And Israel vowed a vow vnto the Lord, and said, If thou wilt in deed deliuer this people into my hand, then I wil vtterly destroy their cities. Numbers 21:2 (KJV)
“And Israel vowed a vow unto the LORD, and said, If thou wilt indeed deliver this people into my hand, then I will utterly destroy their cities.” This verse is found in the book of Numbers, which is the fourth book of the Hebrew Bible and the Old Testament. It primarily focuses on the Israelites’ journey from Mount Sinai to the Promised Land under the leadership of Moses. In Numbers 21:2, we witness the Israelites making a vow to the Lord. To understand the context, it’s essential to look at the preceding events. The Israelites had been wandering in the wilderness for a long time, and they grew weary and discouraged. They had been faced with various challenges and had complained against God and Moses multiple times. In the preceding verses, Numbers 21:1-3, we see the king of Arad, a Canaanite king, launching an attack against the Israelites and taking some of them captive. The Israelites cried out to the Lord and sought His intervention. “And the children of Israel vowed a vow unto the LORD, when they passed over the bramble-wood, saying, ‘If thou wilt give unto us, O LORD, passage through this land, and cast out from before us the inhabitants of the land; for we shall go forward, and will take possession.’” They vowed that if God would deliver the Canaanite people into their hands, they would completely destroy their cities. They pledged that if God granted them passage through the land and removed its current inhabitants, they would take possession of it. This vow expressed their desire for victory and their commitment to carry out God’s will. It demonstrated their trust in God’s power and their willingness to obey Him. This vow reflects their desire for victory and their reliance on God’s help. It’s important to note that this vow should be understood within the historical and cultural context of ancient warfare. Complete destruction of enemy cities was a common practice during that time. However, as we continue reading the Bible, we find that the Israelites did not always fulfil their vows and promises to the Lord. Their commitment to obey God wavered, and they faced consequences for their disobedience. Later biblical narratives show that the Israelites sometimes struggled to keep their vows and faced consequences for their disobedience. Overall, Numbers 21:2 highlights the Israelites’ desire for victory and their acknowledgment of God’s power in delivering them. It also reveals their commitment to fulfilling their vow to God by destroying the Canaanite cities.
