2
And Israelוַ יִשְׂרָאֵלvowedיִּדַּרa vowנֶדֶרto YHWHלַיהוָהand said,וַיֹּאמַר“Ifאִםyou will indeedנָתֹןgiveתִּתֵּןthisהַזֶּהpeopleאֶת הָעָםinto my hand,בְּיָדִיthen I will devote to destructionוְהַחֲרַמְתִּיtheir cities.”אֶת עָרֵיהֶם
Numbers 21:2
Study it in the app“And Israel vowed a vow to YHWH and said, “If you will indeed give this people into my hand, then I will devote to destruction their cities.””
With the Hebrew beneath
Numbers 21:2, word by word
- And Israelיִשְׂרָאֵלyisrael
Israel
Israel, the new name Jacob received from God, explained as "you have striven with God" (Genesis 32:28); then the name of the people that came from him and, after the division, of the northern kingdom.
Where else “yisrael” appears- vowedיִּדַּרyidar
vow
Make a vow: promise something to God.
Where else “yidar” appears- a vowנֶדֶרneder
vow
Vow: a solemn promise made to God; also the thing promised.
Where else “neder” appears- to YHWHיהוָהyhva
YHWH
The personal name of the God of Israel, written in Hebrew with four letters, Y-H-W-H, without vowels. Out of reverence Jews stopped pronouncing it and read "Adonai" (Lord), so many Bibles put "the LORD" or "Jehovah". This translation keeps the four letters. The name is related to the verb "to be" (Exodus 3:14-15). He is not a god other than Elohim: "YHWH Elohim" is the same Creator God, called by his name.
Where else “yhva” appears- and saidיֹּאמַרyomar
say
To say with the mouth to someone what one thinks or wants, or to answer him.
Where else “yomar” appears- you will indeedנָתֹןnaton
hand over
To hand someone over to another's power, giving that one victory.
Where else “naton” appears- peopleעָםam
crowd
The people gathered in a place: the crowd, or the troops that go out to war.
Where else “am” appears- into my handיָדִyadi
power
Literally "the hand": the strength and control someone has.
Where else “yadi” appears- then I will devote to destructionהַחֲרַמְתִּיhacharamti
devote to destruction
To give something wholly to YHWH, often by destroying it.
Where else “hacharamti” appears- their citiesעָרֵיare
city
A settled place protected by a wall, with a gate and houses.
Where else “are” appears
The context
1When the Canaanite, the king of Arad, who lived in the Negev, heard that Israel was coming by the way of Atharim, he fought against Israel and took some of them captive.
2 · This verse (above)
3And YHWH listened to the voice of Israel and gave over the Canaanites, and they devoted to destruction them and their cities; and the name of the place was called Hormah.