16 And they removed from the wilderness of Sinai, and encamped at Kibroth-hattaavah. 17 And they removed from Kibroth-hattaavah, and encamped at Hazeroth. 18 And they removed from Hazeroth, and encamped in Rithmah. 19 And they removed from Rithmah, and encamped at Rimmon-perez. 20 And they removed from Rimmon-perez, and encamped in Libnah. 21 And they removed from Libnah, and encamped at Rissah. 22 And they removed from Rissah, and encamped in Kehelathah. 23 And they removed from Kehelathah, and encamped in mount Shapher. 24 And they removed from mount Shapher, and encamped in Haradah. 25 And they removed from Haradah, and encamped in Makheloth. 26 And they removed from Makheloth, and encamped at Tahath. 27 And they removed from Tahath, and encamped at Terah. 28 And they removed from Terah, and encamped in Mithcah. 29 And they removed from Mithcah, and encamped in Hashmonah. 30 And they removed from Hashmonah, and encamped in Moseroth. 31 And they removed from Moseroth, and encamped in Bene-Jaakan. 32 And they removed from Bene-Jaakan, and encamped at Hor-hagidgad. 33 And they removed from Hor-hagidgad, and encamped in Jotbathah. 34 And they removed from Jotbathah, and encamped at Abronah. 35 And they removed from Abronah, and encamped at Ezion-geber. 36 And they removed from Ezion-geber, and encamped in the wilderness of Zin, which is Kadesh. 37 And they removed from Kadesh, and encamped in mount Hor, in the border of the land of Edom. 38 And Aaron the priest went up mount Hor by the commandment of Jehovah, and died there, in the fortieth year after the children of Israel came out of the land of Egypt, in the fifth month, on the first of the month. 39 And Aaron was a hundred and twenty-three years old when he died on mount Hor. 40 And the Canaanite, the king of Arad who dwelt in the south in the land of Canaan, heard of the coming of the children of Israel. 41 And they removed from mount Hor, and encamped in Zalmonah. 42 And they removed from Zalmonah, and encamped in Punon. 43 And they removed from Punon, and encamped in Oboth. 44 And they removed from Oboth, and encamped in Ijim-Abarim, in the border of Moab. 45 And they removed from Ijim, and encamped in Dibon-Gad. 46 And they removed from Dibon-Gad, and encamped in Almon-Diblathaim. 47 And they removed from Almon-Diblathaim, and encamped in the mountains of Abarim, before Nebo. 48 And they removed from the mountains of Abarim, and encamped in the plains of Moab by the Jordan of Jericho. 49 And they encamped by the Jordan, from Beth-jeshimoth unto Abel-Shittim, in the plains of Moab.
50 And Jehovah spoke to Moses in the plains of Moab by the Jordan of Jericho, saying, 51 Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When ye pass over Jordan into the land of Canaan, 52 then ye shall dispossess all the inhabitants of the land from before you, and ye shall destroy all their figured images, and all their molten images shall ye destroy, and all their high places shall ye lay waste; 53 and ye shall take possession of the land, and dwell therein, for to you have I given the land to possess it. 54 And ye shall take for yourselves the land as an inheritance by lot according to your families: to the many ye shall increase their inheritance, and to the few thou shalt diminish their inheritance: where the lot falleth to him, there shall be each man's [inheritance]; according to the tribes of your fathers shall ye take for yourselves the inheritance. 55 But if ye will not dispossess the inhabitants of the land from before you, those that ye let remain of them shall be thorns in your eyes, and pricks in your sides, and they shall harass you in the land wherein ye dwell. 56 And it shall come to pass that I will do unto you as I thought to do unto them.
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Numbers 33:16-56
Commentary on Numbers 33:1-49
(Read Numbers 33:1-49)
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.
Commentary on Numbers 33:50-56
(Read Numbers 33:50-56)
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.