah ... to Medeba

These are all places in Sihon's kingdom. This means the Israelites destroyed Sihon's entire nation. (See: How to Translate Names and Merism)

translationWords

woe

Moab

perish

son

prison

Amorite

devastate

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

אוי לך מואב WOE TO THEE, MOAB — [These are not the words of the historian but those of Balaam and Beor, for] they cursed the Moabites (as they had been hired to do) so that they should be delivered into his (Sihon’s) hands (Midrash Tanchuma, Chukat 24).

כמוש CHEMOSH was the name of Moab’s god.

נתן HE HATH GIVEN [HIS SONS] — The subject of the sentence is to be supplied: HE who gave HATH GIVEN HIS SONS i.e. those of Moab,

פלטים — AS FUGITIVES — as men who flee and attempt to escape from the sword, and his daughters into captivity, etc.

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.

WOE TO THEE, MOAB! THOU ART PERISHED, O PEOPLE OF CHEMOSH. The meaning of this is that [the people of] Moab used to worship Chemosh their deity, and build high places [i.e., altars, to him] and trust in him more than every other people, and in the time of their trouble they would say to him: ‘Arise, and save us.’ Similarly Scripture refers to [this worship of theirs] in all places, as it is written, And it shall come to pass, when it is seen that Moab hath wearied himself upon the high place, that he shall come to his sanctuary to pray; but he shall not prevail; and it is further stated [of Moab], and Chemosh shall go forth into captivity, his priests and his princes together with him; Moreover I will cause to cease in Moab, saith the Eternal, him that offereth in the high place, and him that offereth to his gods., Verse 35. Therefore those who spoke in parables said by way of mockery, that Chemosh hath given ‘his sons’ as fugitives, refugees who flee [to safety] because of the sword; and ‘his daughters’ into captivity; [these terms, “sons” and “daughters” are used] because those who believe in him are called “his sons” and “his daughters,” in the same way that they are [here] called “his people” [people of Chemosh]. Similarly [we find the expression], the daughter of a strange god. The [correct explanation is thus] not like the words of Rashi, who interpreted [the verse as follows]: “He the Giver [i.e., G-d] gave his sons [i.e., those of Moab] as fugitives from the sword.”Chemosh was also worshipped by the children of Ammon, as Jephthah said [to the king of Ammon], that which Chemosh thy god giveth thee to possess that you will possess. They also had in their country Milcom the detestation of the Ammonites. Or [it may be that] Jephthah mentioned Chemosh to the king of Ammon because of [the land] which Israel had captured from Moab, just as he [Jephthah] mentioned to them [i.e., to the Ammonites]: Balak king of Moab, meaning to say that neither Chemosh their god nor Balak their king had saved their land [Moab] from the hand of Israel. It is very fitting that we say, as our Rabbis explained, that [the reference in the term] ‘hamoshlim’ (they that speak in parables) is to Balaam and those like him, the diviners who spoke in parables about future events.

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.