Woe to you, Moab! You are undone, people of Chemosh! He has given his sons as fugitives, and his daughters into captivity, to Sihon king of the Amorites.
Parallel Translations
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Woe to you, Moab! You are undone, people of Chemosh! He has given his sons as fugitives, and his daughters into captivity, to Sihon king of the Amorites.
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Woe to thee, Moab! thou art undone, O people of Chemosh: he hath given his sons that escaped, and his daughters, into captivity unto Sihon king of the Amorites.
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Woe to thee, Moab! thou art undone, O people of Chemosh; he hath given his sons as fugitives, and his daughters into captivity, unto Sihon king of the Amorites.
Cross-references (10)
Passages linked to Numbers 21:29 in the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge, ordered by reader-vote popularity; verse text shown in World English Bible.
- Judges 11:24 Won’t you possess that which Chemosh your god gives you to possess? So whoever Yahweh our God has dispossessed from before us, them will we possess.
- 2 Kings 23:13 The king defiled the high places that were before Jerusalem, which were on the right hand of the mountain of corruption, which Solomon the king of Israel had built for Ashtoreth the abomination of the Sidonians, and for Chemosh the abomination of Moab, and for Milcom the abomination of the children of Ammon.
- Jeremiah 48:46 Woe to you, O Moab! The people of Chemosh are undone; for your sons are taken away captive, and your daughters into captivity.
- 1 Kings 11:7 Then Solomon built a high place for Chemosh the abomination of Moab, on the mountain that is before Jerusalem, and for Molech the abomination of the children of Ammon.
- 1 Kings 11:33 because that they have forsaken me, and have worshiped Ashtoreth the goddess of the Sidonians, Chemosh the god of Moab, and Milcom the god of the children of Ammon. They have not walked in my ways, to do that which is right in my eyes, and to keep my statutes and my ordinances, as David his father did.
- Jeremiah 48:7 For, because you have trusted in your works and in your treasures, you also will be taken. Chemosh will go out into captivity, his priests and his princes together.
- Isaiah 15:5 My heart cries out for Moab! Her nobles flee to Zoar, to Eglath Shelishiyah; for they go up by the ascent of Luhith with weeping; for on the way to Horonaim, they raise up a cry of destruction.
- Isaiah 16:2 For it will be that as wandering birds, as a scattered nest, so will the daughters of Moab be at the fords of the Arnon.
- Jeremiah 48:13 Moab will be ashamed of Chemosh, as the house of Israel was ashamed of Bethel, their confidence.
- 1 Corinthians 8:4-5 Therefore concerning the eating of things sacrificed to idols, we know that no idol is anything in the world, and that there is no other God but one. For though there are things that are called “gods”, whether in the heavens or on earth; as there are many “gods” and many “lords”;
Cross-references from openbible.info (CC BY 4.0)
Explain this verse (13 sources)
Historical commentary, presented as a primary source — not an endorsement.
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Geneva Bible translators 1599 · Public Domain Chemosh was the idol of the Moabites, 1 Kings…
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.
Matthew Poole 1685 · Public Domain Alas, poor Moab! thou couldst not save thyself from…
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.
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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.
John Gill 1763 · Public Domain And they turned,.... From Jaazer, after they had taken…
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:
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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.
John Wesley 1765 · Public Domain People of Chemosh - The worshippers of Chemosh: so…
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.
Joseph Benson 1811 · Public Domain Num 21:29. People of Chemosh — The worshippers of…
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.
Albert Barnes 1834 · Public Domain Chemosh - The national God of the Moabites (compare…
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.
Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary 1859 · Public Domain He. Chamos, the idol of Moab, is upbraided as…
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).
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown 1871 · Public Domain people of Chemosh--the name of the Moabite idol (1Ki.…
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.
Daniel D. Whedon 1874 · Public Domain 29. Chemosh was the chief god of the Moabites…
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.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges 1878 · Public Domain 29. The verse is still ironical; the Israelites express…
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.
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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.
The Pulpit Commentary 1880 · Public Domain O people of Chemosh. vWmKA Chemosh was the national…
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.
unfoldingWord translationNotes 2017 · CC BY-SA 4.0 Moab ... people of Chemosh
Moab ... people of Chemosh
These two phrases refer to the same people. (See: Parallelism)
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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.
Tyndale Open Study Notes 2022 · CC BY-SA 4.0 21:29 From the ancient point of view, even Moab’s…
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.